Sunday, October 11, 2009
Los Angeles, CA, USA: 9/11/09
We were lucky enough to score tickets to Lisa Leslie's last season home game at Staples Center. They beat the Minnesota Lynx (90-61) and Leslie scored 19 points. Leslie was honored in a pregame tribute by her coach Michael Cooper and teammates, the current teams at Morningside High and USC, Magic Johnson, and her family.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Los Angeles, CA, USA: 8/22/09
We are still going to post about Puerto Rico, but, until then, we decided we need to knock off some smaller posts in order to prevent an unrecoverable backlog.
I will begin with our daytrip of 2 Los Angeles area museums. First up was the Pacific Asia Museum (PAM), which is located in Old Town Pasadena, right across from the Westin. This museum is one of only four U.S. institutions dedicated exclusively to the arts and culture of Asia and the Pacific Islands. We've been members of this museum for almost a year now, and this membership is what provides us with free admission to museums across the country. We went to PAM on this particular day because they were having a special Shaolin Temple Kung Fu Demo and Tea Tasting event. We had the pleasure of learning what a typical day is like for those living in the Shaolin Temple and got to see a kung fu demo, but, by far, the coolest part was getting to sit with Master Shi Yan Xu in a Shaolin tea ceremony!
We also had the privilege of sampling and learning more about fine teas from tea purveyor Linda Louie:
After PAM, we had lunch at Lawry's Carvery at L.A. Live as they were having a buy one get one free deal when you show any museum stub. Once we were done with lunch, we headed to The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA). There are actually 3 MOCA locations in Los Angeles; we went to the one in downtown on Grand Avenue. As far as contemporary art museums go, this was the largest I've been to and, not surprisingly, the exhibits weren't as shocking as others I've seen elsewhere. There was a good collection of Rothko (who I learned of in Houston), Pollock, Warhol, and, of course, weird contemporary art stuff.
Stay tuned for more mini updates! The 2 pictures of the Shaolin tea ceremony and tea tasting are courtesy of the Pacific Asia Museum.
Cost Breakdown
$5.00 - Parking at the corner of Grand Avenue & Kosciuszko Way (weekend flat rate)
Parking is free at the PAM and MOCA is one of the museums we get free admission to for being members of PAM. General admission is usually $9 and $10 for PAM and MOCA, respectively.
I will begin with our daytrip of 2 Los Angeles area museums. First up was the Pacific Asia Museum (PAM), which is located in Old Town Pasadena, right across from the Westin. This museum is one of only four U.S. institutions dedicated exclusively to the arts and culture of Asia and the Pacific Islands. We've been members of this museum for almost a year now, and this membership is what provides us with free admission to museums across the country. We went to PAM on this particular day because they were having a special Shaolin Temple Kung Fu Demo and Tea Tasting event. We had the pleasure of learning what a typical day is like for those living in the Shaolin Temple and got to see a kung fu demo, but, by far, the coolest part was getting to sit with Master Shi Yan Xu in a Shaolin tea ceremony!
We also had the privilege of sampling and learning more about fine teas from tea purveyor Linda Louie:
After PAM, we had lunch at Lawry's Carvery at L.A. Live as they were having a buy one get one free deal when you show any museum stub. Once we were done with lunch, we headed to The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA). There are actually 3 MOCA locations in Los Angeles; we went to the one in downtown on Grand Avenue. As far as contemporary art museums go, this was the largest I've been to and, not surprisingly, the exhibits weren't as shocking as others I've seen elsewhere. There was a good collection of Rothko (who I learned of in Houston), Pollock, Warhol, and, of course, weird contemporary art stuff.
Stay tuned for more mini updates! The 2 pictures of the Shaolin tea ceremony and tea tasting are courtesy of the Pacific Asia Museum.
Cost Breakdown
$5.00 - Parking at the corner of Grand Avenue & Kosciuszko Way (weekend flat rate)
Parking is free at the PAM and MOCA is one of the museums we get free admission to for being members of PAM. General admission is usually $9 and $10 for PAM and MOCA, respectively.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Las Vegas, NV, USA: 7/24/09 - 7/26/09
In celebration of Willy's birthday, we returned to our beloved home away from home, the Venetian hotels in Las Vegas.
Day 1
After checking into the Palazzo on Friday, we made a beeline (bags and all) to the box office, all the way in the Venetian, to pick up the Phantom tickets that came with our special room rate (details of this room rate can be found in the unadvertised Las Vegas offers post). Since there were better seats available for Saturday's show, we opted for that one and I was happy that we would have time for a long dinner on our first night. Before going to our room, Willy insisted on going to Canyon Ranch Spa (bags and all, and also in the Venetian) so he could check out treatment options and possibly set an appointment. After Princess Willy did what he needed to, we finally headed back to the Palazzo and to our room. We spent some time unpacking and freshening up, and then headed to dinner.
Zeffirino's is an Italian restaurant located in the Grand Canal Shoppes of the Venetian, right where the gondola rides begin. We had a table on the second level, which overlooked the shops and gondola rides. We each started with a glass of wine and Willy ordered from the prefixe menu while I ordered Taglierini all' Astice (homemade pasta sauteed with lobster, white wine, and baby shrimp in a light tomato sauce). The prefixe meal started off with this amazing carpaccio, and was followed by some ravioli in pesto sauce. The entrée was beef medallions and dessert was a sampler of tiny pieces of tiramisu and cheesecake, and a mini eclair. During dinner, a violinist and guitarist also played a few songs for us.
After dinner, we tried our luck at the slot machines in the Palazzo... and found that we were not so lucky. We then made our way to the hotel's Salute Lounge for drinks and dueling pianos.
Day 2
We woke up and had lunch at San Gennaro, located in the Venetian casino food court. Willy just had to have his bacon cheese fries and we found that this place puts real pieces of bacon on their fries, not just Bac-O Bits! Undisciplined me enjoyed them as well. We gambled while our food digested and then headed to the pools.
Due to the heat, we had plenty of company at the pools. Willy and I swam (yes! I've learned how to swim) for about an hour before Willy had to leave for his spa appointment. I stayed poolside and read for about another hour before I went back to the room to get ready for dinner.
We had dinner at Charlie Trotter's restaurant, Restaurant Charlie, in the Palazzo. Trotter's flagship restaurant is located in Chicago and has a months long waiting list. To begin, Restaurant Charlie doesn't just put a bread basket in front of you after you order. We were served different courses of breads throughout our meal; we each had a slice of French bread, a mini loaf of raisin bread, and a Spanish chorizo roll. The servers work as a team and even synchronize serving dishes. We also ordered from personalized menus that wished Willy a "Happy Birthday."
The restaurant has quite an extensive wine list and the half bottle of German Riesling we shared was amazing. Willy ordered the tasting menu and I had ocean trout with eagle rock oysters and ginger broth, which was poured on once the dish reached the table. It was a dish recommended by the server and was fresh, rich, and flavor packed. Willy's tasting menu consisted of eight courses, including two dessert dishes:
1. Geoduck, Manila Clams & Periwinkles with Lemon & Chervil
2. Australian Blue Fin Tuna Tartare with Hijiki Seafood & Daikon
3. Diver Sea Scallop with Shishito Pepper & Hearts of Palm
4. Four Story Hills Sweetbreads with Chanterelles & Mustard
5. Muscovy Duck with Thai Basil & Yuba
6. Dry- Aged Ribeye with Pearl Onions and Parmesan
7. Basil Semifreddo with Strawberries & Olive Oil Ice Cream
8. Dark Chocolate with Banana & Roasted Hazelnut
In addition to what we ordered, we also had a scallop dish before our meal, a palate cleanser (melon sorbet and prociutto) after our savory dishes, and a plate of chocolate confections after dessert, compliments of the chef.
After spending more than two hours at dinner, we rushed off to Phantom at the Venetian. We were only eight rows from the stage and I enjoyed every moment of this musical. I am still in awe of the staging and special effects.
Following the show, we gambled and then headed to Lavo for complimentary drinks, a gift that came with our Phantom tickets. We ended our night with a couple of drinks each ( I picked up another pair of tickets from the floor of the theater) and being amused by very drunk people flirting with each other at the bar (or at least I was).
Day 3
We packed up and reluctantly closed the door to Suite 41-837 one last time. We had lunch at Cafe Santa Lucia, in the same food court as the day before, checked out, and, since we couldn't say goodbye just yet, headed to the pools. We swam for about an hour, sat in the jacuzzi for about another 15, and then set out for home.
Cost Breakdown
$400.96 ($179+tax/per night) - 2 nights at The Venetian (inclusive of the Phantom tickets and other special offers)
$92.48 - Dinner at Zeffirino's with 20% discount on my pasta plate
$230.00 - 80 min Deep Tissue Massage at Canyon Ranch Spa with $50 discount
$229.82 - Dinner at Restaurant Charlie with 20% discount
-----------
$953.26
Day 1
After checking into the Palazzo on Friday, we made a beeline (bags and all) to the box office, all the way in the Venetian, to pick up the Phantom tickets that came with our special room rate (details of this room rate can be found in the unadvertised Las Vegas offers post). Since there were better seats available for Saturday's show, we opted for that one and I was happy that we would have time for a long dinner on our first night. Before going to our room, Willy insisted on going to Canyon Ranch Spa (bags and all, and also in the Venetian) so he could check out treatment options and possibly set an appointment. After Princess Willy did what he needed to, we finally headed back to the Palazzo and to our room. We spent some time unpacking and freshening up, and then headed to dinner.
Zeffirino's is an Italian restaurant located in the Grand Canal Shoppes of the Venetian, right where the gondola rides begin. We had a table on the second level, which overlooked the shops and gondola rides. We each started with a glass of wine and Willy ordered from the prefixe menu while I ordered Taglierini all' Astice (homemade pasta sauteed with lobster, white wine, and baby shrimp in a light tomato sauce). The prefixe meal started off with this amazing carpaccio, and was followed by some ravioli in pesto sauce. The entrée was beef medallions and dessert was a sampler of tiny pieces of tiramisu and cheesecake, and a mini eclair. During dinner, a violinist and guitarist also played a few songs for us.
After dinner, we tried our luck at the slot machines in the Palazzo... and found that we were not so lucky. We then made our way to the hotel's Salute Lounge for drinks and dueling pianos.
Day 2
We woke up and had lunch at San Gennaro, located in the Venetian casino food court. Willy just had to have his bacon cheese fries and we found that this place puts real pieces of bacon on their fries, not just Bac-O Bits! Undisciplined me enjoyed them as well. We gambled while our food digested and then headed to the pools.
Due to the heat, we had plenty of company at the pools. Willy and I swam (yes! I've learned how to swim) for about an hour before Willy had to leave for his spa appointment. I stayed poolside and read for about another hour before I went back to the room to get ready for dinner.We had dinner at Charlie Trotter's restaurant, Restaurant Charlie, in the Palazzo. Trotter's flagship restaurant is located in Chicago and has a months long waiting list. To begin, Restaurant Charlie doesn't just put a bread basket in front of you after you order. We were served different courses of breads throughout our meal; we each had a slice of French bread, a mini loaf of raisin bread, and a Spanish chorizo roll. The servers work as a team and even synchronize serving dishes. We also ordered from personalized menus that wished Willy a "Happy Birthday."
The restaurant has quite an extensive wine list and the half bottle of German Riesling we shared was amazing. Willy ordered the tasting menu and I had ocean trout with eagle rock oysters and ginger broth, which was poured on once the dish reached the table. It was a dish recommended by the server and was fresh, rich, and flavor packed. Willy's tasting menu consisted of eight courses, including two dessert dishes:
1. Geoduck, Manila Clams & Periwinkles with Lemon & Chervil
2. Australian Blue Fin Tuna Tartare with Hijiki Seafood & Daikon
3. Diver Sea Scallop with Shishito Pepper & Hearts of Palm
4. Four Story Hills Sweetbreads with Chanterelles & Mustard
5. Muscovy Duck with Thai Basil & Yuba
6. Dry- Aged Ribeye with Pearl Onions and Parmesan
7. Basil Semifreddo with Strawberries & Olive Oil Ice Cream
8. Dark Chocolate with Banana & Roasted Hazelnut
In addition to what we ordered, we also had a scallop dish before our meal, a palate cleanser (melon sorbet and prociutto) after our savory dishes, and a plate of chocolate confections after dessert, compliments of the chef.
After spending more than two hours at dinner, we rushed off to Phantom at the Venetian. We were only eight rows from the stage and I enjoyed every moment of this musical. I am still in awe of the staging and special effects.
Following the show, we gambled and then headed to Lavo for complimentary drinks, a gift that came with our Phantom tickets. We ended our night with a couple of drinks each ( I picked up another pair of tickets from the floor of the theater) and being amused by very drunk people flirting with each other at the bar (or at least I was).
Day 3
We packed up and reluctantly closed the door to Suite 41-837 one last time. We had lunch at Cafe Santa Lucia, in the same food court as the day before, checked out, and, since we couldn't say goodbye just yet, headed to the pools. We swam for about an hour, sat in the jacuzzi for about another 15, and then set out for home.
Cost Breakdown
$400.96 ($179+tax/per night) - 2 nights at The Venetian (inclusive of the Phantom tickets and other special offers)
$92.48 - Dinner at Zeffirino's with 20% discount on my pasta plate
$230.00 - 80 min Deep Tissue Massage at Canyon Ranch Spa with $50 discount
$229.82 - Dinner at Restaurant Charlie with 20% discount
-----------
$953.26
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Laguna Beach, CA, USA: 7/18/09
The Laguna Art Museum is located right along the ocean, on Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). The most astonishing thing about the museum, though, has to be the visiting exhibit... Warcraft! The official name is WoW: Emergent Media Phenomenon, and it runs until October 4, 2009. It encompasses 2 floors (ground floor and basement) and is dedicated to the art of Warcraft (official Blizzard stuff and fan art). It is surreal. I love Warcraft and all, but never did I imagine that I have the makings of an art exhibit right in my own closet (I mean, I own every game between the original and Warcraft III: Frozen Throne). Here are some pictures (these were taken with my phone, so please excuse the lower quality):
The Laguna Art Museum also has its permanent collection, where the art is by local artists or has the local area as the subject. These occupy the 2nd/top floor of the museum, which is not all that big.
Also, within walking distance of the museum is a fantastic gelato place (Tutto Amore Gelato @ 247 Broadway Street), which also has interesting flavors such as flower of milk and habanero chocolate.
The reason we were even down in the OC was because we were visiting a friend in Emerald Bay (a secluded, private community located along PCH just north of downtown Laguna Beach). We arrived at Emerald Bay in time to catch the sunset and were immediately reminded of how beautiful it is there. I didn't take any pictures this time, but here are some I took last July:
Cost Breakdown
$3.00 - Metered parking right outside the museum on Cliff Drive @ $2/hr
The museum was free for us because it's another one of the reciprocal museums (and our membership expires soon). Regular admission is usually quite steep at $15 per person. The museum is not very big but is in a prime location.
The Laguna Art Museum also has its permanent collection, where the art is by local artists or has the local area as the subject. These occupy the 2nd/top floor of the museum, which is not all that big.
Also, within walking distance of the museum is a fantastic gelato place (Tutto Amore Gelato @ 247 Broadway Street), which also has interesting flavors such as flower of milk and habanero chocolate.
The reason we were even down in the OC was because we were visiting a friend in Emerald Bay (a secluded, private community located along PCH just north of downtown Laguna Beach). We arrived at Emerald Bay in time to catch the sunset and were immediately reminded of how beautiful it is there. I didn't take any pictures this time, but here are some I took last July:
Cost Breakdown
$3.00 - Metered parking right outside the museum on Cliff Drive @ $2/hr
The museum was free for us because it's another one of the reciprocal museums (and our membership expires soon). Regular admission is usually quite steep at $15 per person. The museum is not very big but is in a prime location.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Addendum to Denver, CO, USA: 7/10/09 - 7/12/09
Continuing from Uyen's Denver post...
After dropping Uyen off on Sunday, my home for the following 2 days was Hyatt Place Denver Tech Center (my company likes to use Hyatt Place hotels, too, for their economical pricing). Anyway, the whole reason I even felt the need to have this addendum is to highlight the dinner I had on Monday. Right across from the hotel (they share the same parking lot, in fact) was Yia Yia's Eurobistro. The rightmost picture is a shot of the restaurant from my room. I stopped by for dinner at 6pm and was seated on the patio, which overlooked a small park. I started with the house soup, which, on this night, was shrimp bisque with truffle (from Italy, my waitress told me). To my delight, there was also complimentary bread that came with a heavenly hummus/olive oil dipping sauce. My main entree was seared sea scallops, which was paired with a glass of Jordan Chardonnay. Here's Yia Yia's menu. The company will be picking up the tab on this one, but it is definitely a place I would go back to on my own without hesitation. It was 1 of the 10 best (and maybe even in the top 5) meals I've had in my life.
Since I'm here, I'd also like to include some of the art we saw at the Denver Art Museum (mouse over the images for descriptions):
Lastly, a general note: rental cars are usually more expensive in Denver for some reason. When I was looking on my own, prices for a compact were around $50/day, so I was excited that our corporate rate could get me a midsize for around the same price. The other cool thing was that we ended up with a Pontiac (Torrent) crossover. I felt kinda nostalgiac driving a car whose brand doesn't exist anymore. And, here's a shot of it in front of the Hyatt Place we stayed at for the first 2 days of our trip:
After dropping Uyen off on Sunday, my home for the following 2 days was Hyatt Place Denver Tech Center (my company likes to use Hyatt Place hotels, too, for their economical pricing). Anyway, the whole reason I even felt the need to have this addendum is to highlight the dinner I had on Monday. Right across from the hotel (they share the same parking lot, in fact) was Yia Yia's Eurobistro. The rightmost picture is a shot of the restaurant from my room. I stopped by for dinner at 6pm and was seated on the patio, which overlooked a small park. I started with the house soup, which, on this night, was shrimp bisque with truffle (from Italy, my waitress told me). To my delight, there was also complimentary bread that came with a heavenly hummus/olive oil dipping sauce. My main entree was seared sea scallops, which was paired with a glass of Jordan Chardonnay. Here's Yia Yia's menu. The company will be picking up the tab on this one, but it is definitely a place I would go back to on my own without hesitation. It was 1 of the 10 best (and maybe even in the top 5) meals I've had in my life.
Since I'm here, I'd also like to include some of the art we saw at the Denver Art Museum (mouse over the images for descriptions):
Lastly, a general note: rental cars are usually more expensive in Denver for some reason. When I was looking on my own, prices for a compact were around $50/day, so I was excited that our corporate rate could get me a midsize for around the same price. The other cool thing was that we ended up with a Pontiac (Torrent) crossover. I felt kinda nostalgiac driving a car whose brand doesn't exist anymore. And, here's a shot of it in front of the Hyatt Place we stayed at for the first 2 days of our trip:
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