Vlog 44: Exploring Oxnard’s Abandoned Whale’s Tail Restaurant. Coffee, Sea Lions & Dole Whip? скачать в хорошем качестве

Vlog 44: Exploring Oxnard’s Abandoned Whale’s Tail Restaurant. Coffee, Sea Lions & Dole Whip?

Vlog #44 – February 8, 2026 Today’s vlog starts with a warm-weather stroll along Channel Islands Harbor, one of those So. Cal. winter days where the best way to stay cool is to get as close to the ocean as possible. The real mission of the day is a walkaround of the long-abandoned Whale’s Tail Restaurant, once a beloved Ventura County seafood hotspot perched right on the harbor. Closed for good in 2015, this two-level restaurant was known for its nautical decor, portal windows, and sweeping water views. I circle the exterior, taking in the maritime details and peeking inside to see what remains. Most of the space has been cleared out, but there are still a few ghosts left behind — a lone print on the wall that looks like a fishing village, oil lamp table candles still lined up along the bar, and wine barrels that once formed the bar itself. I was especially hoping to spot the famous salad boat that doubled as a salad bar, but it appears to be long gone. Being here brings back a great memory of my wife and I entering a costume contest at the Whale’s Tail years ago (1997 rings a bell), dressed as Mulder and Scully from The X-Files. We came in second place — which, as my wife has happily reminded me, still earned us a trip to Las Vegas...maybe better than the limo ride to an Oscar party. From there, I head to a local coffee shop where I completely stump the staff by ordering a café breve. Even after explaining it, what I get isn’t quite right, but the flavor’s good enough to roll with. I then go hunting for a local beach bar with a grandfathered-in rule that allows patrons to walk straight from the bar out onto the sand with a cocktail. Along the way, I run into many sea lions basking in the sun on the docks and beach. The plan from there was ice cream to keep things cool, but my wife and daughter pivot to appetizers at Lazy Dog, so filming pauses until I’m back home. The vlog wraps with a taste test of the grocery-store version of the Dole Whip, now sold in the freezer section. It looks right, it’s surprisingly soft straight from frozen, and the flavor holds up. I dig into the packaging and the “improved flavor” label, speculating on what might have been added — possibly sunflower oil — to help it maintain texture in a deep freeze. Thanks for joining me today, and I’ll see you tomorrow!