Today L & I worked out and I ran 4.25 miles in 45 minutes. It was really tough and will give me a tough mark to beat. But hopefully I am still improving.
For a late lunch we went to Chik-fil-a. It reminded me of the good ol' Indiana days when I used to eat at the University library Chik-fil-a. It was in the basement of the library, and it was good. The Chik-fil-a we went to today was right by a In-N-Out, and the Chik-fil-a was packed, but it didn't look like In-N-Out was that busy. I was thinking what my favorite fast food place was. L said I already decided it was Wendy's however that wasn't decided until today. I like Chik-fil-a the best. Eating chicken makes me feel healthy, even though it is battered and has butter on it. Further, they were started by Christians, similar to In-N-Out. Chik-fil-a doesn't open on Sundays, and In-N-Out has bible verses on their wrapper. However, I have looked for them in the past and have not seen them. My friend J says she has. Anyway, the sandwiches are really good and I am glad they have expanded. The fries are criss-cut and the sandwich comes with a pickle. Chik-fil-a is expanding in CA and now there is one in Santa Ana and Long Beach.
For a more formal dining experience I like Outback Steakhouse. Ribeye is my favorite. Unfortunately, L doesn't like going there very often.
Saturday, April 29, 2006
Friday, April 28, 2006
Magazine Overload
Today at Costco I saw that they offer a selection of magazines at 30% off the cover price. Some of the ones that caught my eye are InStyle, Real Simple, and Cooking Light. Now, I did not buy any, mind you. See, that would feed into the magazine addiction that I have (as well as the rest of my immediate family).
Here is a list of magazines that I have subscribed to in my life:
Highlights
Ranger Rick
Cricket
Penny Power (Consumer Reports for kids)
Brio
Alf (I'm not kidding, but it was just because the original magazine I ordered, Muppets, was discontinued before I received even one issue)
Seventeen
InStyle
Glamour
Allure
Shape
Self
Marie Claire
Jane (only b/c it was free)
Vogue
Lucky
Cooking Light
Gourmet
Bon Appetit
Better Homes & Gardens
Budget Living
Sunset*
Audrey*
Domino*
Los Angeles Magazine*
*Currently subscribe
I'm sure there's more, but those are the ones I can think off the top of my head. Of course, this does not include all of the magazines that D, my parents and sister subscribe(d) to, which we swap on a regular basis. I don't think that web 'zines will ever fully replace regular mags--there's just something about the feel of a new magazine, with the fun new ads and glossy pages that cannot be replicated.
Here is a list of magazines that I have subscribed to in my life:
Highlights
Ranger Rick
Cricket
Penny Power (Consumer Reports for kids)
Brio
Alf (I'm not kidding, but it was just because the original magazine I ordered, Muppets, was discontinued before I received even one issue)
Seventeen
InStyle
Glamour
Allure
Shape
Self
Marie Claire
Jane (only b/c it was free)
Vogue
Lucky
Cooking Light
Gourmet
Bon Appetit
Better Homes & Gardens
Budget Living
Sunset*
Audrey*
Domino*
Los Angeles Magazine*
*Currently subscribe
I'm sure there's more, but those are the ones I can think off the top of my head. Of course, this does not include all of the magazines that D, my parents and sister subscribe(d) to, which we swap on a regular basis. I don't think that web 'zines will ever fully replace regular mags--there's just something about the feel of a new magazine, with the fun new ads and glossy pages that cannot be replicated.
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
A Creative Birthday Party
On Sunday night D and I went to licoreen's birthday party. For those of you who don't know, licoreen, my former college roommate, is an artist. She had a lot of her old artwork sitting around and had the great idea of holding a silent auction at her party. (Some of her art is seen here, on the bottom row). The proceeds went to two charities, World Team and International Justice Mission. D and I got in a mini bidding "war" over one painting, which we ended up buying! I'm still trying to figure out where it looks best, but I'm thinking over our fireplace, for now. We've moved up from posters! I was in charge of the food, although I felt like I didn't really help too much.
I made waaay too much orange cream cheese dip for the strawberries.
Reni made these cute cupcakes.
Monday, April 24, 2006
Palm Springs Weekend
To celebrate our 2nd year wedding anniversay, D and I took a weekend trip to Palm Springs. On our way there, we made a breakfast stop at Hadleys and I had my date banana shake. Next we stopped at the Cabazon outlets. D found some deals at the Nike outlet for some more running gear. He was especially proud of the deal he found on a pair of shorts.
Then we drove to the Palm Springs tram, which rotates as it goes up the mountain. We ate lunch at the top and took in the view.
The food is really nothing to write home about, but here I am, doing it anyway. This is the "Santa Fe Chicken Wrap".
An aerial view of Palm Springs.
There's snow at the top of the San Jacinto mountains, even though it was in the 90's in Palm Springs last week (it wasn't that hot when we were there).
After coming back down the mountain, we checked into our hotel, the Doral Princess Desert Resort, which we bid on through Priceline.
D took a quick swim, even though it was windy, as can be seen here:
On Rachael Ray's recommendation, we ate at the Kaiser Grille for dinner. I had made reservations for 5 p.m. (for the early bird special), but after walking on the main strip for a bit, D was famished. So, we ended up going to dinner at 4:30! I think that is a record for us.
The ambience is pretty nice.
Here is D's pork chop. Overall, we enjoyed our food, but it wasn't at the very top of any of our rankings. We overheard another couple talk about Rachael, too. I guess they didn't pay very good attention to her though, because they neglected to ask about the early bird dinners. Apparently, the waiters keep them under wraps, so you have to specifically ask for the special menu. I felt bad because the woman ordered something from the regular menu that was also on the early bird menu, and the waiter did not even say anything! Doesn't that seem unethical?
The next morning we went to another R.R. pick: More than a Mouthful Cafe. I'm afraid R.R. led us a bit astray with this one. It was kind of overpriced, and the portions, while large, did not really justify the prices. D enjoyed his eggs benedict and I had french toast with boysenberry syrup--yum. The menu even mentioned that the breakfast soup, which R.R. ordered on $40 a Day, was a "Food Network Favorite".
Overall, it was a fun weekend get-away. D had fun zoom-zooming in the Mazda 6. The past two years have gone by pretty fast. I'm looking forward to the years to come.
Then we drove to the Palm Springs tram, which rotates as it goes up the mountain. We ate lunch at the top and took in the view.
The food is really nothing to write home about, but here I am, doing it anyway. This is the "Santa Fe Chicken Wrap".
An aerial view of Palm Springs.
There's snow at the top of the San Jacinto mountains, even though it was in the 90's in Palm Springs last week (it wasn't that hot when we were there).
After coming back down the mountain, we checked into our hotel, the Doral Princess Desert Resort, which we bid on through Priceline.
D took a quick swim, even though it was windy, as can be seen here:
On Rachael Ray's recommendation, we ate at the Kaiser Grille for dinner. I had made reservations for 5 p.m. (for the early bird special), but after walking on the main strip for a bit, D was famished. So, we ended up going to dinner at 4:30! I think that is a record for us.
The ambience is pretty nice.
Here is D's pork chop. Overall, we enjoyed our food, but it wasn't at the very top of any of our rankings. We overheard another couple talk about Rachael, too. I guess they didn't pay very good attention to her though, because they neglected to ask about the early bird dinners. Apparently, the waiters keep them under wraps, so you have to specifically ask for the special menu. I felt bad because the woman ordered something from the regular menu that was also on the early bird menu, and the waiter did not even say anything! Doesn't that seem unethical?
The next morning we went to another R.R. pick: More than a Mouthful Cafe. I'm afraid R.R. led us a bit astray with this one. It was kind of overpriced, and the portions, while large, did not really justify the prices. D enjoyed his eggs benedict and I had french toast with boysenberry syrup--yum. The menu even mentioned that the breakfast soup, which R.R. ordered on $40 a Day, was a "Food Network Favorite".
Overall, it was a fun weekend get-away. D had fun zoom-zooming in the Mazda 6. The past two years have gone by pretty fast. I'm looking forward to the years to come.
Friday, April 21, 2006
Welcome Home
It is a rare occasion that D and I go out on a weekday night. We made an exception last night, however, to join fellow YAGgers in welcoming ebidebbie home. She likes Thai food, so we met up at Thai Nakorn, which is close to WPC, on Garden Grove Blvd. This restaurant passes the previously mentioned authenticity test (there were a lot of what seemed to be Thai people). D and I had been once before and I must say it is delish. We ordered family-style and there was lots of food. D was happy to have the yellow curry (he claims I always make us order panang, not true). Of course, there was the requisite pad thai and chicken satay. I also really like the pad see ew (I think my littlest sis would like this--think Thai chow fun) although it is not listed by that name. I believe it is described as rice noodles with broccoli and chicken, or something). We also had a fried fish appetizer and something that looked like beef jerky. Oh yeah, there was also a beef salad and spicy soup. D can't believe I never ate Thai food until I was in college. What can I say--I was missing out! Anyways, we're glad that ebidebbie is back in the States! :)
Monday, April 17, 2006
D's Top Destinations
Top North American Destinations
City Travel - Urban Cities
1 New York, NY Y
2 San Francisco, CA Y
3 Chicago, IL Y
4 Boston, MA Y
5 Vancouver, BC Y
6 Washington D.C. Y
7 Seattle, WA Y
8 Montreal, QB N
9 New Orleans, LA N
10 Los Angeles, CA Y
City Travel - Beach Cities
1 Honolulu, HI Y
2 San Diego, CA Y
3 Miami, FL N
4 San Juan, PR N
5 Puerta Vallarta, Mexico Y
Adventure Travel - National Parks
1 Yosemite, CA Y
2 Grand Canyon, AZ Y
3 Yellowstone WY Y
4 Banff, AB N
5 Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica Y
Adventure Travel - Skiing
1 Whistler Blackcomb, BC Y
2 Snowbird / Alta, UT Y
3 Vail, CO N
4 Mammoth, CA N
5 Squaw Valley, CA Y
Adventure Travel - Islands
1 Maui, HI Y
2 Big Island, HI Y
3 Kauai, HI N
4 U.S. Virgin Islands: St. John N
5 Bahamas: Harbour Island N
Top California Weekend Trips
Northern
Carmel By-The-Sea
Napa
Southern
Laguna Beach
Palm Springs
Top Overseas Destinations I Have Visited
Europe
Paris, France
Zermatt, Switzerland
Asia
Hong Kong, China
Phuket, Thailand
City Travel - Urban Cities
1 New York, NY Y
2 San Francisco, CA Y
3 Chicago, IL Y
4 Boston, MA Y
5 Vancouver, BC Y
6 Washington D.C. Y
7 Seattle, WA Y
8 Montreal, QB N
9 New Orleans, LA N
10 Los Angeles, CA Y
City Travel - Beach Cities
1 Honolulu, HI Y
2 San Diego, CA Y
3 Miami, FL N
4 San Juan, PR N
5 Puerta Vallarta, Mexico Y
Adventure Travel - National Parks
1 Yosemite, CA Y
2 Grand Canyon, AZ Y
3 Yellowstone WY Y
4 Banff, AB N
5 Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica Y
Adventure Travel - Skiing
1 Whistler Blackcomb, BC Y
2 Snowbird / Alta, UT Y
3 Vail, CO N
4 Mammoth, CA N
5 Squaw Valley, CA Y
Adventure Travel - Islands
1 Maui, HI Y
2 Big Island, HI Y
3 Kauai, HI N
4 U.S. Virgin Islands: St. John N
5 Bahamas: Harbour Island N
Top California Weekend Trips
Northern
Carmel By-The-Sea
Napa
Southern
Laguna Beach
Palm Springs
Top Overseas Destinations I Have Visited
Europe
Paris, France
Zermatt, Switzerland
Asia
Hong Kong, China
Phuket, Thailand
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Crystal Cove
Yesterday D was getting cabin fever, so we took a trip to Crystal Cove, which is North of Laguna Beach and South of Newport. We actually ended up stopping by in Laguna first. There were a lot of people out and about.
Then we drove up PCH to Crystal Cove. I wanted to show D the area where my sis and bro-in-law got married but we didn't see it. We took the trail down to the beach and had a nice stroll. There were hardly any other people around.
There a lot of shells everywhere but there are signs that it is against the law to collect any. This lobster tail? totally grossed me out:
We walked about a mile to this small group of old cottages that have been renovated and will soon be rented out.
Our goal was to go the Crystal Cove Shake Shack (which Rachael Ray visited for $40 a Day). However, there was no access to PCH from the beach in that area. There was a wooden staircase, but both the top and bottom were fenced off (you could still climb through the fence). We saw another couple come down the stairs and I was tempted to do it, but D half-joked "What would Jesus do?" We decided to just walk the mile back to our car and then drive.
The Shake Shack has a lot of different types of shakes but we settled on sharing a peach shake ($3.50). I wanted to try the date shake, but since we will soon be making a trip to Hadley's, I figured I could just get it there. We sat on a little bench facing the ocean, with PCH behind us. Tip: there was a cop on a motorcycle who was nabbing all of these speedsters on that stretch of PCH, so watch out.
Then we drove up PCH to Crystal Cove. I wanted to show D the area where my sis and bro-in-law got married but we didn't see it. We took the trail down to the beach and had a nice stroll. There were hardly any other people around.
There a lot of shells everywhere but there are signs that it is against the law to collect any. This lobster tail? totally grossed me out:
We walked about a mile to this small group of old cottages that have been renovated and will soon be rented out.
Our goal was to go the Crystal Cove Shake Shack (which Rachael Ray visited for $40 a Day). However, there was no access to PCH from the beach in that area. There was a wooden staircase, but both the top and bottom were fenced off (you could still climb through the fence). We saw another couple come down the stairs and I was tempted to do it, but D half-joked "What would Jesus do?" We decided to just walk the mile back to our car and then drive.
The Shake Shack has a lot of different types of shakes but we settled on sharing a peach shake ($3.50). I wanted to try the date shake, but since we will soon be making a trip to Hadley's, I figured I could just get it there. We sat on a little bench facing the ocean, with PCH behind us. Tip: there was a cop on a motorcycle who was nabbing all of these speedsters on that stretch of PCH, so watch out.
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Japanese Food on Good Friday
Some people say that you can tell a good Asian restaurant by the number of Asian people dining there, i.e. the more the better. Well, if that is true, the Japanese restaurant we went to last night wasn't very good. We went to a place called Agasse in Cypress. (I have never seen so many Caucasians in a Japanese restaurant before in my life!) D liked his rainbow roll well enough (the most raw fish he has ever eaten, according to him) but I thought my beef teryiaki was pretty mediocre. Both of our dinners came with a mini scoop of green tea ice cream, so that was nice. I actually like the beef bowl at Flame Broiler better (which is under $5!)
D wanted me to take a picture of the rainbow bowl but I didn't have my camera. So instead, here is a picture of the chicken/veggie bowl at Flame Broiler. This is the second year in a row we ate at a Japanese restaurant before going to Good Friday service...maybe it will become a tradition?
D wanted me to take a picture of the rainbow bowl but I didn't have my camera. So instead, here is a picture of the chicken/veggie bowl at Flame Broiler. This is the second year in a row we ate at a Japanese restaurant before going to Good Friday service...maybe it will become a tradition?
Thursday, April 13, 2006
More Little Peeps
Here is my attempt at spring decorating: little peeps on our mantle. We have also been doming some spring cleaning around here.
Monday, April 10, 2006
4 miles in 45 minutes
I ran 4.05 miles in 45 minutes with a 0.5 incline. Now if I do that 3 times in a row, I will be close to running it in 2 hrs and 25 minuts! But I don't think I will be able to run that 3 times in a row even in 5 months.
Sunday, April 09, 2006
Running
I ran 3 miles in 30 minutes (0.5 incline-treadmill) and I was going to run 4 miles in 45 minutes (0.5 incline-treadmill) however my treadmill automatically slowed at about 30 minutes, and then it was on cool down mode and kept slowing me down. I went on after someone and pressed the "quick start" button, but someone before me must have set it for 30 minutes. I am looking forward to upping my training a notch.
I went to RoadRuners' Parking lot sale. I was looking for size 11 stability shoes and wanted to know if Ascis 2110 or Kayano's were on sale. They were not, however the sales women told me that these Brooks Adrenaline GTS 5's were on sale. I got it for $59.99 and then also a Nike Dri-fit shirt for $21.95. These are pretty good deals, however, L doesn't think so. I told her the Kayano's were $135, but it doesn't seem to persuade her. Running is a pretty cheap sport, but L thinks I should get shoes and a shirt for $50! hah :) maybe at Wal-mart.
I went to RoadRuners' Parking lot sale. I was looking for size 11 stability shoes and wanted to know if Ascis 2110 or Kayano's were on sale. They were not, however the sales women told me that these Brooks Adrenaline GTS 5's were on sale. I got it for $59.99 and then also a Nike Dri-fit shirt for $21.95. These are pretty good deals, however, L doesn't think so. I told her the Kayano's were $135, but it doesn't seem to persuade her. Running is a pretty cheap sport, but L thinks I should get shoes and a shirt for $50! hah :) maybe at Wal-mart.
Monday, April 03, 2006
Spring Has Sprung
It doesn't really feel like Spring yet even though we pushed the clocks back an hour. This past weekend I was able to brunch with some of my high school friends, D got a drug test for his new job, I picked out new eyeglass frames, and we bought a Costco membership. We also hung out with my fam so that the guys could watch the UCLA game on my parents' big screen while the girls talked. It's funny how it's more evenly split now. For a long time, my Dad faced a 4:1 female to male ratio.
Yesterday D & I cooked a nice "Spring dinner" together: salmon (D), asparagus (L) and rice (D). The picture is of a cute "twinkie chick" my Mom made.
Saturday, April 01, 2006
Paradise Pier & Golden State
Paradise Pier
California Screamin': This was the first and last ride we went on. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture. It was closed the first time we came here, so I was relieved it was running this time. This is a really good roller coaster. In the beginning, you feel like you're being shot out of a cannon! From there, it is an unbelievably smooth ride and even the upside down part is not bad.
Sun Wheel:
We chose to go on the non-sliding part because that made me sick last time (and the wait is shorter). The thing is so big that they only let you go on one full rotation before starting to unload/load again. We only went on it because we had time to kill before using our Fast Pass for California Screamin'.
Mulholland Madness:
Unlike California Screamin', this ride is so jerky! It pretty much gives you whiplash.
Orange Stinger:
I'm not sure why, but this ride is more fun than it looks. I read somewhere that you're supposed to smell oranges, but I never have. It was difficult to get a good shot of D while we were both swingin' around.
King Triton's Carousel:
Another ride we went on just to kill time...and the line was really short. Remember when you used to go on a merry-go-round, and then wave at your parents every time you passed them?
Golden State
Soarin' Over California. D gave a detailed description of this in a previous post. The second time we rode it he made a conscious effort to remember every city so that he could list them on our blog.
Redwood Creek Challenge Trail:
The rope bridges were fun. They had a zip line, but only for kids.
Seasons of the Vine:
Disney's version of Napa. We watched the short movie about Robert Mondavi, mainly because we were tired.
Pacific Wharf:
This is where the Mission Tortilla factory and the Boudin factory tours are located.
The only major attraction we skipped was Grizzly River Run. It was overcast and we did not feel like walking around with wet clothes.
Disney's version of Yosemite. Can you see the rock shaped like a bear's head on the upper left?
One thing that I find funny about amusement parks is seeing people buy things that they will never again use. OK, I can see how some would think the mickey ears are cute (especially the golden ones), but when are you ever going to wear them again, unless you happen to be going to Disneyland? Also, we saw three year old girls running around in Cinderella costumes that I later saw cost $55! D kept on joking he wanted Goofy "hands" and a Goofy hat, so I had him try one on, just for kicks:
Our chosen souvenir? A "D (+) L" keychain for our mail key!
So, that's the end of our Disney posts. D read that Disney is considering building a third park, which would be crazy. I can't believe how much it has changed since I worked there. The end.
California Screamin': This was the first and last ride we went on. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture. It was closed the first time we came here, so I was relieved it was running this time. This is a really good roller coaster. In the beginning, you feel like you're being shot out of a cannon! From there, it is an unbelievably smooth ride and even the upside down part is not bad.
Sun Wheel:
We chose to go on the non-sliding part because that made me sick last time (and the wait is shorter). The thing is so big that they only let you go on one full rotation before starting to unload/load again. We only went on it because we had time to kill before using our Fast Pass for California Screamin'.
Mulholland Madness:
Unlike California Screamin', this ride is so jerky! It pretty much gives you whiplash.
Orange Stinger:
I'm not sure why, but this ride is more fun than it looks. I read somewhere that you're supposed to smell oranges, but I never have. It was difficult to get a good shot of D while we were both swingin' around.
King Triton's Carousel:
Another ride we went on just to kill time...and the line was really short. Remember when you used to go on a merry-go-round, and then wave at your parents every time you passed them?
Golden State
Soarin' Over California. D gave a detailed description of this in a previous post. The second time we rode it he made a conscious effort to remember every city so that he could list them on our blog.
Redwood Creek Challenge Trail:
The rope bridges were fun. They had a zip line, but only for kids.
Seasons of the Vine:
Disney's version of Napa. We watched the short movie about Robert Mondavi, mainly because we were tired.
Pacific Wharf:
This is where the Mission Tortilla factory and the Boudin factory tours are located.
The only major attraction we skipped was Grizzly River Run. It was overcast and we did not feel like walking around with wet clothes.
Disney's version of Yosemite. Can you see the rock shaped like a bear's head on the upper left?
One thing that I find funny about amusement parks is seeing people buy things that they will never again use. OK, I can see how some would think the mickey ears are cute (especially the golden ones), but when are you ever going to wear them again, unless you happen to be going to Disneyland? Also, we saw three year old girls running around in Cinderella costumes that I later saw cost $55! D kept on joking he wanted Goofy "hands" and a Goofy hat, so I had him try one on, just for kicks:
Our chosen souvenir? A "D (+) L" keychain for our mail key!
So, that's the end of our Disney posts. D read that Disney is considering building a third park, which would be crazy. I can't believe how much it has changed since I worked there. The end.
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