Winter in Southern California

Photo Credit by Bianca Alice

During most winters the seasons change and everything is much cooler. But one thing I love about Southern California weather is there is always a day in every season that is just perfect; I think I caught one in the photo shown. 

It's January with the weather being in the mid 70's with a nice breeze. I caught this beautiful Sunset right outside our home from the driveway. It is amazing how the colors are so vibrant (I did not enhance any colors in the photo). The palm trees are perfect silhouettes against the pinkish orange clouds. 

I really enjoy having such an amazing view that you can catch more than once in a single week. Some people love the snow, others the humidity but here in So Cal we just have that middle balance of heat and never seems to be to cold. So happy I caught this one just right.

Have any of you caught a glimpse of an amazing sunset on camera? Feel free to share a link in the comments back to your blog or article.

Balboa RV Parks – Perfect Destination for RV Camping in Southern California

guest post by Jasmine Ella

With holiday time around the corner, the top priority among travelers is simple, just to relax. The next big step is how to get the most out of those precious days off. Is it best to fill them with a lot of activities? Or is there a benefit of doing nothing? Thinking of camping in southern California for this vacation?

Camping Southern California has a wide variety of climates to offer. Within just a few hours of one location, you can visit the beach, desert, and mountains. This makes the area unlike most parts of the United States.

 Vacations with friends or family play an important role in relieving all of your worries and stress to give a fresh new start. Southern California has a good number of campgrounds that you can go to while vacationing or traveling on business. If you're in the Southern California area and not sure where you should stay on your traveling adventure, then Balboa RV park campgrounds is the one you won't want to miss. RV Camping in Southern California is the perfect choice if you are interested in camping and traveling rather than staying at one location. RV camping in southern California is one of the best ways to connect and bond with your family, as due to hectic work schedules we are not able to spend quality or no time with your family members.

 Located in Los Angeles "City of Angels", Balboa RV park is a great place for RV camping. Even if you are planning to visit other famous spots like Disney, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Universal Studios, and of-course a number of beaches where you might catch a glimpse of a celebrity, the Balboa RV park offers a splendid location. Balboa RV Park is your home away from home offering a warm inviting atmosphere.

 Balboa RV park offers full RV hook ups. We are open around the year and charge no membership fees. On site we have a lounge with free wi-fi, a big screen TV and comfortable seating areas. You can get free tickets to be in the audience of a sitcom, talk show or game show. Even in the off season, you can usually find a pilot or game show taping.

 In an age when children cannot ride their bikes where they want, for fear of traffic, and can't walk to the store by themselves, an RV campground can be a fun and kid-friendly place for them to practice their growing independence. Kids can ride their bikes around the grounds, play on the playground and basketball court, and can also meet other kid-campers. Kids just love RV camping.

Some of the added benefits of RV camping in southern California:
- One of the cheapest and most cost-effective holiday option.
- Inculcates a love for nature in your children.
- Fresh air and exercise that you get with a camping trip is great for your health.

• Provides additional options like fishing, swimming, canoeing, or biking.
  
  
  
  About the Author:  Jasmine Ella guest author writes about RV camping. Balboarvpark provides pull through spaces, Los Angeles RV Parks, San Fernando Valley RV Parks, Universal Studios, Disney and of course a number of beaches.
  
  For more Info: http://www.balboarvpark.com/
  
  
  
  
  

Wicks Brewing Company in Riverside, California

Photo Credit: Wicks Brewing Company, Riverside, CA

Wicks Brewing Company is located in Riverside, California. If you are craving to have a handcrafted beer, these guys are going to have something you're going to want to try. As well as serving their own crafted beer, they rotate out their taps to support their local craft breweries. 

Bringing you a variety of tastes you will be sure to love. From a light malty taste of mellow hops, to a Roasted chocolate malt with a hint of coffee; they are all just so delicious! 

Photo Credit: Wicks Brewing Company

The environment is awesome; super-friendly staff/ owner. The decor has a rustic flare to it, using barrels for table bases that are topped with granite, giving you that bar height comfort. They have a wall above the bar that is a chalkboard that lets you know what beers are on tap that week. To make even better they are a family friendly atmosphere and encourage everyone to come on in. During the day hours you can bring your whole family in, including the kids and enjoy a craft beer of your choice.

The menu has a little bit for everyone (even the kids). Appetizers offering pretzel bites, rib tips, hot wings, beer clams infused with their IPA beers, plus salads, sandwiches, wraps and dessert. Plus they even make their own root beer. Just describing this all to you it's making myself a bit hungry.

On Premise Kettles

They offer classes that you can take to make your own beer on their premises with their kettles, but you must register on premises with one of the staff. It is a full hands on experience that gives you the knowledge of what it takes to be a brewer. They have a brew master on site helping you through all the steps. The classes start at $225+ (price goes up as you add more hops and/ or ingredients) for four (4) people and you choose to either bottle or keg your beer. 

Recipe Example

Before you start brewing they have a recipe book that you choose from that will have what you want in your beer. There is an example to your right of one of the recipes they offer.

If you are just wanting to grab some beer for home, grab a growler. They recently started selling growlers that you can purchase and fill at their brewery to take home and enjoy. After you have finished your growler, just clean it and take to the brewery again and fill it with another beer of your choice. 

If you are ever in the Inland Empire and looking for a good craft beer, stop by Wicks Brewing Co. and grab a growler and some pretzel bites. If you have the time to take the class, register right away and  brew your own beer that you get to take home and enjoy. 

About the Author:  Jeff Johnson is a craft beer enthusiast creating recipes with his partners and making homemade brews. Inspired by the science of brewing he is pursuing a brew master title.

Feel free to leave comments about your experience at Wicks Brewing Company in the comments below.

Choose to Explore Southern California Attractions

The first of Southern California attractions to visit on your vacation is the Griffith Observatory Star Party Excursion in Buena Park. For anyone that enjoys seeing and learning more about the planets, stars, the moon, and other objects within space, this is one of the best Southern California attractions for you.

When you are looking for Southern California attractions that will be fun and exciting for the whole family than the Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park is one to check out. This theme park has over 165 different shows, rides, and other attractions making sure that there is something for everyone.

Disneyland is another of the many great Southern California attractions and is located in Anaheim. With everything it has to offer, it is fun for the whole family with something for everyone. From the various rides and different sites and parks to see, you will want to make a day of it so you can take in as much as possible.

One of the Southern California attractions that are both fun for the whole family and educational is The Children's Museum in La Habra. There are numerous exhibits that are perfect for the children to play and learn at the same time. With everything from learning about science to exploring a real restored train caboose, there is something for everyone. You will enjoy watching your children explore and learn.

If you are looking for an exciting dinner and show, than the Pirate's Dinner Adventure is a one of the perfect Southern California attractions for you. It is located in Buena Park. The shows are exciting and filled with great effects. You can also choose a show that allows you to be a part of it. Along with the shows, a delicious meal is served.

For those that are looking to learn more about the history of Orange County and see inside the walls of the oldest court house in Southern California, then the Old Orange County Courthouse Museum in Santa Ana is the place to go. This is one of the great Southern California attractions to see. You will get a chance to see this historic building and everything that it contains by taking one of the tours.

When in the Southern California area it is nice to be able to get out and see the various sites. These Southern California attractions are a great way to spend time with your family while on vacation.

Annual Redondo Beach Surf N' Turf Lobster Festival

Photo Credit: Viva La Foodies.com

By Bianca Alice
 
Located every year in the Seaside Lagoon in Redondo Beach, CA., this annual Lobster festival has been a tradition now for over a decade. This festival is every year in late September (usually the 3rd week). Locals ride their bikes to the Redondo Beach Surf N' Turf lobster festival, others come from all over to enjoy a Maine lobster dinner (because who you kidding, you're coming here to eat). The Maine lobsters are freshly flown in daily for this event with September being Lobster season they are delicious!

Photo Credit: LobsterFestival.com

With shops and booths surrounding the area, you will be busy all day. They also have many other varieties of food trucks, tents with kettle corn, chinese food, BBQ and much more. Plus entertainment all day with live bands, fashion shows, water sports going on in the lagoon, and even a vendor selling everything lobster (hats, forks, plush lobsters, etc.). There is even a tent with a mechanical bull to ride with a matching hat you get to wear if you're brave enough to get on.

Don't forget about our little ones, plenty for them to do as well in their own designated Kids' Area! They can choose from carnival games to win prizes, get their faces painted, get a balloon animal made, jumping & climbing in the jumpers, they even have a park right in middle of all the food. It just keeps getting better.

Photo Credit: LobsterFestival.com

Adults, on top of that Maine lobster you'll be having or the juicy angus beef, they will be serving cold beer and margaritas for you to choose from with a valid ID. Live Bands playing for 3-days (that's an entire weekend of fun).  

On Saturday and Sunday you can bring your bathing suits for some stand up board lessons. Don't be shy, just give it a try!

 Have you been to the Redondo Beach Surf N' Turf Lobster Festival? Feel frees to share about it in the comments or link to your post.

5 Best Places For Seafood on the West Coast

Redondo Beach Surf N' Turf Lobster Festival

There is nothing that disappoints a traveler more than to finally get to go to a restaurant on the ocean, only to find that the seafood is bland because it is not fresh. As we all know, the best seafood is fresh and that is why many people go out of their way to go to coastal seafood restaurants. The assumption is, if the restaurants are on the ocean, then they are not going to need to freeze the seafood before preparing it.

1) Bluewater Grill, in Redondo Beach CA, overlooks the Redondo marina and has a variety of fresh fish that is very impressive. They have many simple, yet delicious, meals of sauted or grilled seafood including local broad-bill swordfish, Eureka sand dabs, Fijian ahi, and crispy skin barramundie. They also feature a wide ranging wine list and an oyster bar.

2) The Hungry Cat, in Hollywood CA, is dedicated to classic seafood. After dining here you may just feel the need to lick your fingers with satisfaction. A highly regarded dish they serve is the pan roasted striped bass with black trumpet mushrooms, root vegetable hash, and red wine butter; like all of their seafood meals, it is wonderfully fresh. If you have some picky eaters in your bunch they also offer some non-seafood options, such as a burger with avocado, blue cheese and bacon. Their wine list is short but they do offer over a dozen wines by the glass and their servers will give you samples if you ask.

3) Castro, in San Francisco CA, is yet another bustling restaurant with a very spacious dining area. This popular seafood place serves up plates of tuna tartar, huge tuna Nicoise salads, and clams parade with linguine. It also features a closed in patio area with a circular fire place. The main design feature is a back lit wall of bottles surrounding the buildings exposed brick.

4) Etta's Seafood, in Seattle WA, just north of Pike Place Market, is known for its freshly caught seafood. Locals enjoy it, as well as tourists, and there is often a wait but, the food is so good it is well worth the inconvenience. Their cuisine is innovative and has Asian influences as they desire to move past traditional seafood preparation styles. Some of their signature dishes are tilapia that has been deep fried, tuna sashimi, and spiced rubbed salmon.

5) FIN, in Portland OR, has an amazing cuisine worthy of a 6 star rating. There, you can get a fine dining experience but with reasonable prices and an inviting atmosphere. The menu is broken up in to two sections: raw seafood and hot seafood, each having roughly six options. The portions are small so it is best to order two servings.
Whether you are a local or a tourist in any one of these cities, if you are in the mood for seafood, none of these restaurants will disappoint!

About the Author: Rick Valence is a digital camera repair service provider at C.R.I.S. Camera Services located in sunny Chandler, Arizona. Rick has been repairing cameras for the better part of a decade. He is also the webmaster of the company camera repair blog.

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"Do you have any great places for grabbing a good bite of Seafood in Southern California? Feel free to share about it in the comments or link to your post."

 

Vacation at a Culinary Festival to Put Some Yum in Your Fun

Long Beach, CA

By Darla Blackmon
 
At the mention of California, most conjure up images of a popular tourist destination: famous celebrities, warm beaches, and glittering Hollywood. Lesser known is the fact that this almost eternally sunny state, also leads the nation in food and agricultural production. Combined with a diverse demographic, this means that California houses a variety of culturally rich year-round food festivals. A selection of notable festivals can be found in Long Beach, a coastal city in Southern California that is also a popular vacation destination.

The first is the Crawfish Festival, held at Rainbow Lagoon. For the past 16 years, annual festival goers have enjoyed this lively festival, from dancing to Cajun, Zydeco, and New Orleans music to diving into fresh crawfish prepared Louisiana-style by authentic Cajun chefs. Plenty of adult drink options are available: beer, wine, margaritas, as well as the unique "Screaming Crawfish." Additionally, activities appeal to all ages: the younger crowds can enjoy arts and crafts booths, while anyone can rock out to the soulful groove of real New Orleans bands. The joy of the dancing, feasting crowds in the summer at this popular Crawfish Festival is infectious!

Chocoholics will be happy to know of an entire three-hour event devoted to their favorite mouth-watering dessert. At the Belmont Shore Community Chocolate Festival, one of the area's most popular community events, visitors can snack on a variety of scrumptious treats, provided by participating local merchants. Visitors can also get hands-on in the Homemade Chocolate Dessert Contest, held from 2 PM to 3 PM, while kids can join the fun Chocolate Pie Eating Contest at 3:30 PM. Throughout the entire event, live music will be performed. All festival events and activities will be held across from Belmont Shore Washington Mutual Bank.

Another popular food festival in Rainbow Lagoon is The Original Long Beach Lobster Festival, a 3-day extravaganza. The Maine Lobsters are flown in each night fresh from the Atlantic Ocean, and served by Bristol Farms Master Chef Bruce Jacobs and his dedicated crew. One can choose between a 1.25 lb. or 2 lb. lobster, which comes accompanied with melted butter dipping sauce, freshly-sliced lemons, coleslaw, dinner roll, and juicy watermelon. The international food court also offers a variety of tasty options, including ribs, chicken, Jamaican and Asian fusion food. Children can stay entertained by magicians, storytellers and inflatable bounces.

Lastly, the Long Beach Greek Festival, a fun 60-year old tradition celebrated by thousands of visitors, is a perfect way to spend one's Labor Day weekend. For three whole days, from noon to 9 PM, the schedule is packed with dance lessons, cooking demonstrations, church tours, travel videos, and vibrant live performances. A full carnival provides games for children, and specialty shops are available for shoppers. And of course, throughout the festival, one can feast on delicious Greek traditional food and desserts, such as moussaka, souvlakia, and baklava. This event provides a perfect, affordable peek into the rich culture of Greece!

Whether one seeks chocolate, shellfish, or Greek food, Long Beach's popular food festivals provide a number of great opportunities to satiate one's cravings. One can feast on delicious food, while enjoying live entertainment and time with one's family. The way to the heart is through the stomach, and Long Beach knows it!

About the Author: Darla Blackmon writes for EverythingLongBeach.com (http://www.everythinglongbeach.com/things-to-do/), a community website that covers news, music, art and entertainment. Stop by the site to find a Long Beach festival for your next vacation and you're sure discover a new treat.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Darla_Blackmon