I often take living in Southern California for granted. I live within 10 miles of the ocean, yet I rarely go. I live within an hour’s drive of the mountains, but I go there even less.

This Saturday, started out like most with errands to run and chores to be done. After breakfast, Dave and I went to the bookstore to look for a Father’s Day gift. I was making lunch for his dad on Sunday.

After we left the bookstore, Dave asked me where else we needed to go. I suggested the grocery store to get items for the lunch. “No,” he said. “Let’s go somewhere fun.” He suggested driving to Laguna Beach and going to our favorite taco stand, Taco Loco. It sounded perfect. I put aside the dirty floors and piles of laundry waiting for us. It could be done later; a day of frivolity was needed.

Blackened Tofu Tacos from Taco Loco

It was a beautiful day, sunny but not too hot. Both the sky and the ocean were a gorgeous blue. This can be rare here as often the sky has a hazy brown hue from all the pollution.

We found parking and walked to Taco Loco. Taco Loco is a small taco stand on Pacific Coast Highway just south of Laguna’s Main Beach. The food here is a lesson in simplicity and good taste. We ordered the Blackened Mushroom and Tofu tacos. Sliced mushrooms and small squares of firm seasoned tofu are grilled and blackened. Warm blue corn tortillas are the vehicles for the filling and topped with a fresh salsa with large chunks of avocado and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro.

After lunch we walked down to the beach and stepped in the calm surf. It’s literally been years since our toes touched the water. We walked up the beach and through Wyland Galleries. Both Dave and I used to work for Wyland more than a decade ago. The gallery and residence next to his first Whaling Wall mural were just being remodeled when I left eleven years ago. We walked around the small beach town reminiscing about working down there.

It was a fun day. It was a micro-vacation that was sorely needed. Sometimes you need to put responsibilities aside and just have fun.

The afternoon at the beach was followed up by a nice nap at home before we went out to dinner and to an art reception with some friends. Oh, and the dirty laundry and floors got cleaned the next day.