16 years ago
Maui Pictionary

Fairmont Kea Lani in Wailea, Maui. (What a cheesy smile)

The lobby of the Fairmont.

Me in front of a water fountain in the lobby of the Fairmont.

R in front of a really large painting in the lobby of the Fairmont.

The living room of our suite.

The view of the hotel/gardens from our balcony.

Our red mustang convertible for 4 days.

Richard's 2nd favorite place in Maui.

The garden in the lobby of our hotel.

The dessert we gobbled up in 2 minutes... yummy pear tart.

Richard watching the boats dock at Lahaina Harbor.

The half-sunken boat we saw there last summer. Apparently this boat got caught in the reefs and would cost the city too much to remove... so they are making it a historical spot.

Okay so here's the story that goes along with this picture... Earlier that day I bought a small chocolate bar. It was supposed to be low-carb but tasty so I wanted to try a piece... if it was good I wanted to bring a lot back with me to LA. Well at the cashier Richard stole the chocolate and stuck it in his pocket. I was so annoyed because I really wanted to try the chocolate so I said, "Just watch! Knowing you, you will forget about it and it will melt in your pocket!" Well, it DID melt in his pocket, all over his phone.

The day we left the hotel started putting up Christmas decorations which included 2 Christmas trees, wreaths, and reindeer! Reindeer in the tropics! So odd! (They even wore lei's)

And that concludes our trip to Maui
Day 3 & 4 in Paradise
Woke up and ate lunch by the pool again. The ham & cheese panini here at the Fairmont is SO GOOD! Freshly sliced black forest ham with melted cheese in a grilled panini. Yum. We've had this twice in a row already and I'm contemplating eating it for lunch on Sunday too. ~.~
After lunch we stopped by the watch store (again) to pick up our watches and sign some paperwork. I'm beginning to think I was duped into a Maui Holiday... we aren't here for the sun... we are here for the watches!
Then we decided to explore down south. We drove down as far as we could go without violating our rental car contract, to Big Beach. The roads after Big Beach are narrow, windy and dangerous so we weren't allowed to drive past it. We ate "Maui's #1 fish tacos" by the beach and then drove back up.
Finally back at the hotel I had some time to relax and unwind... and hopefully to get some sun! Unfortunately out of the 1.5 hours I spent lying by the pool... I only had about 2 total minutes of sun. Grrrr! So I gave up and Richard and I ate by the pool instead. Kahlua Pork Quesadilla! It was so tasty it's ridiculous. I'd go back just for those quesadillas. Oh and the Ham & Cheese Panini.
After our late afternoon snack we walked down to the beach to catch our last Maui sunset. After a half hour of the breathtaking view, we went back to the hotel room to hang out before our dinner reservation. I took a looong bubble bath, long enough to finish reading James Patterson's "Mary, Mary" then got ready for dinner. We decided to eat at Roy's... we ate there last during our last trip to Maui too. The food was incredible! I love how fresh the Ahi is in Maui.... the Ahi Tatake was amazing. So were the crabcakes and their signature dish, the marinated short rib. Seriously the only beef I've ever had that didn't require a knife to eat... it melts in your mouth! After dinner we both got hit by a food coma and slept.
The next morning we had a quick buffet breakfast at the hotel before we left for the airport. The highlight of the day? All-you-can-eat rambutan!
Yum! Haven't had these since the last time I was in Indonesia... almost 7 years ago!
Then it was time to leave... at the airport we only had one thought: "Should we stay another day?" But just as weather.com promised, it started to rain. So that was it for our Thanksgiving weekend!
After lunch we stopped by the watch store (again) to pick up our watches and sign some paperwork. I'm beginning to think I was duped into a Maui Holiday... we aren't here for the sun... we are here for the watches!
Then we decided to explore down south. We drove down as far as we could go without violating our rental car contract, to Big Beach. The roads after Big Beach are narrow, windy and dangerous so we weren't allowed to drive past it. We ate "Maui's #1 fish tacos" by the beach and then drove back up.
Finally back at the hotel I had some time to relax and unwind... and hopefully to get some sun! Unfortunately out of the 1.5 hours I spent lying by the pool... I only had about 2 total minutes of sun. Grrrr! So I gave up and Richard and I ate by the pool instead. Kahlua Pork Quesadilla! It was so tasty it's ridiculous. I'd go back just for those quesadillas. Oh and the Ham & Cheese Panini.
After our late afternoon snack we walked down to the beach to catch our last Maui sunset. After a half hour of the breathtaking view, we went back to the hotel room to hang out before our dinner reservation. I took a looong bubble bath, long enough to finish reading James Patterson's "Mary, Mary" then got ready for dinner. We decided to eat at Roy's... we ate there last during our last trip to Maui too. The food was incredible! I love how fresh the Ahi is in Maui.... the Ahi Tatake was amazing. So were the crabcakes and their signature dish, the marinated short rib. Seriously the only beef I've ever had that didn't require a knife to eat... it melts in your mouth! After dinner we both got hit by a food coma and slept.
The next morning we had a quick buffet breakfast at the hotel before we left for the airport. The highlight of the day? All-you-can-eat rambutan!

Yum! Haven't had these since the last time I was in Indonesia... almost 7 years ago!
Then it was time to leave... at the airport we only had one thought: "Should we stay another day?" But just as weather.com promised, it started to rain. So that was it for our Thanksgiving weekend!
Black Friday
On retail's busiest day of the year, it's only fair that I put in my contribution ~.~ Unfortunately, there are no "day after Thanksgiving" sales in Maui.
We started the day with breakfast by the pool. Well, it was breakfast for me (french toast) but more like lunch for Richard (grilled ham & cheese panini). I got about 10 minutes of tanning in then we were off.
First stop, the Shops at Wailea. Richard went to visit his favorite watch store (again) and I did some (minor) damage at Louis Vuitton. Bought my mommy an early Christmas gift and Richard & I both bought organizers. Hopefully it will make me a little more productive. But I'm thinking mostly I'll just be thumbing through it looking at all the cutie pictures of cherries. :)
Then we headed up north to Ka'anapali's Whaler's Village. Again, to visit the 2nd branch of Richard's favorite watch store. This time I didn't do any damage at Louis Vuitton. :)
After all that walking we got hungry. On the way down to Lahaina, we stopped by Aloha Mixed Plate on Front St. Wow! Pretty good food! The ambiance of the place reminds me of that little restaurant in '50 First Dates'. We had a pupu platter among some other appetizers. Our "small snack" quickly turned into a 'large meal'... but then again most of our meals do. So we headed down to the main part of Front St. to walk it off.
After buying a few souvenieres, we stopped at the edge of the harbor to watch the sunset. Unfortunately we walked too slow and by the time we reached the edge, the sun had already set. Oh well. Back to the hotel to rest. Isn't it funny how tired you get on vacation? I mean all we've done is sit around and rest but somehow I end up exhausted. So anyhow we rested for a bit at the hotel then went to the lobby to eat a pear tart.
We ended the night with a quick dip in the Jacuzzi. It really was a quick dip. I can't stand more than 2 minutes in hot water. =)
We started the day with breakfast by the pool. Well, it was breakfast for me (french toast) but more like lunch for Richard (grilled ham & cheese panini). I got about 10 minutes of tanning in then we were off.

First stop, the Shops at Wailea. Richard went to visit his favorite watch store (again) and I did some (minor) damage at Louis Vuitton. Bought my mommy an early Christmas gift and Richard & I both bought organizers. Hopefully it will make me a little more productive. But I'm thinking mostly I'll just be thumbing through it looking at all the cutie pictures of cherries. :)
Then we headed up north to Ka'anapali's Whaler's Village. Again, to visit the 2nd branch of Richard's favorite watch store. This time I didn't do any damage at Louis Vuitton. :)
After all that walking we got hungry. On the way down to Lahaina, we stopped by Aloha Mixed Plate on Front St. Wow! Pretty good food! The ambiance of the place reminds me of that little restaurant in '50 First Dates'. We had a pupu platter among some other appetizers. Our "small snack" quickly turned into a 'large meal'... but then again most of our meals do. So we headed down to the main part of Front St. to walk it off.
After buying a few souvenieres, we stopped at the edge of the harbor to watch the sunset. Unfortunately we walked too slow and by the time we reached the edge, the sun had already set. Oh well. Back to the hotel to rest. Isn't it funny how tired you get on vacation? I mean all we've done is sit around and rest but somehow I end up exhausted. So anyhow we rested for a bit at the hotel then went to the lobby to eat a pear tart.
We ended the night with a quick dip in the Jacuzzi. It really was a quick dip. I can't stand more than 2 minutes in hot water. =)
Maui: Day One
No pictures yet, but here's a summary :)
Arrived today at 12:45pm Hawaii time... the flight seemed longer this time for some reason! I took a nap half of the time and spent the other half reading Nicole Richie's new book, The Truth About Diamonds. Very light read. Richard spent the entire time on Sudoku Puzzles.
As soon as we arrived we stopped by Hertz to pick up our rental car. Turns out the "complimentary upgrade" promised to us (since I'm a #1 Hertz Club Gold member) did not apply to convertibles... but I figured we're in Maui, might as well get a convertible! So we ended up getting a bright red Mustang convertible. Great!
Stopped by the Shops at Wailea, which is like the mini (really really mini) Rodeo Drive here to say hi to Richard's favorite watch salesperson at Baron & Leed's [Panerai & Rolex]. Unfortunately she wasn't there so we're going to go back tomorrow. Yay.
Then we checked into our hotel, the Fairmont Kea Lani. It's a pretty nice resort in Wailea. We have a 1 bedroom suite that over looks the pool and gardens. The suite is pretty roomy, almost 900 sq feet with a private lanai (which is just a fancy word for a balcony).
The first thing we arranged for was a tandem massage at the Spa Kea Lani. After the Spa we took a walk to the beach to watch the sunset. Sounds romantic? But I actually spent most of my time trying to write my name in the sand. Takes a lot of legwork... a lot of inner thigh strength. =)
Then we went back up to the room where I took the bubbliest bubble bath ever. I spent my entire childhood thinking more bubbles = more fun but that's not the case. It was a pretty tiring bath trying not to drown in the bubbles.
For Thanksgiving dinner we drove over to the Four Seasons resort (which is the next hotel up) and had dinner at Spago. Celeb spotting: I saw the DJ from Linkin Park there with his girlfriend! DJ Hahn? Something like that. Boy, is he chubby. After a VERY filling dinner, Richard decided he wanted to sit in the lounge at the Four Seasons... which you can't unless you order something to eat or drink so we had Pina Coladas. (Don't worry, mine was virigin)
Then we went back to our suite to sleep. There is only 2 hours difference but I didn't sleep much the night before so I was pretty tired.
That's all for Day One! Happy Thanksgiving!
Arrived today at 12:45pm Hawaii time... the flight seemed longer this time for some reason! I took a nap half of the time and spent the other half reading Nicole Richie's new book, The Truth About Diamonds. Very light read. Richard spent the entire time on Sudoku Puzzles.
As soon as we arrived we stopped by Hertz to pick up our rental car. Turns out the "complimentary upgrade" promised to us (since I'm a #1 Hertz Club Gold member) did not apply to convertibles... but I figured we're in Maui, might as well get a convertible! So we ended up getting a bright red Mustang convertible. Great!
Stopped by the Shops at Wailea, which is like the mini (really really mini) Rodeo Drive here to say hi to Richard's favorite watch salesperson at Baron & Leed's [Panerai & Rolex]. Unfortunately she wasn't there so we're going to go back tomorrow. Yay.
Then we checked into our hotel, the Fairmont Kea Lani. It's a pretty nice resort in Wailea. We have a 1 bedroom suite that over looks the pool and gardens. The suite is pretty roomy, almost 900 sq feet with a private lanai (which is just a fancy word for a balcony).
The first thing we arranged for was a tandem massage at the Spa Kea Lani. After the Spa we took a walk to the beach to watch the sunset. Sounds romantic? But I actually spent most of my time trying to write my name in the sand. Takes a lot of legwork... a lot of inner thigh strength. =)
Then we went back up to the room where I took the bubbliest bubble bath ever. I spent my entire childhood thinking more bubbles = more fun but that's not the case. It was a pretty tiring bath trying not to drown in the bubbles.
For Thanksgiving dinner we drove over to the Four Seasons resort (which is the next hotel up) and had dinner at Spago. Celeb spotting: I saw the DJ from Linkin Park there with his girlfriend! DJ Hahn? Something like that. Boy, is he chubby. After a VERY filling dinner, Richard decided he wanted to sit in the lounge at the Four Seasons... which you can't unless you order something to eat or drink so we had Pina Coladas. (Don't worry, mine was virigin)
Then we went back to our suite to sleep. There is only 2 hours difference but I didn't sleep much the night before so I was pretty tired.
That's all for Day One! Happy Thanksgiving!
Funny Dream
I had a funny dream this morning.
The first part is a bit hazy... Yona, Vina and I all got new pagers that we absolutely needed (because you know, pagers are the new cell phones) and so we were opening the packages to get them all set up and test them for the first time. But for some reason... rather than putting the 2 double a batteries inside the pager, to charge them up you have to put them in your ears. 2 AA batteries in each ear, both vertically fitted into the ear.
I woke up seriously laughing at the vision of Yona and Vina with batteries in their ears. I still can't shake this image from my mind.
The first part is a bit hazy... Yona, Vina and I all got new pagers that we absolutely needed (because you know, pagers are the new cell phones) and so we were opening the packages to get them all set up and test them for the first time. But for some reason... rather than putting the 2 double a batteries inside the pager, to charge them up you have to put them in your ears. 2 AA batteries in each ear, both vertically fitted into the ear.
I woke up seriously laughing at the vision of Yona and Vina with batteries in their ears. I still can't shake this image from my mind.

Lulu smells her own yawn.
She yawns. Then sniffs the air where she yawned to smell it.
Man, she must have bad breath. Or really good breath.
Man, she must have bad breath. Or really good breath.
Multi-Lingual
I've decided to learn Italian.
I initially decided to learn French. It didn't work out. I've moved on to Italian.
If that doesn't work out, maybe I'll stick to achieving a British accent.
Muhahaha.
I initially decided to learn French. It didn't work out. I've moved on to Italian.
If that doesn't work out, maybe I'll stick to achieving a British accent.
Muhahaha.
My Goals:
Stop eating pork.
Eat less fried stuff.
Eat more fiber.
Avoid eating white things.
Start boxing again.
Do Yoga more regularly.
Get to work earlier.
Play more with the dogs.
Walk the dogs at least further than the closest patch of grass.
Dress up a little for work.
Wear each pair of jeans in my closet at least once before repeating.
Wear more jewelry.
Wash my car at least once a week.
Mop my floor at least once a week.
Never let the dishes pile into both sinks.
Pack my summer clothes and take my winter clothes out of storage.
Don't get any scratches on my watch.
Always have candy, gum or mints in my purse.
Get pedicures regularly.
Stop rubbing my eyes.
Talk to Aai more.
Don't overeat at restaurants.
Use change when I pay in cash so I don't have change build-up in my bag.
Learn how to control both Moley and Lulu in public.
Learn how to walk in heels all day without hurting my feet.
Stand up straight and pretend I have better posture.
Don't talk before thinking.
Talk better.
How am I going to remember all this?
Stop eating pork.
Eat less fried stuff.
Eat more fiber.
Avoid eating white things.
Start boxing again.
Do Yoga more regularly.
Get to work earlier.
Play more with the dogs.
Walk the dogs at least further than the closest patch of grass.
Dress up a little for work.
Wear each pair of jeans in my closet at least once before repeating.
Wear more jewelry.
Wash my car at least once a week.
Mop my floor at least once a week.
Never let the dishes pile into both sinks.
Pack my summer clothes and take my winter clothes out of storage.
Don't get any scratches on my watch.
Always have candy, gum or mints in my purse.
Get pedicures regularly.
Stop rubbing my eyes.
Talk to Aai more.
Don't overeat at restaurants.
Use change when I pay in cash so I don't have change build-up in my bag.
Learn how to control both Moley and Lulu in public.
Learn how to walk in heels all day without hurting my feet.
Stand up straight and pretend I have better posture.
Don't talk before thinking.
Talk better.
How am I going to remember all this?
Happy Birthday Moley!
Today I am celebrating Moley's belated birthday. His birthday was on October 7 (Thanks a lot you guys for not calling him to say Happy Birthday) and he just turned 3 years old! Today is my first "day off" so I went to the doggie store to get him some goodies... 1) a carob dipped lollipop 2) a 12" chewstick and 3) some faux-greenies.
Then I went to the market to pick up the ingredients for his gourmet dinner! As I'm writing there is a turkey meatloaf in the oven baking away. It's a 2 layer meatloaf with a layer of spinach and cheese in the middle. Fancy! Also for dessert are some Hula cookies baked with honey and pineapples for a sweet treat. (Since he didn't get a cake this year)
Right now Moley and Lulu are both depressed. I've been cooking for the last hour saying things like "Moley! This is for you!" and "Yummy!! For you Moley!" and I bet he's thinking "Where the hell is this promised food?"
Just 30 more minutes Moley...
Then I went to the market to pick up the ingredients for his gourmet dinner! As I'm writing there is a turkey meatloaf in the oven baking away. It's a 2 layer meatloaf with a layer of spinach and cheese in the middle. Fancy! Also for dessert are some Hula cookies baked with honey and pineapples for a sweet treat. (Since he didn't get a cake this year)
Right now Moley and Lulu are both depressed. I've been cooking for the last hour saying things like "Moley! This is for you!" and "Yummy!! For you Moley!" and I bet he's thinking "Where the hell is this promised food?"
Just 30 more minutes Moley...
BBMak
Hollywood Records - BBMak
I was listening to my iPod in the car today (since I just installed it in my car~ yay!) and a BBMak song came on. I had it playing random songs from the Pop genre... which was actually more of an Nsync playlist because 60% of the songs were Nsync songs. Anyhow it reminded me of the performance that Yona and I saw at Disneyland's California Adventure! I totally forgot about that TV taping!
Then it made me realize that I've seen a lot of live performances. BBMak, Christina Aguilera, Nsync 3 times (I'm counting the MTV special), Wango Tango twice, Linkin Park, American Music Awards, MTV's Icon for Janet Jackson and Aerosmith, Black Eyed Peas, the Indonesian guy.
Hmmm.
I guess that's it.
Not too much huh.
edit: I saw a Korean superstar concert once too with Finkl as one of the performers.
I was listening to my iPod in the car today (since I just installed it in my car~ yay!) and a BBMak song came on. I had it playing random songs from the Pop genre... which was actually more of an Nsync playlist because 60% of the songs were Nsync songs. Anyhow it reminded me of the performance that Yona and I saw at Disneyland's California Adventure! I totally forgot about that TV taping!
Then it made me realize that I've seen a lot of live performances. BBMak, Christina Aguilera, Nsync 3 times (I'm counting the MTV special), Wango Tango twice, Linkin Park, American Music Awards, MTV's Icon for Janet Jackson and Aerosmith, Black Eyed Peas, the Indonesian guy.
Hmmm.
I guess that's it.
Not too much huh.
edit: I saw a Korean superstar concert once too with Finkl as one of the performers.
The Dinner Detective
The Dinner Detective
I want to go here! Let's go :) Yona when are you coming back? Let's do this for Halloween.
I want to go here! Let's go :) Yona when are you coming back? Let's do this for Halloween.
My first encounter with an Indonesian Superstar
This summer was a summer full of firsts. The first time I... uhm... Okay maybe not so many firsts, just this one. I went to my first ever Indonesian Concert (at the Whiskey-a-Go-Go on Sunset Blvd.) and met my first ever Indonesian Superstar.


His name is Katon Bagaswara. I'm pretty sure that's how you spell it. He sings some very nice Indonesian ballads. I'd heard a couple of his songs before, but I wasn't too familiar with him. All I knew was that he sings pretty difficult lyrics and I can't for the life of me follow along in one of his songs. Sure I pick up a word here and there but this guy's lyrics are as hard to decrypt as... uhm... I don't know. This guy is tough.
Well, I was expecting a pretty boring concert (there were maybe a total of 50 "fans" there, which included the Consulate General's wife) because the crowd just didn't seem too "fun". The first opening act were a couple of Korean guys from the OC that reminded me too much of fobby wanna-be gangster asian rappers. Needless to say the crowd wasn't too into it. I would include a picture of these so-called rappers but I can't find their website. They are called the "Disciples" but in an off-beat messed up weird spelling way that I can't seem to google. Disscypuhls or something.
But to make a long story short the concert was surprisingly... pretty fun. Actually I think I had more fun at this concert than I did at Linkin Park's concert. And it was a lot better than the Christina Aguilera Christmas Special Concert I went to way back when. But maybe only 20% as fun as an Nsync concert. Anyhow he was a great performer, there was a great band and it was a whole lot of fun. And I didn't even drink.
**edit**
I was corrected by Katon's #2 Fan, Joe. (His wife is Katon's #1 fan) His name is actually Katon Bagaskara.
P.S. Did I mention that I was in the front row? Well there weren't really rows but I was right in front of him. He even bent down to shake Richard's hand in between songs.


His name is Katon Bagaswara. I'm pretty sure that's how you spell it. He sings some very nice Indonesian ballads. I'd heard a couple of his songs before, but I wasn't too familiar with him. All I knew was that he sings pretty difficult lyrics and I can't for the life of me follow along in one of his songs. Sure I pick up a word here and there but this guy's lyrics are as hard to decrypt as... uhm... I don't know. This guy is tough.
Well, I was expecting a pretty boring concert (there were maybe a total of 50 "fans" there, which included the Consulate General's wife) because the crowd just didn't seem too "fun". The first opening act were a couple of Korean guys from the OC that reminded me too much of fobby wanna-be gangster asian rappers. Needless to say the crowd wasn't too into it. I would include a picture of these so-called rappers but I can't find their website. They are called the "Disciples" but in an off-beat messed up weird spelling way that I can't seem to google. Disscypuhls or something.
But to make a long story short the concert was surprisingly... pretty fun. Actually I think I had more fun at this concert than I did at Linkin Park's concert. And it was a lot better than the Christina Aguilera Christmas Special Concert I went to way back when. But maybe only 20% as fun as an Nsync concert. Anyhow he was a great performer, there was a great band and it was a whole lot of fun. And I didn't even drink.
**edit**
I was corrected by Katon's #2 Fan, Joe. (His wife is Katon's #1 fan) His name is actually Katon Bagaskara.
P.S. Did I mention that I was in the front row? Well there weren't really rows but I was right in front of him. He even bent down to shake Richard's hand in between songs.
Just chillin at the Holiday Inn...
Last Saturday I took a drive down to the wonderful city of Costa Mesa to check out a venue for our first OC Warehouse Sale. The drive was nice and smooth down the 405. Smooth and nice as in going 65 mph. Then we came up beside a nice shiny PT Cruiser and "WHAT THE?!" the driver is playing a trumpet! I couldn't resist. I rolled down my windows and snapped some pictures :D


Talk about multi-tasking! .... errrr .... Talk about an accident waiting to happen!!
Tsk, tsk.

Then we went to check out the Holiday Inn @ Costa Mesa. They had a really nice stand-alone ballroom called the "Plaza Ballroom" so we decided right away to choose this venue for our October OC Warehouse Sale. Well, actually we chose it because it's just across the freeway from the South Coast Plaza. :P


Talk about multi-tasking! .... errrr .... Talk about an accident waiting to happen!!
Tsk, tsk.

Then we went to check out the Holiday Inn @ Costa Mesa. They had a really nice stand-alone ballroom called the "Plaza Ballroom" so we decided right away to choose this venue for our October OC Warehouse Sale. Well, actually we chose it because it's just across the freeway from the South Coast Plaza. :P
Susina Bakery
Made a late night sugar run tonight to Susina Bakery & Cafe. (7122 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036)
The European-style interior was very cute~ we went at 10pm so it was pretty empty. The place was well lit (perfect for a relaxing read-my-book-and-sip-my-coffee deal) and clean. The staff was friendly and helpful. But the food? Doesn't rate so high in my book.
BTW, 1 pound = 40 cookies for $18. The cookies looked so delicious but unfortunately didn't taste quite so. (The homemade cookies at Michele Richard are much better) Most of the cookies were stale, too sweet, or in one yecky instance too almond-y.
One plus in my book though is the fact that there is plenty of seating and the cafe is open until 11pm. It's a good late-night coffee spot if you're into driving 25 minutes to the mid-Wilshire area at night.
P.S. If you go, the last hour of every night all morning pastries are 1/2 off.




BTW, 1 pound = 40 cookies for $18. The cookies looked so delicious but unfortunately didn't taste quite so. (The homemade cookies at Michele Richard are much better) Most of the cookies were stale, too sweet, or in one yecky instance too almond-y.
One plus in my book though is the fact that there is plenty of seating and the cafe is open until 11pm. It's a good late-night coffee spot if you're into driving 25 minutes to the mid-Wilshire area at night.
P.S. If you go, the last hour of every night all morning pastries are 1/2 off.
I'm back!
Alright.
I'm back.
Let's see....
Not many eventful things.
Went to San Fran, Vegas, and Hawaii this summer.
Got a new camera!

Sony T7 in Black.
Here are some pics I took on my camera:

Moley on Richard's lap in the car.
[Ok, takes too long to post pics so I will post more later]
Worked a lot. Still working out at Bodies in Motion. Although I completely abandoned my "diet". Had a couple of warehouse sales. And this week I am dogsitting Pepe!

That's Pepe when he was young. He's much bigger now, and much naughtier! He is getting used to having big dogs around though... he tries to play with them and he chases them. Doesn't work too well with Moley (who just stands there looking confused) but when he provokes Lulu... she can get pretty mean.
They're playing right now.
Vina is over right now too. She's playing with them. She had "nothing to do" at home. Pretty sad. 13" TV.
Okay that's it for tonight.
:D
I'm back.
Let's see....
Not many eventful things.
Went to San Fran, Vegas, and Hawaii this summer.
Got a new camera!

Sony T7 in Black.
Here are some pics I took on my camera:

Moley on Richard's lap in the car.
[Ok, takes too long to post pics so I will post more later]
Worked a lot. Still working out at Bodies in Motion. Although I completely abandoned my "diet". Had a couple of warehouse sales. And this week I am dogsitting Pepe!

That's Pepe when he was young. He's much bigger now, and much naughtier! He is getting used to having big dogs around though... he tries to play with them and he chases them. Doesn't work too well with Moley (who just stands there looking confused) but when he provokes Lulu... she can get pretty mean.
They're playing right now.
Vina is over right now too. She's playing with them. She had "nothing to do" at home. Pretty sad. 13" TV.
Okay that's it for tonight.
:D
This Weekend!
"The Warehouse Sale" is having another sale event... it's this weekend (Saturday, June 18) It's mostly denim but this time we'll have both men's and women's. And I'm talking a ton, a ton, a ton of denim from 7 to Citizens to 575 to Salt Works to Frankie B, Hudson and a million other brands that you people normally pay retail for. Mostly new & current styles, everything 40-60% off retail.
Other than jeans we'll also have other summer fashions as well as some jewelry and accessories from up-and-coming Los Angeles designers.
Where: Hollywood Metropolitan Hotel on Sunset
When: June 18, 9am-5pm
The event is free if you RSVP so make sure you do so at http://www.the-warehouse-sale.com
Help me spread the word... e-mail your friends and bring your buddies :) We have thousands of pairs so there'll be enough to go around.
Other than jeans we'll also have other summer fashions as well as some jewelry and accessories from up-and-coming Los Angeles designers.
Where: Hollywood Metropolitan Hotel on Sunset
When: June 18, 9am-5pm
The event is free if you RSVP so make sure you do so at http://www.the-warehouse-sale.com
Help me spread the word... e-mail your friends and bring your buddies :) We have thousands of pairs so there'll be enough to go around.
Contending
I am loving my gym! Thanks e*!
For the past couple of weeks I've been trying out a few of the executive boxing classes (rumored to burn 950 calories/hour)... they are awesome. It's a professional fighters' routine that involving stretching, shadow boxing, bag work, combination drills, lower body conditioning, and abdomen work. The first time I took the class I only lasted 30 minutes. Now 2 tries later I can stick it out for the entire class :)

I especially love the series taught by Lloyd (although those push-up combinations can be killer) and Amine (which is faster paced but good to get you pumped). I am going to try to do this class at least twice a week. I have to put those new boxing gloves to use!
For the past couple of weeks I've been trying out a few of the executive boxing classes (rumored to burn 950 calories/hour)... they are awesome. It's a professional fighters' routine that involving stretching, shadow boxing, bag work, combination drills, lower body conditioning, and abdomen work. The first time I took the class I only lasted 30 minutes. Now 2 tries later I can stick it out for the entire class :)

I especially love the series taught by Lloyd (although those push-up combinations can be killer) and Amine (which is faster paced but good to get you pumped). I am going to try to do this class at least twice a week. I have to put those new boxing gloves to use!
Showin' the lil sis around
Vina came up last night to spend a day with me :) And boy did we live it up :)
I picked up her up last night at 8pm. I let her drive up to LA in my car. I was feeling crazy :) It was only her 3-4th time driving on the freeway and her 2nd car driving my car. Living on the wild side. Once we arrived in LA, Vina felt like eating buffalo wings so I took her to Hooters. What was I thinking? Hooters during the NBA playoffs? Other than the waitresses, we were the only girls there! Then we went to Diddy Riese. Great diet I'm on, huh? :) We shared a chocolate chip cookie-cookies n cream ice cream sandwich. Yum. A whole dollar. Gotta go there more often.
Today we woke up late... we were supposed to stop by SMC in the morning so Vina could get her materials for registration, but we ended up waking up at 10:30am. We had to rush to get ready and we headed to Barneys for a Shu Uemura makeover. They had celebrity make-up artists from Tokyo Lash Bar in New York fly in to give complimentary makeovers. Well, they aren't really complimentary.... they always somehow swindle you into spending hundreds of dollars on make up you think you need. :) After Soomin, Vina and I got prettied up, we headed upstairs for a lunch of Barney's infamous smoked salmon.
After our lunch, Vina and I headed up to Burbank to go prom dress shopping at my friend's warehouse. She's been eyeing a certain BCBG dress that she saw on the website and lucky for her my friend had one in just her size! Awwww... the baby of the family is going to prom! Sigh, growing up so fast.
Then later in the evening we went to the Grove to eat some crepes. I really should start watching my diet. It's taking double the effort at the gym to keep the weight off when I eat like this. Oh well, maybe after this bag of pita chips I'm snacking on right now. :D
I picked up her up last night at 8pm. I let her drive up to LA in my car. I was feeling crazy :) It was only her 3-4th time driving on the freeway and her 2nd car driving my car. Living on the wild side. Once we arrived in LA, Vina felt like eating buffalo wings so I took her to Hooters. What was I thinking? Hooters during the NBA playoffs? Other than the waitresses, we were the only girls there! Then we went to Diddy Riese. Great diet I'm on, huh? :) We shared a chocolate chip cookie-cookies n cream ice cream sandwich. Yum. A whole dollar. Gotta go there more often.
Today we woke up late... we were supposed to stop by SMC in the morning so Vina could get her materials for registration, but we ended up waking up at 10:30am. We had to rush to get ready and we headed to Barneys for a Shu Uemura makeover. They had celebrity make-up artists from Tokyo Lash Bar in New York fly in to give complimentary makeovers. Well, they aren't really complimentary.... they always somehow swindle you into spending hundreds of dollars on make up you think you need. :) After Soomin, Vina and I got prettied up, we headed upstairs for a lunch of Barney's infamous smoked salmon.
After our lunch, Vina and I headed up to Burbank to go prom dress shopping at my friend's warehouse. She's been eyeing a certain BCBG dress that she saw on the website and lucky for her my friend had one in just her size! Awwww... the baby of the family is going to prom! Sigh, growing up so fast.
Then later in the evening we went to the Grove to eat some crepes. I really should start watching my diet. It's taking double the effort at the gym to keep the weight off when I eat like this. Oh well, maybe after this bag of pita chips I'm snacking on right now. :D
Fajita Pita
Yum!
I've been on the hunt for a "healthy snack"... since I've started working out and getting back into shape, I've also been altering my diet. I've been putting more effort into eating vegetables and trying to cut down on fatty meats. I also hold back on "white" carbs when I can... replacing them with wheat bread, brown rice, etc. when possible.
The one thing that I haven't been able to change is my snacking habits. I've tried soy chips, snacking on carrots, even fruits but nothing killed my cravings for Baked Lay's until now...
I was at Wild Oat's and decided to try a bag of Stacy's Pita Chips. I got the parmesan, garlic & herb flavor... and they are really good! Crispy and crunchy, unlike rice cakes or soy-based chips. The flavor is just right, not too much sodium and very low in fat.

Another new snack I've discovered recently are Healthy Handfuls. They are $1 a bag at Jamba Juice or you can find larger sizes at Wild Oats. They taste like a lighter, crunchier, airy-er version of goldfish.
I've been on the hunt for a "healthy snack"... since I've started working out and getting back into shape, I've also been altering my diet. I've been putting more effort into eating vegetables and trying to cut down on fatty meats. I also hold back on "white" carbs when I can... replacing them with wheat bread, brown rice, etc. when possible.
The one thing that I haven't been able to change is my snacking habits. I've tried soy chips, snacking on carrots, even fruits but nothing killed my cravings for Baked Lay's until now...
I was at Wild Oat's and decided to try a bag of Stacy's Pita Chips. I got the parmesan, garlic & herb flavor... and they are really good! Crispy and crunchy, unlike rice cakes or soy-based chips. The flavor is just right, not too much sodium and very low in fat.

Another new snack I've discovered recently are Healthy Handfuls. They are $1 a bag at Jamba Juice or you can find larger sizes at Wild Oats. They taste like a lighter, crunchier, airy-er version of goldfish.
Sunday Outing
Today Richard & I decided to go up to Sunset Blvd. to have lunch. I haven't been to Sunset Plaza in a long time.. so I kind of wanted to check out the shopping scene up there too.
We had lunch at Le Petit Four. I tried to exercise my new "half" diet that my trainer put me on, which I've been doing since last Thursday. Basically I cut all of my portions in half (so ordering at a restaurant I have to immediately tell the waitress to stick half in a togo box so it doesn't tempt me) and I have to eat a small side salad before every meal. It doesn't mean I'm cutting my calories in half- because I'm actually eating twice as often now, every 3-4 hours. Well I figured since we're eating French, I could eat "light" and still get away with it. I skipped the salad and opted for lobster bisque instead. Then I ordered smoked salmon on toast points for the main course. Well I ate the entire soup... I felt guilty afterwards since I didn't have ANY vegetables... and I only ate half of my portion of the smoked salmon. But then Richard ordered Calamari and I had half of that. And he ordered sausage pasta and I had some of that too :-( Oh not to mention I had 2 pieces of bread/butter before the meal. Then afterwards we walked to Coffee Bean and I had a Pomegranite/Blueberry ice blended. So I failed miserably.
Anyhow afterwards we walked around to check out the boutiques. Unfortunately Oliver Peoples was closed... which sucked because I wanted to go look for some new oversized sunglasses... I am loving that oversized sunglasses are in right now because I've long preferred these over normal types because of the coverage... I can't stand wearing sunglasses where the sun can still peek in through the top or the sides... it defeats the purpose.
We checked out the H.Lorenzo parking lot sale... where I found the softest, cutest Marni brown hobo leather bag... even at 70% off it was a little too pricey. Oh well. And actually I thought that the sunset strip was known for its boutiques but I didn't see anything interesting. Mostly European labels and foo-foo overly embellished clothes- definitely not my style. I begged Richard to stop by Robertson on the way back so that I could get my window-shopping fix. Sunset was a disappointment.
When we drove back I noticed that the weather was turning nice. A little breezy but still light outdoors. Perfect for a long walk! We buckled up Moley and Lulu and walked north towards Brentwood. We arrived just as the Farmer's Market was closing down but we got a chance to stop by Peet's coffee to refuel Richard & the dogs. I swear Richard drinks so much coffee. He drinks a cup of hot espresso in the morning after he wakes up. At work he drinks espresso or he drives to Coffee Bean for a large iced americano. Usually on his way home he grabs another large. Then when he gets home he drinks some hot espresso. Then after dinner we sometimes go to Coffee Bean again and he gets another large iced americano. He can drink 4-6 large cups a day. Geez.
We had lunch at Le Petit Four. I tried to exercise my new "half" diet that my trainer put me on, which I've been doing since last Thursday. Basically I cut all of my portions in half (so ordering at a restaurant I have to immediately tell the waitress to stick half in a togo box so it doesn't tempt me) and I have to eat a small side salad before every meal. It doesn't mean I'm cutting my calories in half- because I'm actually eating twice as often now, every 3-4 hours. Well I figured since we're eating French, I could eat "light" and still get away with it. I skipped the salad and opted for lobster bisque instead. Then I ordered smoked salmon on toast points for the main course. Well I ate the entire soup... I felt guilty afterwards since I didn't have ANY vegetables... and I only ate half of my portion of the smoked salmon. But then Richard ordered Calamari and I had half of that. And he ordered sausage pasta and I had some of that too :-( Oh not to mention I had 2 pieces of bread/butter before the meal. Then afterwards we walked to Coffee Bean and I had a Pomegranite/Blueberry ice blended. So I failed miserably.
Anyhow afterwards we walked around to check out the boutiques. Unfortunately Oliver Peoples was closed... which sucked because I wanted to go look for some new oversized sunglasses... I am loving that oversized sunglasses are in right now because I've long preferred these over normal types because of the coverage... I can't stand wearing sunglasses where the sun can still peek in through the top or the sides... it defeats the purpose.
We checked out the H.Lorenzo parking lot sale... where I found the softest, cutest Marni brown hobo leather bag... even at 70% off it was a little too pricey. Oh well. And actually I thought that the sunset strip was known for its boutiques but I didn't see anything interesting. Mostly European labels and foo-foo overly embellished clothes- definitely not my style. I begged Richard to stop by Robertson on the way back so that I could get my window-shopping fix. Sunset was a disappointment.
When we drove back I noticed that the weather was turning nice. A little breezy but still light outdoors. Perfect for a long walk! We buckled up Moley and Lulu and walked north towards Brentwood. We arrived just as the Farmer's Market was closing down but we got a chance to stop by Peet's coffee to refuel Richard & the dogs. I swear Richard drinks so much coffee. He drinks a cup of hot espresso in the morning after he wakes up. At work he drinks espresso or he drives to Coffee Bean for a large iced americano. Usually on his way home he grabs another large. Then when he gets home he drinks some hot espresso. Then after dinner we sometimes go to Coffee Bean again and he gets another large iced americano. He can drink 4-6 large cups a day. Geez.
Birthday Girl
Pre-Party!

Today is Lulu's 1st Birthday...
This morning I took Lulu to Wagging Tail to pick out a birthday cake... just a small one for her and Moley. I also picked up a red feather boa (pictured above) for her to wear at her bday party next Sunday.
Then we headed over to Cerritos for a small party. Unfortunately, Coldstone's ran out of human cakes so we didn't get to eat any cake. And actually Moley hogged the doggie cake so Lulu didn't get much of it either :-(

Well we are throwing her a real birthday party next Sunday at her pal Minnie's house in Pasadena... call me if you want to come by so I can give you the details! Since we are throwing it at a friend's house, we have 2 rules... 1) no doggies bigger than Moley, sorry :P Minnie is actually terrified of four-legged creatures so we don't want to overwhelm her with any great danes! and rule 2) is P.U.Y.O.S... you can figure this out on your own. The first 2 words are "Pick Up..."

Today is Lulu's 1st Birthday...
This morning I took Lulu to Wagging Tail to pick out a birthday cake... just a small one for her and Moley. I also picked up a red feather boa (pictured above) for her to wear at her bday party next Sunday.
Then we headed over to Cerritos for a small party. Unfortunately, Coldstone's ran out of human cakes so we didn't get to eat any cake. And actually Moley hogged the doggie cake so Lulu didn't get much of it either :-(

Well we are throwing her a real birthday party next Sunday at her pal Minnie's house in Pasadena... call me if you want to come by so I can give you the details! Since we are throwing it at a friend's house, we have 2 rules... 1) no doggies bigger than Moley, sorry :P Minnie is actually terrified of four-legged creatures so we don't want to overwhelm her with any great danes! and rule 2) is P.U.Y.O.S... you can figure this out on your own. The first 2 words are "Pick Up..."
Punny
from Charles' xanga:
Here are the 10 first place winners in the International Pun Contest.
#1 -- A vulture boards an airplane, carrying two dead raccoons. The stewardess looks at him and says, "I'm sorry, sir, only one carrion allowed per passenger."
#2. Two fish swim into a concrete wall. One turns to the other and says, "Dam!"
#3. Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly, so they lit a fire in the craft. Unsurprisingly it sank, proving once again that you can't have your kayak and heat it too.
#4. Two hydrogen atoms meet. One says "I've lost one of my electrons." The other says "Quit being so negative!"
#5. Did you hear about the Buddhist who refused Novocain during a root canal? His goal: transcend dental medication.
#6. A group of chess enthusiasts checked into a hotel and were standing in the lobby discussing their recent tournament victories. After about an hour, the manager came out of the office and asked them to disperse. "But why?" they asked, as they moved off. "Because", he said, "I can't stand chess-nuts boasting in an open foyer."
#7. A woman has twins and gives them up for adoption. One of them goes to a family in Egypt and is named "Ahmal." The other goes to a family in Spain; they name him "Juan." Years later, Juan sends a picture of himself to his birth mother. Upon receiving the picture, she tells her husband that she wishes she also had a picture of Ahmal. Her husband responds, "They're twins! If you've seen Juan, you've seen Ahmal."
#8. These friars were behind on their belfry payments, so they opened up a small florist shop to raise funds. Since everyone liked to buy flowers from the men of God, a rival florist across town thought the competition was unfair. He asked the good fathers to close down, but they would not. He went back and begged the friars to close. They ignored him. So, the rival florist hired Hugh MacTaggart, the roughest and most vicious thug in town to "persuade" them to close. Hugh beat up the friars and trashed their store, saying he'd be back if they didn't close up shop. Terrified, they did so, thereby proving that only Hugh can prevent florist friars.
#9. Mahatma Gandhi, as you know, walked barefoot most of the time, which produced an impressive set of calluses on his feet. He also ate very little, which made him rather frail and with his odd diet, he suffered from bad breath. This made him ...... A super calloused fragile mystic hexed by halitosis.
#10. And finally, there was the person who sent ten different puns to his friends, with the hope that at least one of the puns would make them laugh. No pun in ten did.
Here are the 10 first place winners in the International Pun Contest.
#1 -- A vulture boards an airplane, carrying two dead raccoons. The stewardess looks at him and says, "I'm sorry, sir, only one carrion allowed per passenger."
#2. Two fish swim into a concrete wall. One turns to the other and says, "Dam!"
#3. Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly, so they lit a fire in the craft. Unsurprisingly it sank, proving once again that you can't have your kayak and heat it too.
#4. Two hydrogen atoms meet. One says "I've lost one of my electrons." The other says "Quit being so negative!"
#5. Did you hear about the Buddhist who refused Novocain during a root canal? His goal: transcend dental medication.
#6. A group of chess enthusiasts checked into a hotel and were standing in the lobby discussing their recent tournament victories. After about an hour, the manager came out of the office and asked them to disperse. "But why?" they asked, as they moved off. "Because", he said, "I can't stand chess-nuts boasting in an open foyer."
#7. A woman has twins and gives them up for adoption. One of them goes to a family in Egypt and is named "Ahmal." The other goes to a family in Spain; they name him "Juan." Years later, Juan sends a picture of himself to his birth mother. Upon receiving the picture, she tells her husband that she wishes she also had a picture of Ahmal. Her husband responds, "They're twins! If you've seen Juan, you've seen Ahmal."
#8. These friars were behind on their belfry payments, so they opened up a small florist shop to raise funds. Since everyone liked to buy flowers from the men of God, a rival florist across town thought the competition was unfair. He asked the good fathers to close down, but they would not. He went back and begged the friars to close. They ignored him. So, the rival florist hired Hugh MacTaggart, the roughest and most vicious thug in town to "persuade" them to close. Hugh beat up the friars and trashed their store, saying he'd be back if they didn't close up shop. Terrified, they did so, thereby proving that only Hugh can prevent florist friars.
#9. Mahatma Gandhi, as you know, walked barefoot most of the time, which produced an impressive set of calluses on his feet. He also ate very little, which made him rather frail and with his odd diet, he suffered from bad breath. This made him ...... A super calloused fragile mystic hexed by halitosis.
#10. And finally, there was the person who sent ten different puns to his friends, with the hope that at least one of the puns would make them laugh. No pun in ten did.










