Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

A Ride To The Lahaina Beach House

The uncertain look to the sky made me a little leery of riding my new Dreg mini cruiser down to the boardwalk. The grays plastered off the shore and the constant chatter of rain at work made me a little uneasy about getting a bad run of cards and ending up wet. However, boredom at home prevailed which led me to muster up the energy and confidence in the weather and began my ride in search of a chill spot to smoke a cigar and have a drink.

My ride down the streets of North PB are sketchy as it seems the ground is sticking it's foot out to trip me every 10 yards. Not to mention the influx of drivers in search of a parking space en route to their favorite bar. As I cruise, I began to wonder, where's my favorite bar? Do I have one or even drink enough to have one? The answers slip my mind as I avoid a close call with a car door swinging out at me. Despite the constant scares, the ride is smooth, chill, and in a way that only a Washingtonian would understand, beautiful. The crisp cool air that tickles my face is a warning that winter is right around the corner. This also signifies two reasons for a true surfer to be stoked - less crowded line-ups and more consistent waves. Ah yes, at last, winters coming knocking and I can find a reason to be really happy. Unlike the streets of PB, the boardwalk poses much different threats; the weary surfer, the clueless tourist, and the persistent beggar. As I pass by a few bars, I realize I'm searching for my perfect chill spot, the perfect bar. Without a moment notice, I stop dead in my tracks as I gaze at a sign that reads, Lahaina Beach House.

At first glance, this place looks like a run down dive bar in a million dollar setting. However, upon closer examination, I came to appreciate and love the "true to life" feel of the bar. Not to mention, a panoramic view of the ocean undisturbed by the passerby or two on the boardwalk seeing as the elevation of the patio sets it slightly above the tallest head. The crowd is mostly older it seems but none seem intrigued by my youthful presence. As I walk past, I remember that I'm on a quest to find the perfect bar and I make my way toward the door.

The bartender like most, gives me a long hard look as if trying to make out my age and status quo. As I present my I.D., I gander at the bland interior but smile when I realize that bland is good. Having a lackluster interior simply means my focus would remain on the prize outside, a million dollar view at the cost of a cheap beer. I grab my drink and chat it up with the bartender which I will call J. J tells me of a time when the bar used to be door to door with business but the weather is presenting a challenge to compete with. Knowing the pain he feels, I remind him that we never win against mother nature. J and I talk about the surfers outside and talk of our glory days on the waves. I ask J about smoking and he lets me in on the fact that smokers are allowed to smoke on the patio. Finally. I had found a place that allows me to smoke and drink while watching the waves. Like a kid receiving the perfect gift on Christmas day, I was smiling ear to ear as I smoked my Romeo y Julieta on the patio. After bidding farewell to J and the crew working at Lahaina, I grabbed my skateboard and began the long ride home. Only this time, the main threat on the way home was the influence on my mind.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all

Previous article

Aaron Stewart trades Christmas wonders for his first new music in 15 years

“Just because the job part was done, didn’t mean the passion had to die”
Next Article

Memories of bonfires amid the pits off Palm

Before it was Ocean View Hills, it was party central

The uncertain look to the sky made me a little leery of riding my new Dreg mini cruiser down to the boardwalk. The grays plastered off the shore and the constant chatter of rain at work made me a little uneasy about getting a bad run of cards and ending up wet. However, boredom at home prevailed which led me to muster up the energy and confidence in the weather and began my ride in search of a chill spot to smoke a cigar and have a drink.

My ride down the streets of North PB are sketchy as it seems the ground is sticking it's foot out to trip me every 10 yards. Not to mention the influx of drivers in search of a parking space en route to their favorite bar. As I cruise, I began to wonder, where's my favorite bar? Do I have one or even drink enough to have one? The answers slip my mind as I avoid a close call with a car door swinging out at me. Despite the constant scares, the ride is smooth, chill, and in a way that only a Washingtonian would understand, beautiful. The crisp cool air that tickles my face is a warning that winter is right around the corner. This also signifies two reasons for a true surfer to be stoked - less crowded line-ups and more consistent waves. Ah yes, at last, winters coming knocking and I can find a reason to be really happy. Unlike the streets of PB, the boardwalk poses much different threats; the weary surfer, the clueless tourist, and the persistent beggar. As I pass by a few bars, I realize I'm searching for my perfect chill spot, the perfect bar. Without a moment notice, I stop dead in my tracks as I gaze at a sign that reads, Lahaina Beach House.

At first glance, this place looks like a run down dive bar in a million dollar setting. However, upon closer examination, I came to appreciate and love the "true to life" feel of the bar. Not to mention, a panoramic view of the ocean undisturbed by the passerby or two on the boardwalk seeing as the elevation of the patio sets it slightly above the tallest head. The crowd is mostly older it seems but none seem intrigued by my youthful presence. As I walk past, I remember that I'm on a quest to find the perfect bar and I make my way toward the door.

The bartender like most, gives me a long hard look as if trying to make out my age and status quo. As I present my I.D., I gander at the bland interior but smile when I realize that bland is good. Having a lackluster interior simply means my focus would remain on the prize outside, a million dollar view at the cost of a cheap beer. I grab my drink and chat it up with the bartender which I will call J. J tells me of a time when the bar used to be door to door with business but the weather is presenting a challenge to compete with. Knowing the pain he feels, I remind him that we never win against mother nature. J and I talk about the surfers outside and talk of our glory days on the waves. I ask J about smoking and he lets me in on the fact that smokers are allowed to smoke on the patio. Finally. I had found a place that allows me to smoke and drink while watching the waves. Like a kid receiving the perfect gift on Christmas day, I was smiling ear to ear as I smoked my Romeo y Julieta on the patio. After bidding farewell to J and the crew working at Lahaina, I grabbed my skateboard and began the long ride home. Only this time, the main threat on the way home was the influence on my mind.

Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Pacific Beach kite surfers blow right by the law

Most of the time, nature solves the problem
Next Article

Revenge High

Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader