One of our friends has a timeshare at Marriott's Newport Coast Villas but could not spend the time due to concerns with COVID-19. Another week at Newport might be fun since we stayed in nearby Laguna Beach in September.
We reserved our 7 nights at Marriott from Saturday, February 27 to
Saturday, March 6, 2021. Alex was excited, as it would allow him to surf at Trestles or Huntington Beach and perhaps a few more times at Rockpile Beach. We also missed many of Orange County's top attractions: walking on the beautiful sandy beach, eating at authentic Mexican restaurants, and relaxing in the Southern California atmosphere.
Saturday, February 27, 2021
On the way to Newport Beach, we stopped briefly at the University of California Irvine (in case Alex was admitted) so that he could get a better feel for the campus.
When we arrived around 13:15, we couldn't find any parking, so we drove around the campus and returned to Laguna Beach. I would have liked to tour the campus, but it appeared closed to visitors.
After driving on 73 (a toll road), we encountered heavy traffic approaching Laguna Beach. However, as expected, we arrived in 22 minutes (as UC Irvine is quite close to Laguna Beach).
We searched for parking near the main beach but could not find a free parking space. Consequently, we decided to park in the city hall parking lot. From there, we walked to the main beach. We were hungry and tired from the 7-hour drive, so we stopped by Carmelita's Mexican Restaurant. Since it was pretty busy, we got on the waiting list while enjoying a delightful stroll to Rockpile Beach (to look at the waves).
The beach was overflowing with beachgoers, and it seemed like summertime in February! Many people played basketball and volleyball, and even a few brave folks splashed in the ocean. The surf was flat, and the tide was low, so there were no waves (except for the beach break).
During our walk-in to Heisler Park, Inna received a text message from Carmelita that our outdoor table was finally ready. We returned to Carmelita's and were promptly seated outdoors.
We were immediately supplied with glasses of water, freshly baked chips, and Mexican salsa! Oh, how I miss great Mexican food. Unfortunately, we don't have anything of this caliber in San Jose.
Eventually, our waiter came around, and we ordered the following entrees and appetizers:
- Guacamole (to share)- Yummy!
- Seafood Enchilada (for Inna)
- Chicken Fajitas with Flour tortillas (for Boris)
- Chicken Fajitas with Corn tortillas (for Alex)
The guacamole was freshly made and so delicious! All of us were competing for each bite. My chicken fajitas were delicious, too, and I finished all of them quickly.
After our late lunch, we stopped by for gelato at Dolce Gelato. Inna and I decided to share a tiny 2-flavor version. I selected the Matcha/Cherry Blossoms, while Inna chose the Seasalt Chocolate. The Seasalt Chocolate was so much more delicious! The Matcha flavor was too watered-down.
We returned to our minivan and drove 15 minutes to Marriott's Newport Coast Villas. After checking in, we went a few minutes to our suite in #4923 and retrieved all our suitcases from our van.
Our room was spacious and well furnished with two bathrooms, two bedrooms, a nice balcony, and a pleasing guest room. The kitchen had a refrigerator and a full stove.
I tried connecting my FireTV 4K to the LG TV, but I couldn't get it to control the volume of the TV. I ended up logging into Netflix on our bedroom's LG TV so that Inna could watch Gilmore Girls.
I was so exhausted after the drive that I kept falling asleep. I decided to go to bed.
Sunday, February 28, 2021
After waking up at 08:30, I wasn't sure about the day's plans. After taking a shower, shaving, and eating a light breakfast of yogurt and raspberries, I quizzed Alex and Inna about various alternatives.
Our Plan A was to drive to San Clemente so that Alex could surf at Trestles. Alex checked the wave conditions at Surfline.com but wasn't very impressed.
Our Plan B was to board the Marriott shuttle to Crystal Cove Beach and explore it for a few hours, driving to Newport Beach for lunch, followed by dinner at Laguna Beach.
After Alex finished eating his breakfast, he decided that he really wanted to surf at Trestles, so we followed our Plan A.
I drove on the toll road (US-73) to US-5, and we reached the San Onofre State Beach Park parking area in 25 minutes (using toll-free roads, this drive usually takes me 40+ minutes). After I helped mount 3 fins to Alex's Firewire Tomo v4 surfboard, we watched him walk to Trestles Beach (a 15-minute walk).
While Alex was surfing at Trestles, we decided to drive to San Clemente Pier and enjoy the beautiful beach there. When we arrived, we spent about 10 minutes looking for parking, eventually finding an open spot. Unlike in September, San Clemente was significantly less busy. I set up two beach chairs for Inna and decided to surf a bit myself, too. I returned to the minivan and slipped on my Promotion 4/3mm wetsuit. I took out my old Wavestorm 8' surfboard and attached a leash.
When I reached the water, I noticed how much colder it was compared to the last time I surfed in September. The waves were small and frequently broken, so I had no luck. I eventually rode 1 nice wave, and during the one hour, I tried surfing.
While I was surfing, Inna was creating artistic drawings in the sand.
After washing up, I returned to the van and unloaded all my gear. I returned to the beach, where Inna and I watched the various activities. At about 14:15, we returned to our van for the short drive to Trestles to pick up Alex.
Alex was still not there when we arrived at 14:25, so we waited patiently in our van. We were apprehensive when, after 10 more minutes, he did not show up. Eventually, at around 14:42, Inna spotted Alex. He was running late and had a decent session at Trestles.
The waves at Trestles were small, and the lineup was sparse, with only about 5 people (2 of whom were quite advanced surfers).
After Alex slipped off his wetsuit, we drove back to San Clemente to eat the late lunch at Nomad's Canteen. There was a bit of a wait at Nomad's, but a table cleared up eventually, and we seated ourselves.
We ordered a Grande Guacamole to share and a Grapefruit Paloma margarita for Inna. Alex ordered his usual Carne Asada Quesadilla while I ordered a Scallop Bowl. Inna selected the Jaco Poke Bowl for her main entree. Our complete order consisted of the following items:
- Grande Guacamole with chips
- Grapefruit Paloma margarita
- Fresca
- Iced Tea
- Scallop Bowl (for Boris)
- Jaco Poke Bowl (for Inna)
- Carne Asada Quesadilla (for Alex)
We enjoyed our meal, and Alex couldn't even finish his Quesadilla!
We returned to our Marriott Villa and decided to see the sunset at Crystal Cove Beach. We boarded the Marriott Shuttle and arrived at the beach around 17:00. We enjoyed our stroll, taking many beautiful photos and savoring the gorgeous sunset.
At around 18:30, we boarded the shuttle back to Marriott. Since we were stuffed(from the huge lunch at Nomad's), we decided to sample the delicious gelato at Bacio di Latte (our favorite Gelateria in Orange County).
The 10-minute drive to Newport Fashion Island was worth it. After a 10-minute wait, we ordered the following gelato:
- Boris: normal cone:
- Bacio di Latte (Cream)
- Pistachio
- Inna: average cup:
- Giandujotto (hazelnut & chocolate)
- Yellow & Caramello (banana, caramel, & chocolate)
- Cafe & Caramellate (caramel, milk, coffee)
- Alex: Grande cone:
- Giandujotto (hazelnut & chocolate)
- Cafe & Caramellate (caramel, milk, coffee)
Monday, March 1, 2021
I woke up at 07:00 and decided to explore Marriott's grounds. I walked to the Triton Fountain and found the pool with ping pong tables (it opened at 08:30), and I walked around to the sand volleyball court and the multiple fire pits over the property.
On the way back, I stopped by the Canyon Pool and the 3 unused tennis courts. In front of them was a large lawn with multiple fire pits. The fire pits had seats arranged in a circle. It would be fun to sit around the fire pits in the evening and enjoy the beautiful fire.
I showered and dressed for work after returning to our #4923 suite. I had several meetings, starting at 08:00. I prepared some breakfast items between my meetings, including raspberries and blueberries covered with yogurt.
During my meetings, Inna managed to ride the shuttle to Crystal Cove and enjoy the beach. After she returned, we continued our work.
At noon, Inna and I decided to play table tennis, so we walked to the Marriott's main clubhouse. We found both ping-pong tables busy, so we waited a few minutes before the parties finished playing.
Inna and I played two games, and I managed to beat her. We returned to our villa, and I made lunch. I decided to make a pastrami sandwich. Consequently, I toasted some bread and added cream, Havarti, and pastrami. I also opened fresh kimchee and hummus.
After finishing lunch, I resumed my work. After spending a bit after 16:00, I decided to play ping-pong with Alex. We walked to the clubhouse and played 3 games. I won all three!
We returned and decided to ride the shuttle to Crystal Beach. After waiting 20 minutes, we boarded the shuttle, arriving just before sunset. We strolled on the mostly deserted beach, marveling at the gorgeous sunset and the fantastic views.
We boarded the 18:30 shuttle back, arriving at our villa at about 18:48. I had a few emails to write and a 19:30 meeting to run.
At about 19:48, my meeting ended, and we drove for dinner to True Food Kitchen (a restaurant Inna had visited previously in Palo Alto). Upon arrival, we were seated outside with overhead patio heaters, making it very comfortable and cozy.
We ordered the following items:
- Cranberry Limeade (1 for each)
- Butternut Squash Soup (1 for Inna, 1 for Boris)
- Margherita Pizza (for Alex)
- Chicken and Sausage Pizza (shared between Boris and Inna)
Although the Butternut Squash soup was average, the Chicken and Sausage Pizza was delicious!
After dinner, we couldn't resist revisiting Bacio di Latte - our favorite Gelateria.
Unfortunately, it has only two locations in the United States and none in the San Francisco Bay area.
We stopped by and ordered the following:
- Boris: regular cone:
- Giandujotto (hazelnut & chocolate)
- Cafe & Caramellate (caramel, milk, coffee)
- Inna: average cup:
- Giandujotto (hazelnut & chocolate)
- Belgian Chocolate
- Cafe & Caramellate (caramel, milk, coffee)
- Alex: regular cone:
- Giandujotto (hazelnut & chocolate)
The gelato was simply divine! We were so delighted!
Tuesday, March 2, 2021
I woke up early at around 06:50, and decided to stroll down Newport Coast Drive toward Crystal Cove Beach. Although a bit cold, the sunny weather outside was inviting. The walk downhill was pleasant but with some road noise from cars passing by. The way back was uphill primarily and provided some cardiovascular benefits.
After I returned, I took a shower, shaved, and joined multiple meetings. I ate my usual bowl of fresh raspberries and blueberries, topped with plain yogurt, for breakfast. After the work meetings, I picked up Inna from Crystal Cove (she took a stroll to the beach, too), and we headed to Trader Joe's to purchase extra water.
Before lunch, Inna and I decided to play an excellent game of table tennis. We walked to the Marriott's clubhouse, and I borrowed two ping pong paddles from Marriott's staff. We played 3 games, and Inna beat me 2 games to 1!
For dinner, we made reservations at Javier's - a highly-rated Mexican Restaurant nearby - for 18:00. Initially, I called to make reservations, but no one answered. Inna tried again and could get through to a live person and make dinner reservations!
At about 16:15, Alex and I headed to the pool area to play table tennis. We played a total of 4 games, and Alex played better than the previous day.
When we returned to our villa, it was too late to board the Marriott shuttle to Crystal Beach, so we rested inside.
At about 17:52, we dressed for dinner and headed for the 6-minute drive to Javier's Restaurant nearby. On arrival, we were surprised by our inability to find free parking. Eventually, we did find a spot, but it was far away. What could be happening at 18:00 on a Tuesday?
We walked to Javier's and checked in. We were promptly seated outside and at a lovely table. The music was playing, and the place was filled with people. It was an exciting atmosphere to experience. It almost felt like Covid-19 was a distant memory.
We were immediately served fresh chips and salsa and fresh glasses of water. After reviewing the online menu, we ordered the following items:
- Guacamole (to share)
- Chicken Fajitas (for Boris)
- Enchiladas de Mariscos (for Inna)
- Salmon Al Sarten (for Alex)
- Virgin Strawberry Margarita (for Alex)
- Guyaba Margarita (for Inna)
- Tres Leches Dessert (to communicate)
I loved my Chicken Fajitas! They were the best fajitas I've ever eaten. Inna raved about her Enchiladas de Mariscos, and Alex enjoyed his Salmon Al Sarten. Everything was freshly prepared and delicious! Although more expensive than Carmelita's, the entree portions were more significant, and the quality was slightly higher (though also more costly).
The dessert - Tres Leches - was simply divine! Although the restaurant bill was high, it was an unforgettable experience. When we departed, we saw how enormous Javier's was inside and outside and how busy it was! A large crowd was waiting to get in, and even a limousine was parked nearby.
When we returned home, I played Real Chess 3D on my iPad Air and watched a few funny videos on YouTube:
Wednesday, March 3, 2021
I woke up at around 07:30 and took a shower. Inna and I planned to walk to Crystal Cove beach and have breakfast at the Shake Shack. However, the iPhone weather application forecasted rain, so we were apprehensive.
We dressed and started our walk at around 08:15. We proceeded down Newport Coast Drive, crossing Hwy-1, and into Crystal Cove State Park (Pelican Point Entrance). We saw quite a few people walking their dogs in the park. We continued our walk toward the beach, descending a steep incline to the deserted Crystal Beach.
Although the clouds looked menacing, we didn't believe it would rain. We have never seen it rain in Laguna Beach or Newport. We felt a few light raindrops as we walked toward Beachcomber Cafe. Thankfully, I was wearing my SNUG Raincoat and had an umbrella handy. The rain increased as we approached the Beachcomber, and we decided to drop in for breakfast.
It turned out to be a fortunate decision. The rain increased to a tropical shower once we sat at our table. At times, it was so loud that we could hardly hear anything else. We would have been thoroughly soaked if we had not stopped by for breakfast at the Beachcomber! The sky turned dark and ominous, and we could hardly see the ocean anymore. It felt like being trapped inside a rain cloud.
We ordered coffee with milk at the Beachcomber and carefully examined the breakfast menu. Inna spotted Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes - one of my favorite breakfast items on the menu. I have only eaten them at Solbar in Calistoga before and never expected to eat them elsewhere. I was so excited! I had to order them! Inna examined the menu further and ordered the Avocado Toast.
The Lemon Ricotta Pancakes were fantastic! Solbar's version may be slightly better, but I enjoyed it. Inna also raved about her Avocado Toast; she really enjoyed it.
Once we finished breakfast, we walked to the shuttle stop and waited 15 minutes to board our Marriott Shuttle (back to our Marriott Newport Coast Villas). We wanted to avoid having to walk back in the rain.
We resumed our work when we returned to our Marriott Villa #4923. I had multiple issues to resolve, and Inna was also very busy. The rain continued most of the day.
I drove to Trader Joe's at noon to purchase 3 more gallons of water (as we were running low). I also bought a lemon and some grapefruits for breakfast.
I made reservations for dinner at 18:45 at our favorite Oak Restaurant in Laguna Beach. We were hoping to sit outside but were concerned about the heavy rain. When we called ahead, we were told that all outdoor seating was closed due to rain. We were worried about eating indoors but decided to see the restaurant ourselves.
When we arrived at 06:50, we checked in and noticed that the restaurant was incomplete, so eating indoors might be acceptable.
We ordered the following items from the menu:
- Heirloom Tomato Soup (1 for Inna and 1 for Boris)
- Nana's Fried Chicken (for Alex)
- Lamb Ragu (for Boris)
- Taco Cart (for Inna)
- Lagunarita (for Inna)
- Ginger-ale (for Alex)
- Hot Black Tea (for Boris)
All of the food was prepared quickly and with care. We loved the Heirloom Tomato Soup. Inna said that it was the best soup she's ever had! I really liked my Lamb Ragu. The lab was delicately spiced ten, der, and juicy. Inna's Taco Cart was fabulous, too. Alex enjoyed his Nana's Fried Chicken but was not used to Southern Cooking. When I sampled it, I really liked it.
It was another fantastic dinner at Laguna Beach, and we were completely stuffed.
After dinner, we stopped by Gelato Paradiso to try local gelato. When we stayed in Laguna Beach (September 2020), we could never test the gelato (as the line was too long). This time, we were successful, and there was no line at all.
We ordered the following gelato:
- Boris: Medio cup
- Amarena Ciliegia (wild cherry with vanilla)
- Bacio (dark chocolate hazelnut)
- Caffe (espresso)
- Stracciatella (chocolate chip)
- Inna: Medio cup
- Salted Caramel
- Pistachio
- Bacio (dark chocolate hazelnut)
- Toasted Almond
- Alex: Grande Cone
- Strawberry Cheesecake Gianduja (chocolate with hazelnuts)
Although the gelato was flavorful, its flavors were not as deep or refined as the ones in Bacio di Latte in Newport. The portion sizes were much more significant, however. They seemed 2x more considerable, and Alex could not finish eating his enormous Grande Cone. Next time, we should order the piccolo size!
Thursday, March 4, 2021
After waking up at 06:50, I dressed and walked to Crystal Cove State Park and back for my morning exercise. Returning to my villa, I showered, shaved, and prepared for my 08:00 work meeting.
With most of my work meetings ending at 11:00, I decided to walk back to Crystal Cove State Park, followed by a walk on the beach toward Beachcomber Restaurant and the Marriott Shuttle stop. Luckily, I arrived at the shuttle stop just as the Marriott Shuttle arrived, so I was back in the villa before noon,
Inna and I decided to play another game of table tennis and walked to Marriott's clubhouse. I borrowed two ping pong paddles from Marriott's staff. We played 3 games, and Inna beat me 3 games to 0! She has really improved!
When Alex finished his classes at 13:45, we looked at multiple surf cams using Surfline.com, including Trestles Uppers/Lowers, Huntington Beach, and Doheny State Park. Alex really wanted to surf at Trestles, but the conditions looked unfavorable. We decided to stop by the local Rockpile Beach/Heisler Park in Laguna Beach to see whether surfing there would be possible.
There was construction on the road to Laguna Beach, and we arrived around 14:30. Surfing conditions looked favorable, and we saw 2-3 surfers in the water. I decided to surf there, but we were out of suntan lotion. Thus, we decided to drive to the nearest Whole Foods, where I purchased another container of 50 SPF.
We returned back to Rockpile Beach and slipped on our wetsuits. Alex removed the Firewire Tomo v4 surfboard from its surfing bag and waxed it thoroughly. He was the first to get into the water. I removed the old, beat-up Wavestorm 8'0" and attached a leash. I should have waxed it (it turned out to be a bit slippery).
When I entered the water, I was surprised it didn't feel as cold as on Sunday at San Clemente Pier. I paddled toward Alex, and we surfed for about 2 hours. Alex caught about a dozen waves and pumped for speed on many of them. His skateboarding practice really helped. I was able to see two nice rides and had many spectacular wipeouts. The waves at Rockpile can be tricky to see, as they are flat and frequently don't break at all. We were lucky to be all by ourselves, competing for the small number of waves. It's lovely not to compete for a starting position in a surfing lineup.
At about 16:45, we paddled back to shore and changed into our regular clothes. We returned to our Marriott Villa, but Inna was not home. She had decided to walk to Crystal Cove State Park and enjoy another beautiful sunset.
Alex and I took separate showers to clean up after surfing and rested. Inna called me, and I drove to pick her up (she may have missed the Marriott Shuttle).
After we returned to our villa, we quickly changed for dinner at Nick's in Laguna Beach. We were late for our dinner reservation. Inna reserved 18:45 at Nick's, but we arrived closer to 19:00. She expressly reserved outdoor seating, but it was occupied. We had to wait another 15 minutes before being seated.
I was annoyed and explored other restaurants nearby, including South of Nick's (another offshoot). It was also fully booked, so we waited at Nick's. We were seated outdoors eventually and ordered a few exciting food items:
- Tomato Bisque Soup (daily special for Boris and Inna)
- Original Ribeye Melt (1 for Boris, 1 for Inna)
- The Prime Rib Dip (for Alex)
- Warm Butter Cake (shared dessert)
We really loved all of the entries. Inna really liked the Tomato Bisque Soup. The Original Ribeye Melt was fantastic, and Alex also raved about his Prime Rib Dip. The Warm Butter Cake was so scrumptious!
At dinner, we played a city's naming game. One person calls a town, and the next person needs to reach a city that starts with the last letter of the previous village. We began with Anchorage, followed by Eilat (Israel), etc. We had difficulty finding all cities that start with "E."
After dinner, we returned home to our Marriott Villa. We were full but a bit tired. I had to attend a few late-night work meetings. I kept falling asleep during the meeting and went to bed early. I was so exhausted from all of the day's activities.
Friday, March 5, 2021
- Cadillac Margarita (for Inna) -> really strong Tequila
- Seasonal Guacamole (for Inna)
- Champagne Salad with Salmon (for Boris) -> Salmon was great!
- Quesadilla Appetizer with Steak (for Alex)
- Boris: regular cone:
- Giandujotto (hazelnut & chocolate) -> My Precious!
- Salted Caramel
- Inna: average cup:
- Giandujotto (hazelnut & chocolate)
- Belgian Chocolate
- Cafe & Caramellate (caramel, milk, coffee)
- Alex: grande cone:
- Giandujotto (hazelnut & chocolate)
- Belgian Chocolate
- Nutella
We woke up promptly at 07:00, hoping to catch an early breakfast at Beachcomber Cafe in Crystal Cove. I hope to taste the delicious lemon ricotta pancakes.
After walking to Crystal Cove, we arrived at about 07:45, but the breakfast line was already too long, with a wait time of 40 minutes to an hour. As we had limited time, we decided to enjoy a quick breakfast at the nearby Shake Shack and return to the Marriott by the 08:30 shuttle.
At the Shake Shack, Inna and I ordered Avocado Toast and coffee and enjoyed it a lot - with a million-dollar view of Crystal Cove below.
After breakfast, we walked to the Shuttle stop and quickly boarded the shuttle back to Marriott. While I loaded the minivan, Inna went for a short swim at the Canyon Pool. After checking out of Marriott, we returned to our room to drop off the towels. Thankfully, we did so, as Alex forgot his trumpet!
We checked everything again and then drove to Laguna Beach. Alex was hoping to surf at Rockpile Beach. However, when we arrived, they noticed the low tide and poorly shaped waves. We decided to skip surfing and enjoy strolling on the beach.
We walked from Heisler Park to Main Beach and continued past Thalia Street (famous for surfing). A few surfers were trying to catch the waves. Although the waves were large, they closed out early.
After the long walk, we returned to Laguna Beach downtown for lunch at Moulin. I ordered a Moulin Salad, while Alex selected a Croque Monsieur sandwich.
With lunch finished, I started the long 6-hour drive to San Jose. Inna helped me out on the long drive. We arrived back in San Jose at 19:30.
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