Nibbles of Tidbits, a Food Blog

More rivalry and revelry at Medieval Times‘ New Show, two years in the making.

It’s now showing at the California Castle with an upgraded utensil-free MENU.

Waiting to be called for the Dinner & Tournament with a Glass of Wine. 

Guests may also enjoy the Courtyard before the show.

And the Sword Store.

All then enter the theater to join their assigned (colored) team members.

We cheered for the Blue Knight — Can’t you tell by our lighting?

Menu — Though it reads Garlic Bread, it’s Focaccia Bread with Olive Oil and Seasoning.

The show begins with the most spectacular horse (below) — It’s gorgeous and talented.

It and the free flying falcon made the show for me.

Tomato Bisque — We liked its flavor.

The Oven Roasted Chicken was juicy, tender and easy to eat without utensils.

The Pastry of the Castle was warm Braided Apple Strudel.

It struck me that Medieval Times sure employs a lot of people – Why not support it?!

I was here about 15 years ago and it’s better than I remember, and a fun experience.

There’s much hospitality at Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament and the food is good.

Castles are found in eight states and two countries — Time to get into the 11th Century.

Nibbles of Tidbits and company doing my kind of camping.

We also celebrated Bailee’s Birthday (Kids in the Kitchen) — The pictured Cake design is not recommended.  Don’t these things happen (lost a hunk) when it matters most?!  It tasted good, so I made the best of it.  It’s Chocolate Mountain Cake with an Orange Juice/Zest Glaze.

Unusually warm and extra beautiful in January on the South Carlsbad Cliffs.

Food, walks and painting rocks.

It’s mostly a rock beach now, after a storm a couple years ago.

Moments of branding wrapped in family time.

Christmas Crackers from Cost Plus — Wanted to try them.  A pop with jokes & prizes inside.

We had plenty of Dips, Salads, Chips, Coronas, Cactus Coolers and Mimosas at bay.

Talented Kids in the Kitchen — You’ve seen their work.

Simple eats to compliment all — Ground Beef Tacos.  The kind I grew up with.

Don’t you love the smell of a campfire?  I do!

Must have S’more ingredients on hand for these occasions.

Watching the surf with tunes and lazy dogs.

The sunsets were striking, like always, it seems — I’ve never seen a bad one.

Picnic tables are resourceful.

Playing games, flying kites, painting, taking pictures and eating – Ahhhh, free time.

Uniquely shaped rocks inspire — What’s its story?

Well wishes to your family in 2012 – Explore and eat together.

Enjoy all when and while you can.  Traveling mercies.

The OC Fair New Year’s Eve Block Party is almost like being at the Orange County Fair.

Dry Turkey Legs (sorry) best underscore my first sentence — You’ve seen them before.

Snapshots of the NYE event, Part (2) of (2) are posted here — Untimely camera issues caused spots on most photos planned for use.  Gourmet Food Trucks were parked throughout.

Cocktails & Desserts were available in each and every hanger.

The LA based Border Grill Truck was in the OC too, amongst many local darlings.

We were keen on the Casino games and won OC Fair tickets, as reported in Part (1) of (2).

I still don’t know how to play Craps — I like Poker best, but it wasn’t played this night.

In addition to the Gourmet Food Trucks and Baja Blues, a few OC Fair fixtures were grillin’.

As like 2010, a nice, respectable, friendly bunch of people attended this year’s Block Party.

Dueling Pianos were playing at Baja Blues, replacing last year’s Karaoke.

Unicycling and chainsaw juggling was happening in the streets, near the Ferris Wheel.

Piaggio On Wheels Chicken Milanesa Sandwich – I like their Bacon Wrapped Hot Dog best.

Do you remember what I reported about the Brussels Sprouts?  I’m still thinking about ‘em.

To its right is the Truffled Fried Mac N’ Cheese, I think – Don’t recall its exact name.

It’s from Home Skillet, like the Brussels Sprouts — Most impressed with them this evening.

The Media Lounge was in a different spot this year, closer to the action they say — We stopped in for a few and most enjoyed the Cheese Platter, pictured in Part (1) of (2).

Thank you!  I already can’t wait until next year.

Snapshots of a colorful evening with FOOD, music, games and prizes — Happy New Year.

The surprise Best Dish of the 2011/2012 OC Fair New Year’s Eve Block Party (in our humble opinions) was the Crispy Brussels Sprouts from the Home Skillet Truck — With Capers, a smoky flavor and Herb Dressing, it’s quite phenomenal tasting.  We’ll try more from ‘em next time.

Met a cool dynamic of people and won (3) Tickets to the OC Fair at the Black Jack Table.

Didn’t have a Takoyaki Ball, but they look interesting with added Octopus.

It’s The Cured (above), a tribute to The Cure, one of my all-time favorite bands.

Pleasant surprises continue to happen — Unexpected good wishes to all in 2012.

Happy Moo Year — It’s good I love Milk and a Cheese Platter in the VIP Lounge.

Note:  Part (1) of (2) re the happenings at the 2011/2012 OC Fair New Year’s Eve Block Party.

It’s been a stimulating FOOD YEAR that started from day one — And here we are again, full circling on to another year with the same kick off as last.  Exciting stuff, since we’ll be VIP Media at the 2011/2012 OC Fair New Year’s Eve Block Party.  Come on out the weather is fine.

In 2011, I won and judged several food competitions and I’m THANKFUL for the ribbons, prizes, food, drinks and invitations – Faithfully gratified I aspire to experience more of all in 2012, officially commencing at midnight.  It’s time to eat, dance and gamble at the Block Party.

Toast to 2012 and pray for the best — It’s going to be a big year!

Happy New Year from Nibbles of Tidbits, I Need Text Company and Shelly Borrell.

I used to sneak Champagne into movie theaters when I was younger, and to be completely honest, can’t say I wouldn’t do it again.  Popping the cork quietly was always a challenge and it was doubly uncomfortable when the empty bottle would roll (all the way) down the aisle between the seats.  Fortunately we were never identified.  TODAY, if I go to Island Cinema, I won’t have to be covert – One may freely sip Champagne with a Panini in the other hand, while watching a movie.  Learn more about Island Cinema here, here and here.  We’re wondering if the food is good and will report back when known.  We like the concept of all.

A formal THANK YOU to Cost Plus World Market for the lovely prizes and party supplies.

All were pleased by the smart kitchen tools, house decorations and gourmet Chocolates.

Thanks also go to my friends who contributed the appetizing FOOD, even the Jack in the Box Tacos cut in half, disguised as an Appetizer — That’s funny Michelle.  What do you call ‘em?  Ironically several were happy to eat them, and it was fast, easy and cheap for her.  So be it.

Always look forward to the Chocolate Dipped Oreos from Loretta — Wish I had some now.

Merci, Gracie, Danke Shoen, Mahalo, Arigato, Gracias y mas Cost Plus World Market.

A wave to you for making this 17th Annual Christmas Par-Tay a success.

I tour the world at CPWM.

It’s fun to WIN things.  I happily know it.  That might not sound humble, but I truly am.  Just sayin’ I’ve been fortunate to experience many wins (and loss).  It’s life.  Okay, too deep — It’s only about (2) Tickets to the OC Fair New Year’s Eve Block Party.  Do YOU want them?

How to WIN them — Do (1) of these things: LIKE Nibbles of Tidbits on Facebook, Leave a COMMENT on this post, Follow @FoodBlog on Twitter with a Tweet or send an E-Mail to soup4you@hotmail.com.  We’ll track all and draw a name on Christmas Day.  Tickets will be sent out or delivered the next day, December 26th.  You may enter once a day.  Good luck!

Photos in this post are from the OC Fair’s Pre-Party Event, a taste of the OC Fair New Year’s Eve Block Party happening December 31, 2011 — We went last year and had a blast.

The Garlic Scapes guy handing out Deep Fried Artichoke Hearts with a Garlic Dipping Sauce.

Fried Spinach with Parmesan and Bacon from Bacon Mania.

Garlic Sliders from Garlic Scapes, one of our favorite Gourmet Food Trucks of the evening.

Bleu Slaw and “Offensive” Baked Beans (that’s what they call ‘em) were from Short Stop BBQ.

Pre-Party glimpse of Gourmet Food Trucks – All to be at the big event on New Year’s Eve.

Everything we ate was excellent and the menus were sophisticated – Impressive and rich.

The Garlic Artichoke Dip and Chips are pictured above, and below are the mentioned samples.

We prefer the Artichoke Dip to the Hearts — It had loads of flavor and the Chips were delicate.

The Bacon Wrapped Hot Dogs from Piaggio were two for $5 and couldn’t have been better.  And I got lucky this night too, by winning a Tornado Potato after spinning the pre-party wheel.

Your (2) Tickets to the OC Fair New Year’s Eve Block Party are waiting under this tree.  Remember to enter once a day to WIN ‘em, starting now by liking Nibbles of Tidbits on Facebook or by leaving a COMMENT here or by following @FoodBlog on Twitter with a Tweet or by sending an E-mail to soup4you@hotmail.com.  I hope to see you New Year’s Eve.

The Turnip Rose Grand Newport Plaza, Celebrations and Elite Catering — A celebration to last throughout the years.  So bring your good times and your laughter too, they’re gonna celebrate your party with you.  Everyone around Orange County come on.  It’s a wonderful place for a memorable wedding (or event) and we got a taste of it.  Wow about everything!

The venue, FOOD, decor and service couldn’t be better and Celebrations couldn’t be hipper.

At a “Taste of Turnip Rose“ we tried a little (and in some cases a lot) of that being offered by The Turnip Rose Elite Catering and we’re still talking about how great it all was.

This is your sample of our sampling of the Grand Buffet, California Classics Buffet and more.

All Chicken was tender and flavorful, not commonly said about wedding reception Chicken.

We’re still marveling that each Filet Mignon being perfectly cooked.

Unique Scalloped Potatoes.

There were self serve and full service stations throughout the Ballroom at the Grand Newport Plaza.  We hit ‘em all more than once and rolled out with giant smiles on our faces — More “Filet Mignon PLEASE” seemed to be our theme of the evening.  Gracias.

And many thank you, thank you, thank you’s and WOW’s.

Mahi Mahi (below) to be plated and topped with a Cucumber Mango Salsa.

Filet Mignon and Mahi Mahi shared our third plate of food.

Flawlessly cooked Filet after Filet after Filet.

Sample table setting.

Pretty Special Martinis.

Hors D’ Oeuvres were passed by well-dressed, friendly and knowledgeable Servers.

The Mandarin Chicken (above) tasted like the Sauce was basted in — Truly tasty alone.

The adorable Gourmet Sliders have Truffle Oil, yum-and-a-half regarding that.

Additional Martini options include the Filet Peppercorn Martini and others below.

Salad Buffet.

Peanut Butter Brownie Shooters and Mini Cupcakes.

Bride and Groom Strawberries.

The service was impeccable and the affiliated DJ played great songs.

We met nice, soon-to-be Brides and Grooms including Nikki & Kyle.  Enlarge for a better view.

Sample food choices/options – You can’t go wrong with The Turnip Rose Elite Catering.

Coffee Stations, a Chocolate Fountain and Liquor injected Strawberries in the courtyard.

Lots to dip.

The Festival of Strawberries, a Sweet Things item with an injection of Kahlua…

…Amaretto, Tia Maria, Drambuie or Grand Marnier, if you so choose.

Love is Sweet! Candy Buffet for guests to pack a box to go.

Fun for all ages — We enjoyed the Candy days after the event, a lingering memory.

On to the hippest, we ended the night with a personal tour of Celebrations.

Celebrations is the most stylish OC wedding venue I’ve seen — Every detail is covered too.

It’s well designed and highlights each Bride and Groom in special ways.

Nice lighting, monogrammed floors, a photo booth, nearby Bars, changing wall photos, etc.

Celebrations is located in the former Club Vegas space, $2M later and way better.

Guests will certainly be impressed with the place now.  We are!

Choose your colors.

The kitchen is pristine too, like everything else there.  Was tempted to show the bathrooms.

As if all isn’t enough, a Farewell Table was set up with Hot Tea, Coffee and Donuts. 

Even the parking is pleasant and close to the Grand Newport Plaza and Celebrations.

We love Kelly, one of the nicest around — He runs all with his Brother and a dedicated team.

Full with a Farewell Table Donut bagged in hand — Let’s celebrate, it’s (more than) all right.

Visit their site to learn more and check back soon to win FREE tickets – Hope to see you there.

Up the stairs to Make Me Bad — Partly owned by former Korn Drummer is the 2nd Floor Restaurant and Art Gallery in Huntington Beach.  The space has gone through several changes to become the cool place it is today.  You’ll need to learn the specifics elsewhere, since I don’t get paid to know.

In addition to food and drinks, ART is for sale – Eat, drink, shop and people watch.

There’s an attention grabbing Main Street view from the 2nd Floor’s outdoor patio – This day we saw a guy skateboarding up and down Main in a leopard g-string (only).  It was cold too.  Tried to capture him on film, but kept missing it.  Entertaining stuff all-around.

Each table is a work of art (though not for sale, I don’t think) and the menu is unique too.

We’ll definitely be going back for the House Mac & Cheese.

It’s a harmonious blend of Cheddar, Parmesan and Gouda Chesse with Bacon and Jalapeno.

We think the Pulled Pork Sliders rock too.

Have to say we didn’t love the Santana San Lucas Salad (above) — This day it had way too much Dressing and the Filet Mignon was a bit bland and cold.  It’s okay though, because there are more Sliders and Colossal Creations to try next time.

We liked the Sauce on the Thai Green Beans, one of several sides to choose from.

The long Bar is waiting for you and the service is excellent.

Where do you want to sit?

Read what Yelpers are saying about the 2nd Floor Restaurant and Art Gallery.

Just walk up the stairs.  No need to be shy.  And check out the live bands on Wednesdays.

At publishing time, there are 43 days, 23 hours, 52 minutes and 32 seconds until 2012.

And it’s time for another Block Party, though it seems last year’s was only yesterday.

We were impressed with the inaugural OC Fair New Year’s Eve Block Party in 2010/2011 and look forward to reporting about its 2011/2012 festivities starting at 7:30PM, December 31st.  Check back somewhere along the countdown as we may be giving away tickets.

Posted photos are from the 2010/2011 event – Between the Gourmet Food Trucks, Tribute Bands, Dancing, Rides, Comedy Shows, Dueling Pianos, Casino, Fireworks and more.  There’s plenty to do, see, eat and participate in before and after midnight.  Last year the crowd was fun, friendly, respectable, and varied in age.  The complementary Adult Chocolate Milk and food in the VIP Lounge was nice and the girls were sweet too.  Can you guess which is me?

I now hope to see The Cure and David Bowie Tribute Bands with a Slider and Champagne.

Visit the OC Fair New Year’s Eve Block Party website to learn more — Hope to see you there.

Fun choices on the final day of the year — A grand way to start the first day of the next one.

Filet Mignon with Cognac Sauce — Each Steak was cooked beautifully by The Turnip Rose Elite Catering.  We recently attended a “Taste of Turnip Rose” at the Grand Newport Plaza and everything was over the top in the best ways possible.  We were almost paralyzed by the quality and perfection of food, style, hospitality, service, detail and coolness.  What an evening!  Will you marry us?  A full report of the event will soon be posted.  Thank you for all.

We stumbled upon the best wedding venues in town — Celebrations and more.

It was a Crawfish Boil tasting at Memphis at the Santora that got me there.

I’m akin to Memphis in Costa Mesa and now dig its cousin in Artist Village.

Have you tried Crawfish?  I hadn’t until this day — Had been a bit apprehensive for some reason, but was invited to Memphis at the Santora for a Crawfish Boil Tasting.  It was time.

Crawfish to be continued — Keen on abundant outdoor patio seating and alluring designs.

Also like its colors and unique curves.

Enchanting outdoor and indoor lighting abounds curled puffy booths, benches and a Bar.

Back to the Crawfish — Food Bloggers were invited to a Memphis Crawfish Boil.

We sat down communal style to partake in a Crawfish Boil by Executive Chef Diego Velasco.

Bloggers (est. 20) sat inside and outside with Brut and Dixie ready for the Crawfish.

Top that paper, grab another Dixie, pour more Brut and allow for photos.

My continued interest in photographing Bloggers photographing FOOD.

Finally tried Crawfish, but just couldn’t suck out its brains and found nearby flavors liver-ish.

Had ‘em with Corn Bread Muffins, Corn on the Cob, Smoked Sausage, Potatoes and Beignets.

The Memphis Crawfish Boil is currently available to you — Dig in and start crackin’.

Our table included writers of the New Santa Ana Blog, Greer’s OC, Wandering Chopsticks, Gourmet Pigs and Great Taste Magazine, and yielded several bowls of shells.

Overall, it was fun to commune over the Louisiana style meal, but don’t need a lot of Crawfish in my life.  Though entertaining, it’s messy work for diminutive meat.  We favored the juicy Smoked Sausage and fell for Memphis at the Santora, its building and peeps.  It’s cool.

Taquiza — Do you know what it is?  We’re calling it an Instant Taco Party.

Where do you want it?  In your backyard, at a park, or how about your office parking lot?

Went to a party last weekend and saw a small truck with an attached trailer park nearby.  Didn’t think much about it until it seamlessly turned into a full Taqueria in my friend’s backyard.

It was there Gallegos Taquiza cooked (and served) Chicken, Carne Asada and Carnitas for all.

That little truck and trailer brought all the meat and fixins’ for an Instant Taco Party.  If local, you may want to contact Gallegos Taquiza for your next party – Not sure of the cost, but they did a great job.  Or search Taquiza catering near you for good, fun party food.