4th of July in Huntington Beach, CA

July 19, 2018  •  California, Huntington Beach, North America, Travel

Have you ever been to Huntington Beach, CA for the 4th celebration? I’ve been told it’s the biggest parade west of the Mississippi, but what it is for me, is a place that my family can gather since my middle son’s future in-laws live there. My sweet grandson had his first flight (angel both ways!).My boys and their mates got to spend some time together.Uncle Jon and Aunt Keely got to love on Carter.Oh, and Mary (Keely’s mom) too!She was a trooper to babysit on the 4th so the rest of us could ride bikes into town for the parade……which we ended up watching on the TVs of the back patio of the Longboard Restaurant & Pub.The town is wild on this day – don’t know how we ever found a table at this crazy busy place after the parade.We spent a day at the beach – where we learned the ratio of five adults to one infant is perfect.I went to the fabulous Taco Maria with Keely’s mom Mary. We shared these four incredible tacos: JARDINIERES (shiitake mushroom chorizo, crispy potato, queso funded), MOLE de POLLO (Jidori chicken, ancho-almond mole, queso fresco, onion pickle), PESCADO FRITO (local black cod, charred scallion aioli, cabbage, kumquats), ARRACHERA (hanger steak, roasted chiles, applewood bacon, queso fundido). Don’t they look like works of art?If you visit, take the time to drive down the Balboa Peninsula and to see Newport – big houses, big money, big waves, big on beauty. We had dinner down here outside on the lovely patio of Sabatino’s Sausage Company. We were too busy drinking, eating, and passing the baby around to snap a photo of anything, but it was good, comforting Italian food. Huntington Beach for next July 4th anyone?