Five Guys Burgers and Fries: Not So Cheap... But Pretty Darn Tasty!

I had never heard of Five Guys Burgers and Fries until the leader of the free worldstepped into one in DC, followed by every photographer in the country who was not chasing LiLoor TomKatat the time. This made the news, because, well, I don't know why it was newsworthy. I suppose because world leaders aren't supposed to eat fast food since President Clintongrew to ginormo proportions as a result of his affinity for Big Macs.

We saw the most recent addition to the burger chain go in on the main drag in town a few weeks ago, but due to recent financial restrictions, we weren't able to give it the ol' taste test until today. My daughter was just dying to get in there because her friends have been raving about it, apparently. I'm certain her 12 year old friends have truly refined palates, so naturally I trust their opinions. We decided to bite the bullet and pay Five Guys a visit.

These financial restrictions led me to search for coupons online; apparently they don't exist. Still, the search was not fruitless. I discovered a few things about the establishment that were quite helpful. Namely, a regular burger has two beef patties. If you're a single patty kind of person, you must order the "little hamburger". Also, the large fries can feed a small army. Good to know!

We strolled in right around noonish and walked into a really. Long. Line. *UGH.* My daughter noted that the line was akin to waiting to get on Space Mountain at Disneyland.The wait is made less traumatic by the free peanuts waiting for customer right there at the front door.

They have a bulletin board, paper, and crayons readily available for kids (well, and I suppose their moms) to draw pictures or write messages and post them on their bulletin board. Read: My lil' angel was kept busy while I stood in line, which is fine by me. The boards at this particular Five Guys was chockablock with colorful notes, praising their delicious fries, mostly.

The wait really wasn't all that bad because they had three registers running. When we made it to the front (10 minutes or so after walking in), the cashier asked if we had been there before. I responded that we had not. He offered to go over the menu with us. Had I not known about the double-patty thing, which most newbies aren't aware of, I would have thought the guy was daft. Since I had researched the menu already, I spared the growing line by passing on the run-down. By the way, at this location, you can bypass the line by ordering ahead of time.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to order a burger, grilled cheese, or hot dog, then tell them specifically how you want it. Choose from mayo, relish, onions, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, ketchup, mustard, jalapeno peppers, green peppers, A1 Sauce,Bar-B-Q sauce, or hot sauce. Get one, none, or ALL of those toppings - FREE! Cheese and bacon are available, of course, but you've gotta pay extra for those.

My daughter and I each ordered little cheeseburgers with a mishmash of toppings, 1 order of large fries, and a soda. The total, with tax, was $16.38. More expensive than In-N-Out Burgerbut less costly than TGI Friday's.

We grabbed a table on the outdoor patio and snacked on peanuts while we waited. An employee of Five Guys came out to ask if we needed refills of our soda or if we had any trash to dispose of. Not yet, but wow!



FINALLY! They called our number... My daughter scrambled in to pick up our order, then almost immediately inhaled her burger when she sat down. Then I noticed that she was chowing down on the burger I ordered, which offensively contained mustard. Trade! (That's why the picture above includes half-eaten food.) Her tiny little friend, the gal who eats almost nothing on most occasions, finished her burger in about three minutes! She had been to Five Guys before, but ordered a hot dog on that visit. She said the burger was a better option.

I'm not gonna lie - from the first bite, this burger was delicious! Juicy, tasty, pure yummy! The three of us were able to share the fries and STILL couldn't finish them. They're big fries, not the shoestring kind but not quite steak fries, either. I didn't love them... They were ok but I wouldn't go posting a colorful note on the bulletin board raving about them. I was told their cajun fries are to die for. I'll find out next time.

Because... Yes, we WILL be back. Probably not at noon, but we'll definitely make a return visit. Hopefully Barack won't be there, as much as I'd like to meet the guy, but the line is already long enough. :)

Drivin' North: Ventura for the Day

My friend Jen discovered a recent addition to the city of Ventura: the Ventura Aquatic Center, right off Rte. 126. I've heard of these fun upgrades from your generic city pool but this is the first time I've been to one. This dynamic entertainment center is perfect for a day in the sun!

Now, understand that this place is literally just a few miles away from the beach. I love the beach, my daughter loves the beach, my friends love the beach, too... But sometimes, you need a change of pace and scenery. The Ventura Aquatic Center provides exactly that! Even better: It is reasonably priced! For a single visit, adults (age 10-61) are $5, children (3-9)and seniors (62+) are $3, and infants (under 3) are FREE.



Upon arrival, the kids immediately jumped right in, splashing in the pool, sliding down the two Hurricane Harbor-like waterslides, playing tag in the playground area... Almost non-stop! They wandered back occasionally for an energy refill (read: food). There's no snack bar here so if you want to eat, you're gonna have to haul in your lunch yourself. That works for me! Brought from home = inexpensive!



After literally hours of having fun at the Aquatic Center, they sent all of us patrons on our merry way. We weren't ready for the fun to stop, so we decided to meet up for some grub. Had we planned ahead, we could have used Restaurant.comcertificates or coupons from our Entertainment Books.

We decided to head over to Rusty's Pizza on Victoria, near the Government Center. I ordered a medium, one-topping pizza and an order of potato wedges - which were delicious, by the way! - for about $18. The guy at the counter teased us by telling us there are loads of coupons out there. Well, I found 'em! Click HERE to save at Rusty's Pizza.

The kids played video games - You know, the upright, old skool arcade gameslike the ones we used to play back in the day. They also used their prized quarters to get Oakland Raiders Temporary Tattoos and super bouncy balls.

Our stomachs were full and the kids were loaded up with prizes, so we all headed home. Another wonderful and fairly inexpensive day in SoCal!

SoCal Daytrip on the Cheap: Paramount Ranch to Lake Shrine

Daytrip Stop #1: Paramount Ranch

I've been wanting to visit Paramount Ranch for a few months now, so it took me about 1 nanosecond to reply "YES!" when mi amigo Pedro asked me if my daughter and I wanted to tag along on his daytrip to exactly that place. Just why would I want to visit this place? Nestled amongst the oak trees in the Santa Monica Mountains, it's a western themed movie set, as seen in Tales of Wells Fargo, The Cisco Kid,Little House on the Prairie,and more recently, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman. Best of all - it's FREE to visit!

I actually visited two days in a row (I won't bore you with an explanation as to why). On the first day, a movie was being filmed in the saloon. We were able to walk right up and peek in on the hustle and bustle of the shoot! Someone assisting with the movie told us it was to be a 15 minute short, potentially for submission at movie festivals.



We wandered about, peeking in windows and imagining that we were in a dusty old Western town, like Tombstone. On the second day, a few of the buildings were open, so we were able to really see the sets!




There are hiking trails surrounding the ranch and a covered picnic area in case you want to chow down while visiting this location. We were on a mission to explore, however, so we saved our lunches for later.

We hit the road and headed toward Malibou Lake. Nope, that's not a typo! (Read more about the fancy spelling here: http://www.maliboulake.net/contact/history.html.) As long as I've lived in the area (30+ years!), I had never been there before! It's mostly private and inaccessable, but a hidden gem nonetheless.

Daytrip Stop #2: Peter Strauss Ranch

Just a few miles past the lake is Peter Strauss Ranch, which is FREE to explore. This ranch was once a resort, but was purchased by actor Peter Strauss in 1976 and later becamee a part of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. This quiet, peaceful place was once teeming with entertainment. The Terrazzo Dance Floor/Patio was made in 1939 of imported Italian terrazzo tile with a pointed star to commemorate Hollywood. It was a popular place for Big Band concerts and dancing in the 1940s. Willie Nelson,Johnny Cash, and Mandrell Sisters all performed here for a local TV show. There's a huge old pool on premises - currently it's empty, but don't get any big ideas, skateboarders, it's not like a modern pool with easy-to-skate bowls. It was built in the 40's, could hold 650K gallons of water and had a capacity of 3000 people! (And to that last part I say, "No thank you!" LOL)


The kids wandered about and found peacock feathers scattered on the stone amphitheater seats! We asked the gentleman who works for the Conservancy about it and he told us that a flock of wild peacocks live in the area, probably originating from when the ranch had an aviary. The one male was molting, and one of the girls on our adventure found what just may be the final feather from his colorful tail!

We hit the road yet again, turning onto world famous Mulholland Drive. We passed the Rock Store, famous for it's celebrity biker stop-ins (think Tommy Lee of Motley Crueand comedian Jay Leno).We might have stopped in for a cerveza on the patio, however, the kids were looking forward to lunch on the beach, so we kept on going.

Daytrip Stop #3: Malibu Pier

We headed toward the Malibu Pier, which is FREE to visit. Seeing as it was after daybreak, parking was at a premium. It's possible to park on the street (which I managed on the second day) but there's a parking lot available directly in front of the pier if you're willing to fork over a few bucks. They'll refund a part of the fee if you get your ticket validated at one of the pier's restaurants.



First, we wandered down to the beach, where we plopped down in the sand and tore into lunch. We watched the numerous surferscompete for waves as we dined. On the second day, we took a bench on the pier and watched dolphins swim by.



After lunch, we wandered along the pier to the end, beckoned by Ruby's Shake Shack. It's a surprisingly affordable choice for sweet treats, so we sat down in the 50's themed diner and ordered chocolate malts (kid's size: $2.99) and vanilla soft serve cones ($1.59).

Everyone's bellys were full, and parking validation only covers two hours, so it was time to move on to...

(Side note: On day 2, we headed north to Zuma Beach and enjoyed the sunshine for the rest of the day.)

Daytrip Stop #4: Lake Shrine Temple and Retreat



This hidden gem is a place that I hadn't heard of until recently, shockingly, considering that a portion of the ashes of Mahatma Gandhiare enshrined here in the World Peace Memorial.



Photographs don't do this place justice... It is quiet, tranquil, and stunningly beautiful. The tenderly cared for flowers perfumed the entrance to the pathway. I was taken aback by just how sweet their scent was. As we wandered around the lake, we watched the swans glide gracefully through the water and giggled (quietly!) as turtles popped their heads up to the surface.

It's quite impressive how truly peaceful this place is, despite being located right off Pacific Coast Highwayon Sunset Boulevard. Most of the visitors respected the tranquility of the place, with one or two exceptions - not us, I promise! - and dotted around the lake were several meditating individuals. By the way, there is no admission fee to visit the Lake Shrine, although donations are graciously accepted.

Our day of exploring some of Southern California's hidden gems came to an end. We headed back home, thrilled to have finally seen some of the places that tourists from around the world come to see, that we often take for granted.

Paramount Ranch? Check. Peter Strauss Ranch? Check. Malibu Pier? Check. Lake Shrine? Check.

Excellent memories? Check.


Interested in California daytrips? Check these out:

Roadtrippin' on the Cheap

Last week, I needed to get away. I mean, I REAAAAAAAALLY needed to take a break from my everyday life. Long story short - this unemployment thing was really getting to me. Solution? Hit the road.

Now, an unplanned roadtrip can be crazy expensive because there are so many unexpected, unpredictable, well, "un"s that pop up. Endless roadside diner visits, middle-of-nowhere-so-they-got-you-by-the-wallet hotels, and "I can't live without this!" souvenirs all equal big bucks. I was able to keep this trip manageable, however!

First things first: I was unexpectedly invited to join in on a family weekend in Las Vegas. My dad had paid for a hotel room for 2 nights, so already, I was sittin' pretty. (Thanks, Dad!) I filled up my gas tank and hit the road. I stopped along the way for breakfast - I happened to have won a free breakfast at Burger King from their Twilightpromotion earlier in the week. So far, so good!

Las Vegaswas, as expected, REALLY HOT! My sister had arrived earlier than me, so she had already checked us in at the hotel. We put on our swimsuits and made a beeline for the pool. Aaaaaaah, refreshing! The pool is about the best free thing you can do in Vegas. Just make sure you use lots of sunscreen! (If you're a planner-aheader, go herefor sunscreen [and grocery] coupons so you don't have to pay gift shop prices.)

I'm not a big gambler, but I do like the super cheapie penny poker. I put a couple of bucks in the machine and played to my heart's content. The cocktail waitress kept me hydrated, and I tipped her a buck per drink. I gambled away about $3, HOWEVER, I recieved about 4 beers for a grand total of $7 ($3 lost and $4 in tips). Not bad for Vegas, when you consider that clubs charge $6 and up per drink!

After a couple of days in Vegas, I decided to hit the road alone. (I know, so brave!) I headed north on the I-15 toward Zion National Park. I paid $12 to get in (a bargain when you compare that to Disneyland's $72 admission) and $16 to camp overnight. I settled in and immediately went to explore the park. During the summer months, you have to take their free shuttle bus to get to most points in the park. I realize that hiking alone is a bad idea, so I chose trails that were easy, short, & heavily travelled. One exception: I really wanted to go to hike the Narrows. You hike a paved trail past hanging gardens, up to a point where you literally have to walk in the river a ways to see where the canyon narrows. I tagged along with a couple of families, who were kind enough to take a picture for me. :)

As for food, I bought peanut butter, jelly, and bread at Target along the way (again, using coupons!) plus a few other things like granola bars and Wheat Thins. Oh, and for down-time entertainment, I bought Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesiato read, and let me tell you what, this book is EVERY bit as good as you've heard it is! Food & entertainment = CHEAP!

I got a phone call from my daughter who was in Albuquerque, visiting her dad's family. "Mommy, pleeease come get me?" was a request that I couldn't deny. I hit the road, yet again.

Gas prices: Gas costs far cheaper, of course, in the bigger towns, where there's more competition. Well duh, right? However, this isn't ALWAYS true. The first station in town is usually a rip off, sometimes more expensive than boondock stations. Also, the last station before you get to the next state is usually a bit elevated in pricing, so the town BEFORE you hit the border tends to have better-priced gas. Finally, big truck stops actually have the best prices a lot of the time, even out in the middle of nowhere. One good place in particular is Pilot Travel Centers. I assume they can stay reasonable due to volume.

As an example of all of the above: I pulled into Winslow, AZ, as in "I was standin' on a corner in Winslow, Arizona..." from the Eagles' song Take It Easy.The first gas station was charging over $3 a gallon. Yeah, NO. I went to the very next exit and it was around $2.75/gal. I filled up there and got back on the I-40. About 2 or 3 miles out of town, I passed a Pilot where the gas was about $2.73/gal!

Anyhoo, I couldn't resist stopping at Petrified Forest National Park. It's a total bargain at only $10 per car (it's a it more for RVs). Now is the time when I will admit the reason I had to stop here: Beavis and Butt-head Do America.I loved Beavis & Butthead back when I was in the Army, and I loved this movie, as awful and silly as it is. I had been all of the stops in this movie, except the Petrified Forest. So, I handed over my $10 and completed my B&B world tour! ;)

Lodging in Albuquerque was free (with my former in laws, who are awesome!). My daughter caught wind of my Vegas visit so she wanted to stop there on the way home. I got online and searched for hotels using TripAdvisor,one of my favorite travel sites since forever! (I've even posted reviews and photos of hotels I've stayed at around the world, so others can see what they're getting into before they book.) I found GREAT hotel deals, such as the Luxor for only $40/night! Also, I bought a certificate for House of Blues at Mandalay Bay from Restaurant.com.($10 for a $25 gift certificate!)

The kiddo & I hit the road together. Several hours and one Hoover Dampass-by later (also in the B&B movie!), we were in Vegas. We hit the Luxor pool and later had our HOB dinner. My 12 year old was ESPECIALLY thrilled about the House of Blues because they have live entertainment, and that was totally new to her. (Don't worry, we went around 8, before it got night-clubby!)

We kept things inexpensive for the next 2 days by refilling our water bottles, eating pb&j sandwiches instead of eating at restaurants all the time, and looking for deals when we did go out to eat. (There's a $6.99 All-You-Can-Eat spaghetti dinner at Sherwood Cafe at the Excalibur, although I could only eat one serving.) She had never been in the Paris, Las Vegas Eiffel Tower, so we walked over there one night. I had found a 'buy one admission, get one free' in one of thouse tourist coupon books, so for the both of us I paid about $15. Bonus: The Bellagio fountains did their dance TWICE while we were up there, including Elvis' Viva Las Vegasand then their last-of-the-evening midnight show featuring The Star Spangled Banner. Had I planned ahead, I would have bought the Las Vegas Entertainment Bookfor more discounted dining and half-priced entertainment!

In any case, between the hotel discounts, cheap National Park visits, pb&j sandwiches, and restaurant certificate, the biggest expense on this roadtrip was easily the cost of gas. So, for maximum savings, think about hitting the road in something a little more economic than a Nissan Xterra (which I love dearly but I'm not sure the MPG could be any worse!).

After an adventurous, unplanned week on the road, it was time to go home. Home sweet home. :)