Checking Out Carlsbad

October 03, 2016

Every so often, we like to check out several restaurants in one night. We grab a drink and a snack at each place and don't hang out in one spot for too long. On Saturday, we originally planned to go to a local Oktoberfest, but upon further review, decided it might not live up the the hype...plus, parking was going to be a nightmare, so after a fun morning of oil changes for both vehicles, decorating for Halloween with stuff from the Dollar Tree, and a nap for everyone, we hopped in the car and headed for Carlsbad. It's a town just south of Oceanside with a village feel. We started at The Compass. It quickly filled up, and we found a nice spot next to the bar. The girls enjoyed it because they were allowed to run around just outside and return to the table for a quick bite and sip of Shirley Temple.

This was called the Haka - a tequila drink with a nice kick!

Cheers!

Next, we wandered downstairs. The courtyard is great and the girls love running around the fountain and playing with the other kids doing the same. If you're into chess, they even have this fun, life-sized game!

Our next stop was The Coyote, a restaurant and bar I used to frequent when stationed at Camp Pendleton a decade ago. We had a more hearty snack - street tacos and crispy asparagus for Jason and me, a bean and cheese burrito for Reagan, and Savannah had chicken strips. They had a live band playing outside that we got to enjoy as well!

French fry 'stache!

We ended the evening at O'Sullivan's Irish Pub, formerly known as Tom Giblin's...another place I spent a lot of time at in my former life. In fact, this is where I celebrated pinning on first lieutenant with some great friends! We scored great seats around the fire pit on the patio. As the band set up for the night, Reagan spent her time chatting with the drummer. He had a Guinness and a shot of whiskey. She said, "Why do you have two drinks?" His response was perfect. He said, "It's like when you drink a coke and water at the same time. One keeps you going, the other keeps you alive."

We stayed and danced the night away until they kicked us out at 10 when kids are no longer welcome:) The band was great and we made friends with the others around the fire pit.