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Monday, 6/30/97 Beach hot spots heat up summer RESTAURANT: Restaurants, shops and secluded areas offer wide variety of fun

By Dayna Michaelsen Daily Bruin Contributor Planning to hit the beach this summer? If so, a trip down the coast may reveal several jewels. While many UCLA students have probably visited the beaches near Santa Monica, fewer have seen all that the Southern California beach cities have to offer. With the Third Street Promenade and the Santa Monica Pier so close to each other and only a short bus ride away from UCLA, a day at the beach in Santa Monica can be filled with all kinds of sights and sounds. From shopping and sightseeing on the promenade, to carnival rides and games on the pier, there is a lot to do. Restaurants and specialty shops abound at this tourist attraction that has been featured in numerous movies and draws all types of people, from street entertainers and students, to locals and tourists. Those who are familiar with Southern California beaches will say, however, that Santa Monica is just a small part of the beach experience. A little farther down the coast, you'll find a series of beaches, each with their own attitude and atmosphere. Take Manhattan Beach, for instance. Among the shops and restaurants in this beach town, is Michi Restaurant and Bar, an adventure in fine dining. One look at the menu at Michi lets the diner know that they are in for a unique meal. A mixture of Italian, French and Asian tastes combine to create innovative and unique dishes. These speciality dishes include a seafood paella (black mussels, baby clams, sea scallops, calamari and shrimp) with saffron rice, roasted bell peppers and Kentucky green beans, and Linguine with Japanese mushroom, abalone and brown butter soy. Like its menu, the atmosphere at Michi is also a blend of several styles. With architecture and decorations that give it an airy, open feeling, Michi is right at home in a California beach city. Students beware though, prices for entrees range from $11 to $25. Nevertheless, Michi is a great choice to impress a date or celebrate a special occasion. Farther south lies a series of beaches that includes Long Beach, Seal Beach, Bolsa Chica and Huntington Beach. It is easy to laze the day away at any of these beach cities, each of which offers a variety of sights, sounds and tastes that gives the area its own special flair. Anyone who has spent time in Long Beach has most likely seen the legendary boat, the Queen Mary. It is visible for what seems like miles. Throughout the year, the area surrounding the Queen Mary is brimming with activities. When the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach comes to town in April, all of Long Beach echoes with the roar of the cars. With a new aquarium being built, and the popular Shoreline Village nearby, this area continues to draw many visitors. A walk along the canals in the Naples area of Long Beach makes for a relaxing evening, especially when topped off by dessert at "Grandma Sugarplums" on Second Street. With many specialty shops and restaurants, the sidewalks of Second Street are often bustling with people taking in the warm California sun or enjoying a laid-back evening. If a little more excitement is what a beachgoer is looking for, Main Street in Huntington Beach is the place to be on a Southland weekend. With shops and restaurants galore, Main Street jumps when the sun goes down and the bars and clubs come to life. A popular club in Huntington Beach is "Old World," one of the few that is open to people under 21. Locals of Huntington Beach say that "Papa Joe's Pizza" on Pacific Coast Highway near Main Street is a must, as is "TK Burger" on First Street and Pacific Coast Highway. Seal Beach has the reputation of being slightly calmer than Huntington Beach, but there is still plenty to do and see. Walking down Main Street, one passes old-fashioned ice cream shops, plenty of surf and beach stores, and a variety of restaurants that lead to the Seal Beach Pier. At the end of the pier is Ruby's, a '50s style diner that is always packed. Those visiting Ruby's for the first time should be warned that when the diner shakes and rolls there is no reason to be alarmed. Though the eyes of the customers widen and many first-timers to Ruby's gasp in alarm, it's not an earthquake shaking the restaurant. It's just a large wave hitting the pier that the restaurant sits on. For those who enjoy just hanging out on the beach itself, there are also places to have a great bonfire and to set up camp. Bolsa Chica, just south of Seal Beach, is a great place to have a beach barbeque or roast marshmallows. A popular campground near the beach is San Onofre State Beach. Campsites go fast, so it's best to make reservations. Rumor has it that if you hike down a certain trail near San Onofre, you'll end up on a hidden nude beach. Other popular camping areas include San Elijo and San Clemente. For those who abandon the sand in favor of the waves or just enjoy watching the action on the water, there are several spots that draw local surfers. While one can almost always see them riding the waves from the piers, when big swells move in, many surfers head to popular surf spots such as "The Wedge" at Newport Beach and "The Bowl" at Sunset Beach. So, for a relaxing day at the beach or a hot night in one of the towns that pepper Southern California's coast, head south. With such a variety of things to do and see, an escape to one of these lesser known beach cities can help make the summer unforgettable. Previous Daily Bruin Story Suntans and surfbums, July 29, 1996