Craving California pt. 2

Photo Courtesy of: Island Seashell

As I mentioned before my grandparents live on Balboa Island. They've lived there my whole life so it's like a permanent vacation home for me and my family. I've been going to visit them every summer, Thanksgiving, and spring break. These grandparents are my dads parents. I call them Grandma and Papa Beach because they live at the beach! I'm one of the youngest on this side of the family so I didn't make up the names but my oldest cousin did. The names works because they live right on the water.

Me, my siblings, and Grandma and Papa Beach

My Papa is a fisherman. Every so often he will go out on the boat and go fishing. He used to take all the kids with him sometimes too. When My sister was about 8, he took her, my cousin, Drew, and my dad deep sea fishing in Alaska. They saw tons of whales and even watched them bubble feed. He's also taken my brother, dad and Drew fishing in Panama a couple of times. (My other cousin, Scott, who's Matts age, never wanted to go to Panama with them because he was afraid of leaving his home country!) I've only been fishing a couple of times (mostly because I prefer not to be on a rocking boat waiting for a fish for a long period of time. And I don't necessarily enjoy the smell of fish...) When I did go with my Papa, I remember having to gut the smaller fish. Gutting a fish is basically just cleaning it and you have to scrape off all the scales. EW.
Whenever he would come home from the long fishing trips, you can always expect at least a of week of fish for dinner and I am not a fan of fish. Like at all. I'm kinda weird in regards to my taste in fish. Most people don't mind it cooked but can't stand it raw, I'm the opposite. I love sushi and sashimi, especially when it's freshly caught.

A couple of pictures from Balboa/ Newport:

The view from outside the shopping mall.

Me and Hailey, my sister, taking a picture next to the Balboa mural

One of my friends who moved to Encinitas
but always comes to visit me in Newport.

Under the pier

Another picture of the sunset.

From the ferris wheel!

A pit stop at the candy store before going to the beach.

A "world famous" hippo cookie from Dads Donut Shop.

and another one...

Looking out on to the pavilion from in front of my grandparents house.
It's a sunset... shocker?

My cousin, Colleen, and I on the ferris wheel on Balboa Peninsula after the beach.

and another.

When our Papa took us fishing.

Hailey, Elise and I selling lemonade on the board walk on Balboa.