Binoy Nazareth Goes California Dreamin

Binoy Nazareth Goes California Dreamin

Experiencing the Essence of Wanderlust

 

With love of all inspiring things great and small, I decided to take the road to California to experience my passion for sunny beaches, great food and revel in an intoxicating atmosphere. Evolving over 900 miles on the Western border of America, the California dream became a reality as I stepped into the land of diverse people, cable cars, the Golden Gate Bridge and the Alcatraz Island. With innumerable things to do, I tried to cram my itinerary with hiking through the national parks, going on wine tasting tours, visiting Disneyland, relaxing on sunny beaches and experimenting with water sports.

 

Integrating traditions, foods and languages from all around the globe, California displays roots in the cultures of Asia, Mexico and Spain including the eastern part of the United States. My quest for adventure accelerated my heartbeat and increased the anticipation of discovering the famous Californian cuisine and a fusion of culinary styles including sampling the sparkling wines. As a must-do on my bucket list, I gorged on the popular California pizza, salads, seafood, barbecued meats, Asian and Latino food.

 

Delighting the Palate with a Culinary Repertoire

 

Exciting and exhilarating, my California sojourn was topped with adventures galore and a chance to travel incessantly through a culinary repertoire and a kaleidoscope of classic Californian dreamy dishes. I relaxed on divine beaches with a cool Boba drink and satisfied hunger pangs with great hotdogs and Italian subs. As a daring spirit took over, I took off paddle-boarding on the crystal-clear waters of Lake Tahoe and laterwent rock climbing at Yosemite Park which offered many other outdoor activities. Every meal time and in-between was punctuated with the marvelous cuisines of California. My culinary adventure evolved over custom crepes at Harajuku Crêpes, seafood burritos, filling Matt Cain sandwiches, incredible porchetta sandwiches, Korean, Chinese and Japanese fare. After fortifying my system with an amazing range of cuisines and cultures over many days, whereI enjoyed a great game at the seventh hole at Pebble Beach Golf Links, experienced the mesmerizingPismo Beach and let Santa Maria Valleycatapult me on a sparkling travel through great wines which brought out the aesthetic in me, I then headed towards Lone Pine and the small town in Owens Valley in my rental convertible.

 

San Francisco with its world-class attractions, stunning scenery and a strong presence of fusion cuisines satisfied my senses with its awe-inspiring concerts and music that echoed everywhere. It was time for a California pier experience which I wasn’t about to give up on and strolled along Pier 39, Fisherman’s Wharf and the Santa Monica Pier to absorb the unique pier experience. As the California sun glittered on the famous Golden Gate Bridge, I drove through this iconic structure and of course took innumerable photographs to take memories back home.  With the misty hills of San Francisco echoing with ancient tales that swished around the age-old forests, it was time to surround myself with the majestic and massive Redwood trees at Redwood National and State Park which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a United States National Park on the North Coast of California. Muir Woods was another site to cherish, with its monumental trees that can fit multiple people like me in their trunks.

 

Every day was a treat, from San Francisco to Sacramento, and from San Jose to San Diego to LA, as the sunshine warmed the heart, I toured through the delights of life with barbecued Baby Back Ribs from Phil’s BBQ, Praise the Lard from The Waffle Experience, Cioppino from Sotto Mare Chocolate with sweet deserts to melt in the mouth with Bouchons from Bouchon Bakery and Julian Apple Pie from Julian Pie Company across these beautiful cities. While a colorful melee of sights and sounds twirled in a wild dance of colors, Chinatown in Los Angeles beckoned with its red lanterns and Pagoda styled buildings. I shopped, dined, wined and toured the traditional dimsum destinations, temples, art galleries, awesome Asian-fusion eateries and tasted the popular French dip sandwich.No trip to California is complete without a visit to the famous Laguna and Malibu Beacheswhere celebs frolic on golden sands and I found myself admiring a picturesque view with a cool cocktail to quench my thirst on these sun-kissed paradise beauties.

 

Time flew and disappeared around a kaleidoscope of magical and mesmerizing attractions as I packed my bags and got ready to take inspiring memories of a delightful and action-packed California adventure back home.

 

Take Off with Binoy Nazareth on a California Culture Trip