GOBBLING UP COASTAL DELIGHTS

Last time I checked in, we still had two days of beach vacation left.

Is it possible we packed in all that much fun — and food — in our remaining time on the coast?

I wanted to see more of the Oregon Coast than we usually do, so first thing we did Monday was go to Pacific City, about an hour away from our rental.

It’s so beautiful there.

Look one way and all you can see is a cobalt curved beach punctuated by a mammoth rock just off shore.

Look the other way and there is a beautiful rock formation jutting into the ocean and a mountainous sand dune.

You can’t really tell from this picture how steep it is.

Oliver climbed it and it was such a sharp incline that he said that he was bent over at the waist grabbing the ground in front of him as he headed to the top; some who didn’t do this slid a good way down in the slick, hot sand.

He also said it was the most difficult ten minutes of exercise in his life.

Afterwards, we checked out the tide pools and rocky cove.

If you substituted the color of this water, doesn’t it look like something you might find in Italy or Greece?

And this jutting rock formation?

It looked like John Day and the Painted Hills of eastern Oregon.

What better way to celebrate Oliver’s summit climb with lunch on the beach at Pelican Brewery.

This was our view from the patio on the sand.

The fish and chips were pretty good  — a reliably crunchy coating and moist flaky cod inside.

I longed, however,  for the superior lightness of the fried fish at Nosh in Seattle or even my Flying Scotsmen in Portland — but as Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young advises, love the one you’re with.

So  I did.

The burgers were even better.

The spicy beef version had fried onion rings, a zingy hot mayo and oozy fresh mozzarella. Good thing the cooks balanced this gut bomb with a veggie alongside.

French fries. Dozens of them.

Playing a game in the sand finished off our beach day and we were off for more exploring.

We checked out Netarts, another charming town on the placid bay.

And then finally a quiet night at home and Gravity for movie night.

Seen it? I was so moved by the scene in which George Clooney talks to Sandra Bullock for the last time. Or when she remembers a certain family member?

Then Snoozeville. It’s amazing how well you can sleep without Tylenol PM when you have spent the day breathing in sea air and stuffing yourself to the gills with great food.

And then Tuesday was our last full day, and we were determined to pack in.

We had to go to Manzanita.

I’ve been here dozens of times, and I love the beach there.

It’s so expansive with lots of grasses and mini-dunes to explore and little streams to check out at low tide. It feels like both a West Coast and East Coast beach.

The town of Manzanita has a sweet feel to it with lots of great retail, a well-stocked deli, and an adorable candy shop.

You know I can’t pass up a good one.

Ah, decisions.

Should I go fancy?

Or for the intriguing bulk selection?

Or just go old school?

After much deliberation, I settled on nostalgic.

I went for something that was once a staple of my teenage summers at my Connecticut beach club, a frozen treat I enjoyed several times weekly after long swims in the turquoise Olympic pool.

Charleston Chews– both strawberry and vanilla.

Don’t get me wrong — I’m no marshmallow fan and straight up the interior tastes blandly mallow-ish, but frozen Charleston Chews are irresistible.

Stick them in the freezer for an hour or so, whack them on the counter to break into manageable pieces, and dive in… Just a few minutes in your mouth and the frozen shards succumb to a gooey, vanilla-y toffee like candy, and then whoop! Gone.

Like a beautiful daydream over far too soon.

Since it was our last full day in the house, we spent the rest of the afternoon playing at home.

Poker.

We took turns bluffing — and losing our makeshift poker chips to one another.

The boys played football.

How’s that for a stellar catch?

(Every time I see Oliver do that jump and dive roll my heart stops for a second.)

And we girls goofed around with our newest member in our toy family.

A brand-new remote control car.

Bailey didn’t know what to make of it, and consequently got lots of exercise just trying to stay away from it.

And come cocktail hour, Oliver and Charlotte did one of their most favorite things with their dad.

Guns were grabbed, ammunition was pocketed and boundaries set.

Time for a full-out Nerf War.

It started in the yard alongside our house. Bailey wasn’t interested in gun play, so he just threw his thrift store tiger stuffed animal around and gnawed on it until it was soggy.

The Nerf game got serious and it moved on to the beach just steps away.

While they plotted strategies and new boundaries, Bailey and I took in the last of the afternoon light.

And accepted hugs when they were offered spontaneously.

Time for a special last dinner at the Beach House.

I don’t do this every night, but sometimes everyone should be able to live their edible dream.

Hubby wanted scampi and brown rice.

Shallots, garlic, white wine and something else… Oh yes. That.

Butter –half a stick browned to a glorious brown.

(Portlanders, please don’t tell my husband my ingredient list. He’ll fret over that one).

Our kids wanted a Caesar salad.

Luckily I had thought ahead and made a dressing back in Portland and brought it with us.

And cheeseburgers with steak fries.

Okay.

And for Mama? I had other plans.

I’d found fresh wild tuna at the market in Manzanita and my mind tickled with possibilities.

Looking at the fresh tomatoes I still had left, the answer was right in front of me.

Can you guess?

Hint. I tossed the tiny medallions of fresh tuna in olive oil, garlic and Herbs de Provence and then gave them a quick sear.

I made an olive vinaigrette out of the plump Gaeta olives I had brought with us from Whole Foods and the oil and wine vinegar I had packed.

I cut up cooked Yukon Gold potatoes from the previous night and heirloom tomatoes and added a handful of arugula in a bowl. I also poached up a couple eggs.

You know where I’m going with this, right?

Yep, you probably guessed it.

Nicoise Salad with fresh tuna.

I haven’t had a salad like that for years, and the freshness of the fish and the juiciness of the ripe tomatoes made it incredible.

And I couldn’t believe the eggs turned out perfectly. Making so many different dishes at the same time I kind of lost track of the eggs cooking in the corn water (yep, I also made corn for Charlotte) but they were gorgeously soft-boiled, and I doubt I will ever again be able to replicate their suppleness.

Man was that salad good.

So we all had our dream dinner.

We watched Good Will Hunting, a movie I haven’t seen in over twenty years.

Did you know that Ben Affleck and Matt Damon were best friends and fledgling actors when they sold their script to Harvey Weinstein and Miramax? Castle Rock owned the rights to the film but wanted Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt to star in it; unhappy with that prospect,  the two pals shopped the script around and ultimately Weinstein bought the script from Castle Rock with the Affleck and Damon’s blessing.

Why Weinstein? Allegedly the two actors put an out of context sex scene in the script as a test to see if any of the producers actually read the script, and Weinstein was the only one who mentioned it (and probably read it all the way through).

He also agreed to let the two relative unknowns star in the film — a risky move but ultimately a brilliant one. The two actors won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay and Robin Williams took an Oscar home for his role as the shrink (and many consider it his finest role).

What a poignant movie. The scenes in which Robin Williams remembers his late wife (many of which were allegedly ad-libbed)? So moving.

Thank heavens I had fudge to hold my hand during those poignant moments.

All that was left was one last morning yesterday.

Everyone ate well — including Bailey.

We all had bacon and eggs (humans also got coffee cake).

And then it was time to catch a last glimpse of the beach.

We know he’s hurting (although the vet can’t quite yet pinpoint the problem other than arthritis), but we’re managing his pain with pills, let him set his own pace (he doesn’t run much any more and sometimes walks with difficulty) and try to make every moment count.

And give out love at every opportunity.

Dog lovers, don’t you live for a smile like that?

And we all remembered that when we stop somewhere for a great treat…

… it’s important to make sure that everyone gets a taste.

Be it a mint chocolate chip waffle cone.

Or the three flavor sampler (Chocolate Chip, Mudslide, Salted Caramel and Hazelnuts).

Or just a small taste of straight up vanilla.

Another happy vacation at the beach.

Picnics on the sand. Nerf Wars.  Classic movies. Exploring new towns. Luxurious but simple meals at home. Lots of doggie love and pampering. Card games and remote control toys and football in the sand.

We found time to do all the things that we get too busy — and involved with other things — to sometimes do.

The things that bring us all together as a family.

I couldn’t be happier — or more tired.

And it looks like I’m not alone.