jaygee
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Post by jaygee on Mar 1, 2024 8:34:34 GMT -6
I think Yosemite and Sequoia are not to be missed. I haven’t spent enough time there as a native Californian. Just absolutely breathtaking.
So the water off the coast of Big Sur is absolutely amazing. But it’s water that you look at from above. I don’t think it’s going to be that different from the views and experiences you can have in SF with the coast. And I adore Santa Cruz and Capitola but I think they can be skipped. Mostly what I think you need to be really sure of is driving down the 1 from NorCal to SoCal. The stretch south of Monterrey is intense. It’s very windy and slow going. I did it once and it’s a never again for me. While the sights are beautiful, once you are on it, you are committed. There’s no “that was nice, I’ve seen enough, let me get back to the highway”. I know my kid would have a fit and get car sick and I’d probably be right there with him. I’m sure many people disagree but that’s my two cents.
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piratecat
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Post by piratecat on Mar 1, 2024 8:40:24 GMT -6
I'm following because we're talking about a trip to LA and maybe SD next fall/winter, perhaps over Christmas break.
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jaygee
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Post by jaygee on Mar 1, 2024 8:43:44 GMT -6
In terms of the 1 being open, check back in May/June. We are not out of rainy season yet so the possibility of more mud slides/road closures exists.
I think adding in Palm Springs/Joshua Tree is great. Seriously top 3 of CA for me. I love that landscape so much.
It is going to be a busy trip but I think you’ll still find ways to make it peaceful, especially if you are nature lovers. There is no way to experience some of the places on your list and not be calmed by the beauty of it all. And overall, CA is pretty laid back so you’ll hopefully experience that side of it.
One of the easiest ways to ease the burden is to try to time your major car travel on off peak times. Nothing can be more frustrating than a drive that takes twice as long as it should just because everyone is doing it at the same time. This is especially true in the major cities but just plan to check that often when you are about to make a move to another area of the state.
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adelbert
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Post by adelbert on Mar 1, 2024 8:47:56 GMT -6
In terms of the 1 being open, check back in May/June. We are not out of rainy season yet so the possibility of more mud slides/road closures exists. I think adding in Palm Springs/Joshua Tree is great. Seriously top 3 of CA for me. I love that landscape so much. It is going to be a busy trip but I think you’ll still find ways to make it peaceful, especially if you are nature lovers. There is no way to experience some of the places on your list and not be calmed by the beauty of it all. And overall, CA is pretty laid back so you’ll hopefully experience that side of it. One of the easiest ways to ease the burden is to try to time your major car travel on off peak times. Nothing can be more frustrating than a drive that takes twice as long as it should just because everyone is doing it at the same time. This is especially true in the major cities but just plan to check that often when you are about to make a move to another area of the state. Due to jet lag at least during the first week we'll naturally be waking up super early so we should be able to get driving time in then when it's hopefully less busy.
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adelbert
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Post by adelbert on Mar 1, 2024 8:54:45 GMT -6
I think Yosemite and Sequoia are not to be missed. I haven’t spent enough time there as a native Californian. Just absolutely breathtaking. So the water off the coast of Big Sur is absolutely amazing. But it’s water that you look at from above. I don’t think it’s going to be that different from the views and experiences you can have in SF with the coast. And I adore Santa Cruz and Capitola but I think they can be skipped. Mostly what I think you need to be really sure of is driving down the 1 from NorCal to SoCal. The stretch south of Monterrey is intense. It’s very windy and slow going. I did it once and it’s a never again for me. While the sights are beautiful, once you are on it, you are committed. There’s no “that was nice, I’ve seen enough, let me get back to the highway”. I know my kid would have a fit and get car sick and I’d probably be right there with him. I’m sure many people disagree but that’s my two cents. We're often driving on mountainous pass roads through the Alps which is maybe similar. I'll definitely give this part more thought especially since you say the vibes we will get on the coast near San Francisco are similar. We're actually probably not planning on swimming at all. I hate cold water and we're super spoiled with nice beaches when we travel to Greece or Mallorca so this is much more about walking on the beach, maybe checking out tide pools, hikes on cliffs,etc.
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jaygee
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Post by jaygee on Mar 1, 2024 9:00:10 GMT -6
I think Yosemite and Sequoia are not to be missed. I haven’t spent enough time there as a native Californian. Just absolutely breathtaking. So the water off the coast of Big Sur is absolutely amazing. But it’s water that you look at from above. I don’t think it’s going to be that different from the views and experiences you can have in SF with the coast. And I adore Santa Cruz and Capitola but I think they can be skipped. Mostly what I think you need to be really sure of is driving down the 1 from NorCal to SoCal. The stretch south of Monterrey is intense. It’s very windy and slow going. I did it once and it’s a never again for me. While the sights are beautiful, once you are on it, you are committed. There’s no “that was nice, I’ve seen enough, let me get back to the highway”. I know my kid would have a fit and get car sick and I’d probably be right there with him. I’m sure many people disagree but that’s my two cents. We're often driving on mountainous pass roads through the Alps which is maybe similar. I'll definitely give this part more thought especially since you say the vibes we will get on the coast near San Francisco are similar. We're actually probably not planning on swimming at all. I hate cold water and we're super spoiled with nice beaches when we travel to Greece or Mallorca so this is much more about walking on the beach, maybe checking out tide pools, hikes on cliffs,etc. Gotcha. Yeah, I’m glad you understand the water conditions. A lot of people expect NorCal beaches to be like Baywatch and are really surprised. I would say go from SF to Santa Cruz via the 1 and you’ll be good. That part is much easier driving but you’ll have great vistas and hikes if you want to stop on the way. There are great tide pools in Santa Cruz and also in between SF and Santa Cruz. I can give you the exact beaches and trails if that is helpful. If you do that, I don’t think going south of Monterey is necessary. The Aquarium in Monterey is amazing though.
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jr
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Post by jr on Mar 1, 2024 9:04:17 GMT -6
If you go to Columbia State Park, Murphys is a an extremely cute town nearby - lots of restaurants, little wine tasting rooms, a bakery, ice cream shop, etc. It has a great playground with a lovely little creek that’s great for wading running through it.
We are also people who often move to a new location every 2-3 days when we travel somewhere new. It can be tiring, but so fun and energizing.
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jr
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Post by jr on Mar 1, 2024 9:17:46 GMT -6
And Moss Beach is our favorite for tide pools! It’s near Half Moon Bay, in between SF and Santa Cruz.
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Post by CurlieWhirlie on Mar 1, 2024 9:46:21 GMT -6
The water is colder in the Santa Cruz and Carmel areas than in the Laguna / OC area. But don't get it twisted, the ocean is still pretty cold in SoCal. Don't be expecting tropical waters anywhere!
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tater
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Post by tater on Mar 1, 2024 11:57:41 GMT -6
If you’re going to go down the 1, I might also throw in Hearst’s Castle if you’re looking for something a little eccentric.
Halloween-Knotts scary Farm (in Buena Park about 30 minutes from the beach, 15 minutes from Disneyland). LA Haunted Hayride (in Los Angeles) Universal also has Haunted Horror nights, but that’s a little more intense.
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Post by shamycooler on Mar 1, 2024 12:15:28 GMT -6
adelbert, i hope you still do Alcatraz. i know some people find it touristy, but i LOVE it and this it's so worth the visit. The ferry ride to the island is nice, and they have a self-guided audio tour (in many languages!) with a lot of history and background on the island (the Native American "Occupation of Alcatraz", plus the prison and inmates themselves).
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mapleme
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Post by mapleme on Mar 1, 2024 12:22:48 GMT -6
+1 to Hearst Castle and Monterey Bay Aquarium. Both so fantastic.
Which also reminds me that you should also have Monterey Jack cheese. In the Bay Area, it's such a "everyday" cheese, but it's only from being away from the Bay Area have I realized how wonderful it is and how Jack cheese everywhere else in the country just doesn't compare. It is an everyday cheese, but it's such a great everyday cheese.
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Post by shamycooler on Mar 1, 2024 12:26:11 GMT -6
+1 to Hearst Castle and Monterey Bay Aquarium. Both so fantastic. Which also reminds me that you should also have Monterey Jack cheese. In the Bay Area, it's such a "everyday" cheese, but it's only from being away from the Bay Area have I realized how wonderful it is and how Jack cheese everywhere else in the country just doesn't compare. It is an everyday cheese, but it's such a great everyday cheese. wait, they don't have this and use this everywhere else? I'm mind blown right now lol I LOOOOVE Monterey Jack!
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tater
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Post by tater on Mar 1, 2024 12:33:45 GMT -6
+1 to Hearst Castle and Monterey Bay Aquarium. Both so fantastic. Which also reminds me that you should also have Monterey Jack cheese. In the Bay Area, it's such a "everyday" cheese, but it's only from being away from the Bay Area have I realized how wonderful it is and how Jack cheese everywhere else in the country just doesn't compare. It is an everyday cheese, but it's such a great everyday cheese. wait, they don't have this and use this everywhere else? I'm mind blown right now lol I LOOOOVE Monterey Jack! I’m so shocked right now. I guess i never thought about it.
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soiree
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Post by soiree on Mar 1, 2024 12:37:42 GMT -6
+1 to Hearst Castle and Monterey Bay Aquarium. Both so fantastic. Which also reminds me that you should also have Monterey Jack cheese. In the Bay Area, it's such a "everyday" cheese, but it's only from being away from the Bay Area have I realized how wonderful it is and how Jack cheese everywhere else in the country just doesn't compare. It is an everyday cheese, but it's such a great everyday cheese. wait, they don't have this and use this everywhere else? I'm mind blown right now lol I LOOOOVE Monterey Jack! Wait, I'm in S. Texas and we definitely have Monterey Jack cheese, store brand and others. It's a great melting cheese and I always keep it on hand. I think I thought it was from Monterey, Mexico lol. TIL.
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Post by CurlieWhirlie on Mar 1, 2024 12:43:19 GMT -6
adelbert , i hope you still do Alcatraz. i know some people find it touristy, but i LOVE it and this it's so worth the visit. The ferry ride to the island is nice, and they have a self-guided audio tour (in many languages!) with a lot of history and background on the island (the Native American "Occupation of Alcatraz", plus the prison and inmates themselves). I like Alcatraz, the history is cool. It IS touristy, though, and you need to get ferry tickets well in advance. I personally find Angel Island to be way more interesting, there's so much there. There's a Civil War-era camp, there's a WWI/WWII base site, the Immigration Station on the north side of the island was the "Ellis Island of the West" from the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 all the way to 1940 when the main admin building burned down and they moved it to the mainland, and there's a nike missile site near the top of the island, which is actually a full-ass mountain that you can hike up. But it's an all-day thing, so maybe put that in your pocket for another trip. :-)
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Post by shamycooler on Mar 1, 2024 12:58:09 GMT -6
adelbert , i hope you still do Alcatraz. i know some people find it touristy, but i LOVE it and this it's so worth the visit. The ferry ride to the island is nice, and they have a self-guided audio tour (in many languages!) with a lot of history and background on the island (the Native American "Occupation of Alcatraz", plus the prison and inmates themselves). I like Alcatraz, the history is cool. It IS touristy, though, and you need to get ferry tickets well in advance. I personally find Angel Island to be way more interesting, there's so much there. There's a Civil War-era camp, there's a WWI/WWII base site, the Immigration Station on the north side of the island was the "Ellis Island of the West" from the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 all the way to 1940 when the main admin building burned down and they moved it to the mainland, and there's a nike missile site near the top of the island, which is actually a full-ass mountain that you can hike up. But it's an all-day thing, so maybe put that in your pocket for another trip. :-) i was going to suggest Angel Island too, but i haven't been there since my 4th grade field trip, so I'm not a great judge of how good or not it is lol.
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brux
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Post by brux on Mar 1, 2024 13:32:07 GMT -6
+1 to Hearst Castle and Monterey Bay Aquarium. Both so fantastic. Which also reminds me that you should also have Monterey Jack cheese. In the Bay Area, it's such a "everyday" cheese, but it's only from being away from the Bay Area have I realized how wonderful it is and how Jack cheese everywhere else in the country just doesn't compare. It is an everyday cheese, but it's such a great everyday cheese. wait, they don't have this and use this everywhere else? I'm mind blown right now lol I LOOOOVE Monterey Jack! We have it, but in the Midwest, cheddar is king cheese. I would say that you'll sometimes see Monterey Jack on restaurant menus, but it's like the 4th or 5th option, so it's not a guaranteed option on every menu. It's in all grocery stores, but actually I'd say that seeing Colby Jack or Cheddar Jack blend is more likely.
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Post by kittyriot on Mar 1, 2024 13:54:38 GMT -6
We even have Monterey Jack in Canada. It's a fav for both H and I, we like the kick!
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jaygee
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Post by jaygee on Mar 1, 2024 14:30:00 GMT -6
Alcatraz is worth the trip. I don’t find it too touristy. I just went again in Nov and loved it all over. I went with 3 boys - 10,9, and 7 and they were so engaged. The ferry ride is fun and the audio tour they do is just the right length and amount of info. The views of the city from the island are amazing too.
Agreed on Angel Island as an option also. You could rent bikes at the pier and take them on the ferry over.
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jaygee
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Post by jaygee on Mar 1, 2024 14:31:37 GMT -6
The water is colder in the Santa Cruz and Carmel areas than in the Laguna / OC area. But don't get it twisted, the ocean is still pretty cold in SoCal. Don't be expecting tropical waters anywhere! You are correct. I guess I’m still a kid at heart because I did get in the ocean at Laguna Beach in November. It was indeed freezing.
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Post by shamycooler on Mar 1, 2024 14:48:09 GMT -6
wait, they don't have this and use this everywhere else? I'm mind blown right now lol I LOOOOVE Monterey Jack! We have it, but in the Midwest, cheddar is king cheese. Well OBVIOUSLY! one time, H bought mild cheddar and i haven't stopped giving him a hard time about it because WTF?! Extra sharp for lyfe.
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mapleme
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Post by mapleme on Mar 1, 2024 15:10:07 GMT -6
wait, they don't have this and use this everywhere else? I'm mind blown right now lol I LOOOOVE Monterey Jack! Wait, I'm in S. Texas and we definitely have Monterey Jack cheese, store brand and others. It's a great melting cheese and I always keep it on hand. I think I thought it was from Monterey, Mexico lol. TIL. We can get "Jack" cheese here in VT, but it is so lackluster. The main company who makes it here makes it gross. It reminds me of non-fat cheese (but it's not non-fat). Other brands are fine, but pretty much like mozzarella knock offs. MH was blown away when he had Monterey Jack in the Bay Area. Tang, texture, melty, all the good things. I'm sure that it exists tasty in other places too, but all of it is tasty in the Bay Area. I'm a huge fan of the items that a region doesn't even know that they do better than everyone else. Like everyone knows the bread in the Bay Area, but sandwiches are amazing too. Not just for the bread, but because people know how to properly build them and customers just expect great sandwiches. Most random sandwich shops are going to have really good sandwiches. In VT, burgers are amazing. The meat, the way they are cooked, the bun, etc. Any burger you get at a reasonably good place is going to be fantastic. And especially good if they're using local meat. These "surprise" good items are usually not even that exciting to the locals because it's all good everywhere and so easy to get.
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thatgolfb
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Post by thatgolfb on Mar 1, 2024 18:09:29 GMT -6
adelbert, i hope you still do Alcatraz. i know some people find it touristy, but i LOVE it and this it's so worth the visit. The ferry ride to the island is nice, and they have a self-guided audio tour (in many languages!) with a lot of history and background on the island (the Native American "Occupation of Alcatraz", plus the prison and inmates themselves). I agree with this. I did a report once on the Native American occupation! Lol
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thatgolfb
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Post by thatgolfb on Mar 1, 2024 18:10:01 GMT -6
wait, they don't have this and use this everywhere else? I'm mind blown right now lol I LOOOOVE Monterey Jack! I’m so shocked right now. I guess i never thought about it. Same 😂
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jett
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Post by jett on Mar 1, 2024 22:42:59 GMT -6
We even have Monterey Jack in Canada. It's a fav for both H and I, we like the kick! We have it in Australia!!
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Post by stayingathome on Mar 1, 2024 23:10:03 GMT -6
We're often driving on mountainous pass roads through the Alps which is maybe similar. I'll definitely give this part more thought especially since you say the vibes we will get on the coast near San Francisco are similar. We're actually probably not planning on swimming at all. I hate cold water and we're super spoiled with nice beaches when we travel to Greece or Mallorca so this is much more about walking on the beach, maybe checking out tide pools, hikes on cliffs,etc. Gotcha. Yeah, I’m glad you understand the water conditions. A lot of people expect NorCal beaches to be like Baywatch and are really surprised. I would say go from SF to Santa Cruz via the 1 and you’ll be good. That part is much easier driving but you’ll have great vistas and hikes if you want to stop on the way. There are great tide pools in Santa Cruz and also in between SF and Santa Cruz. I can give you the exact beaches and trails if that is helpful. If you do that, I don’t think going south of Monterey is necessary. The Aquarium in Monterey is amazing though. Just want to echo Jaygee’s suggestion about Highway 1. We moved to NorCal about 6 months ago, and have been hard core tourists since then. We did 2 separate trips on highway 1, SF to the road closure and back, and LA north to San Luis Obispo, then 101 home. It was a LONG slow drive. I would recommend the part from SF south to Monterey, then cut back to make some distance. Yosemite… amazing. We drove into Yosemite valley at nighttime and woke up in Curry Village. It took my breath away. There are also a grove of sequoias in Yosemite, which were amazing. There are so many great things to do in this state. I think you have a great trip planned.
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adelbert
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Post by adelbert on Mar 2, 2024 2:55:43 GMT -6
adelbert , i hope you still do Alcatraz. i know some people find it touristy, but i LOVE it and this it's so worth the visit. The ferry ride to the island is nice, and they have a self-guided audio tour (in many languages!) with a lot of history and background on the island (the Native American "Occupation of Alcatraz", plus the prison and inmates themselves). We will for sure- I just forget to write it in the second post. We'll watch "The Rock" to prepare 🤣.
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jaygee
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Post by jaygee on Mar 2, 2024 8:42:02 GMT -6
adelbert, i hope you still do Alcatraz. i know some people find it touristy, but i LOVE it and this it's so worth the visit. The ferry ride to the island is nice, and they have a self-guided audio tour (in many languages!) with a lot of history and background on the island (the Native American "Occupation of Alcatraz", plus the prison and inmates themselves). I agree with this. I did a report once on the Native American occupation! Lol I went to Alcatraz as a kid several times in the 80s/90s and either they did not teach us about that or I completely didn’t understand/learn it. It wasn’t until maybe 10 years ago and I read a book by Tommy Orange that talked about it, that I learned about it. I think my kid brain was more focused on the prison because when I went back recently it was definitely highlighted in the tour and information signs.
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jr
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Post by jr on Mar 2, 2024 12:43:41 GMT -6
Wait, I'm in S. Texas and we definitely have Monterey Jack cheese, store brand and others. It's a great melting cheese and I always keep it on hand. I think I thought it was from Monterey, Mexico lol. TIL. We can get "Jack" cheese here in VT, but it is so lackluster. The main company who makes it here makes it gross. It reminds me of non-fat cheese (but it's not non-fat). Other brands are fine, but pretty much like mozzarella knock offs. MH was blown away when he had Monterey Jack in the Bay Area. Tang, texture, melty, all the good things. I'm sure that it exists tasty in other places too, but all of it is tasty in the Bay Area. I'm a huge fan of the items that a region doesn't even know that they do better than everyone else. Like everyone knows the bread in the Bay Area, but sandwiches are amazing too. Not just for the bread, but because people know how to properly build them and customers just expect great sandwiches. Most random sandwich shops are going to have really good sandwiches. In VT, burgers are amazing. The meat, the way they are cooked, the bun, etc. Any burger you get at a reasonably good place is going to be fantastic. And especially good if they're using local meat. These "surprise" good items are usually not even that exciting to the locals because it's all good everywhere and so easy to get. I didn’t realize tri-tip was apparently a California thing until we moved back here and my East Coast husband wasn’t familiar with it. Everyone else is missing out!
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