Third Street Promenade Santa Monica

When my hubs and I used to live in LA, we frequented Third Street Santa Monica. I used to work about 10 minutes away from here, and my coworkers and I would often go to happy hour at one of the restaurants around the area like The Viceroy or Ocean Ave Seafood. We’ve taken the kids to Santa Monica Pier, but this is the first time we actually made an entire day of it. We didn’t get home until right before dinner, and I MADE DINNER! Gotta check that off my list. I was adamant about eating dinner in since we already ate out for lunch. I’ve become a stickler for trying to stay within my “dining out” budget.

We got there right when it opened and spent about a half hour watching the street performers. The girls loved watching Dave and the Cousins, a contemporary folk/indie band and they happen to be Korean. It’s hard to get the girls to stay focused on anything for more than 5-10 minutes, but they were totally digging their music as was I. After listening to good music, we started walking towards the pier and my lil one immediately fell asleep. Sleeping children means a quick pit stop to Anthro! I was good and only bought a birthday gift.

The view of the Santa Monica Pier.

I love the restaurants along Ocean Ave - The Lobster, Sushi Roku, Ocean Ave. I would have to say hands down The Lobster is THE BEST! Fresh lobster and oysters and the dungeness crab enchiladas…yummy. There are many more that I would love to try like BOA Steakhouse and Bruno’s Italian Restaurant. It’s going to be a long time till I get to go there. Date nights are very hard to come by, and when I do get a sitter we usually opt for a restaurant within a 15 mile radius.

So, after a yummy fish and chip lunch, we treated the girls to ice cream and did some people watching. A Samsung Galaxy Rep coaxed us into taking a family pic and making it into a postcard in exchange for my email addy. Sure, why not. I’m going to send the postcard to the in laws.

Our family of four

Apparently, I’m the only one who likes to people watch. The hubs and the kids were so antsy and wanted to get out of there.

We then spent some time playing on the grassy area along Ocean Ave. Food trucks, people exercising, more street performers, tourists galore – it was fun for me to just watch everything going on around me. The girls were busy having too much fun collecting flowers and acorns.

Someone’s been hit with food coma. Major food coma.

We decided to check out the third floor of the newly renovated Santa Monica Place. It was great because it has a small kid’s zone called SAMO’s kids club. Another half hour was spent there while my hubs and I got to relax. There’s a tiny area for kids 2 and under, so I just sat there while my youngest was running around like it was nobody’s business. She has no fear. Sliding down face first, skipping steps, running with the big kids…

The kids were SOOOO tired after all of this that they spent the whole car ride home knocked out. Including me. It was a long drive home in traffic, but the hubs didn’t complain one bit. (He’s used to long commutes). If he’s listening to his hair band music, it’s all good.

I’m off to calling it an early night because I’m waking up at 6am to go to a flea market with some friends before church. I’m so excited! I don’t know what I’m looking for, but I’m happy to just experience one here in the OC. I’ll be sure to take lots of pics.

-lil sis