Brunch 02.17.2013 - Sister Bonding in Manhattan Beach

The Strand House & The Manhattan Beach Pier

Hello Lovelies!

Last Saturday, I posted a recap of the two Brunches I've attended in 2013.  The push to publish was the fact that I had Sunday Brunch scheduled with my sister.  Tough life, I know.

Last spring, my sister, one of oldest and dearest friends, Oma, and I had brunch at The Strand House.

When that same friend came into town at the end of the year, we returned for Sunset appetizers.  It was gorgeous.

And it was about time to pay this place another visit.  This is truly one of my favorite places!  FANTASTIC views, fantastic food, fantastic drinks, and I always go with fantastic people.  Are you getting that I think this place is fantastic?

Sunday was a truly beautiful day.  My sister and I don't get together nearly often enough and I cherish the times when we can catch up.  Like most sisters, we didn't always get along very well, but as we've gotten older, we've cultivated a very special friendship.  She is truly very special and I am proud, incredibly proud, to have her as my sister.  Alright, enough with the sappy...now to get down to business.  Brunch business.  Important stuff.

The Strand House is the last restaurant on Manhattan Beach Blvd and is floor-to-ceiling windows, so each seat has a fabulous view of the water.  Breathtaking.  Also breathtaking is this view.  Upon sitting down, I ordered a small French Press, a fantastic Sunrise Over Manhattan Beach (Prosecco and tangerine juice which was a very tasty Mimosa alternative) and Sylvi ordered a Bloody Mary.

We then started with an order of the Lemon Ricotta Pancakes which were divine.  Seriously.  SOOO Good!

For our main courses, Sylvi had the House-Smoke Salmon Platter which included robiolina, which is the Italian equivalent for cream cheese.

Sylvi found it on accident.  Quite inventive presentation...

Last time we had Brunch here, I ordered the Salmon Benedict and I ordered it again.  It was just as good as I remembered!

After Brunch, we took a stroll on the pier.  The views were beautiful!

There was even a man who brought a sprinkler head so that the pigeons could frolic and bathe.  They were having a grand time.

At the end of the pier, we even had a dolphin sighting!  Actually it was a pod of dolphins and it totally made our afternoon.

We made a great friend!  It got pretty serious pretty quickly.

Two fabulous ladies had a fantastic day.

Au revoir ma soeur!

XOXO