California Beaches Blog

I was going to take a picture of my food at Johnny Reb’s but I forgot.  It’s so smokin’ hot, you just gobble it down when it arrives at your table. It’s the only restaurant where NOBODY’s on a cell phone. Their mouths are too busy–eating.
When you order BBQ chicken or ribs at Johnny Reb’s, [...]

Santa Monica is Southern California’s preferred beach destination for those hopping off the plane at Burbank Airport or LAX, and seeking to immerse themselves in the Los Angeles / Hollywood vibe. While there are several hotels on the beach or on the ocean-side of Ocean Blvd. that runs parallel to the beach in Santa Monica, [...]

Jamba Juice unveiled its newest line of products to go along with those yummy smoothies, juices and protein shakes. When the corporation introduced its new flatbreads pizzas that come in four flavors, the stores gave them away to the first 100- 150 customers to come in and try them between 2 and 5 p.m. on [...]

More than 15 tuxedo-clad, handsome men “hunks”  converged on Fiamme Restaurant and Bar in Thousand Oaks recently to serve nearly 110 patrons during Meathead Movers’ Girls Night Out, a  “Fire Up The Community!” event that raised more than $7,000 for charities.
The “Fire Up The Community” program was started by Fiamme proprietors Liz Beddow and Jerry [...]

Reported by Chris MacDonald
Hello Friends! In addition to being involved in the local Huntington Beach community events, I also have a web project to help merchants and shoppers connect. HuntingtonBeachCoupon.com is a free web service where merchants can advertise their specials, and shoppings, diners and visitors to Surf City can save lots of money on [...]

Long Beach, Calif.–The beautiful Queen is issuing some facelifts starting with Sir Winston’s. That’s the word direct from the Queen’s mouth, as the Long Beach, CA ship begins to renovate three onboard dining establishments.  Coming home to oversee the Queen of the sea’s dining menu is the Executive Chef Larry Banares, who left 17 years [...]

If you missed the story about San Francisco ranking more 4 diamond restaurants than any other city in California, then you still have time to check out this one. Happy Hour begins afternoons when the fog rolls in and friends cozy up to a cocktail lounge where really great appetizers, menu items and drinks are [...]

In 2009 the restaurant business in the U.S. and California saw a continued dip in sales, with some recent uptick in the past few months.
Here’s what’ hot this year:

Hottest trends on 2009 restaurant menus: nutrition and philosophy-driven food choices.
The top 10 trends: locally grown produce, bite-size desserts, organics, healthy kids’ meals, new/fabricated meat cuts, kids’ [...]

Halloween is over, and now comes the pumpkin spice. Pumpkin pie, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin coffee, and an interesting twist on your Thanksgiving meal–pumpkin cocktails. Delicious! Pumpkin never tasted so intoxicating.
Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients:
- 1 oz. Malibu Rum
- 3/4 oz. canned pumpkin pie filling
- 1/2 oz. Kahlua
- 2 oz. with cold milk
Garnish: sprinkle of cinnamon
Mix ingredients [...]

Submitted by: Chris MacDonald

Huntington Beach, CA — Do you love Thai? There’s a place in downtown Huntington Beach that will spice up your life with all the delicious dishes, sauces and soups that include every kind of curry, coconut, and even pineapple dish imaginable.
When Thai Wave came to HB in 2003, it was a needed [...]