Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
285
you're too young to have traveled on the old luxury liners, this is the perfect opportunity
to experience the romance of an Atlantic crossing—with no seasickness or cabin fev er.
1126 Queen's Hwy. (end of I-710), L ong Beach, CA 90802-6390.
&
800/437-2934.
www.queenmary.
com. 365 units. Inside cabin from $119; deluxe cabin from $179; suite from $360. Many packages avail-
able. AE, DC, MC, V. Valet parking $19; self-parking $15.
Amenities:
3 restaurants; exercise room; spa.
In
room:
A/C, TV, MP3 docking station, Wi-Fi.
WHERE TO DINE
The Sky Room
Moments
CALIFORNIAN/FRENCH It takes a 40-minute driv e
from Los Angeles to Long Beach to get a sense of what fine dining must have been like during
Hollywood's G olden Age. B uilt in 1926 and meticulously r estored b y pr oprietor B ernard
Rosenson, the r estaurant's Art Deco-period design inspir es oohs and aahs among first-time
guests. Awash in brilliant white, the interior 's massive pillars, cur vaceous ramps, glimmering
brass, elev ated maple-and-ebony dance floor , and classic jazz band playing enticing dance
tunes all combine to cr eate the illusion of dining on a luxur y ocean liner (the beautiful vie w
of the stately
Queen M ary
cer tainly enhances the effect). O pulence continues with white
Frette linens, custom black-rimmed china, Villeroy and Boch table ware, and a
Wine Spec-
tator
-award-winning wine list. The Californian/French menu offers a pleasing pr esentation
of the classics: grilled chicken br east in a chanter elle au jus, line-caught salmon with goat-
cheese pesto, New York steak on a grilled onion brioche. M enu-wise there's nothing ground-
breaking here, but that's not what the Sky Room is about. I highly recommend that you take
the advice of the experienced waitstaff and sommelier; our duo handled the task flawlessly . A
night of dinner, drinking, dancing, and romance—what's not to like?
40 S. L ocust Ave. (at Oc ean Blvd.), Long Beach, CA 90802.
&
562/983-2703.
www.theskyroom.com.
Reservations r ecommended. Dinner main c ourses $24-$41. AE, DC, DISC, MC,
11
V. M on-Thurs 5:30-
10:30pm; Fri-Sat 5:30pm-midnight. Valet parking $6.
Yard House
AMERICAN ECLECTIC Not only does it hav e one of the best out-
door dining venues in Long B each, the Yard House also features one of the
world's
largest
selection of draft beers. The keg r oom houses mor e than 1,000 gallons of beer , all visible
through a glass door wher e you can see the golden liquids transpor ted to a signatur e oval
bar via miles of nylon tubing to the dozens of taps. The restaurant takes its name from the
early Colonial tradition of ser ving beer in 36-inch-tall glasses—or yar ds—to weary stage-
coach drivers. Customers are encouraged to par take in this tradition and can drink fr om
the glass yards, as well as half-yards and traditional pint glasses. Signature dishes range from
the tortelike California roll to the crab cake hoagie and an impressive selection of steaks and
chops. There's also an extensiv e list of appetiz ers—perfect for a tapas-style meal—salads,
pasta, and rice dishes, as w ell as sandwiches and individual pizzas (the Thai chicken pizza
is excellent, as are the crab cakes and coconut-encr usted shrimp). On sunny days, be sur e
to request a table on the deck o verlooking the picturesque harbor.
401 Shor eline Village Dr ., L ong Beach.
&
562/628-0455.
w ww.yardhouse.com. Reser vations not
accepted. Main courses $10-$30. AE, DC, MC, V. Sun-Thurs 11am-11:30pm; Fri-Sat 11am-1am.
2
THE SOUTH COAST
Seal Beach is 36 miles S of Los Angeles; Newport Beach, 49 miles; Dana Point, 65 miles
Whatever you do, don't say “Orange County” here. The mere name evokes images of smoggy
industrial parks, cookie-cutter housing dev elopments, and the staunch R epublicanism that
