Sunday, October 4, 2020

THE COCKTAIL HOUR: Island Margaritas on a Budget, a Catalina Happy Hour Pub Crawl



(Please read our Covid 19 Statement first - Ed) We've got an afternoon to kill here in Avalon. Tomorrow, we'll do a little more on the active side here on Catalina Island. Today, we'll explore the bars and pubs along Crescent Avenue, the main waterfront thoroughfare of the city.



Watch the Video!





Avalon is not a big place, in fact you can walk from end to end in a matter of minutes. That's what we're going to do. We've had a good lunch at Antonio's Pizza and Cabaret. Now, we're headed beyond the Casino.



34 years ago, when I brought Letty over here to propose, we spent the afternoon having drinks and snorkeling off the shore at Descanso Beach Club, one of the very few (if not the only) private beaches in California. It seems like a good place to start off at.



Well, it seemed good but we waited awhile. Server after server walked by our table without so much as a "Hi" or "I'll be right with you." Enough, we get up and start leaving when a young woman server comes up and says "what'll you have?"

"Nothing...we give up. We've been here 15 minutes waiting for you to take our order."

"But I'm here now," she protests.

"Sorry, too late," I tell her. "We've got better things to do with our limited time."


With the club behind us, it's back to Crescent Avenue. Happy hours start as early as 11am here but it's a bit later than that now.  At the other end of town, just up Clarissa Avenue a couple of doors, is Mi Casita. You probably won't be surprised that it's a Mexican restaurant.



$7.50 is their happy hour price for a large house margarita or you can choose a flavor. Just for kicks, I get a pineapple margarita on the rocks.  It's decent but on the sweet side.

Tim one ups me there by getting their very large dulce de leche ice cream sundae for his happy hour snack.



Around the corner, facing the sea, is El Galleon which is owned by Antonio's, where we had lunch. 

It's also $7.50 for their house margarita, served in a highball glass. It's a bit on the weak side but better when I add another shot to it.



I find that they have an outstanding Cadillac margarita, though, at only $2 more. Larger, tastier, and stronger...it's a darn good version of this drink.

Our last stop is the Catalina Cantina, a few doors north of El Galleon. This is the cheapest happy hour margarita on Catalina at only $4 and...you know what?...it's also the best. 



Very tasty and strong (but I asked the server to make it that way). Letty topped off the day with a glass of chardonnay. Nice place, great prices, and some friendly people hanging out here as well.

That was our afternoon of seeking out cheap libations on the island. It's a good way to make your cash go a long way on this expensive rock in the ocean.

Cheers!

Darryl Musick
Copyright 2018 - All Rights Reserved

No comments:

Post a Comment