February 2024 Check-In's

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Rumei's Birthday at
Bruno's Italian Restaurant, Brea, California
Thursday, February 1, 2024

Above are also some photos of Brea. I don't know if this is considered Downtown Brea but there are a lot of restaurants, bars, and a movie theater in this one little area as well as several big parking garages. I found this one odd Tesla EV charger in the parking garage, a type I had never seen before. The person in the Tesla EV next to mine was just leaving and asked if I wanted the charging cable. I replied "Sure!". Since it looked exactly like a Tesla Destination Charger and a Tesla HPWC in my Anaheim house except being black instead of silver, I figured I could just plug it directly into my Tesla. But I couldn't. I checked again to make sure it was a Tesla charger and I saw it did say "Tesla" on it. But the plug was not a Tesla North American Charging Standard (NACS) plug. I had never seen any type of Tesla EV Charger, Supercharger or not, that had anything but a Tesla NACS plug. This was a first for me! Instead it had an EV Level II style plug on it. I had to use my EV Level II to Tesla NACS adapter in order to plug it into my Tesla.

Sonoramics classic rock & blues cover band at
The Fling Cocktail Lounge, Santa Ana, California
Thursday, February 1, 2024

Ragdoll classic rock cover band at
The Fling Cocktail Lounge, Santa Ana, California
Dave Fruth, Barbara & Stephen
Saturday, February 3, 2024

Above Right: Steve Miller, a frequent guest singer at The Fling (Photo by Dave Fruth)


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I was on my way to The Twisted Vine in Fullerton as I really felt like having their weekly red wine flight. But I then got to thinking how hard it would be to park, how crowded it would be inside, and didn't even know if the kitchen would be closed by the time I got there. So instead I picked up some Guc'd Up Grilled Chicken Soft Corn Tacos at the Del Taco next to The Fling and arrived early to get good seats for the 9 PM performance. I ordered a wine as that was what I was really in the mood for, even though I knew the only wine they have at The Fling is single serve airplane bottles. What a mistake! The wine lived up to my expectation and was terrible. I quickly switched back to my usual Wild Turkey 101 bourbon to clear the bad taste out of my mount. I love The Fling and the only real complaint I have is they don't have any decent wine and they don't have any craft brews on tap, jut bottled beer.

Stan O'Kane of Citizen O'Kane classic rock cover band at
The Fling Cocktail Lounge, Santa Ana, California
Sunday, February 4, 2024

Having a Cabernet Frank
From The Weekly Wine Flight at
Twisted Vine, Fullerton, California
Tuesday, February 6, 2024

What Twisted Vine is doing for Valentine's Day, but we'll be going elsewhere.
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My favorite item at Twisted Vine is the Cremini Mushroom Empenadas,
Mushrooms, red onion, mozzarella and parmesan cheese, and ranch dressing.

Trailer Park Flamingos country rock band at
The Fling Cocktail Lounge, Santa Ana, California
Tuesday, February 6, 2024

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Ace, the bartender, gave me a free taste of Starwood Nova Single Malt Austalian Whiskey.
Not bad. I might order it next time I'm at The Fling.

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Phil Shane First Wednesday Every Month at
The Fling Cocktail Lounge, Santa Ana, California
Dave & Christina Frush and Steve Grande
Wednesday, February 7, 2024

Big Guns Wine Flight at
The Twisted Vine, Fullerton, California
Barbara & Stephen
Friday, February 9, 2024

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Red Wine Flight at
The Twisted Vine, Fullerton, California
Friday, February 10, 2024

Pasta Carbonara - Penne pasta, applewood smoked bacon, and green peas in a pamesan cream sauce.
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Super Bowl LVIII
Final Score: Kansas City Chiefs 25 vs. San Francisco 49ers 22 at
The Fling Cocktail Lounge, Santa Ana, California
Dave, Joanne & Christina Frush and Barbara & Stephen
Sunday, February 11, 2024

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Trailer Park Flamingos country rock band at
The Fling Cocktail Lounge, Santa Ana, California
Tuesday, February 13, 2024

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Valentines Day Cards & Gifts

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Stan O'Kane of Citizen O'Kane classic rock cover band at
The Fling Cocktail Lounge, Santa Ana, California
Valentine's Day, Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Ragdoll classic rock cover band at
The Fling Cocktail Lounge, Santa Ana, California
Linda Lopez, Barbara & Stephen
Friday, February 16, 2024

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Stan O'Kane of Citizen O'Kane classic rock cover band at
The Fling Cocktail Lounge, Santa Ana, California
Sunday, February 18, 2024

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Kari, the bar manager, suggested I try Basil Hayden Malted Rye which was a promotion bottle. I liked it so it's been my go to drink ever since. They won't be reordering it once they run out so might as well enjoy it while they have it. Ace, a Fling Bartender, had previously given me a free taste of the Starward whiskey which was also a promotional bottle. It also became my "go to" drink until they ran out.

Why I don't like Facebook. I saw a post by Ray Wolf of Sonoramics post that he would be a Shamrock Pub & Grill tonight at 9:30 PM. I was looking forward to seeing a band we like at a new venue we haven't been to. But it turns out the post was from yesterday! There was no day or date on the post so I just assumed it was just posted today. So instead we ended up at our usual Fling Cocktail Lounge.

Ben Rice & The Portland Husle At
Billy Blues Bar & Grill, Vancouver, Washington
Tuesday, February 20, 2024

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I love The Fling Cocktail Lounge in Orange County, California, but you have to admit there is really nothing in Orange County like Ben Rice & The Portland Hustle as shown above. There isn't even a cover charge! Plus, Billy Blues Bar & Grill serves a wide selection of good food in addition to a selection of wine and beer on tap (several IPAs!). The Fling has great music 6 out of 7 nights every week, great bartenders, and a pretty good selection of cocktails and other spirits, but no food, no beer on tap, and no wine other than low quality single serve airplane type mini-bottles of wine.

At My Retina Specialist Doctor's Office
Portland, Oregon
Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Good news! The problem with my retina has not gotten worse. Everything is progressing fine. My doctor wants me to just stay on the 2 steroid eye drops per day and the 2 eye pressure drops per day until I see him again in April after my month long South America cruise. I have been suffering from eye strain in my right eye since Saturday. The doctor said that my guess of the source of the problem is probably correct. That is, my right eye is not as good as my left eye and requires a different eye glasses prescription. Ever since cataract surgery in both eyes, I've just been using a cheap pair of progressive reading glasses from Amazon. I didn't want to buy more expensive glasses yet as my right eye has not yet stabilized since starting on the steroid eye drops. But since my 2 eyes don't have the same focus, my right eye has been straining to focus and giving me eye strain. I'm going to have to get regular prescription glasses, even if temporary, so that each eye will have its own correct prescription.

Flight From Portland, Oregon, To Orange County, California
Via Las Vegas, Nevada
Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Las Vegas From The Air And Then From The Ground

Citizen O'Kane classic rock cover band at
The Fling Cocktail Lounge, Santa Ana, California
Sunday, February 25, 2024

M&H Whisky Distillery
Elements Single Malt Whisky Peated
Sunday, February 25, 2024

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This is a great peated whisky from Israel. It is almost as good as the peated smokey whiskies from Islay, Scotland.

Monthly Wine & Train Trevel Enthusiasts Gathering
at The Twisted Vine, Fullerton, California
Monday, February 26, 2024

Weekly Red Wine Flight


Red Wine List & Margarita Flatbread
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Overview of The Twisted Vine


Christina Fruth, Dave Fruth's Daughter


Betty, one of the first woman railroad locomotive engineers, now retired.


And me, Steve Grande

Month Rail Travel Meetup at
The Santa Fe Express Cafe, Fullerton, California
Monday, February 26, 2024

Dinner With Sherica & Brian Chuchua at
Imperial Thai Restaurant, Anaheim Hills, California
Tuesday, February 27, 2024

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To Follow Us Along On Our
32 Day South America Cruise
February 28 to April 5, 2024

We depart on Wednesday afternoon, February 28, on a flight arriving in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Thursday morning, February 29, 2024. We'll spend a few days touring Buenos Aires before boarding the Sapphire Princess ship on Monday, March 4, 2024. From there we'll be visiting a number of ports down the east coast and then up the west coast of South America, Central America, and Mexico before arriving into Los Angeles on April 5, 2024. Click here to follow us on our adventure as I'll be posting photos and videos all during our trip.

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