Memorial Day Weekend part 1

On Friday I was released from work early. Imagine my shock and amazement when I got home and found Andrew asleep on my couch. It only took me a second to figure out that he had been sleeping at my house this week and leaving before I got home every night.

Friday night I met cousins Billie and Bruce in Laguna. They had a beautiful suite at the Holiday Inn on Pacific Coast Highway and it had an ocean view. It was kind of overcast and chilly, but it is my opinion that there is never a bad day at the beach. None of us knew where we wanted to eat dinner so we decided to just walk down PCH and stop at the first place that struck our fancy. There was a sushi restaurant right next door to the Holiday Inn but it was totally packed with 20 somethings. I didn't care to stand in line and I really don't care to look like the oldest person in a restaurant.

As it was really starting to get cold outside, Bruce went and got the truck so we didn't have to suffer from frost bite in our quest for dinner. I said that I'd heard many great things about Las Brisas so we pointed the truck in the direction of Las Brisas. I didn't know exactly where it was but I knew I'd passed it on the way to the hotel. Billie said she could see the sign for the restaurant and I was impressed. I couldn't see the sign let alone read the letters on the sign. We all agreed that she had excellent eyesight. When we pulled in to the parking lot we saw the valet parking price posted on a board on the driveway. The board said, "$3.00 min." As we were getting out of the truck Bille said, right out loud in front of God and everyone..."Are you serious? Is it really $3.00 A MINUTE to park here?" I tried to answer her question quickly and I hoped that no one else heard her but alas, Bruce and the valet heard her. We all, including Billie, had a great laugh at her expense. We teased her that we'd better hurry up and get in there and eat or the cost of parking would out weigh the cost of our dinner.

One of the reasons I wanted to eat at Las Brisas was that I had been told that it had a beautiful ocean view. Once inside we were told that we could sit where ever we wanted so Billie and I went off to find a table with a view. I found a nice table right next to a full wall of windows. This would have been a nice coup if it wasn't already dusk. By the time we sat down it was so dark that all we could see when looking at the window was our very own reflection.

I was very happy about the idea of eating Mexican food so imagine my shock when I opened the menu and saw 1. that the restaurant was under the leadership of Executive General Manager Fouad Ziady.
2. There was not a taco or burrito on the menu.
3. There was, however, fish in every shape and form possible.
Fish is gross. Shell fish is even more gross. Soft shell? Gross. Hard shell? Gross. What does my comadre order?
Pasta de Mariscos
Prawns, large scallops, crab, green mussels and salmon sautéed with spicy tomato sauce, angel hair pasta and vegetables.

I ordered a vegetable pasta dish and I was certain that my dinner was much better than Billie's. However she seemed to be pretty happy eating her seafood surprise.

For desert we shared chocolate mousse that came in an almond crisp shell. It. Was. Stellar. Fortunately we left the restaurant and none of us had stab marks in our hand from stabbing each other in order to get more mousse.

In all it was a lovely restaurant and I would highly recommend going under these circumstances:
1. It is day light and you can see the ocean.
2. You have a lot of money to pay for the 3.00 per minute parking. (!)
3. You like seafood.

More tomorrow...with pictures. Prepare yourself for the ultimate in cuteness.