I *heart* Bass Pro Shops!

Okay, first of all, I have to announce that I don’t really get the “I <heart> something” statements. Why not use a heart symbol? Why not say you love it? Or really really like it and think it’s beautiful and kind, in case you’re not ready for the commitment of saying you love it. So, I say I <heart> Bass Pro Shops in jest, but I really do love that store.

I never knew they existed until we went into the one in the Silverton hotel/casino in Las Vegas. I was also a little tipsy and we had just spotted Santa (no, really, it had to be Santa because he was accompanied by a huge bodyguard and why would a bodyguard just be following some fat white guy with a beard in a Hawaiian shirt?) watching the mermaids and then I saw that there was this cavernous store with a waterfall and fish in the front. And then? We went in and did you know they have life-size displays of moose fighting, lions stalking giraffes, and also a cougar going for the jugular of a deer (or maybe antelope)?!? Also, every type of mounted animal on the wall, plus flying geese and ducks, AND sharks and such above the boat sections. There is even a huge tank of bass and trout so you can test out lures! This is just one more thing introduced to me by T. Or while I am in his company. Same thing, still awesome. It is because of this store that I have an antelope AND deer head hanging in my living room, flanking the fireplace. I will post a picture to show you that I am serious. They came from the swap meet. Only because the moose/buffalo/something was too big to fit in the car.

I am off-topic again. On our many drives to and from Vegas, we noticed that a new Bass Pro store was being built in Rancho Cucamonga. It has finally opened but we had Cassie with us last weekend (never leave a dog in a warm car!!) and it was way too crowded to stop. Plus, traffic had been bad and I was cranky and you just don’t mess with me when I’m like that. Even to suggest we go look at walls of deer heads and mounted animal displays. Seriously, where do they get all their mounted animals? Do they have a warehouse full of surplus stuffed animals? If so, how can I get in there?

Today I had to go to California City for work. It’s a long drive but I started early enough than by the time I was driving back through Rancho Cucamonga I was kind of hungry and also needed fuel (for the car). I drove in to the parking lot, drove around, then drove back to the freeway because I couldn’t find parking and figured it was just like any other store and not worth the hassle. Oh, they have opened an Islamorada Fish Company restaurant next door, which is where I was going to go for lunch. I got to the freeway stoplight, then did a u-turn because I really wanted to check out the restaurant and I had plenty of time and I deserved a break. Found parking at the back of the lot and walked into the restaurant to sit at the bar. I didn’t take pictures of the food because I felt silly and was surrounded by people at the crowded bar. If I had a table or booth, you would have pictures.

The menu is pretty extensive and covers almost every type of thing you would want at a seafood restaurant, even steak. They also have a raw bar with oysters or clams, but I didn’t try these. I had calamari and a salad with grilled scallops on top. The calamari was a small plate, but still decently sized, with small (but not tiny like House on the Hill) pieces that were tasty, tender, and not over-battered. I’m picky about my calamari appetizers but I would order this in a heartbeat again. The salad came with a tarragon dressing, and maybe tarragon means “sour” on Islamorada because it was. Almost too sour to eat. Luckily, my 6 scallops were perfectly cooked and not rubbery. They were garlicky and seasoned, but not too salty. Yum yum yum. If we go back, I would order the grilled seafood plate with scallops. Or maybe try their “famous” fish sandwich. I do like the fish sandwich at Point Loma Seafoods. They give you 1 complimentary loaf of bread, kind of like sweet bread, that has a coating of sugar on top. If you sit at the bar, you need to specifically ask for bread or they won’t automatically bring it to you, unless perhaps you look tired and hungry and your food may take a while and the nice bartender asks if you would like some bread to tide you over. The bread is okay… soft and sweet like King’s Hawaiian Bread, but I don’t get the sugar topping. And maybe I wasn’t as hungry as I thought I was. I took home most of the salad. I would have been fine with just the calamari. And maybe a cup of chowder.

The place is decorated with hanging fish and sharks, maybe to tie it in with Bass Pro Shop or maybe all their restaurants are like that? It’s cute, and I enjoyed watching the fish in the huge tank behind the bar. It’s not too expensive, considering my salad was HUGE, but it was still $16 for the salad (because of the scallops) and $6 for the calamari (worth it). I also don’t know who all the cars belonged to, because neither the restaurant or the store was that packed. The restaurant was full with a 30 minute waiting list, but unless every person drove their own car, I don’t see how it could fill the parking lot. All in all, if we have a chance to stop again, I would like to. The shop has cute raccoons on trees and a moose by the indoor stream. The restaurant has good food and friendly service and good acoustics because even full it wasn’t noisy with chatter.

Also, more googling (sorry, I’m new to the blogging and I get a kick out of what people are looking for and then find me):

• “menu for poway bbq” – Poway BBQ is gone, baby, gone. Doesn’t even matter if I had told you what was on their menu, chances are you never would have been there when the door was open.
• “leonesse wine” – Yes! Good wine! Pretty location! Do go and visit if you are going through Temecula. We are part of their wine club and are attending our very first Wine Pick-up Party on the 25th. I will try to remember to take pictures and tell you all about it.
• “best restaurant poway” – Hmm… well, House on the Hill was a nice surprise and it’s probably the nicest restaurant in Poway. Pamir Kabob House is a good choice for something different, not expensive, and yummy. Other than that, I would send you to Sushi USA in Rancho Penasquitos, just off the freeway exit.
• “how many times are dogs supost to bread” – Uh, well, I’m not really sure how you got here. Also, does Google do spell check, because maybe they should? I am in high favor of spaying dogs, although I admit that all my dogs came from breeders (or “breeders”) and not the shelter. Although, I used to volunteer at the local shelter when I was in college and came home with 2 cats that way. This is probably why I don’t go to shelters anymore. In any case, if you happen to be teaching your dogs to make bread and I have misunderstood your search, I believe they can make bread as often as you can produce ingredients. If you’ve found a way to get them to wash their paws and knead the dough without eating it all, please let me know as I think this is a good way for my dogs to start earning their keep around here.