Strawberry Festival Recap

Strawberry nachos. Strawberry popcorn. Needless to say these aren't your run of the mill foods. But for one weekend in mid-May, the central California city of Oxnard hosts its annual Strawberry Festival. The two day event tempts visitors from around the world with treats like strawberry pizza and the now ubiquitous deep-fried Twinkie... with strawberries.


There are two ways to get to the festival, via the 101 North or the more scenic coastal route of Hwy 1, assuming you're starting in Southern California. The 101 North is a pretty no-nonsense hour-long drive through the San Fernando Valley and the expansive farmlands of Central California. Hwy 1 takes a bit longer, especially getting through Santa Monica and Malibu, but once those suburban obstacles are cleared, it's a pretty clear and curvy shot to Oxnard.


The scenic route headed to Oxnard, CA

The entrance fee for the festival was $12, but more importantly, the food:

- Strawberry Nachos - I had nursed a large bottle of water the entire morning and into the early afternoon, so I was very hungry. Strawberry Nachos ($5) consisted of fried triangles of dough with strawberries and whipped cream. It was by far the most amazing thing I have eaten in quite some time.

The strawberry nachos were amazing!!

- Strawberry Pizza - While the name suggested something sweet and tempting, the actual product was far from it. For $5, I was served a slice of bland dough with a coating of plain yogurt and mashed strawberries on top. A dollop of whipped cream was added as if to make up for how lousy this dish tasted.

This vile and disgusting concoction was called strawberry pizza.

- Strawberry Lemonade - The lemonade overpowered the faint strawberry flavor in this $3 per cup concoction. I ended up drinking only half and dumping the rest.

- Chocolate-dipped Strawberries - A must-have at this festival, these jumbo strawberries were well worth the 3-for-$5 price. Juicy, sweet and a touch of chocolate. Perfect.

A must-have treat at this festival - chocolate-dipped srawberries.

- Funnel cake with Strawberries - The line was too long. And not moving. So no funnel cake for me.

- Strawberry Smoothie - This $2.50 drink was a combination of blended strawberries and Tampico orange juice. And mighty potent. The strawberry flavor was VERY strong.

- Strawberry Popcorn - Again, a long, non-moving line. Plus, it was $5 for a tiny bag.

Other treats included champagne with a strawberry, tostadas with guacamole and strawberry topping and the equally revolting mixture of strawberry beer. Traditional foods ranging from BBQ chicken to hot dogs and garlic fries were also available.

A myriad of food choices, once you make it through the crowd.

The festival also features a games area with a small Ferris wheel and a bumper car-like ride. An entire section was dedicated to various arts and crafts as well. Vendors sold candles, paintings, clothing and various knick-knacks.

Two stages also featured a string of tribute bands honoring Elvis, The Beatles, Springsteen, Johnny Cash and even Journey along with some original acts.

My 3-pack of fresh Oxnard strawberries... that took three days to finish.

The drive back took some time, thanks to a car accident in the one-lane area of Malibu. But once home, I was able to enjoy my 3-pack of fresh Oxnard strawberries... which I finally managed to finish off today.

10 Cool Things Along the I-10 Freeway

Before I jump into this list, let me first say that this is a list of cool attractions along the California portion of the I-10, which begins in Santa Monica and jumps the border into Arizona and continues eastward to Jacksonville, Florida.

1. Santa Monica beach – OK, yeah, it may see a bit obvious, but if you’re going to start at the beach, you might as well take the time to enjoy it. Granted, you can always detour and stroll through The Promenade or the Venice Boardwalk. Or grab a bite at the high-end James Beach on Venice Blvd. or Cha Cha Chicken on Ocean Ave. Back on the Beach Café on Entrada Drive is also worth a stop. (Food recommendations – fish tacos @ James Beach, jerk chicken enchiladas @ Cha Cha’s and Fred’s Salad @ Back on the Beach) Or, just take in the sunset. Just make sure you shake the sand out of your pockets before you hop in the car.

2. Giant Dinosaurs! – Near Cabazon, you’ll see a pair of giant dinosaurs made famous in the movie, “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure.” The massive concrete structures are free to the public and include a gift shop, museum and a science center.

3. Joshua Tree National Park – At first glance, it may seem like a barren, boring landscape with limited vegetation, some cacti and a few towering mountains. But this park offers a variety of outdoor activities, including hiking, camping, climbing and horseback riding. ATV riding and dirt biking are prohibited.

4. Morongo Casino and Resort – The AAA Four-Diamond Award-winning casino/resort/hotel springs out of the hilly wilderness in the form of an off-white tower of temptation. Stop in, grab a bite at one of the seven restaurants, play some slots, poker or blackjack or even shack up for the night in a room. On-site spa, pool, concerts and clubs offer plenty of socializing opportunities.

5. Downtown L.A. – Since the traffic is often slow and congested in this part of the highway, you might as well detour to an off-ramp and check out the sights of Downtown Los Angeles. Non-event parking can range from $3 to $10 depending on where you park. Most of downtown is walk-able but there are plenty of taxis parked in front of the Convention Center off Figueroa St. Downtown is divided into five sections – the South Park area featuring the Convention Center, Staples Center and L.A. Live; the financial/business district which doesn’t really hold much touristy fascination; the Jewelry District along 6th St, the Flower and Garment Districts along 8th St. and finally the Warehouse District, which, again, I don’t know why you would want to visit. Smaller Asian communities surround the downtown area; Koreatown to the west, Chinatown to the northeast and Little Tokyo to the east. And of course, historic Olvera Street sandwiched between Chinatown and Little Tokyo.

6. Shield’s Date Farm – No this isn’t some new high-tech organic farm for the desperate and lonely in Indio. We’re talking about dates as in the nuts. Granted human dates can be crazy, you’ll be in heaven as you taste a freshly made Date Shake composed of ice cream and freshly picked date nuts. Let me move on before I get into anymore trouble.

7. East L.A. restaurants – Certainly East L.A. isn’t high on anybody’s vacation lists but the area boasts some of the best Mexican and Latin restaurants. Recommendations include El Tepeyac Café, Ciros, King Taco, La Parrilla and La Mascota Bakery. So what do you get when you go to these places? Huge, messy burritos are a trademark of El Tepeyac and none taste better than the Hollenbeck Burrito. One burrito feeds two… or one VERY hungry person. At Ciros, it’s all about the guacamole salsa and flautas while, despite its name, King Taco offers really good sopes. Skip the tiny, skimpy tacos and go for the Chile de Tomatillo sope. At La Parrilla, handmade tortillas are the big draw. While melted cheese on a handmade tortilla is appetizing enough, try the carne asada as well. Finally, La Mascota is the place for some tasty tamales.

8. Desert Hills Premium Outlets – Located in Cabazon, this sprawling outlet center has been routinely called the best designer outlet center in the state. Gucci, Coach, Armani, Nike and Yves Saint Laurent are some of the brand names among the 130 shops there. There’s also a food court, although the food isn’t all that spectacular. The croissants aren’t bad. Between this outlet center and Morongo, Cabazon is quite a money pit!

9. Palm Springs – Although technically not directly off the 10 (take the 111 South), the desert oasis is a recommended spring and fall time stop. If you’re brave enough, you can score some discounts on hotels during the blistering summer season. There are plenty of tours, ritzy restaurants and museums, but one of the more off-beat and consequently memorable attractions is something called, "The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies." This mixed bag of performance includes songs from the 40’s thru the 60’s as well as Vaudeville acts and guest performers.

10. Colorado River – Granted you can’t pull off to the side and snap pictures of the river as it runs along the California-Arizona border, but for a brief few seconds, you’ll get a slight thrill of driving over one of the most famous rivers in the U.S…. and hoping the desert gusts don’t blow your car into it.

I’m sure I’ve missed a few places and attractions along the ride, but that’s where you get to come in. Post your favorite places along this interstate highway. Restaurants, museums, odd-ball attractions, pretty much anything is fair game.

SoCal Cherry Blossom(less) Festival

It is perhaps one of the most ironic festivals in L.A.; a cherry blossom festival without any cherry blossoms. The annual event celebrating Japanese and Hawaiian culture takes place in Little Tokyo every April and features a variety of performances and vendors.

This year’s festival, administered under the guidance of the Pasadena Arts Council, honored Don Nakanishi Ph.D, Director and Professor Emeritus of Asian American Studies at UCLA with the George Kiriyama Educational Excellence Award. Other education awards were handed out to Southern California area teachers making a difference in their communities and school. The award ceremony was emceed by NBC’s Ted Chen.

But this festival is more than an awards ceremony. Singer/actress Gina Hiraizumi kicked off the festival with the National Anthem, followed by a traditional breaking of the sake barrel by distinguished guests, including Counsel General of Japan Junichi Ihara, Senator Daniel Inouye and Councilwoman Jan Perry.

Gina Hiraizumi poses for a picture with Miss Kimono L.A.

The festival is divided into various sections. The main stage featured performances by a ukelele orchestra, a kimono fashion show, a “Most Photogenic Dog” competition and two performances by Hiraizumi and her band.

Gina Hirazumi performs with her band and special guest Shaun Shimizu.

The Hawaiian section featured a series of hula dancers and Hawaiian musicans. On the J-Pop Stage, there was a cosplay competition (Japanese anime costume) and various anime cover bands. Along 1st Street and in a backlot adjacent to the J-Pop Stage, more than 100 vendors sold goods ranging from food to Japanese knick-knacks. And at the Martial Arts Stage, well, I think you can figure that one out for yourself.

Pamela Moss belts out a tune on the J-Pop Stage with her band Makenai.

Lane Nishikawa’s independent film, “Only the Brave,” screened at the East West Players Theater on San Pedro St. The harrowing tale of the 100th/442nd Regimental Combat Team’s rescue of the 141st Texas Regiment won critical and audience praise throughout the festival. Screening attendees were given a special DVD offer and co-star Hiraizumi offered autographed copies of her swimsuit calendar with the purchase. The movie also stars Tamlyn Tomita, Jason Lee Scott and Pat Morita.

So despite the absence of cherry blossoms, the annual event (a precursor, if you will, to the larger Nisei Week events in August) was well received and a definite must-see attraction.

L.A. to Phoenix

If you're ever going to make the 400-mile transition from the urban sprawl of Los Angeles to the desert city of Phoenix, spring is the perfect season to do it. With temperatures hovering in the 70's and a warm desert breeze blowing across the landscape, it is a very comfortable drive. Speeding thru the Mojave Desert, wildflowers line the highway as a sort of yellow-flower road, guiding you to the Valley of the Sun, Phoenix's unofficial nickname.

Our journey begins in L.A. and ninety minutes later, arriving at the first pit stop, Indio, CA. The area around the I-10 freeway that exits to Indio is filled with major brand name stores and fast food restaurants. Be sure to stop in the giant Super Target there. It's everything Wal-Mart wished it could look like.

Back on the road, the next pit stop is close to the California-Arizona border, in the small town of Blythe, CA. Be sure to stop at the Courtesy Coffee Shop off the Jackson St. exit and order the Patty Melt with fries and blue cheese dressing! The biscuits are HUGE! And if you're stopping in for breakfast, the pancakes are pretty good. You can't miss this place, with it's huge neon sign and two palm trees shooting thru the roof.

On the final 150 miles to Phoenix, the landscape gives way to flat, barren monotony. The only thing that will snap you back awake is the Photo Enforcement Zones as you enter Arizona. The speed-detecting radars are hooked up to a series of cameras (similar to the red-light traffic cameras) that line each side of the highway at half-mile intervals. If you go ten mph over the speed limit (65 in the photo area), the camera will flash and you will be greeted with an unwelcome speeding ticket in the mail within two to three weeks.

You could literally drive right thru Phoenix in about half an hour, but I exit at 7th St. and head into downtown. The speed limit drops to 25-30 mph in the downtown area and there are traffic signs posted all over the place. It can be a bit overwhelming and confusing. Parking prices range from free (on the street) to about $12 at the various parking garages.

As you make your way east on Jefferson St., one of the coolest things happens. Rounding the corner, a huge baseball stadium comes into view until you reach the signal and sit in awe at Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks, as it towers over you. The stadium features vintage baseball photos along the outer walk, a sports bar, a swimming pool and a really elegant lounge complete with a fireplace inside.

A few blocks away is America West Arena, home of the NBA's Phoenix Suns. This area is extremely congested with the parking structure literally piggy-backing the arena. Highly recommend parking away from here. Over on 9th St., is the Arizona State University campus, a modern looking campus with sandstone and brick walkways. As you make your way thru the campus, you can wander over to the Science and Heritage Park, where small restaurants and various museums welcome visitors.

My next stop is a small, but very popular pizzeria within Science and Heritage Park. Reservations are strongly suggested for Pizzeria Bianco, as the line grows steadily and the wait time can exceed two hours. A bar next door offers champagne, wines and a couple beers (recommend the Thunder Mountain Cream Ale). You can also order various appetizers while you wait.

Once inside the restaurant, the menu consists of two appetizers, three salads and six pizzas. Salad-wise, get the fresh mozzarella with tomato slices. The chef makes the mozzarella himself and it tastes absolutely awesome! But of course, the main event is the pizzas. There's the Marghertia, Marinara, Rosa, Sonny Boy, Biancoverde, Rosa and Wise Guy. There are various extras that can be added for toppings. The Sonny Boy is marinara, mozzarella salami and olives. It's strong and salty. The Marinana and Margherita are pretty good as well, but add the fennel sausage as a topping. The complete menu here.

The Rankings:

1.) Marinara (tomato, oregano, garlic) add fennel sausage

2.) Wise Guy ( Wood Roasted Onion, House Smoked Mozzarella, Fennel Sausage)

3.) Sonny Boy (Tomato Sauce, Fresh Mozzarella, Salami, Gaeta Olives)

4.) Margherita (Tomato Sauce, Fresh Mozzarella, Basil) add fennel sausage

5.) Rosa (Red Onion, Parmigiano Reggiano, Rosemary, AZ Pistachios)

6.) Biancoverde (Fresh Mozzarella, Parmigiano Reggiano, Ricotta, Arugula)

Sonny Boy pizza - salty with bite!

Stomach full, I had the option of staying the night, but car rental fees and hotel charges be damned, I needed to get my car (2010 Nissan Versa) back to L.A. After picking up some road snacks, it's back on the I-10, this time, heading west.

About the only positive of driving late at night, beside the lack of traffic, is the crystal clear desert sky. The stars shine so bright and the moon hovers majestically over the landscape. It took seven hours to drive back (thanks to the stupid speed traps) and when I arrived back in L.A., the early morning fog was enveloping the coast. Total mileage was just under 800 miles. Next time I go to Phoenix, I'm flying.

Phoenix Update

Just a quick update in case you're wondering where the Phoenix entry is. The original travel date was postponed due to rain and rescheduled to the following week, which was canceled again due to more rain. I have re-rescheduled the trip for March 20, the first day of spring. So far, no mention of rain that weekend.

L.A. to Phoenix Itinerary

Back at last from hiatus. This weekend, I will venture out on a 350 mile journey from L.A. to Phoenix and back in the same day. Below is the tentative schedule.

5:00 a.m. - Leave L.A.
6:45 a.m. - Arrive in Palm Springs
8:00 a.m. - Arrive in Blythe, CA and stop for breakfast
10:30 a.m. - Arrive in Phoenix, AZ

Once in Phoenix, I will be checking out the Arizona Japanese Matsuri (Festival) then checking out the Desert Botanical Gardens and perhaps hike up a few trails in Papago Park. After dinner, I will begin the long journey back to L.A.

6:00 p.m. - Depart from Phoenix, AZ
9:30 p.m. - Arrive in Indio, CA (although there will be a rest stop along the way, perhaps in Quartzsite, CA or Brenda, AZ)
Midnight-ish - Arrive back in L.A.

This will be a 10 hour drive, the second longest one-day drive I've ever done. The longest is L.A. to San Francisco and back in the same day (which I don't recommend, by the way). Full recap should be up by this time next week.

Walking the Five Boroughs of L.A.

You hear it a lot; Downtown L.A. is a melting pot of cultures. Sure, you can drive thru all the different parts of town, but you don't really get a full appreciation of the cultural variety that walking gives you. With that in mind, I charted out a completely spontaneous trek through the five boroughs of Los Angeles - South Park (the Convention Center/Staples Center part of town), Bunker Hill, Chinatown/Civic Center, Olvera Street/Pershing Square and Little Tokyo. While I don't know the absolute distance, I would estimate the entire trip is about 12 miles. Keep in mind, this entire tour was done on foot.

The trek begins in South Park, outside Staples Center. From there, we head north up Figueroa. Bypassing the often crowded and popular breakfast stop of the Pantry on 9th and Figueroa, we travel up a block to the corner of 8th and Figueroa, stopping in at the Corner Bakery.

The Corner Bakery is a quaint little restaurant serving breakfast food and sandwiches. I ordered the Baked French Toast, which comes on cinnamon toasted bread. Unfortunately, they were out of the bread. Undaunted, I moved to the Commuter Croissant, but they were also out of croissants. Down two strikes, I hedged my bets on something safe; a bagel with scambled eggs, cheese, bacon and diced tomatoes. My server was Saudia, who was more than accomadating and professional and even included a side order of fruit to compensate for the inconvenience.

Bagel with eggs, bacon, cheese and tomatoes at the Corner Bakery.

With my stomach full of carbs, I head up to 7th and Figueroa, then cross right over to Grand Ave. Traveling up Grand Ave., we pass someplace called the Water Court, an entertainment, shopping and food court located off 6th and Grand. Among the waterfalls and numerous fountains is a the Omni Hotel, an outdoor lounge and a spectacular view off to the east.

The pond/waterfall at the Water Court.

From there, we continue heading north, passing the Museum of Cultural Art (MoCA), Disney Conert Hall, Mark Taper Forum and the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Once we pass all that, we arrive at Caesar Chavez Blvd. If you continue heading north, you'll just head into a residential area, so we turn right, heading toward Chinatown.

The entrance to Chinatown is on the north side of Alameda.

Caesar Chavez Blvd. splits right between the entrance of Chinatown and Olvera Street. Chinatown would take an entire day to explore, so instead of going in that direction, I turn right and enter Olvera Street. On this particular day, the Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration is going on. Walking through the outdoor market, I can't help but stop in at Mr. Churro's and graba hot, fresh churro.

Continuing along and walking through the shaded rest area, I head south on Alameda and return to 1st St. Crossing the street, we pass thru the Civic Center, before heading into Little Tokyo.

Restaurant-row in Little Tokyo.

There are plenty of restaurants to choose from once you enter Little Tokyo. Among them, Koraku, Aoi, Mr. Ramen and Daikokuya are all solid choices. But I'm not really in the mood for ramen, in fact, I'm just looking for a simple bowl of rice with some meat on top. This is when I remember Wakasaya, located in the food court right across the street from the aforementioned restaurants. I order the unagi don (eel) with a side of miso. It's the perfect belnd of sweet sauce and tender meat.

The garden at the Japanese Cultural Community Center.

After lunch, I stroll around Little Tokyo, taking in the Japanese garden outside the Japanese Cultural Center. I start making my way back now and head westward along 3rd St., a trek I would not recommend doing if you are going solo. The streets between San Pedro and Los Angeles St. are rough. The entire block on 3rd from Los Angeles to Hill St. is filled with a majority of bong shops. At Hill St., I turn left and make my way south, toward Olympic Blvd. I'm sure ladies everywhere would enjoy the stroll between 5th and 7th streets as you enter the Jewelry District.

Once at Olympic, the trek comes to a close as a few blocks later, we are back at the beginning, standing outside Staples Center. It was interesting how the entire trek allowed me to bend my linguistic tongue, starting with regular ole English, then switching to Spanish thru Olvera Street and then to Japanese entering Little Tokyo. This trek, which took four hours to complete (and mind you I was walking pretty briskly) is the perfect tour for any tourist or, for that matter, a native Angeleno.

RANDOM SIDE STATS:

Number of Starbucks I Saw - 8

Number of street bums - 29

Number who bothered me for money - 0 (cuz I was wearing my iPod)

Number of LAPD police cars with sirens blaring - 5

Shoes worn for this trek - Nike Shox+