OC Fair 2019 Recap

Wow, I haven’t been to OC Fair in so long! The last time I remembered was when there was a threat of OC Fair ceasing to exist, fortunately, it is here to stay!

Not much has changed but it is surely a much different experience when you are an adult versus when you were an adolescent. The main contributor to this difference? Money! You now have money to spend on all the food and everything that may tickle your fancy.

Many people in Orange County, California gather at the OC Fair & Event Center every year during mid-July for a month until mid-August to attend the OC Fair. Not everyone has the same agenda and the OC Fair caters to everyone’s main objectives. There is a lot to do at the fair and may include, but are not limited to, drooling from all of the fried food, thrilling over carnival rides, eyeing enormous plush doll prizes, enjoying entertainment shows, seeing the farm animals, and SO much more!
I attended the OC Fair on Saturday of the last weekend the OC Fair is opened. I loved my experience because I felt a sense of community, oddly enough. Everyone that I encountered, whether it be employees or other fairgoers, was super friendly, I did not encounter any issues for the venue or the people. Having partners and friends to split food with is key to a good time.

Tip: There is free parking at OCC (right across the street from Green Gate) on the weekends!

FOOD

Food is a great motivator for people to go anywhere. As long as there’s tasty food, people will come!
The term “fair food” consists of all the things bad for your health: fried, greasy, and enormous portions. Every year there are new food items invented that many fairgoers feast on. I typically like to go in bigger groups so I can sample many things, rather than getting full on 1 item.
Here are a few items I tried this year:

Papi’s Puffy Tacos

New to the OC Fair 2019! One of the better things we got at the fair because the puffy tacos had pretty good flavor. Two tacos will set you back $11.76, with your choice of meat. We got 1 Asada and 1 Al Pastor. You can see the taco shells fried in front of you. As you bite into the taco, the taco shell gives you a crunchy texture while the meat and pico de gallo give you a fresh and savory flavor. The two together are a perfect combination of a taco.

Pignotti’s Pasta

Lasagna nachos! The inventiveness is there. However, they sounded better than what it actually was: tortilla chips, marinara sauce, ricotta cheese and they ran out of parsley. Sadness. $14.

I would skip the Lasagna Nachos and try one of their other food items like the fried ravioli on a stick or spaghetti donuts.

Tasti Burgers

Pictured is the Green Acres Fire Burger which is supposed to be an “all-natural Harris Ranch beef, ghost-pepper cheese, lettuce, jalapeños, spicy mayo and avocado on a potato knot bun”. However, it was not really spicy. Not bad, but nothing special. $12

Chicken Charlie’s

Known for their ridiculous fair food creations that are intended to stop hearts. Our pick? The Triple Decker Cheeseburger, which is a triple cheeseburger sandwiched between 2 Krispy Kreme donuts. The verdict? Hard pass. They do not go well together and both of them tasted very separate. The patty was obviously a low quality, frozen one. $10.99

Dippin’ Dots

With the tagline, “Ice cream of the future”, I always have to get Dippin’ Dots every time I see it. I don’t know what it is but it is always good, anytime and anywhere! At the fair, there are multiple flavors, this time I got Moose Tracks. For a small, expect to be spending a little over $5.

Juicys

Oh man, for big appetites, stop by Juicys! Here, you can get a footlog hotdog or corn dog. These are “Texas-sized” portions that are not only big in size but also big in flavor. Delicious hot dog that did not disappoint and is literally the size of your arm.

Fresh Frys

The Blooming Onion is a staple as far as fair food goes. The Blooming Onion is essentially an onion cut into a flower-shape and then deep-fried. You can get the fried onion by itself, starting at $9.28 or with toppings such as cheese, chili, and more fries for an additional cost.

Not a fan of onions? There are other items such as fresh frys, ranch frys, cheese frys, monkey frys, chili cheese frys, garlic parmesan frys, deep-fried green beans, and chicken tenders available.

Chuckwagon

To end our night, we got the Brisket Mac ‘n’ Cheese Sandwich, which we were surprised by how tasty the meat and the ingredients went well together. Meats are supposedly smoked for 8-10 hours. $12.76

Other Options

There is an abundance of food stalls and food areas to find unique dishes you can try. Here are a few others to note:

Bacon-A-Fair

Eat all of the bacon to your heart’s content! One of the newest food item for 2019 is the bacon pupusas, which is a Salvadoran dish made of masa and cheese.

Australian Battered Potatoes

Love potatoes? Get a whole bucket of it here! Top it off with your favorite sauce, cheese, sour cream, or ADD BACON!

Dutchmen’s

Churros, lemonade, and funnel cakes. Any of those sound good to you? If so, you’ve come to the right place! You can start with a regular churro or a basic powdered sugar funnel cake and then get creative by adding on different toppings and flavors such as whipped cream, strawberries, Nutella, or Oreos. Change the batter to red velvet or try their newest Nilla wafer banana creme flavor!

Squeezers

Wash down all of the fair food with an old fashion lemonade!

RIDES

Feeling that adrenaline rush? There is a whole area full of rides you can hop on for a spin. Most fair rides often try to make you end up throwing up, but that’s what makes it fun … right?!

For those like me and aren’t adrenaline junkies, there are other rides such as the ski lift ride and Ferris wheels that are more family fun. You can oversee the fair lights and view everything from a bird’s eye view.

CARNIVAL GAMES

Test your skills at these rigged carnival games and convince your significant other to win you an enormous stuffed animal to show everyone how loved you are. In my honest opinion, a big waste of money and space but hey, if that’s your thing, go for it!

ENTERTAINMENT

There are several shows that are scheduled throughout the fair day. One of which is the comedy hypnotist, Mark Yuzuik. Whether or not you are a believer, it is surely entertaining to watch. I have seen the show several times and still have fun watching it every time. Other entertainers include dancers and martial artists.

FARM ANIMALS

Interact and pet farm animals at the fair! When there is a fair, there will be animals. Although they may smell, it is fascinating to see a cow in real life. There is a petting zoo as well as demonstrations such as cow milking!

The fun doesn’t stop there! There are also pig races throughout the day. Yes, you heard that right. Pig races! They are cute little pigs that run laps around the track. Catch a show with your friends and have a little friendly bet amongst each other!

CONTESTS

The fair is not just about animals and food, the competition is also fierce here! There is a contest for just about anything! From homebrewed beer to artworks, it is truly interesting to see the creativity of everyone in the community. There are also contests on who can grow the biggest vegetable as well as who can create the best looking cake or table setting. Walk around the promenade to get a glimpse of all of the winners!

… SO MUCH MORE!

The possibilities are endless! There are different promenades for your shopping needs, whether you’re looking for candy, hot sauce, household items, beds, etc there is something for you to sample or look at. My friend purchased some olive oil while I was shooting the shit with the ADT guys in the next booth, they were such awesome guys (shout out to Mike and Matt).

Feeling like you want to get a little loose? There are alcohol stands for you to get beers or cocktails such as margaritas. Feeling lucky? There is a CA Lottery stand where if you spend $20, you can spin the wheel to win more money!

Want to interact with butterflies? There is a tent area to take those Instagram photos with them.

The OC Fair is truly a fun experience if you go with the right people, you can spend a whole day there! I was only expecting to spend a few hours but ended up staying until almost closing time. In total, I was there for 7 hours and I felt like I could’ve been there longer!
There is just so much to see and do. I can’t wait until next year!

HAPPY OC FAIRING!

Tips for Coachella Music Festival

Coachella is just around the corner… actually it’s HERE for all you Weekend 1 festival goers! Here are just a few tips and reminders to make your experience a more pleasant one:

1. Stay hydrated!
Water is essential for life. Make sure you drink lots of it because the sun and the dancing can take a lot out of you. Bring a CamelBak or water bottles to fill up, there are several free water stations spread throughout the festival grounds.
Bonus: Tip a chill bartender and ask if you could fill your water pouch with ice (YMMV).

2. Be shady!
No, I don’t mean be untrustworthy, sneaky, or backstabbing. What I mean is bring a hat to shield yourself from the sun and sunglasses so you can see when it’s bright outside.

3. Keep your body temperature low
The temperature will increase during the peak hours, you can seek refuge and free air conditioning at the tents such as Heineken House (21+) or the Antarctic Dome. Also, bring your own fan or spray bottle to keep yourself from overheating, especially if you are day drinking.

4. Sunblock is your best friend
It gets hot in the desert (obviously) and you want to enjoy the weekend without burning and peeling of your skin because that’s not cute.

5. Bring a bandana to cover your mouth and face
Winds in the high desert can pick up an abundance of dust. Bring a bandana to cover your mouth and face from it, you don’t want to end up getting sick with black snot.

6. Wear comfortable shoes
You will be on your feet most of the time, dancing and walking from stage to stage. Make sure you wear shoes that you can walk all day in and don’t mind getting dirty.

7. Pack a blanket
The Polo Fields is an actual field (surprise!) and is great for a picnic or laying down on the grass. It is relaxing to sit down and gaze up at the clouds while your favorite music artist is playing live music in the background. This part was a highlight of my Coachella experience. Weekend 1 typically will have grass but come Weekend 2, there is only dirt. Regardless, having a blanket to set on the floor and claim as your little area is nice to have. You can lay down or sit with friends without having to worry about bugs and dirt.

8. Keep an eye on your belongings
Phone thieves are at large. Make sure you store everything safely and tightly. It is best to keep your items in your front pockets if you don’t have a fanny pack or a bag. You don’t want your stolen items to ruin your experience.

9. Locate the flush restrooms
One thing I hate about festivals is the dreadful porta potties. Luckily, there are actual restrooms on site with many stalls and flushable toilets. HALLELUJAH! The bathroom facility is next to the Do Lab.

10. Germs and hygiene are a real thing
Nothing is worse than getting sick. When there are a lot of people congregating together, it is inevitable for germs to spread rapidly. Bring wipes and hand sanitizers because it can and will get dirty out there, especially if you are using the porta potties and sitting on the ground.

11.Set a meetup spot and time stamp your texts
If you lose your friends or part ways, set meeting spots and times to catch up with them later. The reception will be spotty so make sure you time stamp your texts when checking where they are.

12. Purchase a battery pack and a cellphone charger
Your phone will drain battery life quickly with all of the photo taking and video recording. Make sure you have back up battery juice to meet up with friends and post your photos on Instagram (if you can get reception). If you don’t have a power bank, purchase one, it is a good investment. There are also outlets placed throughout the festival for you to recharge your electronics, but make sure you bring your wire.

13. Don’t forget to recharge
Often times you can get carried away at events that you forget to eat. This is important to keep yourself from fainting and feeling weak. Remember, Coachella is a marathon, not a sprint. Plus, the food at Coachella is actually pretty tasty (shout out to Crab Fries!).

14. Let yourself be flexible
Don’t get too caught up with your schedules on who you want to see that you end up missing things that are happening around you. There are small surprises (such as special guests) that are sprinkled throughout the festival.

15. Be mindful of others
If you see someone in trouble, help get medical attention. After all, we are all human and we should look out for one another.
16. Most importantly, HAVE FUN and GET HOME SAFELY!

Anime Expo (AX) 2018 Recap

Every year in California, all of the weebs, cosplayers, and anime enthusiasts gather together at the Los Angeles Convention Center on the first weekend of July for the largest anime convention, Anime Expo (AX for short). Even those who have never seen an anime before will still have an enjoyable time and be able to recognize some characters people cosplay as.

I was never a huge anime nerd but I did watch some of the older ones such as Kenshin, Death Note, Sailormoon, and Yu-Gi-Oh. Not only do people dress up as anime characters but also other well-known characters from movies and TV shows such as Power Rangers, Storm Trooper, and Marvel characters.

This year, Anime Expo 2018 was not my first AX, my first Anime Expo I attended was in 2009, so almost a decade! Not much has changed in regards to the setup and the format of AX. There are still a bunch of panels that you can check out, merchandise you can buy at the Exhibit Hall, entertainment you can watch, and pictures you can take with the cosplayers.

The Exhibit Hall is where companies can showcase their new and exciting products. This is a large marketplace for stores to sell their products to consumers and get them excited for what is currently trending and coming soon.

The Exhibit Hall is not only limited to consumer goods, but also a marketing and promotion area where you can snag some free goodies. There are also many things that these stands and booths in the Exhibit Hall put on display. Some things you can also interact with!

Alongside the Exhibit Hall is the Artist Alley where visitors can admire the artwork of local artists. The walk space between one booth to the other is narrower than the Exhibit Hall so it can get really congested. Here, you can buy anything ranging from pins and stickers to posters and paintings.

Cosplaying is a huge part of the Anime Expo experience. Many cosplayers make their own outfit, which can normally take up to a year to put together. The dedication of some people is astounding. Although it is fun to take photos with cosplayers, it is also another experience to dress up yourself. If you have the opportunity, I would highly suggest it!

To find a majority of cosplayers head straight to the Main Hall. This is where most people gather to take photos of people and with people at Anime Expo. Be sure to ask nicely before you start snapping photos like a creep, compliment them, and say your thank yous!

Make sure you buy your tickets ahead of time, as they are cheaper the further you are away from the event date. Tickets are available now! You can buy a 4-day weekend pass or 1-day passes. Either way, don’t miss out on the next Anime Expo!