Restaurant Review: Kincaids on the Pier

Kincaid's is a great traditional sea food restaurant located on the Redondo Beach pier. With beautiful views of the ocean and docks, the nautical theme of the restaurant provides a perfect ambiance.  Redondo Beach is a sunny beach town located in Southern California in the South Bay of Los Angeles. The Redondo pier is a great place to enjoy nightlife and the beautiful ocean views. Kincaid's is one of my favorite sea food restaurants in a prime location right on the water. It is a great place to go if you are looking for something a little more upscale than the typical beach shack. I love the nautical ambiance and fresh seafood. Their menu is full of amazing choices. And if you aren't in the mood for a full dinner they have a great deal for happy hour. My favorite time to go is during happy hour from 4-6 on weekdays. I usually order one of their half price appetizer specials like the delicious teriyaki chicken platter. They even have live music performances in the bar adding to the nostalgic feel of the place.
For formal dinner I like to get a seat by the window and watch the boats sailing in and out. My favorite dish is their scallop platter. The fresh seared scallops and lemon sauce are mouthwatering and quite filling, especially after a basket of their delicious warm bread. This is a fun spot to hang out if you want to eat on the water.

Get it while it's hot: Tapas!

Tapas are my new favorite haute cuisine trend. If you haven't heard of tapas before they are a Spanish style Dim Sum type of eating experience. I have been to a couple different tapas restaurant and each of them have their own unique take on the idea but, basically you can each order different small plates and share them. I love the idea because it can be a great way to hang out with friends and taste many different foods! I also love the unique Tapas that chefs come up with. My favorites so far include Honey flavored steak and fried steak tacos.

One of the best Tapas restaurant s I've visited is in Las Vegas in the Aria hotel. It is called Julian Serrano Tapas. The small hip restaurant has a great view of the hotel and a modern feel with the digital menus on iPads. They also have a delicious and interesting nouvelle cuisine menu.

Next time you are looking for something new, try going to a tapas restaurant in your neighborhood! 

Spotlight: Santa Monica California

Santa Monica is famous for the Ferris wheel on the pier and the sunny beaches so for your next vacation I have all the best places to relax and enjoy the California lifestyle Santa Monica has to offer.

Annenburg community beach house

The first place on my list is the Annenburg community beach house founded by Wallis Annenburg in 2009 who renovated it for public use after learning the city was having trouble maintaining it. The millionaire had apparently visited the former Sand and Sea club as a child and had fond memories. I guess making a good impression counts! You never know who will be the next millionaire! If you are traveling with kids this is a great place to bring them to the beach because of the fun sand playground and clean facilities. They also offer beach volleyball classes for kids during the summer! There is parking available at the beach house so you don't have to deal with the hassle of street parking in downtown Santa Monica. This is a fun place to hang out and go to the beach.

There is also the Marion Davies guest house a historical site left over from the mansion of William Randolph Hearst, the famous newspaper mogul, that was originally built on the property but fell down after an earthquake in 1994. The guest house, however remains in its former glory with Tiffany lamps and all. Tours are offered daily where you can learn about the architecture of Julia Morgan as well as all the famous guests like Charlie Chaplan who stayed there. It is very interesting and I definitely recommend it if you are looking to get a piece of local history.

The original Tiffany chandelier hangs in the entrance hall.

A picture of the Hurst beach house before it was destroyed in the earthquake.

Another decorative room of the house with a picture of Davies performing on stage.

Real gold decorations on the tile in the bathrooms. 

Each tile was handlaid and painted to create the art deco designs.

A sitting room filled with 1920s furniture.

The elaborate ironwork on the patio furniture was beautiful.

the view from the guest house. I sure would've liked to stay there!

Santa Monica pier

The famous Santa Monica pier is a must see for travelers. Parking is a nightmare though and there is no way of getting around it so be prepared to pay a high price for parking. there is the famous theme park on the pier with the roller coaster and Ferris wheel but it is closed during the winter months. Walking the pier is fun because there are many cute little souvenir shops as well as an arcade and Churro stands! There are many restaurants on the pier although my favorite is the Bubba Gumps because of the great views and delicious sea food!

3rd street promenade

This can be a great place to take your kids or a fun place to hang out with friends. And it is very affordable especially if you use the summer discount.
This can be a great place to take your kids or a fun place to hang out with friends. And it is very affordable especially if you use the summer discount.
The 3rd street promenade in downtown Santa Monica is a great shopping location as well as a fun place to people watch. There are many fun stores like H and M and Max Studio and there is always someone playing music or entertainment of some kind on the boulevard. Apparently many famous musicians have been discovered here! I love to people watch for trends and hang out. If you are looking for a shopping and nightlife destination this is definitely it. My favorite place to eat is at the California Pizza Kitchen at the end of the street. CPK has delicious California cuisine my favorite dish is the BBQ chicken pizza.

So these are my top favorite spots in Santa Monica California. I hope you enjoy!