Living in Irvine is great. It is super clean, tons of parks and boasts award-winning schools. It is a wonderful place for my kids to grow up.
I grew up in the amazing city of Austin, Texas. As you probably already know, their motto is Keep Austin weird. From what I hear, things have changed a lot with an influx of people moving in. It is also the live music capital of the world. Austin was a place you where you could make instant friends with anyone. Everyone was cool. It is a land of artists and people who love the environment. I fondly think of the community as healthy hippies.
A few years ago, I visited The Camp in Costa Mesa. Instantly, I felt like I was teleported back to Austin. Tucked away behind the unassuming signage on the corner of Bristol and Baker, you might never know the gem was there. Beautifully landscaped and eclectic décor, you find doors to the various shops and cafes around each bend of the walkway. One of my favorite storefronts is Organic Designs by Aggelige. She has brilliantly converted an airstream travel trailer into a beautiful display for her succulent nursery. But, it was the restaurants, of course, that originally brought me to The Camp.
Black Market Bakery, Milk & Honey and Vitaly all offer great options for grabbing a cup of coffee, tea or smoothie and a nice conversation. Vitaly also has a larger restaurant extension of the smaller café. The owner, Maurizio Cocchi came from Bologna and to our table at our last visit. We sat outside under the lights and enjoyed an amazing lasagna. His warm welcome and smile made the whole dining experience that much better.
Taco Asylum has gained quite a bit of popularity over last few years. Offering a wide range of specialty tacos and craft beers, I am reminded of Austin yet again. Look it up for yourself, Austin is known for their tacos (Torchy’s are really good, btw.) Pictured below is a fish taco at Taco Asylum. The presentation was great but, I think I’ll try another the next time we go.
The Wine Lab was a fun experience. They offer a wide variety of wines and a small menu of foods to compliment your tasting. Science discovery is the theme as they present their flights in sample tubes.
By far, my favorite stop was the Old Vine Café. The written reviews drew me in as well as, the description of the dish I knew I had to try. Nestled in the back corner of The Camp with indoor and outdoor seating, The Old Vine café is a real treasure. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner by Chef, Mark McDonald. Wines from all parts the world spill over the nearly 20 page list. While I visited for breakfast, I left with six bottles for my home collection. What did I order? This Southern girl had to go comfort. The Smothered, Corn Bread, Eggs, Zucchini, Red Peppers, Cheddar Cheese, Serrano Chili Gravy with Potatoes ($16.25). It was AMAZING! I plan on visiting again very, very soon.
