T recently had a birthday (SIXTEEN!) and we had a weekend of all “Stuff T Wants To Do”. Actually, the laser tag was what he wanted to do and the ice cream was what I wanted to do. But it seemed silly to say “Mostly Stuff T Wants To Do”. But he ate some ice cream, so we’ll count it as some other stuff he wanted to do.
We started the day by going to Tip Top Meats for all-you-can-eat-meats breakfast. I didn’t take any photos but can I tell you that they deep fried my french toast? DEEP FRIED. Why. Why would you do that to me. I wish I had photographed it so I could show you. French toast doesn’t need to be deep fried, okay? That’s gross.
After breakfast we headed further north!
This place is waaaaaay up in Camp Pendleton off the 76. You actually go through the east gate for Camp Pendleton and travel about a mile in. You don’t need a special pass to go through this gate, but there is a guard there. The place is called Camp Pendleton Play Land.
Originally T was going to play Nerf Wars, but there was no one playing that. Just laser tag. Jake wasn’t going to play, but he saw that there weren’t that many players, so he decided to join in. Isn’t he a good dad?
Camp Pendleton Play Land also has a large area for paintball on the other side that had tanks and stuff (sorry, no photo of that). We were in the back in the “Play Land” area. This is the course. It’s got a lot of cool industrial looking pipes and other barriers scattered around.
And a few risers and even an old army truck. Jake and T played with another man and his two kids and another kid. They played adults vs. kids and capture the flag (or, in their case, “capture the nerf gun” since they didn’t have any flags).
It was really hot out and I took shelter in a nearby canopy.
It was kind of like the mom’s area since the mom of the other kids playing was camped out here as well!
This is the laser gun. It’s a got sensor on top so basically you aim for the other guns as your target. I always thought laser tag had to be indoors!
In addition to laser tag, they also have a bunch of inflatable bouncy houses.
A “Coconut Tree Climb” (like rock climbing) and a zip line ride.
Jake and T just did the laser tag. Rednecks.
The prices aren’t too bad. One hour for one person will cost you $9.95 for one attraction or you do unlimited attractions for one hour for $14.95. They also have 3 hours and all day packages if you’re especially hard core.
While the boys ran around and played paintball, I checked out what was nearby. I wasn’t really that hungry but I figured there had to be SOMETHING nearby to try or to get to go. We couldn’t go all the way to Oceanside for nothing!
Luckily I found something that we’d pass by on the way back to the freeway.
Ice Cream! Or more specially, Ocean Rainbow Ice Cream Shop.
It’s a Mexican ice cream with a TON of different flavors. They let us sample a bunch of stuff.
A lady walking out told us we HAD to try the Burned Milk. It was sort of like a caramel flavored ice cream.
I tried Nance but I still don’t know what it is.
I should have tried the Tequila flavored one but I didn’t. At first I thought the sign said Cheese Cake twice but then I realized one was Cheese Cake and the other was CHEESE flavored. I had to try that… because… what?
It was a hint of cheese, like cojita flavored. It was bizarre because it did taste a lot like cheese, but sweet. It creeped me out a little, kind of the way buttered popcorn jelly beans creep me out.
One of the workers said his favorite flavor was Rice so I had to try that one, too! And it ended up being the flavor I got a scoop of.
They also had lots of brightly colored sorbets.
And they had lots of frozen fruit bars.
And other frozen treats. I don’t know what those ice cream sandwich looking things are (maybe, uh, they’re ice cream sandwiches? I honestly don’t know, it looks like graham crackers with sorbet to me).
Here’s my one scoop of Rice flavored ice cream on a sugar cone which cost me a whopping $1.50.
The Rice flavor is more like rice pudding flavor. It’s light, creamy, and not too sugary. It has a bit of that rice pudding taste – milky with a tiny tiny hint of cinnamon. There are even little soft bits of rice mixed in which I thought was really cool. The rice was slightly soft and kind of chewy. There isn’t a ton of rice bits. But I liked the rice bits were in there – you knew FOR SURE you were having rice flavor at that point. I had never tried rice flavored ice cream before and I loved it!
T ended up getting a scoop of Cactus Fruit sorbet on a regular cone for $1. He didn’t think the cone was a good idea since it melted quickly. He liked the flavor a lot but he said he got sick of it after awhile. I found it to be super sweet but the flavor was nice. It just needs to have the sweetness level taken down a few notches.
The cheap and delicious ice cream was a nice way to cool off and I loved seeing the unique flavors! They have three locations: one in Vista, one in San Marcos and this one in Oceanside.
After laser tag and ice cream, we went to see Expendables 3. I had zero expectations for it so it wasn’t as horrid as I thought it would be. Antonio Banderas ended up being my favorite character from the movie. If you’ve seen it, you know why! More birthday shenanigans to come!
Ocean Rainbow Ice Cream Shop
3784 Mission Ave.
Oceanside, CA 92058
(760) 435-0750
Happy birthday T! His hair looks way more blonde than I remember! As great of a dad as Jake is, I think you should get a shout out for being a cool as all frek girlfriend 🙂
That laser gun reminds me of a paintgun. I used to have friends that would play paint gun and come back with welts all over their bodies. So hopefully this form of laser gun didn’t hurt.
Deep fried french toast. Um. Yuck.
Guanabanana guava? Sounds funny but yet so good.
Looked like it was a great bday !
Hi Faye! T bleached his hair right before his birthday, haha. It’s naturally a bit darker than that. Aww, thanks for the shout out. 🙂
Nope, the laser gun doesn’t hurt, it only makes noises. But that gun was kind of heavy!
I know, deep fried french toast is gross and totally unnecessary!
They had some interesting flavors at that ice cream shop! I want more rice ice cream now. Boo.
Expendables 3 wasn’t as bad as we had been hearing, but #2 is still my favorite. Loved Banderas and Ronda Rousey in this one! Tip Top Meats for all-you-can-eat-meats breakfast……uhhhhhhhh, what?! How is it possible I have never heard of this place?! Mary, you’re my favorite local food blogger, you know all the ins and outs about these sorts of things and I just love your blog. Sorry if that sounds weird, lol!
Happy birthday to T! The laser tag looks like fun. 🙂
Hi Lauren! I didn’t even see #2, I told Jake to see it without me, haha. But #3 wasn’t too bad. It was fun at least!
OH man… Tip Top… link here: http://food.theplainjane.com/2013/12/31/tip-top-meats-carlsbad-san-diego-ca/ It can be hit or miss (since we loved it the first time but not this second time) but it’s all you can eat for $8. What. Also pick up a strudel (they’re near the front by the registers) because they are SO GOOD. I mean, if you go 🙂
Aww, thanks so much! It doesn’t sound weird at all – it sounds AWESOME. I’m just glad more than 5 people read this thing, hahah. Thanks for your nice comments!!
$8 all you can eat?? oooooh boy, I’m never going to lose weight, like, ever. 😛 I am already planning my adventure up to Carlsbad to try out this place! It’s a bit of a drive from Clairemont, but I’ll do just about anything for a good strudel. 😉
I’m glad your blog exists! It’s nice to know you go all over the county (well, AND the country!) and not just in one area! Like I said, I live in Clairemont, so we’re willing to drive north or south or eat or west for some good SD food! What area of town are you in, if I may ask? Thanks for everything you do! 🙂
It is dangerous. I hope it is awesomely good when you go! The brats are our favorite. I live in Mira Mesa but Jake lives in the College Area (I’m at his place every other weekend) and I am most definitely willing to travel for food (as if that isn’t already obvious… hahah). If you ever have any tips for me or suggestions let me know! I’m always trying to find new places 🙂
Happy Birthday to T! Sweet 16!
I think nanchez (which I’ve seen it spelled like that at neveria tocumbo) is a type of yellow cherry.
i want to try that red cactus fruit ice cream.
Hi CC! Ohhh. Hmm, that might make more sense. I don’t even remember what it tasted like, honestly. I think I want to try a fruit bar next time!
At Mexican Markets (Northgate, Vallarta) you can buy jars of nance in water. It’s a yellow cherry.
When we went to London (forever ago), all the toast was deep fried…so was the bacon. But I don’t think they were cooked in the same oil; I would have remembered bacon flavored toast.
The Big John Breakfast is all you can eat meat (not the eggs or potatoes or bread). It’s a great deal, considering Tip Top is a meat store. We sometimes get breakfast, sometimes lunch and sometimes come here for the Prime Rib roast on Fri-Sat-Sun after 4:30 (when we started going there, the Big John was $3.98 and the Prime Rib was $4.95).
Happy Birthday to T!
Hi Cathy – I’d like to go to Tip Top for lunch sometime. Some of the meats look really great and I’d love to try something else. Crazy that it used to be $3.98! Under $8 is still such a great deal for the all you can eat meat. Thanks for telling me what nance is, either the flavor was too subtle to me or I don’t remember it tasting like cherries (though it could be a different cherry flavor altogether).