California dreamin'...

We were able to take a family trip down to Cali last month and had such a great time! With family in the area, we've been coming down here ever since I can remember. The first order of business is ALWAYS to drive straight to Balboa Island! Sure it's beautiful and lots of fun things to do there, but let's be honest. I go there for the food! "Dad's" frozen bananas, to be exact (don't be fooled by the competitors a few doors down... Dad's is the way to go). If you've never had the pleasure of experiencing this, I highly recommend it. Here's how it works:

1. Choose your size of banana, from small to x-large. And just a little note: on your last day here when you swing by to get one last banana for the road (you've been coming daily, of course)... and think you want to get the biggest one possible because who knows when you'll get another one... don't! As delicious as this banana treat is, you must exercise caution when considering ordering an XL or you might end up feeling sick the whole drive home. **I guess you could choose another frozen treat for the dipping like a balboa bar (ice cream) or frozen cheesecake on a stick, but why?
2. Choose your topping. If memory serves me correctly, you may have chocolate sprinkles, butter brickle, almonds, peanuts, crushed oreos, cinnamon crunch, plain (?!), or my personal favorite: rainbow sprinkles. I really am not a fan of rainbow sprinkles per se, but somehow they become a delicacy when paired with a frozen banana dipped in chocolate. Why choose anything else when you've had the best? Heaven!
3. Then they'll dip your frozen banana in a silky smooth, magical dipping sauce and quickly roll it in your topping of choice before it hardens. They'll serve it to you in a cheap little hot dog paper bowl thingy and you get to go enjoy it as you walk along the shops. Or, if you're too focused to casually nibble along the way, pick a park bench right there and devour the thing. Watch for brain freeze and be sure to catch extra sprinkles and chocolate in your paper bowl thingy so they don't fall and become some pigeon's treat.

Well, if you've made it this far and humored me in my banana indulgence, feel free to check out some pix in somewhat random order.

I was so proud when Adam chose rainbow sprinkles too. He later reported to Guy, "I love frozen bananas more than Mom!" After asking about it, he clarified that he loves them more than I DO... not necessarily more than he loves me. Either way, I don't care much. Who could blame him? I mean, really. It was a proud moment.

Guy's choice is Oreo. As much as I love Oreos... they just don't do it for me on a frozen banana.

The above 2 pix are on our ferris wheel ride. I don't recall ever going on this ride before (as I mentioned, I really only come for one thing), but having a 4-year-old made it harder to pass up. The top pic is Guy and Adam "scared" when we were at the top...

Big Corona beach... beautiful, but a little crowded. Our favorite is usually Little Corona... fun to explore the rocks and find seashells.

Um, Guy made me take this pic. While waiting in line for the ferris wheel, a little girl (8-ish?) and her father/uncle/? sat down on some steps and he pulled out his guitar. She jumped right in and started belting out "Our Lips are Sealed". She had a great voice and we were impressed. They left after that song, but we saw them later at a different location, singing the same song. Then when we were on the ferry back over, we found them again... singing the same song. Must be a one-act team so they have to keep moving. :) Guy wanted me to secretly tape her, but I thought it was a little too creepy. I took this pic instead... she's in a green shirt and her...guitarist...there in black. Funny.

Of course we stopped by the sunglasses spot... Adam and I each got new sunglasses (2 for $12:)...his were cooler than mine, though. They were the "bad spiderman" sunglasses as he calls it.

My favorite boys! On the bridge over.

The ferry ride