California Love, Part 1

As I started to write this recap of my recent trip, it occurred to me that I’m combining several of my favorite things about the trip and sort of ending up where I started. It’s Sunday evening and I am on my front porch, getting ready to light up a Davidoff and sip on a locally-brewed pumpkin-type beer.

Specifically, I’m ready to fire up a Davidoff Aniversario No. 3. I have poured a glass of Monkey Town Brewing Company’s Pumpkin Spice Brown Ale (the full name is “I’m sorry, Ma’am, but you can’t pay for these UGGS with a Starbucks gift card”). And I’m getting ready for Game 3 of the National League Divisional Series as the Dodgers try to sweep away the Atlanta Braves (that didn’t quite happen, but the Dodgers did win the series)… And it’s time to write about what I’ve been up to for the last week or so. The title for this two-part series is from a Tu-Pac song that is also Kenley Jansen’s “walking on” music.

Davidoffs

So I hadn’t really intended to smoke a Davidoff every day I was gone. Such a feat is normally way beyond my financial means. But before I left I stocked up on some small “cheap” Davidoffs—some of which I hadn’t smoked before—with the intention of having some choice when it came to “morning smokes.”

Davidoff #1 came on Saturday afternoon as I sat in the Nashville airport. I knew I was going to be pretty early for my flight so I had planned on spending some time in the Graycliff lounge. I did not know that Nashville airport now allows you to walk around with alcoholic beverages…but they do. I found the Fat Bottom Brewing Company kiosk in the middle of the food court, bought a beer, and headed to the lounge.

The beer was a Firestarter Smoked Pumpkin Porter. The cigar was a Signature 1000. The experience was marred a bit by the fact that the lounge has become the default place to burn cigarettes by both passengers and employees at the airport. But I enjoyed myself, nonetheless.

Again, I hadn’t expected to burn one a day, but then a friend and customer of mine, IV Whitman, made the remark on Facebook that the number of Davidoffs I was smoking was “scandalous.” And just like that, it became a thing.

• Sunday: Signature 2000
• Monday: Millennium Petite Corona
• Tuesday: Signature Entreacto
• Wednesday: Signature No. 2
• Thursday: Colorado Claro Special R
• Friday: 50th Anniversary Diadema Fina

Saturday was skipped because I was traveling non-stop from the time I got up until the time I walked into my front door at home…but I’m making up for it tonight.

Smoking a Davidoff in Craig Park (Brea, CA)

Craig Park is a nice rest from the craziness of California…but crazy isn’t far away…if you look closely, you can see the 57 Freeway in the background of this pic.

Food

I made a list before leaving of the places I would like to visit while in SoCal. I’ve mostly hit these places before, but there is a reason I put them on my list.

After gathering my luggage and rental car, my first stop was In-N-Out for my traditional 4×4. Someone remarked that they only did up to 3×3 now days, but that was plainly not true. Four pieces of meat, four pieces of cheese…skip the “animal style” unless you’re really into Thousand Island dressing (I’m not)…eat the fries when they are really hot, because once they cool down they’re not very good. Still the best fast food burger on the planet.

A surprisingly good burger from Jack-in-the-Box

As far as other fast food goes…I had to stop into some Hawaiian BBQ place…trust me, they’re pretty much all the same, but they are all pretty much great. Chicken Katzu isn’t BBQ by any stretch, but it’s great. Carl’s Jr. may be the same as Hardee’s in most respects, but they are still the only home of the Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich; this year it was as good as I can ever remember (last year’s sample was weak). Jack in the Box has something new…a Rib Eye burger. I got the one with bacon and bleu cheese on it…and it was great. Surprisingly great…maybe the best fast food burger outside In-n-Out.

I had breakfast at Kimmie’s Coffee Cup in Brea one day. One day is all I can take of their breakfast, though…very rich, very tasty, very fatty. I had the bacon and egg breakfast quesadilla this time and it was excellent.

I returned for the third year in a row to Slater’s 50/50. I had the “original” this time…1/3 pound burger (after cooking) made of half ground beef, half ground bacon. Add pepper jack cheese, mashed avocado, and a fried egg. Fries along with “bacon ketchup.” Unbelievable…still the best burger I’ve ever had. 

Finally, I hit El Farolito in old Placentia. It’s been rated the best Mexican food in Orange County…and it’s well-deserved. The carne asada was great…the rice and beans was fantastic. If they get the rice and beans right, it’s a good sign that everything else is taken care of, as well.

I’ll finish up this recap in a week or so with a rundown of the breweries I visited and the cigar lounges I hung out at.