Tips on Being a Professional “Beach Bum”

Spend a little time on the beach and you will see a class of beachgoers that spend a greater portion of their day on the beach. These are the people that surf, jog, volleyball, lay out for hours on end. A few beach bum tips will help you shed your power tie in no time.

What is a professional beach bum? It is a person who spends most of their free time on or around the beach. Some may commute to the sand, but most live near the ocean. They are the locals that you see early in the morning and late at night when everyone else is gone.

Ok...I will probably never be a real “beach bum” but spending more time on the beach is hopefully in my future. A few hours a week won’t do much but may get me to beach bum “poser” status. Even if I don’t have the time, at least I can look like it.

The first thing you notice is that beach bums don’t wear the latest fashion. They are casual and come to realize that expensive clothing gets lost, dirty, or ruined. Why wear a $500 pair of glasses if you are going to sit on them?

Professional bums chronically are engaged in coastal activities. Their lives revolve around the beach, and they spend every moment they can outdoors enjoying the weather. You can see the deep-toned tan on their skin.

Beach bums either own a junky van or use alternative transportation. Commuting bums take their rusted out van, packed with gear, to the beach early and find the best spot. Locals don’t bother to drive because of traffic and prefer to bike or skateboard around.

Beach bums frequent the places far away from vacationers. If you want to be a be a local you have to stay away from expensive tourist traps and spend your time in the local dive bars and diners. Every beach bum knows the best 99 cent taco hot spots.

If you are likely ever to be a professional bum you will need to have a beach bum personality. Time is measured by the sun, and the outside world ceases to exist. When there is so much sand, the hourglass ceases to work.

It may take some time to learn how to be a professional beach bum, but you can do it if you practice “nothingness”. As you graduate from vacationer to local you will notice your persona change from the stuffy to the stuff less. Few things matter much on the beach other than how much time you have before you have to return to ordinary life.

Experiencing Unique Beach Culture at Pacific Bean Co

Pacific Bean Co. Company isn’t your largest, technologically advanced, or even the most upscale lounge but it does offer something many other shops don’t-a unique cultural brand. With an open air concept this small shop provides a street side view of beach events. Located at the entrance of Crystal Pier it is known for their Mochas and laid back beach crowd that appeals to Pacific Beach strollers. 

Large chain coffee shops can be found throughout shopping malls, neighborhoods, high traffic areas throughout the country. The trend has exploded in the past decade or so. However, as large chains become more popular the small coffee shop is able to provide a unique experience that appeals to a significant segment of the population. 

Large global brands can produce cultural heterogeneity with local cultures (Thompson & Arsel, 2004). As large chains using similar styles of coffee shop design it also helps consumers find additional interest in unique shops.  Small coffee shops can find a niche that helps separate their identity from other shops that keep their patrons coming back. 

Pacific Bean Coffee Co. is all about unique identity and is well known for its mochas, acai bowls, and large selection refreshments. Patrons will frequently leave their surf boards against the wall, order an iced coffee and then make their way back to the beach. You won’t find this type of flip flop, flowered waist wrap, and t-shirt culture in larger corporations.   

Pacific Bean Co. Company

https://www.facebook.com/PacificBeanCoffee

712 Garnet Ave,

San Diego,

CA 92109

Thompson, C. & Arsel, Z. (2004). The Starbucks brandscape and consumers’ (anticorporate) experiences of glocalization. Journal of Consumer Research, 31 (3).

 

Red Velvet Hookah Lounge-Pacific Beach

The Red Velvet Hookah lounge offers a place to relax after a hard day of sunning and volley ball on Pacific Beach. It is a relaxed environment that offers simply the basics in beverages and snacks. Chairs are comfortable and there is plenty of space to find a spot. The servicescape is simple with red velvet curtains and group arranged seating to spark conversation. 

Beverage offerings are related to tea, coffee, and sodas. Food is primarily snacks and cakes. The biggest attraction is the large variety of Egyptian hookah flavors. Compared to other hookah lounges The Red Velvet has a significant offering. The atmosphere is relaxed and the patrons are relatively young. 

Located a few miles from Pacific Beach it provides a nice bridge between the beach and an evening out. It is also a great place to designate as a meeting place for friends who want to have conversations before heading their separate ways.  The type of people who frequent the place are generally under that age of 25 and into the wild stages of their lives.

The street of Garnet is busy and filled with clothing stores, bars, restaurants, surf shops, and many other businesses geared toward college students and locals. On the same block as Red Velvet is a coffee shop that offers another inviting place to sit and relax. Just strolling up and down the street will offer many different options and opportunities to find something interesting to do. 

Red Velvet Hookah Lounge

1425 Garnet Ave, San Diego, CA ‎

(858) 272-8588 ‎ · redvelvethookahlounge.com