If you are thinking about a beach vacation in sunny southern California then you should consider Huntington Beach. It is quite possible one of the best vacation spots in the world. There are so many activities that you will have a vacation full of fun. You can easily go surfing, golfing, play tennis, skateboard, or do beach volleyball. There is truly something for every sport enthusiast out there.
If you are not into any of the above sports and want a little more relaxing vacation or if you need a break from the great surf then why not try out some of the activities and locations below.
Within Huntington Beach
Within the city or very close to Huntington Beach there are tons of great sports to visit. There is the Huntington Beach art center and the International Surfing Museum as well as a Surfing Hall of fame. These are both fun activities that can take up an afternoon. You might also want to check out the great shopping in the downtown area where you are sure to find some cool new flip flops or a new bathing suit. There are also some great restaurants in the downtown area of Main Street.
If you are a really Shopaholic then you might want to try either Fashion Island Shopping Center or South Coast Plaza. These two malls house some of the best shopping in the world. South Coast Plaza in particular has a ton of great high end fashion and clothing stores and a great book store to boot. If you get hungry and need a break from shopping there are some great eateries around the mall and even in the mall. Why not try something different at California Pizza Kitchen or at Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant.
With Kids
Bring your children along with you on the vacation as there are many activities in and around the area that they can have lots of fun doing. For example there is the Huntington Beach Central Park which is the largest park in Southern California. You can easily burn off some that that childhood energy at this park. They will have lots of open space to run and scream and be kids. There are restaurants, picnic tables, and even an Adventure Playground that ar4e sure to pique even the adults.
Nearby Destinations
If you still can’t find anything to do you can always adventure a little beyond Huntington Beach where you will quickly find a bunch of great activities. For example Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm, Wild Rivers and Aquarium of the Pacific are all within a 30 minute drive and can offer a lot of fun activities to do. Then after a full day of having fun on the rides or looking at the beautiful fish return to the nice peaceful resort style living of Huntington Beach.
As you can see this is nearly the most perfect vacation spot on earth. In fact once you stay a week on vacation you will never want to leave. It has year round perfect temperatures, great surf, great shopping and great food what more can you ask for.
By: Chris Ryerson
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Filed under Travel And Leisure by on Sep 1st, 2010. 
By: BB
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Filed under Garden & Landscape by on Sep 1st, 2010.
If you’re destined for a beach wedding, you may be interested in beach wedding cakes.
Beach weddings are often destination weddings, a popular choice by many couples who are looking to wrap their honeymoon and wedding into one, or to have a smaller, intimate and inexpensive event. To boot, getting married near the shore is extraordinarily romantic, and can make your wedding experience and memories, that much more special.
If you’re a bride-to-be, looking for a beach wedding cakes, what design should you be looking for? What design makes a cake so “by the shore”? Well, that depends on a lot of things. It depends on the couples’ style, interests and hobbies. It depends on theme of the event, the time of year, the characteristics and layout of the location…just to name a few. To get ideas on which cake may be right for your beach wedding, we’ve rounded up lots of ideas that we’ve included below:
Sea Shell Cakes – You just can’t go wrong with sea shells on a beach wedding cake. So what shells? Beaded periwinkle, Florida cone, and maculated ear moon, are some of the most beautiful sea shells for decoration. Small pieces of coral, is also another great choice. The sea shells can be real (wash them well!), or can be made from a variety of icing, molding paste or chocolate. Sea shells can be used subtly or as the main design of the cake. A cluster of shells, as the seashell cake topper is a must for this cake design.
Marine Wild Life Cakes – Incorporate enchanting sea creatures, such as anemones, turtles, tropical fish, sea lions, jellyfish, sea stars, dolphins, whales, or sea horses. We did a wedding in Monterey a few years ago, and the reception was at the Monterey Plaza Hotel – which is right next door to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The entire wedding party visited the aquarium the day before the wedding, experienced a private tour and had a wonderful time. The aquarium was the perfect inspiration for the theme of the cake. The cake designer subtly incorporated some of the sea creatures from the aquarium into the dessert. The topper was a large pearly clam with jewels and pearls pouring out of it, cascading down the side of the cake. (not real pearls, but fondant balls covered with pearl dust!)
Surf Cakes – Crashing waves encircling the cake is the perfect trim for a cake with a surf theme. This style cake is most appropriate for couples who surf, or just love the waves. The surf can be puffy foaming waves, or just subtle hints of wave shaped frosting. Incorporating some blue into the cake can help it look more like the ocean. Airbrushing blue onto cake’s frosting, gives a real nice blended, and realistic effect. Add in a surf boards or figurines surfing as your cake topper, and you’re set.
Tropical Flower Cakes – Hibiscus, cymbidiums, tuberose, or any of your tropical favorites. They can be used as a flower cake topper, they can cascade down the side of the cake or tiers, or used sparingly throughout. Tropical flowers can also completely cover the cake, or be used just on the base. Wherever placed, they will dress up the most plain and dull cake – and make it instantly gorgeous looking, and smelling.
Sandcastle Cakes – Sandcastles on wedding cakes, are usually used as a toppers. But, we have seen entire cakes shaped like castles, or at least the top half of the cake shaped like a castle, with a few traditional wedding cake tiers below it. To get the sandy effect, the cake can be sprinkled with fine graham cracker crumbs or brown sugar.
Palms and Coconut Cakes – To remind you of your beautiful location, how about a subtle design of palm leaves circling the outside cake? A few coconuts as garnish? A cake topper oasis? How about a cracked open half of a coconut as a cake topper, with bride and groom figurines lounging in it, as if it were a hammock?
Buried Treasure Cake – You don’t have to be in the Caribbean to pull this off. The topper could be a treasure chest with gold coins and jewels pouring out of it, cascading down the side of the cake. If you’re in love with Pirates, make have figurine cake toppers of a bride and groom…one as Captain Jack Sparrow, and a fair maiden in her wedding dress, of course.
Bamboo and Tiki Cake – Coat the outside layers of the cake with confections made to look like bamboo. You can also incorporate Tiki masks. We once attended a luau wedding and the cake had miniature tiki torches sticking out of the top, and around the cake on the table. When the bride and groom cut the cake, tribal drums were playing in the background.
Ocean Activity Cake – Love to go snorkeling, fishing, diving, boogie boarding, or kayaking? How about bride and groom figurines fishing for wedding rings off of a pier? This would be easiest to incorporate into a cake topper, but don’t forget figurines can be anywhere on the cake! Get creative! Any of your favorite ocean activities can be incorporated into your cake.
Sea Bird Cake – Sea birds in flight, in love, with their long necks forming a heart. Best as a cake topper, but can be incorporated throughout the cake tastefully if sea birds are your thing.
Lighthouse Cakes – Is your wedding near a really cool lighthouse? We’ve seen a lot of lighthouse cake toppers, but we also had a client who had her baker create an entire cake as a lighthouse. Another client had the two bottom layers of the cake as tiered rounds, and the top half of the cake was a lighthouse and its surrounding area, right down to the boating docks below it.
Sand Cakes – Not real sand! Many bakers use crushed crumbs, like graham crackers, or brown sugar. The base of the cake can be covered with “sand”, or the top of each exposed layer…or the entire cake! Our favorite, is when a pile of “sand” is formed at the base of the cake and spread out on the table a couple inches around it. Something can then be written in the sand, i.e. “Charlie and Beth Forever”, or “CV + BE, 9/12/08″. You get the picture.
Nautical Cakes – Go Nautical! Anchors, ropes, buoys, wooden docks, life preserver rings, etc. These can be made from marzipan, subtly sprinkled around the cake, placed as the base, or used as a cake topper.
Beach Relaxation Cakes – Our absolute favorite beach wedding cake is 2 Adirondack chairs as the cake topper, with 2 pairs of flip flops beneath them. Figurines of the bride and groom sitting in the chairs is optional. A regular beach or lounge chair can also be used instead of the Adirondacks. One of our other favorites was a figurine bride and groom snoozing in a large hammock as the cake topper, with sand and miniature beer bottles beneath them.
Swimming Pool Cakes – Not with real water, we promise! Picture this: the top cake layer made to look like an endless swimming pool. This can be done by cutting the top square edge off of the cake (like a router would carve out the edge of a wooden table), to simulate an endless pool. Figurines of the bride and groom’s heads could be sticking out of the top of the pool, with shades and sunhats on, holding cocktails of course!
Hawaiian Cakes – How about leis as a cake topper? Or a hula bride figurine enticing the groom on the top of the cake? The cake could be wrapped with a sarong, or beach umbrella, Hawaiian cocktails, pineapples, or anything else Hawaiian could be incorporated.
Beach Colored Cakes – Just want to use beach themed colors? Stick with white, tan, off-white, teal, and of course, blue. The use of blue can be subtle as the color of the frosting, or air brushed onto the outside of the cake for a blended or accented look.
By: Maria Binasco
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Filed under Relationships by on Sep 1st, 2010.
PS – Kicked a sweet goal playing beach soccer.
By: paisan_7
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Filed under Weather by on Sep 1st, 2010.
Thanks so much!
By: pineapplepower
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Filed under Decorating & Remodeling by on Sep 1st, 2010.
Beach weddings are gaining popularity, with it more and more brides to be are having trouble finding the right bridal wear for their big day at the beach. The traditional wedding dresses just won’t do in this more natural setting. Finding a dress that works can present some challenges for the bride to be.
You will probably give up your idea of being a Disney princess in a perfect Cinderella dress. You just can’t wear those at the beach. You won’t certainly look good at the end of the ceremony. The sea breeze and the beach environment just aren’t hospitable for such a formal gown.
Simple designs are the way to go when doing a beach wedding. You can’t very well wear a long flowing white wedding dress across the sand, it would ruin the dress and with it your perfect beach wedding experience. Great beach wedding attires are casual, relaxed, sexy, cool and beautiful it should also still have an inherent elegance to it. A white satin strapless dress is one such example. Other materials for great dresses are chiffon, crepe, georgette, organza, cotton and charmeuse. You should avoid wearing silk since silk isn’t a breathable fabric.
The bridal entourage too should be dressed in similar attires. The bridesmaids could be given dresses of similar make and cut. The colors could be of the lighter hues such as white, cream or light pink. These colors are more appropriate for such a venue. Another idea is to have them wear short identical prom dresses. You can also have them fitted for dresses made especially for the occasion. This saves time in searching for that perfect design.
The sea breeze should really be taken into consideration. This should dictate the cut of the dress. Longer dresses tend to wave around in the wind and this could present some issues, so the best cut should be short. Slip dresses employing a straight-line design behaves better than fuller skirts. If you do decide to have a flowing dress, have it long. A simple strapless flared skirt is a possibility. To break the color up, you can add a little something blue for luck. This additional color won’t clash with the overall color theme since it matches the ocean.
A veil maybe a nice addition to the dress but it really isn’t that practical. The veil will tend to flap around in the wind. You may even lose it to the wind completely, might as well leave the veils for the ones doing traditional weddings.
You may want to wear a wide brimmed hat to complete the beach look. You may also try and add a flower to your hair. Make sure though that these are secured by pins. You don’t want them flying off during the “I do.”s.
You shouldn’t wear constricting high heels. You should wear sandals or go barefoot instead. Remember, the overall theme of a beach wedding is being free of the traditional. You should be casual and comfortable, instead of stiff and reserved.
By: Kelly Hann
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Filed under Relationships by on Sep 1st, 2010.
By: B-Boy
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Filed under Renting & Real Estate by on Sep 1st, 2010.
Things don’t alter – WE alter. The only path to be the alter that you desire to see in the earth is to capture responsibility for the lifetime that you affirm you desire to be living. Regardless of the events and circumstances that have occurred, no answers may be found revelling in excuses. More information: info
Filed under Uncategorized by on Sep 1st, 2010.
By: bambi
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Filed under Garden & Landscape by on Sep 1st, 2010.
The uniform scrubs worn by today’s nurse is their badge of knowledge. It is the physical representation of years of studying and employment that went into achieving that precious nursing degree. So why would a nurse not desire to be recognized as a professional healthcare giver? Why not wear a nursing uniform that sets them apart from the common public? Why not wear it proudly… More information: checkthis out
Filed under Uncategorized by on Sep 1st, 2010.