Beautiful Balboa Island

Monday morning we packed up and headed to Balboa Island for food and a bit of shopping.  Initially we took the ferry to the island but then we realized that we were in the residential area. Since we didn't feel like walking to the other side of the island, we decided we should drive over ourselves.  I didn't even know the island existed until I stumbled across some info when I was planning our trip.  This little island may have been my favorite place in the world.  The houses were quaint, unique, decorated for the holidays or surrounded by beautiful flowers.  Each house looked different but each had the same feeling of a laid-back life.  Patios were full of flowers, tables, cute plaques, and random stuff I’d never leave out in Phoenix for fear of it being stolen.  Windows and doors were wide open.  I think I began to drive Mr. C crazy with how often I kept saying the place was amazing.  When I got home I realized how few pictures I had...I was just too busy looking around, being amazed of course!

We found our car and drove ourselves to the other end of the island.  This is when I began to worry about my dream of living here (like that was even an option) because it was ALL parallel parking and I really suck at parallel parking.  When I took my driving test it was 9am in our little town and the instructor told me to parallel park.  When I told him there were no cars to park in-between he said that he guessed I had it easy.  So, my parallel parking included stopping on the side of the street basically.  I’ve managed to pretty much avoid it until now.  Mr. C drove us to Balboa Island and proceeded to tell me that he had NEVER parallel parked.  EVER!  We don’t exactly make the best driving team.   So, for the first time EVER, Mr. C parallel parked.  He did a pretty awesome job.  He only hit three cars.  Just joking!  He did accidentally honk at a guy on the sidewalk, momentarily scaring him, but that was pretty minor.

Lining the street were some very unique shops and the cutest restaurants.  On our way to lunch we were sidetracked by a store that was selling Toms and Flojos which are the best flip-flops EVER!  The woman, who I assume was the owner, was very friendly and helpful.  It reminded me of being home.  When we finally got out of the store we were pretty hungry and found a little place called Wilma’s Patio.  I fell in love.  The restaurant/café was very welcoming and had been decked out with fall decorations.  Every single table had a fall tablecloth and all the pots had little scarecrows in them.  I wish I had pictures, but I was trying to look not too touristy and I was busy taking in the place.  We both had some of the best fish tacos and left pretty stuffed.  We made one more stop to an artsy store with very unique gifty items.  We had to leave before it got dangerous because everything was just so cool.

It was such a relaxing day which made it difficult to go home.  On the way home I looked up home prices for the area.  Since I don’t have a minimum of $1.5 million lying around, I’m thinking we’re not moving to Balboa Island anytime soon.  I suggested to Mr. C that we move and he could bike to work, I would stay at home with the kids (hypothetical kids here) or find myself a part-time job in one of the little shops or as a surfing instructor (I have no clue how to surf and I’m terrified of sharks) but he didn’t seem to like that idea.  He actually laughed at me!  I guess he has become accustomed to eating and having electricity or something.  Either way, dreaming is always nice, and if I win the lottery I know just where I’m buying a home!