Chasing dreams...............

Sunny Day at the Peaks

2009-12-03T03:21:00.000-07:00

Woke up today to an extremely clear sky. What could be more sensible than to snap great shots of the city from those great photo spots right? Started off the day with a walk around Dolores Park. Ever since John introduced me to this spot, I have been coming back here everytime I'm in the city. Could never get enough of the magnificent view from this spot.
The journey to the second view point at the Twin Peaks sure took a lot of effort. This includes walking 10 blocks in the wrong direction to Vivian's place to getting lost in the city for not bringing a long a gps. Was it worth all the trouble? I'll let the pictures do the talking.
Ended the day at the Golden Gate Park. Supposed to check out the California Academy of Sciences but we got the free day mixed up. Oh well, more cam whoring then :-p

Chinatown again!

2009-12-02T03:19:00.000-07:00

Took the chance to catch up wif Zoie today. She commented that I seem to be perpetually in the US. I certainly wish this is true. But it is kinda true that I've been spending all my holidays here. Uncle Sam sure need to thank me for patronizing this economy so much.

Manage to sneak in her college to put our heavy bags in the locker before heading out to town. Went all the way up to the rooftop of Macy's to catch a bird eye's view of Union Square. Before this I thought one has to dine at Cheesecake Factory in order to dine here. *Smacks head*

Our random walk ended up in Chinatown thanks to our cravings for bubble tea aka. bouba. Glad that we did this as we stumbled upon an extremely impressive mural of the star spangled banner. Don't you think the shot is extremely cool?

Off to the lighthouse....

2009-12-01T23:49:00.000-07:00

Decided to head out of town for a little bus riding and book reading day. Took the Bart and then 2 different buses to arrive at Montara. The place is extremely foggy that day. I could totally picture such a setting for The Famous Five adventure series. Since my arrival is way before the check-in time, I quickly ran to the edge of the cliff and jump down to the sea for a quick refreshing swim. Alright that is a lie. Lol. All I did was sat and enjoy the wonderful sound of the waves hitting the rocks along with the very mysterious look of the fog engulfing the Californian coast.
The lighthouse however was kinda disappointing as it was ten thousand times smaller then I thought it would be. I somehow felt like I am thrown into a retirement home as all other occupants were way past 50. It was still a great experience as I get to listen to well embellished stories of their younger days.
Note: Buy your own food at the Linda Mar transit center before heading here. Else you would be walking 20 over minutes in the dark to get food from the nearest grocery store.

I heart the Bay

2009-11-30T23:25:00.001-07:00

Woke up early morning to the wonderful view of they bay from our hotel room. Totally *heart* the Hyatt at Embarcadero. Feels like I could sit all day and people watch from the balcony but the sight of the vibrancy at the ferry building tempted me to get downstairs to explore the place a little.
The place is tastefully restored with lots of interesting shops that sells mostly specialty food items. From mushrooms and wine to cookies and kitchenware. This is definitely a upper class housewives paradise. Got our lunch from a classic Italian place. Was totally spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing the meat for my sandwich. Ended up choosing a Toscano that is dry like hell. Argh! Gotta expand my knowledge on this sausages man. Hmmmph
Took a walk along the Embarcadero before retreating to the hotel room to enjoy the wonderful night view of the bay from our hotel room. Blissful......

Flower Power!

2009-11-29T10:25:00.001-07:00

Alright the title sure suggest that famous intersection of the hippy part of the town. But no, that is not where I'm heading to on this wonderful Sunday morning. It is actually off to see real flowers. To the conservatory? Nah, we're heading to the often overlooked SF Botanical Gardens. The stroll at this part of the city never fail to freshen me up :-)

Did you know that Memoirs of a Geisha was filmed here? Yes, right here in the SF backyard. This time with Thang as the Geisha though. Lol.

Dear Genki,

2009-11-28T10:05:00.001-07:00

Officially declaring that Genki has a hold of my heart. When asked of where I wanna go for food, I could only see the one and only crepe, Crepe, CREPE!!!!! We drove all the way to Richmond just to satisfy out taste buds. Ok , more like mine. But man, the guys ate as much as I did ok. Lol.
Well just in case u wanna check it out: Genki Crepe. Don't say I didn't warn you, it is very addictive. Yum yummmm

Warm Welcome to the Bay City

2009-11-27T08:47:00.000-07:00

Arrived at my most beloved city on earth after more than 20 hours up in the air. Still suffering from the aftershock of not being able to get the job after sacrificing a wonderful thanksgiving weekend down in LA. *Grinds teeth* The anger quickly disappeared when I met my friends. Am extremely excited as we're gonna be visiting their new nest!Their wonderful house is situated up high on a hill that overlooks South SF, with the most serene and peaceful surroundings. *Envious* I could totally picture myself sitting out at the balcony, sipping my favorite ginger milk tea, watching the magnificent view of the sun setting in the background.

The inside of the house is so comfy and cozy. Totally loved the extremely tall ceiling and the antique looking piano in the living room. I should start making more mooolah to get a place like this. On second thought, nah I'll just visit more often and enjoy my carefree life. Lol.
Oh can I mentioned that the dinner was great? The papaya salad made by Vince was very nice and the golden raspberry tasted like it is totally out of this world. My mouth is watering as I'm uploading the photo of it. Thanks to Vince n Thang for being such great host!
Fun fact: Vince claimed that papaya salad is not a Thai traditional food but Laos.

Magical Night at the Bowl

2009-07-25T22:31:00.009-06:00

The long awaited 'Picnic at the Bowl' day has finally arrived. Couldn't believe that it took us this long to finally organize something this simple yet fun. The boys went to get food from Costco while us went to get even more food from Ralphs. Lol.

The drive to the Ventura lot was a breeze. Thank goodness no traffic this time. Free parking here but the shuttle to the bowl from here cost 4dollars each person. Definitely a better option than to get stuck at the bowl after the end of the show.

The intention to grab a picnic table did not materialize as we were too late. All tables seemed to be taken up even it is like 2.5 hours prior the show. Soon we decided to just head to our section and do our picnic there. Lucky us, there were nobody around our area. So we get to colonize the up to 4 rows of seats for our feast. Hehe. Taking a group photo is tiring, lost count the number of times we took and retook. And still, there is not a single perfect shot. Lol
We've got so many yummy food. Chicken wings, shrimp salad, shrimp cocktails , sandwiches, chips, brownies, wine, candy, peanuts, water, Gatorade, tea and wine! Could definitely open up a food kiosk with all those. Lol. It was such a fun experience gobbling down the food with the bowl and the Hollywood sign as the backdrop.
Gave away our pair of section K tickets to some couple who happened to be seated at our row. We wanted to sit together for the show even if that means getting push backwards 3 sections and not being able to see the performers without lookin at the screen. But oh well, its more fun to sit with friends. Gotten ourselves cushions for only 75cents as sitting on the hard bench for another 2 hours would definitely flatten our ass. :p
At 830pm, the show finally began. The orchestra kicked off the night with some famous tunes from old movies which I couldn't recognise at all. OMG! Then came Micheal Feinstein performing some huge hits from the great American songbook. Totally enjoyed the whole big band swing feel.

But the highlight of the night has got to be hearing Jewel sing live. Gosh, I have been a fan of hers since her first hit. The feeling of being able to hear this wonderful voice with the oh-so familiar tunes is more than satisfying, its satiating. *Sings* You were meant for me, and I was meant for yooouuuuuuuu.....
The show ended with impressive fireworks lighting up the bowl alongside the great music accompaniment from the Bowl Orchestra. Now, that is a perfect guys' night out but not with some clubbing after the show! Time for boogie wonderland.

Honk! Honk! Vrooooommmmmmm

2009-07-19T02:08:00.002-06:00

Another day on the Miracle Mile museum row. This time it is to learn more about one of mankind's most ingenious invention: Automobiles. Took me an hour an a half to get here from Long Beach. No joke as it is actually a whopping 34 miles away! The sprawl is really bad here in LA. But when it comes to pandemic disease, I think it could be the safest city to be in. Spacesss, even virus would die traveling that far. Haha.

Alright back to the museum, the best exhibit of the museum has got to be Streetscapes. It actually explains the whole evolution of the automotive culture with Socal as the example. It shows how LA evolved into all these traffic mess throughout the years. Thanks to the building of freeways.
Besides Streetscape, 'What were they thinking' was another interesting and funny exhibits. It displays all the 'ingenious' innovations of the past. From foldable doors and multiple windshield wipers to prevent accidents to air car that actually stirs up dust and spread them all over the city. Lol.
Hollywood Cars: Car from the movies. Of course they have famous Herbie. And the yellow one....yes its from Little Miss Sunshine.
Oh just one more gem. The skeleton bike. OMG! Its like sooooooo marvellous. Would totally keep this as a collection even if I couldn't ride it. Haha.

On Rodeo

2009-07-15T01:37:00.001-06:00

Nothing much to brag about. Poor guy on a rich men shopping paradise = window shopping & photo taking.
Waiting for that day when things on this strip becomes affordable and cheap. Hopefully not because the good get cheaper. Lol. I wanna be rich!

Traffic's a Bitch!

2009-07-12T23:21:00.004-06:00

First of all, a million thanks to John for agreeing to drive all the way from Newport to Malibu. Second of all, screw the traffic on PCH. It was soooo excruciating. Stuck on PCH for 1.5 hours on a route that supposedly takes only 20 minutes! !(#*)@($&* Gotta blame Jay for getting the tix for the wrong day and time :p

Upon reaching the Getty parking lot, we were so relieved. Quickly went around to explore the place. The view of the ocean from the top is just beautiful. No wonder people pay millions to live in here.
The entrance to the villa looked absolutely marvellous. The whole roman architecture of the building seems so inviting. After taking some (a lot :p) of pictures, we finally headed inside the villa.
Started off the tour with a boring introduction video about the making of villa. Zzzzzzz.
Right after, we explored their antiquities collections. I couldn't believe that all these started from the craze of one man. One rich man, I should say. I wonder whether the man himself can remember everything that he collected.
Apparently, we were told that the exhibits were arranged according to themes.Greek and Roman, Gods and Goddesses and so on. But if you have zero knowledge on myths like me, everything will eventually look the same. Lol.
Although the antiquities failed to capture my interest, I would still recommend one to visit this place. (if you don't mind the traffic) Why? Because the gardens are really beautiful. The outer peristyle which is build to replicate the Villa dei Papiri is so breathtaking. Would totally want a garden like this in my mansion but with half the size. More land = more cleaning and maintenance. Haha.
Headed off for shopping at 3rd st and dinner at Ktown before retreating back to our hotel at Newport. Wonderful suite with tastefully decorated french bedroom doors. :D

Exploring the Core

2009-07-11T22:16:00.005-06:00

First stop Walt Disney Concert Hall. The awkwardly beautiful stainless steel architecture takes my breath away. I must admit that it is one of the most unique and pretty building that I have ever seen.
Once inside, the cleverly designed concert hall is beaming with natural light. Its like the whole place is fully illuminated by the sun. How smart, they saved so much energy that way. Got the chance to pose with the piano before being shooed away politely. Its ok, we got the photo we wanted. Lol.
I totally luv the simplistic way of using multi-colored chairs at the BP hall.
We were lucky to get to visit the main concert hall as they don't have a performance that day. Hehe. The grand organ was such a wow. With 600o thousands over pipes around it, I bet that instrument will sound heavenly.
Our intention to catch Spamalot did not materialize as they only offer discounted tickets for balcony seats. Decided to just carry on with our itinerary to catch the downtown skyline from the City Hall building, only to find out that it was closed on weekends. Never trust guides even if they are written by the city itself. Open 7 days a week my ass!
We ended up at Little Tokyo after wandering around the city. Had promotional frozen yogurt for only 2dollars each. Yummy. Feeling thirsty from the sweetness, we grabbed some bouba before continuing our expedition.
Next on the list is the Bradbury Building. Heard that it was in the set of some famous movies like Infernal Affair, Blade Runner and Pushing Daisies. Most recently, it was featured in the ending scene of 500 days of summer. Could totally understand why it was used in so many movies. The whole beauty of the renaissance era radiates from the building's interior. No wonder it is certified as a national historic landmark.
We stumbled upon the Grand Central Market on the way to meet our friends for lunch at CPK. Could not believe that there is still an old fashioned market place right smack in the middle of downtown. Right opposite it is the world's shortest railway, Angel's Flight. A quarter can get you across one downtown block on this line.
Alright time for lunch at CPK. Runnnnnnn.

Modern Art? Think I prefer the Older ones

2009-07-10T21:53:00.000-06:00

Not all new things are better. That's so true when it comes to the exhibits at LACMA. Came here after 5pm as it is pay what you want time. Hehe. How much I paid? Well, that's a secret.Kicked off our tour around new modern art wing. It was such a disappointment. Not only we could not appreciate the exhibits. the museum security also failed to show appreciable hospitality. Snobbish and rude, I swear I would walk out the place without hesitation had I been there alone.

Things was totally the opposite when we checked out the permanent exhibits though. Totally luved the Arts of Ancient America exhibits. The security guys at that section was pretty helpful too.We did not manage to see everything as the place closes at 9pm. But before leaving, we put those lamps in front of the museum in good use. :p

Just Another Day at the Beach

2009-07-08T21:32:00.004-06:00

If there is something that LA trumps SF in, it has to be the beach. Clear sunny sky and cool blowing breeze. The setting seemed to be perpetually wonderful at Santa Monica in summer time. Everytime I'm here, I would always chill at the park. Watching palm trees swaying in the breeze and beautiful people jogging along the boardwalk always helps me relax.But no, I did not come here just to laze the day away. Daryl wanted to try out this asian fusion restaurant called Monsoon. Dear pak cik was late for like 45 minutes, thanks to the forest fire near the Getty. But its ok cause they gave me a booth, less awkward as nobody can see me. The food was kinda good but not exceptional. Liked the deco more.Shopped on the promonade until its closing time. Totally lost the will to buy when I found out that they were selling something I bought back in Vegas with an extra 15% price slash. Argh!

SF a Series: Playground by the Sea

2009-07-02T01:49:00.001-06:00

I realized that despite visiting the city time after time, I somehow manage to always skip the Pacific Ocean. Perhaps I have seen too much of the ocean down in Socal. Furthermore, the temperature here is definitely not right for the beach unless ur dressed up in suits that makes one looks like a seagull. But somehow, something came over me & my friends that evening and we decided to just ride bus 38 all the way till the end of Geary.

We were greeted by sounds of the waves and definitely cold ocean breeze the moment we get off the bus. As we walk closer to the shore, we began to see stunning views of the waves crashing on the cliffs and rocks. The most appealing part however, was the Sutro Bath ruins which looked like a cool little maze.

We quickly made our descent to the ruins to get a closer look of it. It turned out that it could really be a cool little playground. Yes, it was so little that even S-sized creature like me had to squeeze my way through those small little openings to get to the inside.

We explore further into a cave but back out halfway as the sun is already gone and none of us brought a flashlight. We decided to detour upwards to catch the view of the Golden Gate Bridge.

SF a Series: Erasing the Past with a Light Saber

2009-07-02T00:58:00.002-06:00

Although it really is not the crookedest street in the world, it is definitely one of the most beautiful streets in the world. Again, I am blessed with another sunny day in the city. I was glad to have Zoie’s company to hike up that very steep 2 blocks incline to the point. Should have totally taken the California Street cable car line to save us from those extra thigh exercises. But its ok, we have rooms for more food now. Haha.

The view from the top of the street is still takes my breath away like it did 2 years ago. The only difference is I am at ease this time. I just knew that I had to come back here to finally have a better feeling of the place. No stress, no rush, no anger.

As we walk downhill and up again, admiring the scenic view of the city and those tastefully decorated houses, we could not help but sympathize with dwellers along the street. Always swamp with herd of noisy tourist chattering while descending the street or those that stood in the driveway snapping their very own photo memorabilia. But still, I would take any of these houses within a heartbeat. The great view of the place will definitely take the pain away.

Earlier the day, I had the chance to visit the kinda secretive location of Lucas Film. I was lucky that Justin is an intern. Else, I would have just walked pass the Letterman Drive without noticing the beautifully landscaped garden with a Yoda fountain.

Got to tour the production office but had no luck with pictures as it is strictly prohibited. Did not get anything from the gift shop as I was never a Star Wars fan. Nevertheless, playing with the light saber is still a fun experience.

SF a Series: Reliving that Summer

2009-07-01T23:50:00.003-06:00

Thanks to the Summer of 67. Without it, we would never get such a wonderful alternative shopping concept. The whole street actually lacked familiar brand names, which actually make shopping even more interesting. It is like you go in every shop browsing through their stuff and surprise you find something you like for the price you can afford.

Despite rapid gentrification, the neighborhood still retains its hippy charm. The Victorians here are by far more colorful and creatively decorated than others around the city. The bold and daring designs clearly edges out the much raved about Painted Ladies. If only these houses has a view of the city as well, guess Haight district would replace Alamo Square on those postcards we send.

Took a bus down to the neighboring Japantown right after to get ourselves a well deserve dinner after that long shopping workout. Apart from the Peace Pagoda and food, the place looked similar to any ordinary neighborhood. Still, the ramen is Ooosshhiiii!

SF a series: Photoshoot at the Palace

2009-06-29T23:21:00.002-06:00

Another warm sunny day in the city. I wonder where the fog went. Have yet to see the fog since weekend. With such nice weather, it is definitely a day for the outdoors and photos! It really did not take us long to figure out where to go. Popular wedding photo spots = beautiful photos and in SF, the Palace of Fine Arts is one of them. Thanks to Thang for this brilliant suggestion.

Apparently the whole structure was built just for an expo, to show off to the world that SF has ‘recovered’ from the earthquake of 1906. The temporary structure was so well liked that the people decided to rebuilt and make it permanent.

Never get to explore the grounds before as it was fenced up for renovation the previous times that I droved by. The walk around the place is so therapeutic. I can almost feel my blood pressure drop. What a nice place to just sit down, relax and breathe in the breeze. That’s what we did, but only after taking gazillions of pictures round the ground. Lol.

Although the place is pretty and looks all new after the renovation, I could not say the same about the lake. It reminds me of those canals in Venice, just that this has much more duck and bird feathers in it. Guess it time for another clean up!

SF a Series: Pride 09

2009-06-28T22:55:00.000-06:00

First of all some background info. Pride is like the biggest celebration in the Fog City. Streets around the civic center will be closed for the biggest annual gay parade. Not only that, stalls were set up like along blocks and blocks of buildings. The whole city is colorfully adorned in shades of rainbow. Here are some pictures from the parade.

I must confess that although the parade which stemmed from the stone wall riot back in the 1960’s is supposed to be the main highlight of the event, I am more interested in checking out the stalls and the stages for performances. There is like an Asian Pacific, Latin American, S&M (ouch) and money other different pavilion set up around the civic center. Who knows People spotting, grabbing goodies, getting autographs and watching performances could be so fun! And this is especially true when big names like Boa performing.

Can I say that the weather was like soooo hot that day? Too hot for a place for SF but oh well, I kinda like it that way this time around. Hehe.

SF a Series: Party at the Park

2009-06-27T21:34:00.000-06:00

The Mission Dolores Park never fail to take my breath away. The view is exceptionally spectacular during clear sunny days like this.
The Castro is exceptionally crowded and vibrant today as they have the Dyke March and Pink Party going on. It’s a yearly affair in which they will close down the whole Castro area for a huge street party in conjunction with the Pride Fest.
This is not an event to miss as it is definitely one big huge eye opener. You can find the most outrageous outfits ever. From drags and angels to penis and boobies. Be warned, it is not a sight for the faint hearted.
The crowd thickens as the sun goes down and the party become crazier with people dancing and strutting around the arenas. Alright am signing off. Gotta go dance………….

SF a Series: Long Overdue Visit

2009-06-25T18:37:00.000-06:00

Alright, my visit to the Coit Tower is like so overdue. After countless number of times in the city, I somehow manage to skip this attraction every single time. So this time around, I make it my sole must go destination in this trip. We patiently waited for the bus for the ride up the Telegraph Hill to the tower because any attempt to walk up that steep incline would be foolish.

Upon reaching the base of the tower, we found out that the view is kinda inferior to the Twin Peaks. The consolation is that the view of Treasure Island, Bay Bridge and the Transamerica Pyramid is magnified from here. Probably should have just paid the fees and hike up the tower to the top. There’s always another time. Hehe.

Although hiking up the Telegraph Hill is a no no, taking the steps down is a whole different story. Walking down the Filbert steps is such a relaxing experience. Nice quaint houses with the Bay as the backdrop. What could be more relaxing right? We were told that the view is just as nice down the Greenwich steps with parrot sightings bonus along the way. Guess that’s just another path left to explore the next time I hike up the Coit Tower.

Spent some time shopping for souvenirs around Chinatown. Its always fun to look for cheap and sometimes useless decorative things here. And hey, we gotten ourselves some pretty nice bouba drinks. Hehe.

Déjà vu? Not quite.

2009-06-24T20:41:00.000-06:00

The haunting experience of almost missing our flight last Oct has us calling the shuttle company to schedule an early pick-up for the airport. And guess what? The stupid Gray Line shuttle company was late for a whole freaking 1.5 hours. Would never take this shuttle anymore in the future. Each time we call to ask about the arrival, we were reassured that the shuttle would arrived within 15 minutes.

We finally gave up and took another shuttle to the airport. Yes, we were rushing again to board the plane like the year before, only this time to find out that the flight was delayed due to severe thunderstorm and lightning in the vicinity. Oh wait, I remember that. A thunderstorm actually delayed my flight from landing in Vegas back in 2006. Still remember than painful 3 hours delayed that turned the whole trip into a chaos back then. The delay however, turned out to be a blessing in disguise this time around as I get to win a couple more bucks from the slot machine while waiting for my plane to board. :D

On arrival to San Francisco, our wonderful friend, Thang offered to pick us up. It was very nice of him. Thanks so much! We do not need to suffer from taking the long Bart ride and dragging our luggage up the hilly streets of San Francisco.

The Orchard Hotel down at Union Square is by far the best hotel that I have stayed in SF. Not only is the location superb, the room is exceptional spacious by boutique hotel standard. The fact that is it located at a not so busy street safe us the need to use ear plug to sleep through the night. Would totally stay here again the next time when I’m in town, provided that the price does not go up of course.

Encore, Let’s Do It All Over Again

2009-06-23T19:45:00.000-06:00

Eat, Sleep, Shop, Relax. Repeat, repeat and repeat. Basically that’s all that we did today.

Some main highlights would be the very cute soap shop called Basin White. The whole concept of nicely decorated soap bar is so ingenious. Although it may be a little impractical, the idea of having a nicely decorated bath soap to compliment to a beautiful bathroom is so cool.

Our quest to be surviving solely on buffet throughout the trip came to a halt as we arrived at Planet Hollywood Casino a little too late for the Spice Market Place buffet. Damn. Had to settle for some asian fusion restaurant instead. The food was good but the fact that their pager did not work still kinda pisses me off. We could have had a shorter wait time. Hello, we’re hungry!

Later into the night, when all shops were closed, having nowhere to go, we walked next door to the newly opened Encore Resort. It is like soooo red! The carpet, the furnishing the workers. I suddenly felt like I have been thrown into the setting of the Dream of the Red Mansion and I kinda liked it, especially the tastefully landscaped garden.

Hello Steve

2009-06-22T19:36:00.002-06:00

Woke up early the next morning for another buffet. Not so early actually as they were already switching breakfast to lunch buffet by the time we got in. Was told about the cheapo trick of stayin pass the change so one can pay breakfast price to enjoy lunch servings. Did we do it? Of course not! Why? Becos we have a date with Steve Wynn. Lol. We are so excited about our next stop, the very much raved about Wynn Resort.

Arrived at The Wynn after being conned by a cab driver that took the longer route, we were told that the room is not ready yet. Bummer. We took our luggage for bag check and was told that they will deliver it to our room once it is ready. How nice. Went straight across the street to the Fashion Show Mall for some long awaited shopping. Shopping here is always a fun experience and definitely a wise choice as the sales tax here is lower compared to the Golden Sate. Our shoppin expedition was interrupted halfway by a call from the hotel telling us that our room is now ready for check-in. Wheeeeee!

Requested for a room with the view of the mountain and golf course instead of the Strip for a change. Turned out to be a pretty good choice. The lush green backdrop with the mountain range behind is just marvelous. And we get to see inviting hotel pool right below our room. Should have asked for a lower floor man. That way, we could have a closer look of those sexy bods below us. Lol.

With the ultra tall ceiling, supra huge bedroom space, floor to ceiling window, one touch curtain control, suite 2620 was definitely one of the more luxurious, huge and tastefully decorated room that I have ever stayed in. They even personalize our room key, too bad the room is booked under my friends’ name. His name even appeared on the phone and the plasma TV screen. I want mine too! The only downfall of the suite would be however, a pack of weird food left in the fridge by the previous guest. Housekeeping, we need you here!

My favorite part of the room has got to be the bathroom. 2 separate vanities, separate bathtub, shower, toilet and a TV in the bathroom. If only I have the same amenities in my own bathroom.

Dinner buffet as at the Wynn again as the wonderful experience from the year before. Although Alaskan king crab leg and asparagus was really good, I don’t think I would pay another 40 dollars to dine here the next time I come around. Time to move on and discover something more interesting.

Feeling totally bloated from the buffet, we decided to walk all the way down to Bellagio to shred some calories. But before that we stopped by the newly reopened Volcano attraction at the Mirage. The hotel claimed that it is not bigger and better so I was wondering how small exactly was the explosion before the renovation. Ooopss!

The conservatory at Bellagio was just as pretty as the years before but I feel that it is lacking creativity and the wow factor this time around. It felt like the simple umbrellas at the Palazzo is actually edging the conservatory out. Could it be that the recession has taking its toll on the attraction? Nevertheless, we spent so much time snapping away just like in the past.

Ended up the night with a really relaxing time soaking in the tub while watching the TV. Oh, how I love the indulgence.

The Wind Blew Westward into Sin City

2009-06-21T19:30:00.001-06:00

I got up the next morning, totally recovered from the flu. Thanks for those Advil dear friend. As usual, the final morning at a place always gets me. Too lazy to explore yet not wanting to leave.

Headed up north for another stroll along the Magnificent Mile. Not crowded like the day before as most shops are still closed. Guess everyone is still snuggling in bed on a lazy Sunday morning. Deciding on our last meal in the city was not too hard as not so pricey non fast food options are kinda limited. Am glad that we stayed in the loop as food down there are way cheaper.

Our brunch at Big Bowl was a little on the pricey side but I would say it is worthwhile. On the look outside, the place looked kinda rundown. It is a whole different world on the inside. The whole chic Chinese fusion deco theme fits right in with the food. We had and order or skewers, scallop and the very unique ginger ale drink. It was the first time that I have freshly squeeze ginger in my ginger ale. Totally refreshing!

The trip to the airport was pleasant and interesting. We headed south to the Midway and not to O’Hare via the train. Yes, the city has direct train connection even to their budget terminal. How wonderful is that. The train ride down south has better view as it did not run along the freeway and has wide open spaces in its surrounding. Better does not necessarily mean more beautiful as the south is less affluent. Check-in was a breeze and soon we’re off to Sin City.

This is like my 4^th time in Vegas in a short 2 years period. Honestly, I am beginning to wonder whether I am gonna be bored this time around. Probably heading downtown and off the strip will be a great eye opener this time as I was practically stuck on the strip all my trips.

The baggage pick up was much more efficient this time around. Did not have to wait half an hour for 2 small little bag. Since part of the fun of staying in Sin City is experiencing the different hotels, we booked 2 hotels for our 3 nights stay. The 1^st being the MGM grand. Yes, I’ve stayed here before but who could resist a $60 deal inclusive of all day buffet, $20 slot play, free VIP club entry and complimentary poolside cocktail right?

The Grand Buffet at MGM did not fail to disappoint. According to John, they have certainly improved a lot over the year. The selection is now more extensive and it actually tasted better too. After tasting the food, I would have to second that. Hehe.

After dinner, we explored the place a little, play some jackpot, win some cash and went to bed. Yes without utilizing the VIP club entry becos the club is closed on Sundays. Bummer! Guess we’re meant to be two innocent tourist in Sin City after all. :p

Where the Compass Points: North and Crowded

2009-06-20T19:03:00.003-06:00

Sunshine after a rainy rainy yesterday. Its breakfast once again at the Corner Bakery. I had to come back to try the pasta which was not available the previous day. It turned out to be a disappointment. Just when we thought things could not get worse, the plan to explore the large showroom area at Merchandise Mart failed to materialize as they were closed for private guest on weekends. Double Whammy!

We continue our trip up north towards Lakeview area. It is a very vibrant neighborhood, due to the gay Boystown and baseball fanatics of Wrigley Field. We kept our exploration short as the hot weather and thick crowd spells headache. We finally sat down at a coffee house to people watch which turned out to be a brilliant idea.

Although shopping was not part of the itinerary, it would be dumb to miss out on such a huge tourist attraction like the Magnificent Mile. Checked out the Hancock Tower and Pumping Station up close on the mile but did not go in as the Water Tower Place’s shopping seemed more alluring. Yes, the mission of not buying until we reach Vegas failed miserably.

Dinner at Foodlife was so much trouble. They put the wrong item into our card we had to page for the manager to fix it. Apart from that the whole dining experience there was fun and nice. Totally luved the Buffalo Wings that I had.

After a mile long shopping walk, we went on with another mile of walk toward the Navy Pier. The pier is definitely one of the most crowded tourist attractions in the city. Guess everybody loves rides and over publicized fun.

Few people took notice of the free hidden gem so we got to explore the Smith Museum of Stained Glass without much human traffic. Haha. The collection here is absolutely gorgeous, a thousand times more rewarding than those retail shops and rides outside. Did not stay long enough for the fireworks as I was feeling lethargic.

Later that night, I found out that I was actually having afever. Gosh,Could it be the crowd has infected me with H1N1? Noooooooooooo!

Night at the Museum

2009-06-19T01:59:00.002-06:00

Deep dish pizza for lunch today! Woohooo. Headed straight for Giordano’s which is like only a short 5 minutes walk away from our hotel. Were told that the pizza would take 25 minutes. Long wait? No problem. Being super fungry will only help us to finish the pizza. Wrong! We only manage to eat half of it. As for the taste, it was good but thin crust is still our choice.

The main itinerary for the day is the Art Institute of Chicago. On our way to the museum, we stop by Millennium Park again. Took more pictures of the Bean and the park. As we were still early for the 5pm free entry, we stop by the ultra crowded and vibrant Crown Fountain. The hot and humid weather makes me wanna dive in and join the kids getting wet in the fountain.

The Art Institute of Chicago huge and really impressive. Their collection of impressionist and post-impressionist art is the most extensive ever. The museum is so huge that it was divided into 3 levels and 3 different wings. I really love the way they arrange the galleries. We did not have to walk through the same exhibit twice to get around the whole place.

So happy to be able to see the original Sunday Afternoon at the Island of La Grande Jatte and Paris Street Rainy Day. Learnt a lot more about Monet, Van Gough and impressionist stuff from my tour guide John.

My tour guide was however, not too interested in the modern art wing. After a short walk around the modern wing, we decided to take a break from our intellectual tour and went across to the Pritzker Pavilion for the free concert. Had a great time enjoying the concert before it started pouring. Armed with my little blue umbrella, we stormed back into the Arts Institute for shelter. On our way back, we saw park security shooooing people away from the Bean for they are concern about lightning incidents. Lol.

I’m glad we resumed our tour of the museum as this time I get to see the American Gothic and Nighthawks. We further explored the American Indians and the Asian Gallery before stumbling upon the very cute and nicely detailed miniature gallery of early American homes.

Our tummy was growling by the time we ended our night at the museum. After a long debate on where to eat, we finally decided to visit the Billy Goat Tavern., famous for its notorious waiter. Poor John was told to get a double cheeseburger when he was about to place our orders. Should have warned him about it. Ooopss. The Tavern is situated below the main street. Down in the basement it really felt like a whole different ghetto.

Our activity for the night is to find the Taj Mahal stone. No, we are not going to India! The Chicago Tribune building has over 200 stones from famous architecture embedded in its façade. It includes the Great Wall, Arc of Triumph, Constantinople, Notre Dame and so on. How interesting!

In the Loop, Out of the Loop, Back in the Loop

2009-06-18T21:49:00.009-06:00

So what exactly is the Loop? It is actually the downtown core financial district where the El (elevated subway system loops around). The financial district in Chicago is also where the theaters are located. Deciding which play to catch was a headache as this place is second most play prolific place after NYC. But thanks to Eric’s request for a copy of the Jersey Boys catalogue, we headed to the BofA Theater. The bargain $25 early bird front row seats were snapped by old folks with insomnia so we had to settle for rear orchestra seats.

First fuel stop would be the not too expensive all American breakfast at the Loop with the El in sight at Wabash’s Corner Bakery . As we fill up our tummy, the loud passing train had us wondering how the city dwellers deal with the noise. They must have had really good earplugs. Lol.

The intention of getting bus passes and more sightseeing information from the Chicago Cultural Center led us to discover the world’s largest Tiffany stained glass dome in the world. The center also houses more exhibits and it is free!

With our bus pass, we are now ready to head out of the loop to another two famous free attractions. Our first stop is the Lincoln Park Conservatory. The exhibits are mostly summer tropical plants so it was not a big hoo-hah for me. The only plant that caught my attention was the heart shaped variegated sweetheart hoya.

The Lincoln Park Zoo is a much more interesting attraction. My personal favorites would be the Regenstein African Journey and the Farm-in-the-Zoo.

There is a few interesting animal at the zoo like the bear with a perpetually dangling tongue, zebra that constantly has seizures and camel with a sagging hump :p

After a nap at the hotel, we walk around the loop in search for a decent priced dinner place. I ‘stumbled’ upon some of the famous architecture downtown. These includes the Chicago Theater, Marshall Field Clock, The Picaso, The four Seasons, The Reliance Building, Carbon n Carbide Building, The Flamingo and many more along the way.

Had our dinner in this pretty old fashioned restaurant named Beef & Brady. Totally loved the simple yet hospitable feeling of the place. The price of the entrée was reasonable as well. The Jersey Boys was definitely more of a show for the baby boomers. I could only recognize 1 song from the whole play (they are supposed to be top billboard hits btw). I must say that it is very well written and enjoyable for a biography musical. Not boring and definitely more realistic than We Will Rock U. Performances by the cast were stellar.

We ended our night with a walk along the Chicago River. The view along the esplanade is simply gorgeous. Oh what a night!

Chi-ca-GO

2009-06-17T17:21:00.003-06:00

The long awaited trip to Chicago is finally coming true. After weeks of researching at the library, I swear I could remember the street names, attractions and ever bus routes without the help of a guide book.

At check-in, we volunteered to get bumped off the flight. (Think travel compensation coupons :p) As they paged for passenger Bui and Leong to the counter and we were like so excited. Guess what? They told us that we have been upgraded to 1^st class! Not thrilled. This is like swapping $100 bucks for a $15 meal and a little more comfort on board a plane that looked like it was stuck in the 1970’s. There was however, this overly excited lady who could not stop chattering about her free upgrade thing. *Shakes head*

The O’Hare airport is like my fav airport thus far. Huge, lots of shops, nicely decorated, plenty of natural light and direct cheap $2.25 24 hours train connection to the city!

Walking from the subway to the hotel was torturous. Thanks to the steep slope and the huge 70 over pounds luggage. Got ourselves a room at the 18^th floor of Hyatt Regency with a magnificent view of the magnificent mile across the Chicago river.

After a refreshing shower, we quickly head out to explore the famous Millenium Park. To our disappointment, the free outdoor concert ended by the time we reached the Pritzker Pavilion. Guess we spent too much time before looking in vain for the famous Giordano’s.

Decided to just explore around the park and come back for another concert the next day as our hotel is just a short 10 minutes walk away from the park. This is by far the safest park in downtown USofA that I have ever seen. Lots of people even at 9pm at night. No junkies, no homeless, no drug addicts. The reflective Cloud Gate structure or more famously known as the Bean is like a perfect photo spot. I could not say the same for the BP Bridge though.

As the sun began to set, we made our way south towards Grant Park. John was freaking out about roaming around the park at night. Talk about being too accustomed to the danger of LA parks. :p The long walk south was finally rewarded with the colorful lights and soothing sounds of splashing water from the Buckingham Fountain.

Although the quality of the much raved about Bobtail Soda Fountain ice cream fell short of my expectation, the breathtaking view of the fountain with the beautiful city skyline as the backdrop make the long walk here worthwhile. Oh and we got to catch the fireworks from the pier from the park. What a perfect first night out in the Windy City.

~Sakura sakura sakura~

2009-03-22T23:07:00.003-06:00

Never had I thought that we will be able to see sakura blossoming during this trip. So the early morning walk to Ueno park was definitely rewarding. The sakura blossom week is actually the week right after we leave. So I was very grateful to be able to see some of the cherry blossom. Though it was not even 1/10 of the trees in the park but at least I get to see it. Lol. Both of us were like so excited!

We realised that we still have some times to spare after the stroll in the park and decided to check out Ameyoko Street. Totally regretted for not going around the place the night before. The street is bustling with people and food. And they've got pretty cheap fruits as well. Oh well, guess that gives me another reason to come back to Tokyo in the future.

That puts an end to my wonderful trip to Tokyo. Sayonara and Arigatou for those tiring but fantastic days!

From the New to the Old

2009-03-21T23:43:00.007-06:00

Had to move from Shinjuku to Ueno today as the hotel we're staying in is fully booked. Shinjuku is like the modern Tokyo with skyscrapers and all. Ueno on the other hand is the older side. Could totally see the difference once we got off the subway. Left our luggage before rushing off to explore the older face of Tokyo.

Our main itinerary today is to just buy lots and lots of souvenirs along the Asakusa Kanon Temple. It is so crowded there. I guess almost everyone there are tourists. Haha. Could hardly walk around the place. I enjoyed the atmosphere although getting a nice shot of the place seemed so impossible. We were stuck along the street for so long. I find myself joining in the craze as things there are cheap and affordable for me. Lol

The Temple itself is very different from the Meiji Shrine. It is all crowded and noisy. Thanks to the publicity of the place. And it is soooo smoky too thanks to all the incense. I had tired out the fortune telling thing via the stick and phew, it says good thing bout my future. Haha.

The whole place is a very good tourist place as they also have lots and lots of food stalls with public seating area. I had my usual takoyaki and tried out the red plum in sugar coating. I ended up throwing the sugar coating away, too sweet. Luved the plum though. John also have some problem wif his sweet potato. Haha. It is tasteless. Perhaps I should have gave him the sugar coating. Lol. Oh and the takoyaki they sell is so cute! They use the small octopus with the tentacles making it looked like an art piece.

After all those adventure, we headed straight back to the hotel for a nap. Totally luv the bathroom concept. Its a really smart way of saving space and it looked classy too. Definitely more stylish than the previous one we stayed in.

Spent the rest of the night revisitng places in Harajuku and Shinjuku. Went back to the restaurant at Shinjuku where we ordered take out on the first night here in Tokyo. The fantastic tasting gyoza tasted as good as the 1st night here. No wonder this restaurant is always full with people. This is the last night of my vacation already? Argh, I dun want this to end!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Rain Has Arrived

2009-03-20T23:16:00.006-06:00

Been checkin on the weather forecast since a month back. The prediction about the rain on Friday was indeed accurate. It was pouring so hard when we reached the Tsukiji Fish Market. And that is not the worst part. Apparently, the market was close for the day too as it was a public holiday. Double whammy, argh! We quickly rush into a small lil cozy restaurant for out sashimi. The price is a lil on the steep side but its ok as the product was really really fresh. Yummy.

After our breakfast, the rain stopped. Had it not stopped, we wouldn't have explored around the outer market and stumble upon the huge tuna fish, weird looking Hokaido grapes, tasty looking snow crabs and the busy busy market. The place just suddenly came alive when the rain stopped. We were wondering where all these people were hiding when it was pouring. Haha.
Not all the shops are open though, so we did not get to see Tsukiji at its most busy and chaotic state.
Decided to go indoors to Roponggi Hills as we feared that the rain will come pouring again. It is a huge shoppin cum residence development. The layout of the place is so confusing. The really need to do something bout this maze. Overall the center was huge but it did not appeal to me despite the great number of shops and restaurant available. Maybe the rain has dampened my mood. The cake that we had at the cafe was really really nice. Forgot the name of the shop. Hehe. It has a really mild and interesting taste.

Had lots of fun checkin out the adjacent TV Asahi complex. They house my favourite cartoon of all time. Doraemon! The blue robot cat from the future that has a pouch to carry all the gadgets in the world. Still remember how I have always wanted the own the 'Door to everywhere' and the "Time machine in the drawer'. If only fantasy can still seem as real as back then. Did not tour the center as all tour are in Japanese. Bummer.

By this time, the sun is now shinning bright. So we decided to head on to Omotesando, Tokyo's version of high end shopping street. All the familiar brands are there with oh so 'familiar' price too. If u get what I mean. But being Tokyo, there has to be some affordable shops there as well. If price is the problem, one can always head on inside to the small streets for local brands. And it is in these small street that I finally found the tasty Takoyaki! Hehe. After the disappointing one at Akihabara, this is so good. John was also lucky with his sweet potato it tasted really sweet. Haha.

The architecture along Omotesando is pretty impressive and cute. See it for yourself here.

Talking about cute things, Kiddyland is just plain fun. They have all sorts of Japanese cartoons merchandise here. Well, actually not all cos we couldn't seem to find those anime things. More like really kiddo toys like Hello Kitty, Miss Miffy, The Black Cat thingy and so on. Where is the once famous Kerokeropi? Hmmmmm.
Ended off the day with some really nice tasting Tempura. It was however our first encounter with a rude waiter here in Japan, maybe he is having a PMS. Lol. But its alright the tasty Tempura left a bigger impression in me.

Hakone on a Very Windy Day

2009-03-19T23:50:00.007-06:00

Got up early in the morning. Had a great time staring into the sky from the room. The feeling is so calm and soothing. If only I can stare into the beautiful sky from my bed like this everyday as I get up. The breakfast was good, but the fish has bones! Up till now i am wondering whether the bone is actually edible. Lol.

Went downtown Hakone Yumoto after check-out to store our luggage so we can go sightseeing at ease. The process of storing the luggage was hilarious yet frustrating. It seemed to me that they ppl there cannot speak English at all. Us on the other hand has absolutely zero Japanese vocabulary. So the whole thing became a mass charade session.

Shoppin downtown for goodies is fun. The packaging are really amazing. They have samples on the goods sold as well. Making it easier to choose what to buy. We found another addiction the sour Japanese plum. My mouth is watering thinking bout it now.

Taking the train up to the Gora Station has to be one of the worst ride in my life. The train is slow, old and stuffy! Should have just took the dizzy bus. At least I can sit and it has better air circulation. The moment we reach Gora I was so relieved. The ride on the funicular up the mountain was alright. We were surrounded by trees so there is really nothing to be seen. When we finally arrived at the cable car station, the sunny weather suddenly became all gloomy and windy. Becos of this my hope of taking a pic of the Mount Fuji with me in it was dashed. Guess I'll jsut have to come back in the future. Lol.

The cable car ride to Owakudani was kinda scary. The wind was blowing so strong that our car is swaying side to side. There was this gal whu is so scared that she was frozen. :p The view from the cable car was quite good though.

It was so cold at Owakudani. Not only it has high elevation but also due to the thick thick fog plus the ever strong blowing wind. All photos were taking in super lightning speed while we were tryin to run into buildings for shelters. Lol.

Contemplated very long before deciding to buy the black egg. It is so expensive like a dollar for an egg. But they say eating it will make one live longer. Of course I don't believe in it. Haha. No wonder the call Owakudani sulfur valley the smell is so strong that I bet one can smell it miles away. *Overstatement, oops*

There is supposed to be a Mount Fuji vantage point here. Thanks to those fog all I could see is errrr fogs? Lol. We took the cable car down to Lake Ashi next. Boarded the pirate ship sightseeing cruise around the lake. Pretty cheesy design. They should have make it more Japanese instead. Took some photos at the town where the boat docked while waiting for the bus to take us back to Hakone Yumoto.

I wanted to get back to Tokyo so badly that time. We paid the extra surcharge this time around to get a better train. No more uncomfortable seats. Yeah! Slept all the way back. Upon reaching the hotel for check-in, we were told that they have to change out room as the one we were assigned to need to be fixed. Turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The room was 1.5 times bigger than our initial room. And of course no more supra tiny toilet! Happy!!!!!

We only explored round Shinjuku that night for more food and shopping before heading off to bed. Guess I still luv the city better. Hehe.

Ryokan Ryokan Here We Come!

2009-03-18T23:58:00.005-06:00

Got up pretty early today to catch the train to Hakone. When we were asked whether we wanna reserve the better train called the Romance Car, we decided to opt out for it cost 870 yen per person each way. But we when actually boarded our train, we we horrified to find out that it was a normal subway train. Had to bear with the 2 hours long train rain on those seats. Argh! Must the Romance Car when we go back man.

Was so glad when we finally reach Hakone after that torturous ride. Couldn't think of anything but to head straight to the ryokan to check in. Man, the ride to there makes me dizzy. Up and down a winding mountain. After 45 minutes of long bus ride, we arrive at the town where our ryokan is. It is nowhere to be seen. Apparently it is another 15 minutes walk away. 15 minutes sounds short but with the luggage and after 3 hours of train and bus ride it is a pain in the ass.

We couldn't check in yet so we decided to go Gotemba Premium Outlets for shopping. The view on the way there is just marvellous. We manage to see Mount Fuji on the bus. From Gotemba town, the mountain is clearly visible. Such a beauty! We did not buy much from the outlet as bargains are definitely less attractive than in the US.

Finally at night, we manage to check-in our ryokan. The shabu-shabu meal served was one of the best meal we had in Japan so far. Hehe. Having tea and snacks while watchin TV is so relaxing. My only regret is not doin this long enough. Hehe.

Changed into the Yukata after shower so fun! The futon is so comfortable to sleep on too! Tried out the sulfur hot bath alone as my travel buddy is stuck to the futon after laying it down. Haha.
I luv traditional ryokan!

Imperial Palace, Ginza, Akihabara, Tokyo Tower: This time with a nap!

2009-03-17T23:35:00.006-06:00

I still find it amazing that we did so much today after being so tired the day before. The day didn't start off too well as it was raining when we got to the park. Almost gave up our plan of picnic at the park. Luckily it stopped and penny pincher like us decided to get food from convenient stores instead of lunching at the restaurant. There are so many office workers in their suits in the park. So cool. Everyone looks the same from behind. Lol. The park was such a relaxing place to eat. By now, both of us are already addicted to milk tea in a bottle. Haha

Took some photos around the park. Can I say that I hate the fountain? It died on me the moment I had my picture taken Argh.

We then took a stroll to the Imperial Palace. Man it is so huge! We wanted to go to the east gardens we walked the wrong way. Thanks to me too busy taking photos. Haha. But its alright we manage to see the palace from the other side. It is only open to the public twice a year so we did not get to go in.Decided to check out the National Diet Building as well. Forgot our passports so did not manage to get inside. Oh well.

We head on to Ginza. Thinking of shopping around. There is so many departmental stores there. And mind u the price of things there are very, I mean very high!

We checked out the overhyped Sony Showroom and House of Shesheido. There is really nothing much here. Thank goodness its free, else I would have slapped myself for paying to get it. The spring bun tasting was the only thing that I really liked bout Ginza. Those buns are so tasty! The texture are just perfect. Fresh and soft.

We decided to head back to the hotel for a nap after the grave mistake of not doin so the day before. Turns out to be a wise decision indeed.

Checked out Akihabara the Electric Town at night. Guess we got up a lil too late cos most the shops are closing by the time we get there. But its ok as we are not intending to get any electrical gadgets anyway. The whole place reminds me of Mongkok in Hong Kong. Guess the place is also evolving into a Otaku heaven as the number of manga shop and cosplay cafe there seems to be rivaling those electric shop. Maybe in 5 yrs time it will be called Akihabara the Otaku Town. Haha.

Since we're still fresh from the nap, and Akihabara is closing, we headed off to Tokyo Tower. Had to walk more to get rid of the food we ate. The Takoyaki and Crepe we got at Akihabara tasted really bad, couldn't even finish it. Anyway, we did not head up the tower as the price is a lil expensive. Decided to just walk around it and leave.
On our way back, we stumble upon a temple for the unborn child. I totally freak out at his request to go explore the place. It was dark and no one is around. I stayed outside as he explored. But in the end, my urge to take photograph overcame my fear. Lol. So i joined him to explore and we took some pictures of the statue. Each statue represents and unborn child.

So that's the end of another day in Tokyo. We're heading out of town tomorrow. Hehe!

Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku. All in a day! I know I'm crazy!

2009-03-16T23:56:00.001-06:00

Lookin back, I really think that I am crazy for squeezing all these into a day. No wonder my poor travel buddy end up being so tired at the end of the day. I ought to be slapped for not taking things a lil more slowly. Guess its the excitement, it overwrote my ability to think straight. Lol

Started the day with a breakfast at the hotel . It was a pretty normal but sufficient. Whu's gonna be having continental breakfast when ur in Tokyo anyway right. The morning feels so good. Off we go with the maps of the city. First stop on the itinerary is of course to get a bird eye's view of the city.

As we're walking along shinjuku, there is way too many distractions that stopped us from going straight our destination. The shopping places are not opened yet, so that saved us from wandering off too much. Haha. For a moment I was lost. Serve me right for not bringing out the correct map. But the clulessness lead us to the Odakyu counter where we can get our passes for our day trip out of Tokyo. Hehe.

Stopped by a ramen shop to have some noodles. We were so hungry after walking round and round tryin to decide on what to eat. In the end it is the budget coupon style ramen shop that got us. Its a pretty cool concept in which you select the meal u want from the coupon dispensing machine, pay for it, hand the coupon to the chef and tell him the noodle u want. Its all self service so they can really save. There is like only 2 person running the whole place. Smart!

After so much digression, we finally end up at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gov Building. Had a great time fooling around the foyer area. Hehe. The weather was so wonderful that day. All shinny and not too chilly.

There is actually 2 towers that one could visit. A north and a south. I forgot which one we went to first but of course, being the me whu wanna try everything, I dragged him to visit both the towers. Lol. The view upstairs was really nice. So glad that it is kinda clear that day. We did not manage to see Mount Fuji though. I spent the whole time ogling at the view while John as per normal is busy browsing all the kawaii products. Did i mention that the entrance is free? :D

Rushed off to Harajuku using the very very massive train network. Reminded me of the time back in Seoul when I first encounter this. It turned out that the trip made to the Meiji Shrine is very refreshing. A huge beautiful park in the middle of all those concretes. Once inside the park, the whole cityscape just disappears.

Silly me made John took so many photos of me and the shrine gate outside for I thought there is only one of such. As we stroll around the park to the shrine, we see more of those with the most impressive one right in front of the entrance to the shrine. *Blushes*.

Tried out the Japanese way of cleansing one's mouth and hand before entering the shrine. The water is so cold! Haha. There is so many people writting their wishes on the wood blocks. No I didn't spend on this. Rather have another Japanese meal. :p

Totally luved the inside of the Shinto shrine it is all so peaceful and quiet. There is no incense as well as this is not a Buddhist temple. So my eyes and lungs did not need to suffer from the smoke. Got some very precious cute souvenir there. It ended up that it is the only souvenir that I got for myself from this trip. Keeping it safe wif me. We were lucky enough to catch a wedding going on at the place too. It was all solemn and quiet just like the temple. No huge celebrations.

Headed on out to shop at Harajuku right away. Did not really like the things at Takeshita Street. The guidebook recommended it but totally preferred Harajuku Street instead. It have more cute small little stalls which sells more appealing products to me. Takeshita just seems messy to me. Even the 100yen Daiso here seems very messy and disorganised.

By the time we are done with Harajuku, both of us are so tired. But being the stubborn me, I insisted on heading on down to Shibuya to see one of the busiest pedestrian crossing in the world. The crowd wasn't as thick as I expected it to be. So yea, it was a lil disappointing. We did not manage to get a seat at the starbucks to people watch either. Sigh. Went running around the crossing to take photos. Hehe. It was fun!

Spent the rest of the night figuring out the place. We're just walking around in circles tryin to get food. In the end we settled for Macdonalds. Lol. Ironic isn't it. Decided to shop a lil but we ended up wandering into basement of some departmental stores ogling at the wonderful food and dessery they sell. But man they are all so expensive. :(

If u think this is the end of the day, you're so wrong! There's one more stop to go. Back to the Metropolitan Gov Building for the night view. Really need to thank John for bearing wif me all these shit. I should really learn to be more relaxed at holidays. Think I'm still too accustomed with the backpackers way of travel. :p The night view from the top was good but definitely not one of the best. Guess after u been to NYC, everything else looks inferior. Having said that, I still think Tokyo trumps NYC when it comes to city light from the ground.

That's the end of the day. Man I never knew exploring can be this is exhausting..........

Its Like a Dream Coming True.

2009-03-15T23:17:00.003-06:00

Got up as early as 3am. All those frantic last minute packing. Gosh being in the workin world really changed me. I would have be all packed and ready to go back then. Feeling super excited bout the trip. I know its only been 2.5months since i went on my last holidays but it is already suffocating me to be trapped here in this small island. As I rushed draggin my luggages to get a cab, I couldn't help but being thankful for stayin 10 minutes away from the airport. Save money and time. Hehe.

Gotten myself some breakfast once i checked in. So glad that Northwest screwed up my flight back in Oct. If not I wouldn't have gotten this wonderful deal. Called my travel mate whu is also boarding the place across the pacific. Both of us are so excited bout the trip.

Did not watch any movies on the plane as I was just sleeping throughout. I manage to take a couple of aerial shots upon touchdown to Narita thought. I can feel my heart shouting out with excitement. Ohio, Nipponland. Lol.

Reach round afternoon time but I am stuck in Narita for the next few hours. Need to wait for my very important companion to arrive. Decided to have a good lunch but too stingy to pay. Hence, I went all around the airport searchin for a convenience store. End up with a sumptuous meal for less than 500 yen. Hehe.

As I have a couple hours left to rot, I decided to plan my week long vacation. In a way I am so thankful that I have these extra hours to plan. This has to be the most disorganized vacation that I had in quite some time. Well, I've got no choice its all becos of busy busy work.

The long torturous wait finally came round evening time. So glad to see him again. We wasted no time and rushed for the next skyliner out to Tokyo. By the time we got the ticket it is already less than 10 minutes to departure time. Rushed downstairs to the subway and damn , I suddenly forgot how to use a magnetic stripe card. Lol. Thanks to getting to used to new technology. Lol. I needed John to remind about puttin the card into the slot. *Slaps Head* Manage to get on the train. Pretty comfy and nice ride. Slept througout actually. Lol

The transfer to the hotel was a disaster. Had to walk around the big big Tokyo station to change line. But luckily after all those navigating, we manage to get to our hotel. Now get ready for the bummer of the day. The hotel rooms are the smallest I've ever seen. But I'm even more amazed by the toilet. Its so tiny that if ur 6 foot tall, ur knock ur head on the ceiling if u ever stand up straight.

Alright that's all for today. Looking forward to exploring tomorrow!

Happy New Year.........Really Gonna Be Happy?

2009-01-01T03:35:00.007-07:00

Remember the time when ur a young kid who manage to grab hold on that TV remote control back home and begin switching channel happily, until ur parents come and take it away from you telling you that you're not old enough to use it yet? That you'll have to wait till you're a lil older to use it? That's exactly how it feels to be back in Singapore. Its like I've found my paradise in Cali and I had to leave becos its not time to settle yet. There is matters or rather shit to clear first.

So the past few days has been super hectic. Moving in and getting all official stuff done. That really took all of my energy. In a way the busy schedule is good to help me take my mind of my constant longing for my life back in Cali. So after a full 3 days of runnin around and getting things done, my room is ready. Not as beautiful as my previous hall room as I am tryin hard to save here. But it is cozy and sufficient.
And after all those work, how can I not reward myself by having a lil fun on new year eve right? So we headed down to Hend's place for a small get together. Lots of drinks, food, games and dvds. Hehe. We could even see the fireworks from his apartment. Its so fun! Poor Cin is now having a fever. Get well soon k. Thanks for the crazy pics Lit.
Looking back, 2008 is certainly one of the best year in my life. If 2007 was adventurous and fun, 2008 is about finally finding what I have been searching for all my life. So here's to a better and faster 2009, 2010 and 2011. You know what I mean peeps. Fast Forward to 2012. Happy New Year!

Christmas is Here

2008-12-26T03:11:00.002-07:00

Alright another backdated entry. I know I am supposed to be sightseeing and not shopping but the deals here are way too hard to miss. Furthermore, I totally luv the whole busy busy shopping atmosphere. Its like the whole world came out for last minute shopping.

As I stay only a few minutes from South Coast Plaza, the mall became my main bargain hunting arena. Lol. The stores were in a mess; Items on the floor, sizes all mixed up, supra long queue lines but the nice deco round the place lightens up the whole atmosphere. Its like for once I am not too bothered bout the crowded places. I’m almost enjoying the company of fellow shoppers. Lol. However, I do not enjoy it when my sizes are all snapped up!
Since I could not get everything I wanted from my main arena, I decided to move further down south. I’m glad I did as I got so many things I wanted at a super bargain price! Irvine Spectrum is really the place man. Hehe. Most importantly, they have a place open for dinner at Christmas eve. If not, we would have starved to death. Yes, almost every place closes on Christmas Eve down in OC to let ppl go home to spend time with their family. How sweet. So don’t say I didn’t warn you that the place is gonna look deserted on Christmas Day.
If you think that stayin in is the only option in Christmas Day, think again. There is always a place called pubs. Totally luved the deco. But I forgot to take pics of the place. Should’ve totally slapped myself for forgettin. Am totally gonna miss hanging out here in LA. Thanks for the wonderful company. I’ll be back, this I promise you my dreamland. Till we meet again, I’m gonna miss you so much.

I've Found That Christmas Feel

2008-12-20T14:39:00.002-07:00

Being unsatisfied with the lights I saw at the LA lights festival and Downtown Disney, I did a lil more research on holiday events. I’m so glad I did! The Newport Beach Boat Parade was so fun. A fireworks display would have completed the experience. Too bad that its cancelled due to the rain.

The Newport Beach Boat Parade is actually OC’s answer to LA’s version at Marina Del Ray. I dunno which one comes first actually. I will need to check the other out in the future to see which is better. But for now, I am totally impressed by what I saw on Friday night.

Lucky for me, the journey down to Newport Beach was smooth. I left my bus schedule at home! Glad that strangers I met on the way are pretty helpful and nice. Chatted with ppl at every bus stop. Why can’t ppl be as warm back home? I stopped to a bus just to ask for direction at some point. The bus driver was even nice enough to drop me to the correct bus stop. Bet I would have been shouted at if the same thing happen back home. Gosh, I’m loving OC. (Do take note that inland OC is not as ‘perfect’ as south OC ok)

So I arrived at the Balboa Island round sunset time, 5pm. Still very early for the parade at 7-8pm. But the 3 hours went pass so fast. I was too busy admiring those Christmas decoration. Apparently, they have an annual contest for the most beautifully decorated home called Ring of Lights. I spent the next 3 hours ogling at the magnificently decorated million dollars home. I did not feel touristy at all as I spotted just as many locals snapping away. Totally wanna do that to my house in the near future. But almost all of these ppl owns a yatch, so think $$$$. Haha. So here are those photos for your inspiration, maybe we can try to be at least half as tastefully lit?

My Favorite House. Its like I'm in Christmas Wonderland

The Theme of A Beary Christmas is so Fresh and Cute

Before I get to even finish checkin out the houses, the parade is about the begin. Having no idea where the route is, I just followed the crowd. Lol. The boat parade was fun. Especially those with Christmas songs playing and lively commentators. My personal Favorite was a small boat with coconut tree, the huge Christmas tree and a boat full of Candies! Photo qualities aren’t as good as the boats are moving fast. Sigh. But its all in my memories. (Actually I video them :p)

After that parade, I headed on to Fashion Island to shop. More like window shop cos I’m broke now. They closed those bus stops nearest to the parade, making me walk all the way uphill to PCH. Argh! But all those effort was well paid off as the deco there was very impressive. The huge Christmas tree is so errrrr humongous. Lol. And I get to take photo with Santa Claus! Call me kiddy, I don’t care. I’ve always wanted to do this. Haha.

Totally luv the holiday season. Not only everyone is in good mood but it is also very easy to get strangers to take photos for you. Now that I’ve found that Christmas feel, I wonder what would supersede this experience? NYC? That’ll have to be next year the earliest. Merry Christmas………Happy Holidays!!!

Baby Its Cold Outside

2008-12-18T17:03:00.012-07:00

Yup, its cold cold weather here in LA. Rain rain rain. Couldn't believe it. The most rain they've ever got in a single day and I happened to be here. Though I'm stuck indoors it is alright as I get to chill and enjoy the weather. Hehe.

Been here for almost a week now. Went around shopping and eating. Lol. I really luv shoppin at costco. Why don't they have something like this back home? Its fun buying in bulk and having lots of room to push ur carts! No more banging into people. But it was quite crowded as compared to summetime. Looks like the recession is not that bad after all, judging from the number of shoppers I see.
Shoppin centers were very nicely decorated but too bad I forgot my camera. No worries, I will be going back to shop. Hehe. But I did manage to take photos with my favourite maple tree. Lol.
One of the Chritsmas highlight of the city is the LADPW lights festival. Its actually a display or Christmas lights along a mile of street. There is light display of places of interest like the Hollywood sign, Griffith Observatory, Stastue of Liberty, Golden Gate Bridge, etc. Luckily we decided to walk and not drive through. That helped us bypass the horrendous traffic jam. So remember, do not do the drive through! The walk in the cool weather with the display was really good though. If only I could do this more often.

The light display and decoration at Downtown Disney is definitely more impressive than the LADPW. Well, its commercial after all. Gave the me holiday mood right away. Why is Mickey and friends always this fun? Haha. Gotta visit the park itself in Christmas in the future.
Even the house near my friend's place is nicely decorated. Totally luved that snow globe and reindeer display. But I think the utilities bill will be just as appealing come January. Lol.
Meanwhile Happy Holidays........Christmas is coming. I'm so exicted!

The Longest Transit Ever

2008-12-12T16:44:00.004-07:00

Alright I should be super happy now, judging from the fact that I am gonna be going to LA for Christmas. But why am I worrying instead of my flight there? Well, maybe I do have a good reason to worry. First of all the transit at Shanghai is gonna be like 9 hours long. Secondly, I have just read up on reviews on China Eastern Airlines and found out all sorts of complains from the passengers. But what can I do? A poor man has to fly the cheap way.

So I am really thankful that Mixue came along to have dinner and sent me off that night. My flight was at midnight and she stayed with me in the check-in queue till her last train leaves. Thanks so much, my dear friend. It certainly made the whole 1.45 hours wait more bearable. The pictures taken at Changi T3 is pretty beautiful too. Upload once I get it from her ok.

So I boarded the flight worryin bout the condition. I was happy to see that things were not as bad as ppl say on the flight to Shanghai, but the fully booked flight is definitely not enjoyable. Especially with the guy sitting next to me playing Chinese Opera channel on the radio so loud that I could hear it even when I'm wearing the headset! Is he deaf or what?

The 9 hours transit went by smoothly as I have lots of dramas on my comp. Thank goodness that they have power plugs for laptop. Hehe. Watching the sunrise at the airport was marvellous as well.I drank some 'sterilized'water from the airport fearing of getting posion. My fear become reality as I have diarrhoea on the flight. I must be fair, maybe it is not. Maybe it is those hawker food from block 85. I really dunno. But i went to the toilet for like 4 times on a 12 horus flight. Argh!

On the other hand, the flight was not as bad as I thought it is. It was not full. So I get more room to move around. But there is a lady with stinky feet on my row. Luckily my nose is running else it would really have been a torture.

Now I'm hoping that my return flight would be alrigh too. Haha. But not gonna worry bout that just yet. I'm in LA. Its time to have fun!!!!!

The Unexpected Stopover

2008-11-07T16:09:00.004-07:00

Alright first of all let me say that this is a backdated post. Hehe. Think its like on Oct 27. Lol.

So I am officially announcing, I've been to Japan! But only to Narita. Lol. Thanks to Northwest Airlines for overbooking. They offered a one night hotel stay, inclusive of buffet meals and a travel voucher for any passengers who would give up their place on the filght. I was like the first person to sign up for that perk as I have was a little late to volunteer when Delta was overbooked back in May. That cost me a return air ticket to any US destination. Lucky that I was fast enought this time around.
But my excitement lasted only for a while when I found out that the hotel is in a far far away 'ulu' land. Meaning, not possible for me to take a train to Tokyo. Argh. And my flight is like so early the next morning. Thought of asking for an extension but since I'n outta cash, I decided to let it go.

Hotel was pretty alright nothing really wow, but definitely bigger than I expected it to be. I was so thankful that there is a bed for me to sleep on. No more trying to fall asleep on the uncomfortable plane seats.
The shuttle ride to the airport the next day was really refreshing. I feel like I've been thrown into Doraemon land. Lol. Those small little tiny roads, with houses and plantation right next to each others. Kawaiii neh. The hospitality is amazing too. I couldn't believe it when those immigration officers were all smile and bowing when they were checking us. Such a huge contrast to those sour faces we see at almost every country's immigration.

The flight on Japan Airlines was great too. I got a whole row of seat to myself. I luv the Jap food they serve. Hehe. Though we cannot choose our own movie to watch, it is alright. I prefer this to Singapore Airlines although you get better entertainment and services cos what a person really needs on a long long flight is room to strecth. This will never happen on SIA as they almost always operates on a full flight.
I officially declare that I would visit Japan someday. Even if it is supra expensive. It is worth it. The hospitality is just perfect! Truly a role model.

San Francisco Once More

2008-11-04T23:37:00.013-07:00

How could I leave the country without revisiting my favourite city. Haha. So I made my way back to SF once more. It was another short weekend trip. I hope in the future I get to spend more than just the weekend here. How about spending a lifetime? Lol.

This post is a recap of the last weekend in the US back in October. Totally miss the time spent eating and chilling out and of course clubbing. Even if its just revisiting all my fav places with nothing new to explore, the whole city still appeal to me.

We stayed in the Tenderloin district this time around. A very seedy area. But it is alright as our friend has a car to take us around. Hehe. The hotel turns out to be a very nice little cosy boutique hotel. Totally an opposite from the scary lookin Tenderloin. The location was very good though as we get lots of cheap delicious food just a block away. The view of the city from the top level is kinda cool too. Too bad we did not discover it at night. Could have seen the city lights.
The highlight of the trip would be the annual Soap Box event. The crowd there is just humongous. We need to watch the whole thing on big screen TV. People are even climbing on trees, chairs and roof just to catch a glimpse of the whole thing. Lol.
It is held at the Dolores Park, my fav park in SF. Basically the competition is to see which vehicle (which is actually built form cardbox) race down the hill fastest. Due to the steepness of the hills, you bet those cardboxes really kinda flew down the hill. Most of them will not even make it to the finish line as they crash into the barriers. Lol. Which explains why there is another price on popular votes.
The designs of the cardboxes are really cute!. I totally luv them. Haha. Especially the pink donut and the one with the SF skyline.

Went to Oakland that day as well, just to see some native American Indian exhibition. The feathers and clothing were very beautiful. The fatty fried bread tasty good too. However, being the me that can never appreciate traditional things, I got really bored at the dances and ceremonial things. Haha.
Ended the trip with a movie at the Kabuki theater. You get a little table next to your seat for your dishes. Yes, they serve food like pizza and pasta. Isn't it cool?
I have something to declare.Virgin America rocks my ass! I totally luv the Virgin America fleet. The whole design is so beautiful! White posh looking seats with purple and pink lightings. Hehe. Best thing is they have personal inflight entertainment screen for TV, games and chatting. And they are acutally considered a budget airline. Shame on all those major airlines that charge high prices and never offer such amenities. Double boo to those long haul ones especially. You guys sucks.
Guess that's the last trip of my months long graduation W&T trip to the USA. Looking forward to spending Christmas in the US man. Haha.

Viva Las Vegas: A recap

2008-11-03T20:41:00.001-07:00

Back to SG for a week now. Been busy trying to settle work contract and visa matters. Guess what? Gonna be back in the US for Christmas! Haha.

Hotel
Just a little recap on my Vegas trip during the final week of December. This time was totally to relax, chill, shop and eat. Wooohooo. Gotten a hotel away from the strip this time around. Both for budget sake and to get a good view of the trip skyline. The decision was a wise one as the strip view was great and the hotels are definitely quieter.

The view of the strip from the Orleans was fantastic. And for the low price of less than 50 bucks a night in a huge clean room, I will most probably stay here again. After i try out all the hotels in Vegas though. Lol.
Hilton has better rooms and a super chilly air-conditioning system. Guess it is to offset the hot weather there. Haha. Price was double the Orleans even when booked at promotional rate. Still, it is worth the price. Hehe. Besides the monorail being right outside the hotel means less walking to get back. Haha. But the price of the monorail is just ridiculous at 5 bucks per ride, I could have bought a day pass elsewhere.
Buffet
Enough bout hotels. This time around I had the privilege to indulge in buffet for every single meal. Haha. So here is a rundown of the buffet list.

Paris.
This one was so so only. It is definitely the cheapest of the big names along the strip. Quality was just fine. Food tasted a little bland and there wasn't too much choices either. The crepe wasn't marvelous, which is a letdown as that is my favorite French food. I totally dig the deco and feel the place gives me. Perhaps this is called paying for the ambience. The creme bulee, however was one of the best that I've tasted. The chocolate desert with the hotel sign on it was very pretty too. Hehe.
Wynn
Definitely one of the most expensive buffet. I guess that's why I don't need to queue to get in. Haha. The lunch here cost as much as dinner at other places. But judging from the choices available, the 30 bucks paid is certainly worth it. Food tasted yummy too with plenty of seafood selction available. I luved the Asian selection best. Hehe. Oh, and I have fun playing with the candy apple dessert. Haha. The service was kinda sucky though. Our server never clear our plates and it was not even busy when we were there. Oh well, that means less tip for him. Haha.
Imperial Palace
One of the cheapest buffet on the strip. Quality was just alright. Selections are very limited almost entirely Asian. So its like Panda Express buffet style. Haha. The very good thing bout such low profile place tucked away in a secluded corner of the hotel is no queue at all. I also like the idea of being able to get my own drink. Hence, I get to try out lots of drinks as I am always to 'pai sei' to ask the waiter to bring me too much drinks.

Orleans
It would be a sin not to try out the very low priced buffet right at the hotel where we stayed. Turns out to be another so-so experience. But what can you ask for when it is an all you can eat steak night for less than 15 bucks. Even a normal plate of steak can easily cost more than that. The service here was actually the best that I experienced this time around. Food selection was pretty normal. The presentation was horrendous thought. The Mexican food looks like its been left there overnight. Haha.
Bellagio
This is definitely the best buffet in town! Which explains why I had to queue for 40 minutes to get the inside. Their dinner price cost as much as lunch at Wynn. I totally luv their cold dish selection. The crab legs and shrimps are so fresh, juicy and tasty. Not forgetting the Salmon and tuna too. I seriously ate too much here. The selection is so huge that even with just a little sampling of all the food available, you could easily get bloated up. Deserts was also good as well, the only thing missing was a fondue. I wonder which buffet in Vegas offers that.
Shopping
Besides eating, shoppin was done at the various mall on the strip. Did not head on to the outlets as planned as we were too lazy to catch a bus all the way downtown. This also means I did not get to checkout Fremont St. Guess that's just another excuse for me to be back here in the future. Haha.

The Forum Shops are Caesar Palace. Very impressive architecture indeed. The place is huge and nice.
The Grand Canal Shops at Venetian. I realize that the one in Macao is so much larger. But still, I like this one better as there is more lively ambiance.
Palazzo. Very boring deco. And its so quiet. This place is almost dead. Things are so high end that I could hardly afford them.
Fashion Show Mall. Quite a good place to shop as things are kinda affordable. It is a little too similar to malls in huge cities though. Lacking the Vegas theme effect.

Miracle Mile Shopping Mall. Definitely my fav. Liked it so much that I shopped here twice in my trip. Hehe. Its just everything I wanted. Nice deco, a mix of high end and affordable stuff and most importantly grocery stall that sell food and water at reasonable price!
Attractions
After my third visit here, I finally get to catch the KA show. The past 2 times when I was here, I sadly watch my friends go to the show while stayin back to nap in the hotel room as I am somehow always out of cash when i reach Vegas. But after watching the show, I cannot really agree with my friend's rave review. The mechanics and stage was totally magnificent. The storyline however, was weak. It does not explain a lot of things and the fight scenes are quite messy at times. Having said that, the skills and stunts execute was really good. So I guess it is still worth is as I got the seats for half the price. Haha. I will stick to musicals or concerts next time around though.
Took more photo of the Vegas night scene and of course caught the Bellagio fountain show. Yes, another thing that I should have done for the past 2 times here but failed to do. Haha. Totally dig it. Viva Las Vegas by Elvis is just great with those powerful shooting fountains. I think I caught 4 different shows throughout my entire trip. Need catch all of it someday by staying at the hotel man. Hehe.
The fountain is not the best thing bout Bellagio. It is its conservatory that stands out the most. The decoration for Halloween is supra impressive. I am at lost for words when I walk in that exhibit. I will let the photo do the talking from here as my vocabulary is way too limited to describe this marvelous piece of work.
More random pictures from the Sin City. Finally get to explore the north part of the strip after spending most of my time at the south part during the last 2 visits. Oh, and finally a nice photo with the lion at MGM grand without the throng of crowds. Already thinking of where to stay on my 4th outing here. Lol.

Just A Filler

2008-10-24T01:44:00.004-06:00

Gosh its coming to an end. My graduation trip. Feels like dying when I think of leaving to go back and face the harsh world.

Anyway, updates on my Vegas and San Francisco trip will come later. I couldn't seem to get enough of these 2 cities despite visiting it so many times.

Will be back in SG in Nov. Feel free to call me out and gimme a treat since most ppl are already earning money now. Pity me the jobless graduate struggling to pay loans. Lol

Meanwhile here is a vid of my favorite city on earth. SF SF I luv you!

The Long Overdue Visit

2008-10-05T12:44:00.011-06:00

I have long planned this itinerary to visit the city of Long Beach but it always fail to materialize. So when the weather remain cool and windy on a Sunday, I figure it out that it will be a good time to visit. The visiting part was great but the process of getting there was a pain in the ass. Taking a bus, a direct bus with no transfer took me a full 2 hours! Weekend bus services really sucks big time. My friend who drove took only 20 minutes. Argh!

Long Beach is quite a good place to visit on a weekend. Its like you've got a little bit of everything in that small compact space. And the best thing is they have free shuttle called the Passport that takes you around the cities attraction. There is also shuttle boats called Aquabus but this one cost $3. Wait time is only about 10 minutes. Thank God. Explored around downtown a little. Then I headed off to the Pine Ave Pier.

At a far distant I can see beautiful palm trees lining the way to the lighthouse. Really beautiful indeed. Made it a point to visit it later the day. Which turns out to be well worth it as I can see the Queen Mary ship on one side and the city view at the other side. There are so many ppl just relaxing at the lighthouse grass patch. Why does all the grass patch here look so inviting? Back home it will just be full of insects and ants. Haha.
Visited the Shoreline Village at the right time as they were having some yacht sale. There are so many ppl there, rich rich ppl I must say. It cost like hundred thousand to own one, probably million when you think about maintenance, gas and tax too. The shops here are so colourful. I totally dig the concept. Parker Lighthouse Restaurant stands out the most. Beautiful seaside view dining restaurant. The whole shoreline village concept is so similar to Ferry Landing in San Diego. The later is bigger and has better view though.
Took the free bus across to the other side to Queen Mary. I have always thought that it was a museum attraction. I was only half correct as it is actually a hotel as well. Haha. Should I put it on my must stay list in the future? The concept of a hotel room sounds cool. Wait, isn't that a totally same as a cruise ship? Except this one never sails, good for those who are seasick. Lol.
Took lots of photos at the Aquarium of the Bay. Its beautiful isn't it. Those shades of blue. No photos of fishes as I did not go in. Hahahahaha. Poor la. Next time k.
The City Place is another new concept that almost all American cities are trying out. Its like they are trying to combine living, working ans retails activities within the same area AKA shophouses back in Asia. Lol. Well they or course, have better building designs. Doubt that it will really work out as ppl would always prefer to have their own front porch, backyard and parking garage. Nevertheless, it is great to be able to shop around in the city center and not having to drive off to faraway malls.

Headed off to Belmont Shore for dinner after watching the sunset form the beach. The beach here is actually one of the widest I've ever seen. I mean width and not length. Sure looks inviting but too bad I'm not properly attired.
Dinner at La Creperia was fantastic. The setting was good for that price. We sat right next to the band too. Haha. Thank goodness it was not those rock band. Else I will go deaf. I declare that I've totally fallen for their Napoleon dessert crepe. Oh, and the garlic fries is a thousand times better than those at the Boardwalk. Yummy!

Mission Learn Arts

2008-10-03T11:20:00.009-06:00

Gosh I cannot believe that I don't even know Van Gough. Argh! Felt so dumb when they put me on camera and asked me to describe the pics. Guess the visit to Getty Center did not really help. Sigh. My own fault as I was too caught up with taking pics :p Should have pay more attention to the paintings.

Anyway, I visited Getty Center on a cool fine day. The past 2 days was like 37 degrees here in LA. Almost killed me. The house felt like a huge toaster. So when we finally get a cooler day, its definitely time to head out and explore. The traffic on the freeway is sure scary. Felt guilty for making my friend stuck in such a huge condition. I seriously need to learn to 'jump' from one place to another.
Parking at the place is sure expensive. $10 bucks! A tram took us up to the hill where the museum is situated. Got to see lots of mansions around the area. My friend even pointed out Magic Johnson's house. Its so huge! The view of LA from here is only so-so due to the heavy smog.

Upon reaching the place, we wasted no time and quickly checked out the place. The architecture of the place is magnificent. The whole indoor exhibit place is almost entirely illuminated by natural light. Such a brilliant idea. They also used only one type of stone: Travetine, which they got all the way from Italy, I heard and they are fossilized. Haha. Funny how ppl actually try to fossilize new things. The finishing touch was amazingly beautiful though.
Did not take any pics of the exhibits as I saw some ppl being warned about taking pics of the paitings. Ooopss. So we took photos only of the architecture and sculptures.
The garden downstairs is in the shape of a maze. Walking down to the garden makes me dizzy. We have to keep on turning round and round to get there. Faints. Not really impressed by the plants there. They do have a huge variety of plant species but the layout is simply too cramped for me.
Oh and here is my favourite exhibit of the place. Lol

Pumpkins, Parking and Planets

2008-09-28T13:58:00.008-06:00

Dim sum for breakafast! Hehe I feel like there is really and Asian food market in California. You can really get almost all those food you miss back home. The wait for the breakfast was torturous though. Me, John n Jay are so damn hungry and they made us wait for like 45 minutes! And obviously that leads to over ordering. Lol. But its yummy so its alright. Crazy them still went on to gobble down some yogurt after dim sum.
Headed off to a nursery again. Just to check out on house plants. The Halloween deco was so cute! The pumpkins are so radiantly coloured. They're really so perfect that they look fake. Lol. Guess these ppl really know how to grow their pumpkins.
Made an impromptu decision to drive up the hills to the Griffith Observatory. I wanted to visit that place at night as it is a planetarium. So I could see stars. But if I go at night, I will need to endure the 2 hours bus journey there. The stupid parking attendants closed up the parking spots upstairs when we arrived. So we had to park below the hill. The walk up to the top was totally daunting. The hot weather did not help either. And the worst part was, we saw more than 10 empty spots at the parking lot near the observatory. Argh!!!!! Thanks to my friend for enduring all these to take me there.

The observatory was newly renovated after the expansion in 2006. I was expecting a huge huge place with lots of exhibits. Sadly, it was much smaller than what I expected it to be. The exhibits are good. Small but sufficient. I was pretty attracted by the huge periodic table display with the real elements placed inside the box. The huge telescope was really amazing. Too bad it does not open until 7pm. Else I would have got the chance to peer through that powerful thing to find my wishing star. Lol
A good place to take beginners to understand the whole space, star and planet thing. The orange planet reminds me of pumpkin. Who know maybe pumpkin looks like that in Jupiter. Lol. I also had a little fun time with Mr. Einstein. I see him sitting there, all lonely so I decided to take a photo with him :p
The observatory is also a pretty good place for sightseeing. Situated at a hill up high in LA. One can see downtown LA on one side and the Hollywood sign on another. Killing 2 birds with one stone. 3 actually if you're interesting in astronomy stuff. I wonder why I never found out bout this place till now. 2 years after I first visited LA. *Smacks forehead* Gotta come back here at night in the future.
A series of my favourite shots of the day. Feels like a model man. Wooohoooo, I'm in Hollywood after all right!

Green is My Favourite Colour

2008-09-23T13:18:00.012-06:00

The theme for today is green. Green is beautiful, lucky and wicked!

Just like every normal day in my LA life, i went shopping and gym. The only different is shopping is done at the nursery today and not the mall. The flowers there are so pretty. I am most attracted to this cactus plant that looks like a rose. Green and Beautiful.
The highlight of the day is actually me and my friend's decision to try out our luck in the Wicked Lottery front row tickets. We wanted to catch the show but the prices are way too steep. It cost like 90 dollars each for a good seat or 40 bucks for a seat so far behind that one can only see peanuts. The front row lottery tickets will cost only $25 dollars each. What a steal! We arrived there rather early so we decided to walk around Hollywood. I finally managed to get a shot of me and the Hollywood sign after my 3rd time here Haha.
Went back for the lottery and found out that there is only 13 pairs of ticket to be given out. Goodness, the number of people trying out for it is like more than 100. Since both of us are not really those than win lucky draws we were quite doubtful that we would get it. I was so excited as they guy started drawing the tics. He draw the first one winner and guess what? He announced my friend's name. We both could not believe it, my friend was like asking me did the person just called out his name. We did not jump up and down as they were too many ppl around. Must maintain image k. Lol. Now I'm convinced that green is my lucky colour.
Quickly walked down to the Highland Mall to have dinner. PCD was scheduled to perform there that night. The whole pink carpet and crowd there is so crazy. I did not stay to catch them perform as I did not wanna be late for my Wicked show.
The Pantages Theater is really beautiful. Architecture on the inside was simply classic and posh. It was so difficult to take pictures as there were too many ppl around.
Did not manage to take photos of me in the theater as it is apparently not allowed. I was happily snapping away when some usher yelled out 'No photography please'. Stopped right away as I do not wanna get thrown out of the theater. Especially when my friend warned that he will kill me if wasted that hard earned ticket. Lol. Here are some photos of the place before I hear that warning :p
Front row seats are simply great. They were like so close. I could even see their hand trembling. Best of all most of the solo singing was on my side. At times the performers were only 5 feet from me. Cool right. The story line was pretty refreshing too. It is actually about the witches of the Wizard of Oz. Its gave a totally new perspective of the story. I totally love the costume design. They are relevant, flamboyant, beautiful and green! No wonder they won awards for the costume. The songs are pleasant and wonderful so good that I wanna listen to them over and over again. I think I will need to search for those songs now. . The performance by the cast was simply marvelous. Totally blown away with the energetic dance and mesmerizing singing. You've gotta catch this magnificent show!

I'm a Really Bad Shopper

2008-09-21T14:40:00.003-06:00

Got up early to pack up and enjoy the free breakfast before I left the hostel. The pancake I made was yummy! Was a little worried initially as the guy before me had the whole thing flour batter stuck on the machine. I dunno how it happened as mine came out just fine. He was still cleaning even after I finished my breakfast. Haha.
Today's mission was to just try to buy some souvenir. Headed off to Fashion Valley Shopping district and came back empty handed. Not giving up, I tried the downtown Horton Plaza as well and guess what? I still end up empty handed. Argh I suck at shopping.

Rushed off to the train station to board my train back to Fullerton. Managed to catch a dance performance at the station. Entertaining.

I did not sleep on the train this time around as I wanted to see the scenery. Turns out that it was a wise idea as the view is really good. This impromptu trip certainly offered much more than I expected and the best thing is I know that I can take pics even when I travel alone! Hahahahah.

Where's my Sunny San Diego?

2008-09-20T14:10:00.005-06:00

I woke up today only to see a pretty gloomy sky. One of those really few days that the sun does not shine here in San Diego. Instead of feeling bad about it, I was delighted. It means that I could head on to the beach and not get burnt!

On my way to the beach, I couldn't help but stop by the PETCO ballpark only 2 blocks from my hostel. It is surrounded by lots of high rise condo and hotel meaning you can actually watch the match live from home! I later learn that those building sprung up after the ballpark is build. Its part of the effort to gentrify the town. It really worked as I cannot really spot homeless people around. Just new fashionable loft apartments.
I ended up at the convention center and Gaslamp Quater after wandering aimlessly around town. Took a couple of pics round the place.

Finally headed off to the Coronado Island after a long long delay. Too distracted with the buildings downtown. Haha. The ride on the bus across the bridge was great. Manged to snap some nice pics. I sadly overshot the bus stop at the Coronado del Mar and ended up at the navy base miles away. Argh. Lucky the next bus in the opposite direction took only 10 minutes to come. Else I will kill myself.

The Coronado del Mar hotel is really post looking. Right next to the beach with white soft sands. Finally a beach that reminds me of those in Florida. There is like lots of tourist here. No, I did not ask them to help me with pics. I did all these pics with the help if my tripod, trashcans and a lot of rocks. Lol. Would love to stay in this hotel in the near future when I become a rich bastard. Haha.

I quickly crossed over to the other side of the Island to catch a glimpse of the sunset with the city syline as the background. It was a pretty decent but not marvellous sunset as the clouds has block the ray of sunlight. That means I did not get to see the golden city view. Sigh. Nevertheless, I had a great time chilling around the ferry landing area. Just sat down and enjoy my dinner while waiting for the sun to set.

Took more shots of the night scene of the city before rushing back to downtown. The walk to the bus stop was freaky as I took a small street with no lights at all. The houses along the street have all their lights off. Gosh! It was such a relieve when I finally reached the main street.

Upon reaching downtown, I say this huge concert taking place, some dance party called Monster Massive. Last night they barricaded another area for Beer Festival. This city really party hard man. Apparently Paul Van Dyk is here. But I have no greater regret than skipping the Janet Jackson concert that night. Really regret my dumb decision to pass it. She was performing in San Diego that night. Argh!

I ended up my night with a couple more shots of the city from the Convention Center and a walk around the very crowded and vibrant Gaslamp Quater. Its like a whole street of restaurants and bars with people al geared up to party the night away. Sadly, I did not join in the party as I was no in the mood after a tiring day of exploring. Someday I will come back to party, I promise!

The Most Last Minute Getaway Ever

2008-09-19T13:20:00.006-06:00

Today I got kick out of the house. Technically, my friend's sis is coming over for the weekend after they got some cheap air ticket deals. Hence, I would need to make space for them to stayover. OMG! I booked all my tickets for the train and hostel at 9pm that night and I will leave on a 6am train the next day. Lucky me it was not a peak season so I still get good rates.

My friend dropped me at the station early morning just before work as LA has really bad public transport. This is like my 1st time taking an Amtrak after all this time in the US. Loved the roomy seats. Definitely better than taking a bus or plane (provided that the journey is not too long though). Did not really get to enjoy the scenery outside as piggy me quickly fell asleep on the train.
Upon reaching San Diego, I was surprised to see a lot of high rise residential apartments. I was expected only office building in the city. The colourful newly build downtown lofts buildings are so pretty! There are still a lot of apartments undergoing construction. Guess that's the cool new accommodation choice here and I totally love it.

The transportation system here is really good as well. Their trolley system that serves almost all the tourist attractions running every 15 minutes, even on weekends! Finally I do not need to wait like hours for transports on weekends. Good job MTS. There is so many transit officers at the stations making me wonder what's the purpose. But still it is good as that keeps the homeless away.

Headed straight to my hostel for check-in at 9 am. A little early but I had to try my luck. Did not wanna carry my luggage around the town. Guess what, I was lucky they got a place. Haha. Quickly wash up and rushed out to explore the city!

First stop was Balboa Park. It has always been on the top of my list when I was planning to visit San Diego a few months back. It is actually a park adjacent to the zoo with lots of museums. I am however, more interested in the architecture of the place rather than its intellectual offerings. Lol. It was such a hassle trying to get pictures of myself and the place. I need somebody to help me with pics. Haha. But you know, I don't give up easily, I went around scouting for potential photographers and when all else fails, I fall back to my timer and tripod. :p

After a tiring walk around the huge huge park, I took the trolley to the Old Town Historic Park. The place is just like in the olden days. Wild western style buildings with lots of exhibits and small free museums. If you're tight on budget, here is the place to go. There is also a lot of people dressed in olden days costume. Took the chance to take photos with them. They are employed by the park so no tipping needed. You can even ask them lots of question regarding the place and things to do. Nice!

Needed some buzz of the city after all those historic monument so I headed off straight to Seaport Village, a shopping place by the bay. Lots of specialty shops there. Interesting concept I must say. I also bumped into my previous roomie from W&T. What a coincidence. Apparently him and some guys and down in San Diego doing the pedicab work.

Since, I do not really have things to buy, I wander off to the Embacadero park for a relaxing stroll as I eat my sandwich. The park offers great view of the Coronado Island and downtown skyscrapers. I simply ended up sitting down and soaking up the atmosphere. The clear sky was a really magnificent setting to view the golden setting sun. The photos below is really inferior to the view of the sunset from the bay. You'll have to come here to see it for yourself.

1st Time at a County Fair

2008-09-05T11:36:00.006-06:00

John and I visited the LA county fair today. It is their grand opening day and entry tix is only $1 dollar per person. What a steal! Normal rate is like 17 dollars per adult. Apparently it is also his first time to the fair after staying here for years.

The drive to the fair was horrendous. The traffic condition was so so bad especially on I-10. It took us like 2 hours to get there. Had to rush to the ticket booth to make sure we get in before 5pm as the rate will increase after that. Luckily, we made it.
We were greeted with the sight of a huge carnival ground upon entry. Was not really interested in the rides so we quickly walked pass that part. Next up on our itinerary was the hone and garden part. The flowers and deco are so beautiful. Some Hawaiian theme thing. Makes me wanna get my own outdoor garden too.
As it is already dinner time, we went around searching for food only to find that we were blocked by the parade from gg over to the side where the food is. Watched the parade a little but it was so boring. We saw ppl running across the street where there is no barricade and we followed :p herd instinct ok. Manage to get a Kawabanga corn dog. Super huge isn't it?
After satisfying our hunger, we did more exploring. Checked out the shopping part and the traditional California Heritage displays and someone broke something there too. Shall not elaborate too much on it. Lol.
The best part of the fair is actually the farm which is how the county fair started off in the early years, according to my friend. I get to see in real life the whole sheep judging contest that I watched in movies. Haha. The way they dress up themselves and the sheep are really cute!
Went around to see all the farm animals too. Touching and feeding the animals is really fun too. The smell of the place is really bad but the whole experience is worth it. Saw a really weird looking cow too. with huge huge horns. Poor them, it must be really tiring on the neck to have such big horns.
The part with all the Christmas trees and lightings really make me wanna spend the holiday season here. Hmmmm. Should I come back in Dec? :p
Ended our visit to the county fair with a final walk around the arcade. Guess what I found? Rides that is exactly similiar to those in the boardwalk. With a different name of course. But they are so much cleaner and newer. So happy that I dun need to operate these stuffs anymore. Haha.
That was a really incredible visit. Looking forward to more fun stuff in LA!

New Hairstyle

2008-09-04T19:10:00.005-06:00

I got a haircut and I luv it. Woohoooo! The fried sweet potato with shrimp dish taste very good too.Luv the asymmetrical back :)

Goodbye Boardwalk, Goodbye La Bahia, Goodbye Santa Cruz

2008-08-30T17:59:00.004-06:00

In a blink of an eye, my 3 months work and travel at Santa Cruz is over. There is a lot that I love and hate about this place. A lot that I'm dying to get out off and a lot of things that I would miss. At the end of the day, I will look back and be grateful for all the experience, work, friendship and traveling I went through.

Work at the boardwalk was easy and boring. I did not really like it but its the job that gotten me here in the first place. I always wanted to do something else. So I guess my second job at Surf City was a good outlet. I look forward working there as much as I look forward to getting their free meal. Lol. Trash and cardboard time are horrible but that always marks the end of my day. After those 12 hours shift I would always walk around the beach and wharf to relax and listening to the sound of the waves, feeling the breeze and counting the stars above me. Guess this is what I'm gonna miss the most.
I realised that most of my off days were spent out of Santa Cruz. San Francisco is the place I visited the most. That was my main reason for choosing Santa Cruz actually. Its proximity to SF. Now that my work is ending, it will definitely be harder for me to visit lovely SF as often. But I do remember some off days spent in Santa Cruz. They were simple days like those that I head to the gym at UCSC, jog around Westcliff area and enjoy a wonderful that home cook meal at M&J 's.
La Bahia, my home for these months has really trained me on my sensitivity towards temperature. I am now a pro on switching the hot and cold faucet off intermittently to maintain a correct temprature while showering. Haha. I will also need to say goodbye to my dear microwave, one which I abused so much throughout my stay. My only means of cooking my meal.
Well, though I will leave all these behind. I am sure that the friendships made here will last for a long time even if not forever, thanks for making everything so hard, irritating, fun, exciting and memorable.

A final person to thank would be the W&T coordinator Sequoia without whom I will not even get to come here to Santa Cruz. Not forgetting Dave our housing coordinator for helping us out on all little nonsense too.
So adios work and travel 2008. Gonna keep this piece of memory for a long long time to come.

Experiencing the OC

2008-08-18T14:02:00.005-06:00

The next 2 days in OC was spent visiting beaches, eating at restaurants and shopping at the mall. Well, that's what the lifestyle of the rich and famous is about after all right.

To satisfy Mixue's craving for Vietnamese food, we went to Brodard twice. Simply because the first time we went was right after clubbin and ppl are still suffering from the alcohol effects. Lol. Second time was much better but we certainly did order too much food. Haha.

Checked out the Crystal Cathedral. A very famous and huge church with glass panels as the structure causing it to give great reflections of the whole surrounding. Very beautiful architecture indeed.

The process and the outcome!

Luv It!

Also spent our time around the very famous Laguna Beach. The beach is so much smaller than the one in Venice. But its compact shops and beach makes the whole places a little more vibrant then its counterpart. True enough what we seen in the TV series can be found here. We were not lucky enough to see famous ppl. Ok, we were too into taking photos and enjoying ourselves that we forgot to look harder. Lol

We also check out a couple of shoppin mall. Actually 3 altogether. Fashion Island near Newport was really posh with all designer brands but its landscaping is just as nice. Irvine Spectrum was impressive with the Morrocan design and African feel. But I still enjoy South Coast the best as it is entirely indoors and definitely with more familiar brands. Watched Dark Knight too. Did not really liked it as it was too complicated and .dark'.

Thanks to John for taking us around. Really helped make our trip around the OC a success!

Lifestyle of the Rich and Famous

2008-08-16T13:30:00.003-06:00

The agenda for this weekend is the lifestyle of the rich and the famous. Yup we are gg to the OC! But first we have to survive a 6 hour long drive from Santa Cruz to LA. Did a couple pit stop here and there. We get to try out Jack in the Box for the first time too. Skip the cheese nuggets. At almost 2 dollars for 3 pieces , gosh it is certainly not worth it.

The most interesting little town was Solvang. Still remember Shawn recommending me the place during her exchange. Just a small Danish town. Nothing really big but it is an interesting place for a pitstop.

Nutcracker!

Thanks to the LA traffic condition we reached Monterey Park only at around 8pm. Picked up poor Mixue who was there from half an hour ago as she has traveled from Vegas to LA to meet up with us. The traffic jam is the worst I ever seen in the US. Oh wait actually the one at Manhattan was worse. Still remember it took 2 hours for Teresa to drive me across the tiny tip of Manhattan. Met up with John at dinner that day. Asian noodles are s delicious.

Since it is a Friday night. To get in the TGIF mood we went clubbing at Hollywood. Everything here is expensive. From cover to drinks all double the price in SF. Really lifestyle of the rich and the famous. We partied hard. Thanks to John's recommendation of Tokyo Tea and Motherfucker. But it was fun seeing ppl rolling round the ground and falling on the dance floor. Ooppps..............

No photos from clubbin as they were all too kinky. Haha. Actually the truth is we forgot to bring our camera. Argh!

All About the Flowers and The Rock

2008-08-08T16:03:00.010-06:00

Started off the day with a really sumptuous meal. Went back to the dim sum restaurant that Vince and Thang took me to a week ago. It was really nice. We all ate so much this time around that the final bill came up to 100 dollars! OMG! Walked around the South SF neighbouhood a little to digest the food. Fooling around at the playground is so so fun!
Pick up Miss Joyce at the 'Cowtrain' station and drove to the Twin Peaks for a view of the city. It was quite foggy that day but we still manage to catch a glimpse of the city with the Bay bridge. The GGB is totally covered by the fog. The wind is really really strong and chilly up there. We decided to hide in the car and film crazy vids as the others were exploring the place. Lol.

The visit to the Golden Gate Park was good. The Conservatory was really beautiful. Took lots of pics and my goodness some ppl actually fell down on the flowers. Smashing them flat. Poor flowers. Serve thenm right for messing with me. Whahahahahah.

Doing the grass thing again. Reminiscence of Capitola Village

The Japanese Tea Garden is also really good. The architecture are really relevant. If only they have cherry blossom then everything will be perfect man. We did not manage to explore the whole place as we had to rush off to the wharf for our tour to The Rock.

The whole Alcatraz experience was simply marvellous. No wonder the night tour gets sold out so fast everytime. The whole experience seem more realistic when the sun goes down. They also have much better customer service too. I still remember how rude some of the people at the Statue of Liberty were. This time around in SF everybody was just nice an pleasant. Those ppl from the Statue of Liberty National Park should really learn from these folks here at Alcatraz.

View of the Bay Bridge, Coit Tower and Transamerica Pyramid

So make sure you go on this tour when here in SF. The whole prison cell experience is so haunting. And you can say that u've been on the movie set of The Green Mile too. Haha. It is funny how they name their walkways from names like Times Square, Michigan Avenue and CD Street. The view of The City from the island at night is simply magnificent. How I really wish one day I could stay in SF.
We bid farewell to Mixue that night as she continued her voyage to Vegas. The rest of us made our way back to Santa Cruz after a nice dessert meal at Ghiradelli again! Really should try something else next time around.

A Visit to the Wine Valley

2008-08-07T14:59:00.004-06:00

Alex has gotten us 4 free passes which means we only need to buy 1 tix for the tour!I'm more exited bout seeing a vineyard up closerather than learning bout wine. :p We stopped by Krispy Kreme for some donuts on the way. Bought like 2 dozens of them. So many flavors to choose from. Finished like one dozen before it was even evening time. Haha.

When we finally arrive at Domaine Chandon, I realise that the vineyard are really not as impressive as those we saw in the picture. Wrong spot maybe. But the whole establishment itself is very nicely decorated. The winebar is really cool and nice.
The tour around the place was just alright as we get to see little bit of everything. Did not get to venture into the huge Vineyard. Sigh. The underground place where they store the wine for fermentation was very impressive. Like tons of barrels inside a huge huge basement. I can still remember clearly the smell of the place now.
After and informative tour, we got to taste the wine. Cannot believe that a lot of us are bad at wine. Most of our face was as red as tomato even only after a few glass. OMG! So we chatted and waited for a while before we finally left the place to go back to SF for some shopping at Union Square.

Dinner at Richmond was really really tatsy, cheap and funny as we see Thom sturggling to finish the steamed chicken legs his order. Lol

Speedboat Racing.......Wooohoooo

2008-08-01T12:15:00.009-06:00

This day marks the last day of the whole nature getaway trip. We got up pretty late in the morning as the only agenda on our list is to see the lake. There is however, lots of ways to see the lake. Drive, take the gondola or go by boat. After a long long discussion, we decided to do it the speedboat thing. The most expensive way, but it turns out to be a really exciting experience.

The search for a speedboat that accommodates 9 ppl turns out to be a hassle. We went to the first rental company just to find out that they rented out all their boats. Bummer. Should just let us know beforehand when we called, wasted our time driving all the way there. Luckily we get it right at the second rental company.

It is time to sail!

Off we go to the Lake. Everybody took their turn to drive the boat. I think i drove the least. Scared of ramming the boat into some rocks underneath as the insurance only covers anything above the water line. The whole thing was so fun especially when they race at full speed. Haha. My ass was so painful from the bumping though. Here's a tip, the front is really bumpy but that's the best part. Haha. Shouting from the boat is so fun!

What I did on the boat

Act Cool!

Relax

Drive
Hooking up

Err... I dunno what I was up to

After the boat, we bid farewell to my roomies as they need to go for bungee jump. A group of us decided to skip due to the expensive price and of course too afraid to try. Haha. So we explored further up north to the lake. Only to find that it is not really beautiful. We couldn't seem to find those picturesque spots. Sigh. We however, did a really funny dance video. Tsk tsk.

We drove Mixue to Sacramento after the trip. As usual we stopped by a Walmart to get our groceries. Upon reaching Sacra, we kinda find out that the place is really just a capital. Everything looks dead. Now this is more like a ghost town. Lol. That's the really scary part. Its totally well maintained but there is not a single sight of human soul. We bid our farewell to her as she checked in the hostel. A huge old Victorian mansion.

We flee the ghostly capital town back to Santa Cruz that night as we got to work the next day. Oh wait they got to work. I've got another 2 days off. Gonna head down to my beautiful SF again!

Nothing Ghostly in the Ghost Town

2008-07-31T19:40:00.006-06:00

Earlier today, everybody kinda took the Gondola up to the peak of the mountain. Lazy me decided to just stay inside and walk around the resort. Some went mountain biking and some just hiking. Heard from them that the mountain biking road was really really scary. So glad I never went. Worse thing is they were stuck in the mountain and was so late until they do not have a chance to shower as we have to check out. Ewwwwwww.
So with 3 clean ppl and 6 very muddy pals, we headed up to the ghost town, Bodie State Park. Basically a ghost town is just a deserted small town. These town boomed during the gold rush era. But when they run out of the minerals, people just flee the town. Wild wild west kinda setting. Bodie has a reputation of being a very bad town in which there is full of bad guys and horrible weather. I can totally understand the weather part. It was scorching hot! Quite an eye opener but this is that kind of places that you only go once in your life and never wanna visit it again.

We reched Lake Tahoe pretty late as there is more road work. This time we were completely stopped. There is this long queue of cars along the highway. OMG! The Horizon Hotel in Lake Tahoe was such a letdown, old and too basic. Certainly worth less than the price we pay for. Feeling tired from the hot sunny morning, I went to bed as the others gamble it out at the casino.

Here is the little cowboy story me and Mixue made. Enjoy!

Out of the Haze into the Mountains

2008-07-30T16:05:00.008-06:00

The day started super early. 7am OMG! Everyone was like super half asleep. The itinerary was super long today. So many places to visit. I really doubt that we can do it all in time. Lucky that we have a lot of drivers on stand by.

Wonderful morning sky

Visited the Yosemite Falls. Not much water left at the falls as it is already summer. It was like spraying tiny droplets of water down. The walk in the woods to the falls was really refreshing. Although it was hazy outside, the trees really did absorbed all those smoke. This time around I passed on climbing all the way up to the falls. Left the rest to do it. Too lazy to do a detour as I went up the short cut which apparently cut short my hike due to a huge rock blocking the way.

Isn't the water amazingly clear?

Stopped by Yosemite Village for lunch a before heading off to the Toulene Meadows. This place turned out to be my favorite stop. Its really beautiful. Green green grass, bright blue sky, clean clear river with lots of wlidflowers around. Really seems like I'm in those gardens in movies.

Reminds me of some ads in magazines

The beautiful day does not stop there are we move on the Olmsted Point. The view from the vista point is simply enchanting. Borrowed the graduation gown from Alex to take photo there. Lol. Almost everybody did that. So guess i can say I went through my commencement here at Yosemite National Park. Haha.

We finally reached our pit stop at a ski resort at Mammoth Mountain. The elevation was so high that I feel so chilly. As we entered the house, we were greeted by the sight of the wonderful hotel. It is really like a vacation house. Complete with a living room, dinning room, kitchen, 3 full baths, 2 bedrooms and a cute attic with 4 beds. Could really have a party there in the room man. Feel like I wanna stay here for the rest of the Vacation man.

Goldilocks and the 3 Bears?

Here Comes Everybody

2008-07-29T13:55:00.005-06:00

Today marks the end of our SF trip. The past 2 days has been so much fun. Wanted to stay longer in The City but we've got plans ahead. So reluctant to leave the place. We left SF for San Jose where we are supposed to meet up with the rest. The whole ride on the Caltrain was spent recollecting about our fun filled weekend in SF. Wonder whether we will get the chance to do that again. Its already been 2 months that I'm here in US. Time really flies.

Drove off from SJ to this small little town called Chowcilla. Found out from Ben and gang that they got a speeding ticket. Gosh, that's horrible. Still remember my horrible incident with the highway patrol 2 years ago. That thought me not to speed or at least watch my ass if I intend to speed. Lol.

Love the whole natural feel

Can you find me?

The drive to Yosemite seems neverending. Upon entering the park, we were told that there is a huge forest fire a couple days before. Bummer. Not only we cannot get a good view of the place, the air smell so hazy. As bad as the time when home was affected by the Indo forest fire. Now where is my breath of fresh air. Argh! There goes the beautiful view at glacier point :(

What we see and supposed to have seen. Argh!

Next stop was Bridalveil Fall. We kinda got lost as I drove to the Bridalveil Campsite instead. The other car waited for us quite long. Sorry. But it was fun getting lost somehow. Haha. We were lucky that the part where the fall is situated is clear from the fog. So we finally get a good view and a little fresh air. The climbing on rocks to the top was really fun! The water is crystal clear. Reminds me of the stream back in Korea. This is better though as there is very few ppl around. Hence we get a lot more peace and quiet.

After seeing the wonderful sunset, we checked out a hotel near the place. Pretty nice and decent but too bad we are not stayin there. It is so high class that their dining place requires proper dress code. Bleh.

Our drive to the cabin was very 'interesting' too. Apparently they were doin road works and we had to follow a pilot car for a long long time. Super slow man. The best part is actually when we reached the place, we found out that our other car is missing. Everybody was like :o We waited for a while and the are still not appearing and decided to drive back to search for them. The worries finally end when we found them. Not! We found out that the cabin we booked does not have cooking facilities and they banned campfire on the site. After some negotiation with the front desk, they decided to let us use the kitchen. Thank goodness. If not I think we would need to hunt for a deer and eat it sashimi style.

The cabin room was pretty small. Toilet was not adjacent. Really back to nature right. Too bad I am not such a nature lover. All these unfortunate events was quickly forgotten when I stare into the sky. I see such a wonderful constellation of tiny stars shinning brightly above me. Magnificent.

SF I totally Heart You! (Part II)

2008-07-27T14:26:00.003-06:00

Impressed that we still woke up early the next mornin after all that booze yesterday. I forgot to mention that this is actually only day 2 of my week long vacation . Haha. Yes, I took a week off to go sightseeing. Lol.

We headed off to Chinatown and Little Italy which is really side by side each other. Well, Chinatown really does reminds me of Chinese market. The layout of shop houses, smell of vege and fish, sounds of ppl bargaining and sights of small messy sundry shop are all present. Its amazing how this place managed to keep to its root.

All smile before we try the food. You won't wanna see the look on our face once we tasted the food. :(

Our search for dim sum turns out to be disastrous. We were trying our best to save money and decided to gave a $5.99 dim sum buffet. It sure sounds like a good deal, but really it is disastrous. Worst I've ever had. We learnt our lesson to pay a little more next time so we could really get some good quality dim sum.

Transamerica Pyramid from Little Italy
We saw ppl singing opera in the middle of the street. High class buskers?

After that horrible meal, we went back to the hotel for a nap. Guess bad food does not energize us. Haha. After recharging we walked around downtown Civic Center and Tenderloin area for some really nice Vietnamese food. SF is really a food heaven. (minus the dum sum buffet of course)

SF City Hall

We headed off to the Alamo Square to see the painted ladies. The setting for Full House. Still remember how I've always liked the show when I was young.The view of the city from the park is beautiful but it is definitely inferior when compared to the one at Dolores Park. Thanks to John for introducing the place to me. Hehe. Wanting to see a better view of the city, we went to Dolores Park for the night scene. Our plan was ruined due to the thick thick fog at night. Sigh. So we took picture in the train instead. Lol. This is really funny. Guess parking is really that scarce in SF that this owner worried someone is gonna park at his doorstep .
Oh, there is this Crepe shop at Richmond which is really really good. We went back to Richmond that night just to have the Crepe. Lol. We accidentally found that shop the day before as we were taking a bus back from GGB to the hotel. Yummy!

SF I totally Heart You! (Part I)

2008-07-26T13:05:00.009-06:00

This marks my 4th trip to SF in just a month. Proud of myself for being able to travel here so much. Hehe. This time around I'm here with M&J. Been a while since we see Mixue since she quit her job early to travel around. So I was really lookin forward to see her.

We took the Caltrain down to SF as usual the cheap and convenient way. Weekdays are even better they got this baby bullet that only takes 45 min to get to SF :) The process of walking to our hotel almost killed us. Never expected it to be all the way at the Civic Center. Walked for about 40 plus minutes......
The Whitcomb Hotel was really an old antique hotel as they claimed to be. Looks like a haunted mansion too :s Headed straight out for lunch at Union Square. Very very nice. Haha. They have hearts all over the city. Cannot remember what it is for but sure it speaks for me. I *heart* SF. Haha.
The process of finding a bus to the Golden Gate Bridge, GGB was really funny. From missing a bus, to chasing after one and getting off a little too early. The climax was actually when we could not see a bus stop sign. Mixue was pointing out to me and Joyce that there is a bus stop but all we see is a huge red stop sign in front. We laughed at her silliness only to find that there is a bus stop. Its written on the ground! OMG!
The hardship gone through was well worth it as we were greeted but a super sunny weather. Absolutely no fog, when we reached the GGB at sunset. I feel like I could really fly. Nice weather perfect scenery. My first time walking along the bridge although I've been to this city countless number of times.

View of The City from the bridge.

Time for some Action :)

I couldn't decide which photo is better. Thanks MX, the professional photographer!

The houses around the Marina area are so pretty too. I really hope that someday I could buy a huge beautiful house here in SF facing the ocean.
That night, we went clubbing at the Castro area as they gal feel safer clubbin' at a place that they are preyed on. It was certainly a fun fun night. I shall spare the details of that eventful night. :p Gotta go to the club again soon!

Another Year Older

2008-07-18T21:57:00.002-06:00

OMG, Another year older. my my my. This year I am in LA. It seemed to me that every birthday I'm at different place. Had a nice expensive Sushi dinner, watched WALL-E and shopped around. Pretty normal but it was really comforting. No partying and no speeding ticket or ponding like those years before. Best thing is the thing that I got for my birthday. Thank you :)

Canon Camera!

With a nice MAroooon casing!

Oh btw, thanks girls for the pre-birthday dinner. Have fun water rafting!

The Seaside Village

2008-07-11T17:34:00.001-06:00

We visited Capitola Village after the sailing trip. It was a rather small place. making it more compact than the beach and downtown at Santa Cruz. We could feel the vibrant atmosphere here unlike back in our workplace. Perhaps its hard to enjoy the place when one works there.

We checked out a specially themed wine place called Poison. They even put the wine inside a coffin shaped box. Ewwww. The mascot right in front of the door is uber scary as well. I wonder whether one will see ghost from drinking those wines. Haha.

Our walk around the beach led us to a green grass patch near the place. It was really really inviting that we lie around the place for almost an hour. Took lots of funny pictures as well. It was certainly a very fine day.

A Day at the Sea

2008-07-10T15:05:00.005-06:00

We get to sail on the company boat today! Its called Chardonay II. Apparently people pay like $40 dollars to get on. We only need to pay $10. But minus the food and refreshments. What a way to show the workers their appreciation. This company really need to work on its welfare. Boooooo

Back to the whole sailing thing. It is actually my first time on a yacht. I am so so excited. Almost all the SG people are there too. Think it is our first group outing. The weather was so sunny and I forgotten my sun block. Dumb ass. Gonna end up getting burnt later.
The first part was really fun as we went around to take picture and cam whore around. But man, I was having a ultra bad hair day :( Then I simply relaxed on the yacht. The relaxation somehow turned into boredom after a while. With no food and drinks on board for 2 hours, we decided to do our own entertainment, playing childhood games. Bet the other students must be giving us the ........ thing. Haha.
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The Biggest SF Celebration

2008-06-29T01:29:00.007-06:00

Went down to SF again after just 2 days of work. Haha! I have 2 main agendas today. Meeting up with friends and checkin out on the huge pride celebration in SF.

Before that I went around the wharf as Santa Cruz is also having something big. It is the annual vintage car show. Hehe. Very impressive. All those ppl really took good care of the cars or rather spent a lot to refurbish them. Prices of the car going on sale is even more expensive than a brand new one. Did not really manage to see everything as I needed to catch the train down to SF for a bigger and more flamboyant celebration.

Took advantage of the good public transport from San Jose to SF via the Caltrain. It was very comfortable and for only $7.50 one way, it is really a steal. Had a very pleasant hour long train ride. Yup it only took me 2.5 hours to get from Santa Cruz to SF with total cost of $11 dollars. I foresee myself heading down to The City a lot this summer :)
Met up with my UofC exchange friend Zoie. So envious of her being able to move to SF. I've met up with almost everyone from UofC gang except Christine. Guess Taiwan will be the next stop. Lol. We spent lots of time deciding where to eat and finally settled for Vietnamese cuisine. The 7 flavored beef was special but the price was a little steep. It was great catching up with her.
The next day was spent going around Market Street where the pride parade takes place. It was really and eye opener. Not an event to miss. Very very happening indeed. So glad I get to see and experience this man.
Also checked out the booths at the Civic Center with John and friends. The whole pride event was so huge that then condone off like the whole area and street around the Civic Center. It is really not a event to miss. See so many funny things. There is even guys and gals walking around stark naked! OMG! Was too pai seh to take photo of that. Now I kinda regret not doing it. Sigh! Will try to get some of the photos from friend. Once I get it will upload them here. Haha.

SF: The City I love

2008-06-26T22:46:00.001-06:00

It is undeniable that SF had always and will always be on the top of my list on the places I would like to live in. Never had I felt so relaxed and excited at the same time about a place. The weather might be a little chilly but the place is just beautiful. Topped by its really nice people, delicious cuisine, passable public transport and exciting nightlife that's really a complete package.

We were all so excited to finally be able to go to SF. We headed straight for the Fisherman' Wharf to feast on the yummy food. So lucky to be able to find street parking as it is free after 7pm. Woooohooo! Parking here is so expensive and scarce.

Don't you think the colour matches nicely?

Settled for the wonderful restaurant with really really fresh seafood that evening. The scallop so juicy and the shrimp is really huge! My mouth is watering as I type this entry.
Boudin is very interesting as well. Those animal shaped bread are so cute. Too bad the prices are not too cute. Else I would have gotten them too. The way they transport the bread in basket from the kitchen to the counter is very innovative too. Will upload a vid on it when I have the chance to do so.

After the dinner it is exploring time. Went around the normal Ghiradelli place. The scenery is just as beautiful as back then, then only difference is there is not conflict so this time, I can finally declare that its perfect.
Catching the sunset at the pier is simply magnificent minus the cold cold wind of course. Took lots of nice jump shots there too.

This is just so Nike ad!

Ended the trip with dessert and Ghiradelli. So sinful.... SF I totally luv you!

San Jose: Its Boring

2008-06-25T23:49:00.001-06:00

I've been to San Jose 2 times already by now. It is really such a boring place. The first time was unplanned. Arriving there on a Sunday afternoon is really the dumbest thing to do. Everything was closed. We ended up going to grocery stalls and taking photos in front of not so marvellous architectures. The bus driver on the Highway 17 bus was the rudest I've ever encountered. Thom is just pissed like hell throughout the trip.

Second time to San Jose wasn't much better. We got conned $30 for the visit to the Winchester Mystery House. The best thing about the house is really the garden exterior and its free! OMG! The interior is really such a mess. Its all rooms and rooms with weird doors and furniture overcrowding the place. Joyce was cursing throughout the tour. Warning: It is not a wise thing to do as she had a Winchester effect (bruises all over) the next day. We were wondering whether there is a ghost there who is not quiet happy about her complains.Haha. Our tour guide makes things worse. He just slurred through all his descriptions. Everybody in the group was like trying to guess what he was trying to say. Bummer.

If the place is not fun we'll make it fun! I luv the wacky faces :)

No, we're not crazy bout stairs and poles. But sadly that's the highlight of the place.

The beautiful garden is really the saving grace of the place.

So trust me people, come San Jose only if u have some Silicon Business to deal with. Else, wisely give it a pass and head north to the enchanting San Fran or south to the Monterey Bay.

New Job

2008-06-23T23:50:00.004-06:00

Operating rides was so mundane and boring after a while. A good or bad day at work really depends on your luck. Meet wonderful guest your day becomes marvelous. Its amazing how a simple thank you and smile can really make one's day. Meet horrible guest and the rest of the day is ruined. Its funny how people always try to pay less or not paying at all to get in. I recall parents pressing their child down when I was measuring them just to chaperon them for free. The worse ones however are those who try to break the height requirement rule. Gosh don't you actually care about your child's safety?

With my fun co-worker Vanya

I am glad that i found a second job. Hectic but interesting. It saved me from working too many hours as a ride operator. So i did 6 hrs of ride operating and another 6 hrs at a fast food restaurant. Its called Surf City Grill. Time passes faster and the work is definitely more fun. At least I get to take orders, work the cash register and do some stocking in one shift. Certainly a zillion times better than pushing the start n stop button of the machines all day long. The only downside of this is doing the smelly heavy leaking trash at closing. Argh!

Feastin' on the free food :)

To The New Apartment

2008-06-22T12:38:00.008-06:00

Today we have to move to our new apartment with 4 other Singaporean guys. Hooray!! A really run down building on the outside. Luckily the inside is not that bad. We had an empty apartment initially and end up doing garang-guni. Haha. Which helped us to complete our living room. Lol. Two sets of sofa and a coffee table! Woohoooooo. And now i have a kitchen to cook.
Not only that I finally found my second job after a long long search and worrying period. Gonna work at this fast tood place. Right after securing that job, I got a call from the merchandise shop. Totally wtf, everything come in on. I am still wondering whether I should choose merchandise shop. Less oily and dirty ma but time will pass slower as there is less to do. Think think.....