Irvine

do you now understand why it’s hard to leave Orange County despite all the BS in California?

 

get down to Laguna for the sunset. Seriously. Inside bar at the Ritz Carlto. drinking and Old Fashioned with an order of truffle fries.

 

i think the Ritz is in Dana Pt.
quite a drive from Newport.

 

thats the point. What a great drive it is! PCH all the way down.

 

i proposed to my wife at that Ritz Carlton

 

I got a kick out of the tv show Manswers with Jimmy Kimmel & Adam Corolla when they did the dog meat vs cat meat episode, apparently cat meat is more lean and taste better, the episode was so wrong you had no choice but to laugh, If I can find the episode online I will PM it to you so you can send it to your GF.

 

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Nobu is pretty good and right there, then after the dive bar 5 min away Billy's At The Beach is fun

 

be prepared for the staff at Nobu to say “how about we just bring special things until you say stop”. You will get things like 4 mini tacos for 50 bucks. Before you know it, it’s $600 for 2 people as you look at you receipt while eating at In N Out because you are still hungry.

Sorry, really hate Nobu, Newport, Vegas, etc. it really changed over the years.

 

Yea, I live at the Malibu one, you'll get used to it

 

Go to Catalina. The boat leaves Daily at 9am.

 

Just know it’s pretty touristy. Sub par food categorically in my opinion.

if you know,someone that owns property there…..different experience. Fun fact, They are the people in the colored golf carts.

 

Marconi Museum has the classic car gathering today

Brunch at Chaak which is fairly close to the museum o in Tustin.

or if you are a true foodie Break of Dawn in Laguna Hills

or people love this brunch but it’s from a chain and I wouldn’t go, but people seem to love it. There is a buffet brunch at El Torino close to your hotel across the street from the airport.

 

how did you do it?

 

well, Malibu is a different story. One of the most beautiful places in California. I would put up with a lot of over priced mediocre food to be in Malibu.

We also feel Malibu is a different experience for people who know owners similar to the catalina post above. When I hung out with someone that owned a house on the beach, it was such an incredible experience.

as far as $600 meals all the time…..need to get to that stage in my life.

 

Glad you enjoyed. At gulfstream, the best thing on their menu is the fish sandwich. I know, people doubt me on this and I don’t order fish sandwiches at restaurants. But theirs is insane. I’ve told people this, bet them money that they will agree and everyone does and I love seeing their surprised faces. Hillstone group generally does a great job with their restaurants.

 

outside, on a bench after dinner. and she said yes

 

we did not enjoy Gulfstream food or service.

 

Next time you are here I'll fish with you. It's fun to hunt corbina on the beach with flyrod or conventional tackle. You can sneak away for couple hours and no one will miss you. We got some local nearshore guides to hire and then there are the overnight boats, private charters and Catalina which take more commitment.

 

^ thats because you went to a republican enclave.
think of it as texas but with good roads and nice weather.

 

Orange County is a conservative pocket in California.. Its changing though. You stayed and went to place generally in the most affluent areas of Orange County. There are plenty of homeless to be seen, even in Newport where you were, but not really the tent cities you hear about in San Fran and Los Angeles.

I find people in California a bit stand off-ish. I really notice it when I am in Texas and people are coming up to me and greeting me all the time

Glad you had a great time and appreciated all the great things about where I live that I want to fight for.