For those of you who know us, you may be surprised to see our name and the word “camping” next to each other in a sentence. But our friends suggested we should all go camping together, so we decided to be open-minded and try it out! All of our girls are staggered in age, and since it was the 1st time for all of us to camp with a munchkin, we figured we’d all be in the same boat. To make things somewhat easier, we decided to stay at Campland in San Diego. It’s on Mission Bay, and basically – right in the middle of the city. The only thing that made it camping was sleeping in a tent and having a site with dirt … everything else was pretty easy and convenient. Campland had showers, electricity, a market, a pool, a park … and even Domino’s was delivering pizzas to some of the sites! It may not necessarily be “roughing it” … but at times, it was a little rough! :)
Thank goodness Ed is so awesome – he set up the tent right away with no problems.
The girls got cozy (and dirty!) right away as well …
And once the sun went down, Ruby got to debut some super cute campfire fashion – the little lamb pj’s!
Unfortunately, despite many trials in the pack and play, Ruby just didn’t like sleeping in the tent for some reason. This can also be translated as unfortunately, no one in the Kim family got much sleep in the tent.
Although we had a major lack of sleep, there were some highlights. The 1st was that Ruby was happy as a clam in the pool!
She spent an hour and a half in there non-stop! She was a very happy baby in the water.
Also super awesome was our introduction to “Hobo Stew” …
Basically, you chop up a bunch of veggies, potatoes and sausage. Then you take a piece of tin foil and load up whatever fillings you choose. We had a variety of sauces to add to the mix, such as ketchup, bbq sauce, mustards, wine, beer, etc. that you could top off with before sealing your creation in the tin foil and setting it in the fire pit. The sausage starts cookin’, the steam rises inside and cooks your veggies, and then about 15-20 minutes later you have a pretty good hot meal if I do say so myself!
Thanks to our friends the Arzates for introducing us to Hobo Stew!
All in all, we’re glad we did it – but its safe to say the Kims won’t be camping anytime soon. (Unless you’ve got an awesome vintage Airstream trailer we may be able to borrow from you … :)
Last Saturday was the 1st Annual Long Beach Street Food Fest in Rainbow Harbor! Basically that meant some pretty awesome gourmet food trucks were all parked out in one place (check out all the trucks that were there) , and we got to spend the day walking around the park, hanging out with friends, lounging on the grass and sampling food after food … pretty much a perfect day in our opinion! Here’s a short clip we took from our shady spot in Rainbow Harbor:
It’s no secret that the gourmet food truck phenomenon has been growing strong over the last few years. Ed & I credit the original Kogi BBQ truck for all the hype (We chased them around L.A. one night – you have to get their location by following them on Twitter). Many, many chefs have followed in Kogi’s direction, and now there’s a truck for just about any food you can possibly think of.
Where do we begin with Ahn Joo? It was amazing – we ended up visiting this truck twice, and we decided it was our favorite truck of the food fest. If you watched the Food Network’s “Next Food Network Star”, you may remember Debbie, who was one of the contestants. This was her truck! She was known on the show for being Korean, but growing up in the South. Mixing up bold flavorful Korean flavors with Southern Comfort food is an absolute winner!
Left: This was my “KFC” – Korean Fried Chicken! Yep, juicy on the inside, crispy on the outside – and glazed with a sticky sweet garlic sauce. I want to eat this everyday! Right: Ed was loving his Mama Lee’s Meatloaf! And these were the simple, yet perfect, showstoppers: The “Seoultown Spuds”. Potato Wedges with a spicy chili sauce & green onions! LOVED THESE!!!
We also sampled Bacon-Wrapped Rice Skewers and Kimchee Citrus Pork Skewers with Grilled Fuji Apple. We WILL be searching out Ahn Joo in the future!
Buttermilk was a fun truck! They kept it simple – and indulgent! – by offering three things on the menu: Glazed buttermilk doughnut holes, Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Pancake Bites and “The Brick”. The Brick consisted of hashbrowns and an over-Easy egg smothered in chorizo gravy, with a buttermilk biscuit right on top. Ed was all over it – and this was a big fave from the day as well.
Ed & I were super excited about hitting the Border Grill truck. Border Grill is none other than Chef Susan Feniger, who is an inspiring and energetic chef who we especially loved watching on Top Chef Masters (you may also know her from The Two Hot Tamales?). Unfortunately – the food we got on the truck was just “meh.” We tried the Yucatan Pork Taco, the Crispy Baja Fish Taco, the Potato Rajas Taco, the Carne Asada taco and an order of Cumin Fries w/chipotle ketchup. Maybe it was the crowds (this truck had a HUGE line) or maybe something was off, but the food was kind of a disappointment. Oh well, we still love you Susan!
Okay – technically, this is just a 1/2 stop, because while we were in line at Border Grill, people kept walking away with food from this truck that looked AMAZING (like that cute little meatball slider you see on your right!) and we had to get in line. But, we were too late – by the time we got near the front, they were sold out of many items and all they had left were bigger plates (which we didn’t want to indulge in, because we had to pace ourselves – there was a lot of food to try!). But I definitely want to find these guys again soon … they have a really fun menu (“Ballafel”, anyone?), and we are intrigued!
5th Stop: COOLHAUS I could not wait to check out COOLHAUS, where I’d saw online that they are known for their “architecturally inspired ice cream sandwiches”! (The truck itself also rules – notice the rims!)
They have unusual (and some classic) flavors like: blood orange, brown butter w/ candied bacon, chocolate chipotle, cinnamon, coffee toffee, dirty mint chip, meyer lemon, vanilla bean, lambrusco, baked apple, sea salt caramel, mascarpone balsamic fig, ed velvet, peanut butter, strawberry, carrot cake, pistachio w/ black truffles, and even foie gras! They come sandwiched in-between two yummy freshly baked cookies.
My pictures didn’t really turn out (this one comes from their website) – but they come as minis, which is optimal for trying multiple flavors/combinations! Unfortunately, by the time we hit COOLHAUS it was later in the day, and the infamous Brown Butter Ice Cream with Candied Bacon was sold out – as well as the Red Velvet! But my Minty Brownie sandwich was awesome. It’s gonna be a long hot summer, so I guarantee The Kims will be seen chasing this truck in the future as well.
And for some summery refreshment: Del’s Frozen Lemonade There’s not much better on a hot summery day than a Frozen Lemonade. Del’s was a classic. You could also consider this a palate cleanser, no?
Overall – it was a great day in Long Beach. We can’t wait for next year! (Or maybe this weekend, we we just go search out all the trucks again on our own?)
This past weekend, Larry took Carrie and I to Bob’s Big Boy in Downey. Doesn’t sound like anything out of the ordinary, does it? After all, most Bob’s Big Boy restaurants are but a shadow of their former selves, looking like generic family restaurants inside and out. And Downey? Just another ho-hum middle class suburb of Los Angeles, right?
Um, no. This restaurant has been lovingly and painstakingly restored to its original glory, down to every last detail. It is an archetype of mid-century Googie architecture. Everything here is as it once was, from the green vinyl upholstery on the booths, walnut-effect laminate on the counters and tabletops, rock walls, and gorgeous bullet and sputnik light fixtures. It even features a drive-in section that is operational everyday after 4pm. You can learn all about it here at the restaurant’s website. And Downey? As it turns out, it is filled with amazing mid-century architecture everywhere, some well preserved, others not. It’s an amazing place to explore. Downey. Downey!!
All of these pics were taken with my iPhone, with suitable vintage photo effects courtesy of two apps – Hipstamatic and Camera Bag.
I had to dine on an old childhood favorite of mine, chili spaghetti. Sounds disgusting, and it sorta is, in the most gloriously delicious way.
The experience was so magical that we had to bring our friends Rebecca and Jody back the next day, meaning that we came here twice in one weekend. And yes, I did get the chili spaghetti the second time too.
Larry also took us to another Downey landmark, the oldest operating McDonald’s in the world. Opened in 1953, this location is well preserved and has its huge sign intact.
Rebecca and Jody learned that Downey was the birthplace and home of The Carpenters. Who knew? We found the house Karen Carpenter was raised in, and better yet, learned that once the Carpenters became successful, they decided to buy and manage two apartment buildings in Downey, directly across the street from each other. Random thing to do with your success, huh? And they named them too. What did they name them? What else?
We passed a Hawaiian apparel store called Exotical…filled with all kinds of vintage Hawaiian kitsch (which I don’t think was meant to be kitschy). Regretfully, they were closed as it was Sunday, but we got pictures of the patina’d sign and some creepy mannequins.
Turns out Charles Phoenix, a connoisseur of all things mid-century, has also taken an interest in Downey and did a feature with the local NPR affiliate KPCC here. Downey’s only 15 minutes from home…we’ve got some more exploring to do, and more chili spaghettis to down!
Today’s leg of our trip focused on all things Route 66! There was plenty to see and do – and we couldn’t wait to hit the road!
But, first things first – keeping in line with our kitschy theme, we had to hit up The Pioneer in Laughlin for breakfast before starting our day. What can we say – the Pioneer was a goldmine of kitsch, and we thoroughly enjoyed the Old West theme!
In Ed’s words, “When you’re in a gamblin’ kind of place, you gotta have a shrimp cocktail, no matter how early it is” – so here is my happy guy with his Shrimp Cocktail:
I chose to stick with coffee and pancakes. :)
Route 66 Roadside Town #1: OATMAN
Oatman is quite a place – and yes, you read it right – the sign mentions Wild Burros. As you walk through the main drag in town, there are tons of donkeys just cruising around unattended! They are descendants of all the pack animals brought to the tiny town by miners back in the day. You can buy a bag of carrots to feed them for $1, so of course we did!
Another big claim to fame for the town is the Oatman Hotel – where Clark Gable & Carole Lombard spent their honeymoon! The actual suite is undergoing renovations, but here is the entrance:
Oatman is a cute little old west town, and it was fun to take a few shots of all the old signage.
After leaving Oatman, we made a few stops along the way to take in the scenery. A man was even nice enough to take a picture of the two of us! Here are a few shots, but man – it really doesn’t do things justice! One thing we both agreed on was that it was during this stretch of the road that definitely seemed the loneliest, and definitely most forgotten …
We even drove by the infamous Cool Springs Mobil Gas Station, which is an icon of stops along The Mother Road:
Route 66 Roadside Town #2: KINGMAN
We got into Kingman, which is one of the better known roadside towns. It was home of the Route 66 Museum, so we had to make a stop inside to check out all the memorabilia.
Also in Kingman is Mr. D’z Route 66 Diner. We were holding out for another place to actually eat at which was a few towns away (more on that later!), so we settled on a milkshake at Mr. D’z.
We didn’t have too much time in Kingman, because we wanted to make sure to get to the Grand Canyon Cavern in time to check it out before it closed. On the way, we passed through a TON of open road, some Hualapai Indian Territory, and the teeny tiny town of Peach Springs.
Route 66 Roadside Attraction: GRAND CANYON CAVERN & CAVERN INN
The Cavern was so awesome! We were glad to make it in time for the last tour of the day (they don’t let you go down there unattended). We took an elevator 21 stories down underneath the ground with 4 others and our tour guide, Johnny. Tough to capture – but here we are in the Cavern!
Also on site is a ton of other fun stuff, like dinosaurs & the groovy old sign at the Inn!
Route 66 Roadside Town #3: SELIGMAN
We hightailed it out of the Cavern as soon as the tour ended en route to Seligman – where the fictional town of Radiator Springs (from the Pixar movie Cars) is basically inspired from. There were promises of a pretty extensive (and wacky) mega gift store, as well as the diner we’d really been holding out for all day – The Snow Cap Drive-In. We are bummed to report the Snow Cap was CLOSED by the time we got there! However, they had lots of pictures of cars just like the ones in the movie Cars – so these pics are for you, Facey family! :)
Look at the eyes they put in the windows:
We were really disappointed, the Snow Cap just seemed like the ultimate place to stop … SO old school!
They’re most famous for their “Dead Chicken” – and we didn’t get to find out what it was all about!
Route 66 Roadside Town #4: WILLIAMS
By the time we got to Williams, the sun had already gone down – but this was the most bustling of the roadside towns. Don’t get me wrong – its still teeny & quaint – but the lights were on, the Old West vibe was strong, and there were lots of people milling around. This is the Route 66 town before we left the Mother Road to head to the Grand Canyon.
To finally quench our ultimate Route 66 diner quest, we had a bite at Cruiser’s Cafe 66.
That wraps things up for day 2. We gotta get some rest – we’re planning a big day of hiking at the Grand Canyon. We both can’t wait to see it, we’re getting up early!
This post is a little belated, but word on the street is that we’ve got a few readers asking why we haven’t been posting any of our culinary adventures lately. Well, the truth is, we’ve been busy – and kinda broke! But whenever we get together with our friends Brittany & Wade, we become the 4Foodies, and we always end up with a crazy food-related day! We spent the Sunday of Labor Day Weekend bouncing from one food quest to another!
This picture accurately depicts our happiness in discovering that The Crab Pot features $3 mimosas and bloody mary’s from 11-4 every Saturday & Sunday! We can’t recommend sitting out on that sunny, scenic patio and sipping cheap beverages enough! (By the way, The Crab Pot is fully endorsed by Ed, who says it is probably his favorite restaurant in Long Beach. He can’t get enough of “The Feast”) We sampled a crab cocktail, and it was alright – but those $3 drinks induced a huge craving for something else. So, after we’d had our fill of champagne and crab, it was off to the next location that offered something with Brittany & Wade’s “HIGH CRAVEABILITY RATING” …. “THE SPECIAL” at Joe Jost’s!
Apologies for the dark iPhone photo, but The Special is a hot dog that’s split down the middle with a pickle in it, resting in a cozy bed of rye bread, cheese and mustard. Brittany says YUM!
Even more legendary than The Special, Ed and Wade are showing off Joe’s famous pickled eggs! Apparently, you gotta get an egg when you go to Joe Jost’s. Wade insists for a good pickled egg experience, you must chase your bite with a peperoncini. So, I even tried one – and as I represent the “sometimes-finicky” segment of the 4Foodies team, I have to admit that after getting over the initial shock value, they weren’t as bad as they sounded! :)
Amongst all the drinks, specials and eggs, we decided nothing could be more fun than to rent a Duffy boat and cruise around Naples for an hour. So we gathered two more couples and hit the open sea! We had lots of yummy wine and our favorite pita and hummus from the best Farmer’s Market ever – the Long Beach Southeast Farmer’s Market at the Long Beach Marina, that we scored earlier that day. This is why we live in Southern California!
Man Overboard! Wade couldn’t contain himself – he had to jump in.
An awesome 70’s style silhouette pic of Ed & I – so cheesy!
After our escapade on the boat, we went back home to prepare for dinner! Wade swears by “the fish guy” at the Farmer’s Market – and he always scores amazing seafood from him. You see him cut it right in front of you! He’s always got fresh, sushi-grade fish, and Wade always ends up with a masterpiece! He bought swordfish and he made homemade pesto and pasta to go along with it – so there was much to prepare! Wish we would’ve gotten some pics of Wade’s fantastic dinner – but we’ll have to take more next time. Consider it a reason to come back and check up on us!
The verdict is in – and Labor Day Weekend, although gluttonous, was the best ever!
This picture accurately depicts our happiness in discovering that 
