Binoy Nazareth Goes California Dreamin

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Binoy Nazareth Goes California Dreamin
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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.
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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.
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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 wasnt about to give up on and
strolled along Pier 39, Fishermans 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.  
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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 Phils 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.
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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.
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Take Off with Binoy Nazareth on a California
Culture Trip