The first thing my eyes were immediately drawn to on the list was the West Coast BBQ Classic in Long Beach.
CHANGE OF PLANS!
As a native Texan who could (and probably has at some point) have BBQ every night of the week, moving to California has been rough. I had some So-Cal "barbecue" once and lemme tell ya, never again. It was dry (what is that about?!), didn't come with a side of beans OR EVEN A SLICE OF BREAD, and don't even get me started on the lack of cornbread in these here parts... I'm sure somewhere in LA I can find some decent BBQ, but I can almost guarantee you it will be over priced and probably an all around sad excuse for the word "barbecue".
So needless to say, when I saw those three beautiful letters on the screen: B-B-Q (swoon) I knew nothing could come between me and that classic. Even if it meant driving an extra hour to get there. So I grabbed myself a fellow Texan and headed to Long Beach.
The BBQ was delicious, just what the doctor ordered. By the time we got there most of what was left was pulled pork tacos & brisket kabobs... sounds weird right? It was. Not your typical barbecue, but MAN WAS IT GOOD.
It felt nice to be surrounded by equally BBQ-hungry people dancing around to country music. And that smell alone could have kept me happy for another whole year. Well done west coast, you made this southerner proud.
Guys, I love ships. I also love history. So boarding the Queen Mary for the first time was an experience I won't soon forget. It was massive and beautiful and filled with the same rich beauty it had when it was built in the 30's. I could have stayed on that ship forever.
Also it was as close to Titanic as I ever want to get (dying by Iceberg? No thank you). There were several moments as I was walking through the ship that felt like I was really living certain scenes from the movie. All I needed was a vintage dress and a young Leo DiCaprio telling me that I'm no picnic (you jump I jump Jack, remember?). I loved being able to walk through time and really feel like I was breathing in history. May sound cheesy, but I loved it.
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