OC Road Trip #2: On the Boardwalk

It’s so weird being able to enter just about any business wearing nothing but your swim trunks. But I got over that yesterday when I headed out to the Boardwalk. My camera's batteries are dead, so pictures are forthcoming (no, not of me in my shorts).

I went for a brief jog on the Boardwalk (sand is hard to jog on), and then some of the most uninspiring scrambled eggs I have ever had at the hotel (they did come with admission). Then I trekked off to the Boardwalk, leaving everybody else behind. I was still trying to get them all out of the hotel room when I started writing this before dinner last night. They are on a totally different schedule than I am.

After learning that I have indeed forgotten how to ride a bike (thanks to Mike’s Bikes for the rental; they helped me find a bike that was just my size), I walked back to the Boardwalk. I sprayed on a generous helping of sunscreen and bought a backpack at the Edwards store on the boardwalk to put in all the crap I had to carry – my shirt, my bathing suit, my camera, and whatever else I got along the way. I never used the bathing suit; I just used my shorts. But I brought two shirts – a guy can never be too prepared. They both wound up in the backpack while I defied the sun’s rays with the thin coat of sunscreen on my chest and shoulders.

Ooh, did I forget my legs? Shit.

Even though I didn’t really need to – this is the beach, after all – I put my shirt back on as I entered Shenanigan’s Irish Pub for a little Guinness. And the guy behind the counter, who doesn’t look old enough to even drink what he is serving, knows how to pour a pint of Guinness right! Just let it sit there and then refill it. Mmmm. I had two pints at Shenanigan’s ($5 each), and then almost left when I noticed the specials menu. One was a bucket o’ baby burgers ($6.50). These three burgers are the sizes of breakfast sausages, but were soft and tasty. And the waffle fries that came with them were pretty decent. I have had some bad waffle fries in my day, so I was not looking forward to this part of my meal.

I got out to the beach, and put more sunscreen on my upper body and my legs. I made it to the end of the Boardwalk and back! Woo-hoo! I celebrated my hike with a Corona at an outdoor bar whose name completely escapes me, and a vanilla milkshake at the Alaska Stand (not all at the same time). Interesting fact: the Alaska Stand was the first place I ever ate at the first time I visited OC way back in 199(mumble).

One last stop I made for the afternoon was the Candy Kitchen. I always had to stop by here before going home. Again, it’s for the fudge. For $11 I got four quarter-pounds (you do the math) each of chocolate, Swiss chocolate, vanilla and butter pecan. I’ve never enjoyed chocolate fudge as much as other, seemingly more exotic flavors, but I’m not going to eat all the fudge myself. And speaking of OC institutions, don’t ask if I stopped at that one last one, Thrasher’s Fries. I have never understood why people like putting vinegar on a French fry. Bleh.

Oh, for the record, I did get a little sunburned:

• Chest? OK.
• Back? OK.
• Arms? OK.
• Face and scalp (I’m not bald, but it still burns easily)? OK
• Legs? OK.
• Feet? A little burnt.
• Shoulders? Owwwie.

UPDATE: Hammer Heads Raw Bar and Grill. That's where I had that Corona.