33. Two By Two

I'd never purposely imply the greater Los Angeles area is lacking in much.  Okay, maybe water, but otherwise...  Even when it comes to professional sports teams, we have been blessed with two hockey teams, two baseball teams, two basketball teams and I don't know how many futbol (soccer) teams.  Sorry my treasured readers, I don't desire to know.  Yet when it came time to get on the proverbial NFL ark, we managed to miss the boat.  So...if you are an NFL fan who finds yourself in the greater Los Angeles area, your team of choice is an out-of-town team.

This situation makes for an interesting Sunday morning phenomenon in and by Pier Avenue in Hermosa Beach.  BTW the "h" in Hermosa is silent.  Hermosa means beautiful in Spanish.

To give you a better feel, allow me to remind you when football coverage begins at noon on the east coast, this means it is only 9 AM in sunny L.A.  To me, that is already a strange mix; football, beer and breakfast.

If you visit this Pier Avenue area on a Sunday morning, you notice many of the dining and drinking establishments have chosen an NFL team.  One establishment has gone so far as to choose the Lions.  Huevos Grandes?  I'm just sayin'!

The morning we went we chose our venue, Sharks Cove, because it is a proclaimed Steelers' establishment.  Had they not been playing the Vikings the morning we went... Judges?  Personal Foul.  Too much purple on the upper torso.  Entrance DE-CLINED!!!

As if this wasn't surprising enough to me, this Steelers' haven offers tater tots (a registered Ore-Ida trademark product invented 55 years ago by founders F. Nephi Grigg and Golden Grigg) with breakfast.  Don't even think about asking for hashbrowns.

I wish to thank Sharks Cove here for inspiring me to make a hot dish I love.  To see my video how to make my easy, easy version of this tasty tot hot dish, click here.  To see NFL football while enjoying breakfast, beer (or other beverage of choice) and beach atmosphere, get yourself to the Hermosa Beach Pier area on a Sunday morning druing NFL season.  Who knows what surprise or inspiration may await you there.

20. Sharks Cove Hermosa Beach

Having lived the majority of my life in Minnesota, there are many things that are a change when one moves to California, like what time NFL games start on a Sunday morning (9 and 10 am).  That seems a little early to me to start drinking beer.  Does that make me a prude?

Normally, I prefer to watch sports and do my drinking at home.  The morning we visited Sharks Cove in Hermosa Beach (for those who don't know, Hermosa is a spanish word meaning "beautiful" and the "h" is silent) it was with very deliberate intent.  This bar is a Pittsburgh Steelers bar.

On this fine Sunday morning in October the Minnesota Vikings would be guests of the Pittsburgh Steelers in a match that would find Brett Favre experiencing his first loss of the 2009-2010 season wearing his purple #4.

Now I've heard of niche marketing, but a bar that can be supported by fans of a team almost three thousand miles a way seems a bit too niche to be profitable.  And yet, here it is.  And their Steelers' energy was intimidating, I am sad to report.  So much so we were almost happy to leave to go to another place to meet family, have breakfast and watch the end of the game in more neutral territory.  And bonus: a view of the beach and ocean.

Sharks Cove in Hermosa Beach serves breakfast.  As I looked over the menu I have to say I was shocked, surprised and dare I say it...a little excited to find they serve tater tots with their breakfast. I was especially excited as I had not too long ago been thinking about one of those dishes which probably never EVER will be considered healthy, tater tot hot dish. Yet, I'll probably always have a fond spot for this "comfort food" dish in my heart.

So class what have we learned here?  Let's see.  If you are ever in Hermosa Beach looking for a place to have beer, tater tots and cheer for your favorite NFL team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sharks Cove is just that little slice of heaven you've been looking for.