Category Archives: World In My Eyes

Baggage Claim

As I’m writing this, the Olympics are in full swing, making me even more anxious for my London trip with Janice.  With my trip only one week away, I’ve been mentally packing for about a month.  Because I’m still mulling over what outfits I’m going to wear, I just thought I’d share what I’ll be packing them all in. I have two pieces from the Mariella collection by Diane Von Furstenberg that I found in two different Marshalls over a year ago (most of the full set is pictured above).  I own the largest piece, which is the 28″ expandable suitcase, and also the 20′ wheeled carry on duffle (my actual case is pictured below and shows the studs in better detail).  I found the duffle first at a location closest to me, and the larger piece I found at a different location while waiting for my husband (there is a Marshalls next door to where he usually gets a haircut).

The studs were definitely in line with my current obsession and yet another a nod to my gothic tendencies.  In fact, in looking for a picture of the full set, I stumbled upon a wonderful blog called Vampire Gothic Rose, “the aging goth”.  I love her thoughts and tales on being an elder goth and I look forward to reading more (I’ve added her to my “Daily Reads” section).

Note:  I’ve created a new travel category called “World in my Eyes” in honor of my London/Paris trip. 

(Top image courtesy of Vampire Gothic Rose)

Dimensions of all of the pictured luggage (details from Luggage Guy)

28″ Expandable Suitcase – Dimensions: 28″ x 20.5″ x 10″ – 14 lbs.
25″ Expandable Suitcase – Dimensions: 25″ x 18″ x 9″ – 12 lbs.
21″ Expandable Carry-on – Dimensions:  21″ x 14″ x 8″ – 10 lbs.
17″ Tote – Dimensions:  17″ x 13″ x 5″ – 3 lbs.
20″ Wheeled Carry on Duffle – Dimensions: 20″ x 14″ x 11″ – 6 lbs.

Weekend in Pictures: The LAB

As I mentioned in my “Anniversaries” post last Monday, my husband had a golf tournament last Sunday, so we decided to turn it into a mini-get-away by staying up in the Irvine area for the whole weekend.  Saturday was spent being lazy, sleeping in, lounging by the pool and having a late dinner.  On Sunday while Deon played in the golf tournament at the Oak Creek Golf Club, Dominic and I went shopping and then spent the rest of the time at Boomers (a mini-golf amusement park) in the Costa Mesa area close by.

Rather than hit up South Coast Plaza, one of my favorite malls, I decided to shop on a smaller scale at a place called The LAB nearby.  It has been quite a long time since I had been to The LAB, and I was happy to know that it was still there and just as quirky as I remember it.  This is what Space 15 Twenty reminded me of when I went shopping in LA last June (original post here).  The CAMP, which is right across the street from The LAB is also similar.

The LAB, also known as “The Anti-Mall”, stands for “Little American Business” and caters to more indie stores (the only “big” chain store would be Urban Outfitters).  The set up and design appeals to the visual artist in me:  great use of alternative spaces for boutiques and lots of visual eye-candy in the form of random sculptures throughout the area.  Even Dominic enjoyed looking and interacting with all of the art and chose to sport a funky pair of sunnies he found a store called popKiller (he asked me to buy them because they were green).

My favorite store there was an awesome jewelry boutique called The Shangri-La.  I chatted with the owner, Karen Hsiang and will feature her boutique on this Friday’s post.  When I get back from London, I’m going back to The LAB with some friends to spend a little more time in the shops and to try out the restaurants.  Happy shopping!

Weekend in Pictures: Zip It Up!

Zip liners: Cy, Deon and Rholnna

The zip line tower

We have gone to the San Diego County Fair every week since it opened this year, which we’ve never done before (the first time was Father’s Day, post here and this post marks the second time).  Now that they have offered this unlimited pass, any trip to the fair going forward is basically free.  Additionally, a promotional booklet called the “Passport to Savings” was being sold outside the fairgrounds of coupons that could be used both inside the fair, and then at vendors outside once the fair is done for the summer.  I wasn’t going to buy it, but the salesman said “Don’t let love tear us apart, get your Passport to Savings right here!” in honor of my Joy Division shirt, which meant that I just had to buy a booklet because he was so clever.  But I’m glad I did because some of the coupons were good for free drinks with purchase, buy one get one free items, or discounts.  The best discount was the $5 off of High Fly’N Zip Line, which my sister, my husband and I all took a ride on.  Deon went twice (that daredevil).

These are pictures from last weekend, and this time we brought along my sister and my niece.  Of course we indulged in more fabulous fair food, including fried cheese curds (yet another first).  We also have video evidence of our thrill ride (if the video is not currently below when this posts, it will be added at a later date).  Hope you had a great weekend!

Mei-Lin and Dominic being cute (sneaky alien!)

Ah, glorious deep-fried cheese curds!

Weekend In Pictures: It's All Good When it's Fair Food

For Father’s Day, we went to The San Diego County Fair, where the theme was “Out of This World” and centered around all things science and science fiction.  My husband tried zip lining for the first time, which I got a chance to do just this past weekend (video to come).  Then we all tried our hands at archery, including Dominic!  And of course, the food we indulged in was clearly an experience that could only be described as other worldly.    Hope you had a great weekend!

My hubby, about to zip line (I’ll have a video of the two of us going in an upcoming post)

Dominic learned a little archery.

A triumphant picture of Dominic with one of his many winning prizes.

First stop: Chicken Charlie’s for anything and everything deep-fried.

My boys enjoying a little deep-fried goodness (deep-fried ribs & chicken strips).

My East/West tote was the perfect carry-all for the fair (as seen on Instagram, and thank you to Rebecca Minkoff for the re-Tweet!)

Enjoying a deep-fried peanut butter & jelly sandwich with Wendy Brandes, sort of! (I just love wearing my swear rings everywhere)

Yes, that would be deep-fried Trix cereal!

What was once The Heart Attack Cafe is now Bacon A-Fair, where their relationship with bacon runs deep…and fried!

Beer battered Polish dog & stuffed jalapeno peppers, both wrapped in bacon of course.

Weekend in Pictures: Relaxing in the Desert

Visit us and buy wine online today!

As I first mentioned in a post a couple of weeks ago, we decided to take a few days off during the week to relax in the desert of Palm Springs.  We had actually planned and scraped two different trips, and finally settled on a simple and budget friendly get-away for the whole family.  Once we arrived, you can see that it didn’t take much to get Dominic to relax!

Deon had planned a couple of early rounds of golf, which allowed Dominic and to leisurely sleep in and grab breakfast before heading out as a family.  In line with our budget-friendly theme, we enjoyed a couple of delicious yet inexpensive restaurants that were family friendly.  When we went to the pool during our first day, we met a fun couple who turned us onto a little pizza place that was walking distance from our hotel.  It was called Cafe Pallette.  While Dominic snacked on french fries, Deon and I had a pizza called Rich’s Choice, which was a thin crust pizza topped with cheese, spicy Italian sausage, pepperoni, bacon and red onion.  It was one of the best pizzas we had in a long time, quite possibly since Italy.

The next day, Deon drove us to a place recommended by a co-worker called Sherman’s Deli & Bakery.  She had mentioned that this was one of the best deli’s she had been to, and since Deon is someone who I consider a sandwich expert, we didn’t mind the drive to the Palm Desert location (the one close to our hotel was closed due to renovations).

I want to thank our co-worker from the bottom of our hearts because Sherman’s did not disappoint.  The staff was inviting and friendly, getting on Dominic’s good side by showering him with attention in the form of a toy, crayons and something to color on.  Our server gave us his recommendations, which included selections from their “Famous Sandwich Board”.  I chose the French Dip while Deon chose the Corned Beef, Pastrami & Swiss sandwich.  Dominic chose his staple, the chicken strips, but mainly ate the pickles and cottage fries instead.

Both of our sandwiches were so incredibly good.  My French Dip was already fantastic with provolone cheese melting on top of their brisket.  But it quickly became one of the best sandwiches I had ever had when I dipped it into the au jus.  Deon’s sandwich was just as tasty with the piles of corned beef and pastrami.  Since we practically had to be rolled out after our lunch, we took our chocolate cake and cherry cheesecake slices to go and enjoy in our hotel room, which we definitely did.

Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention just how incredible lovely our hotel was, as well as Palm Springs itself.  It was nice to walk around early in the morning, enjoying the quiet & empty streets, towering mountains and the quaint details of our hotel (Dominic loved the little waterfall).  I was also able to get a blurry shot of the windmills that are seen en masse as you first drive into Palm Springs.  We will be returning because I was just too relaxed to get in much shopping.  So once the weather cools down just a bit, you can be sure that Palm Springs will be a new and recurring family destination.  Hope you all had a great weekend!

FTC Disclosure: Although this is a sponsored post, the opinions, pictures & content of this post are strictly my own.

Weekend in Pictures: Why I Love The Venetian

A couple of weeks ago, we went to Las Vegas for Labor Day weekend.  We go to Vegas several times a year because my husband’s family is there.  It not only allows us to see the family so they can spend time with our son Dominic, but it also allows us time to have a date night on the Strip or date weekend in Mesquite.

One of my favorite hotels on the Strip is The Venetian, maybe because we stayed there on our honeymoon.  Right after our ceremony and reception, we stayed at The Venetian on our wedding night, right before we went to New York and Europe.  So many times on The Strip you see couples going around the casinos dressed in their suit and gowns, so we did the same.  Lots of congratulations and well wishes showered us as we walked through the hotel.  The best part was that we were given the Presidential suite for the price of our regular suite.  My husband still thanks me to this day for that small but effective idea!

Like all of the larger hotels on the Strip, the decor is larger than life and almost overwhelming, depending on which hotel you visit.  Places like Circus Circus, The Excalibur and even New York, New York have almost an amusement park feel to them.  That’s why I enjoy hotels like Mandalay Bay, The Bellagio, The Cosmopolitan, The Wynn, and The Venetian.  They feel a little more luxurious and opulent.  I enjoy faux Italian interior of The Venetian, resplendent with beautiful fountains, gardens, waterways, gondolas, and bridges.  Even their bars and restaurants are works of art themselves.

What I really love about The Venetian are the shops and eateries.  Right off the bat, they have the only cafe on the West Coast (as far as I know) dedicated to my favorite coffee: Espressamente Illy.  I posted a picture of a small portion of the pillar of cups previously, but below is a shot of just how high up the cups went into the ceiling.  Also pictured is my favorite item from their menu, the Affogado.  It is a scoop of gelato with a shot of espresso, topped with whipped cream.  A few people both inside and outside the cafe stopped me to find out what I was having.  It is even better than it looks.

We tried a new place to eat at The Venetian called Valentino.  My husband heard about it through a guy he played golf with, who also happens to be a waiter there.  I have learned lately to ask the servers what their favorite dishes are, and he told us about a dish only made when this certain couple calls to request it ahead of time.  I can’t remember the name of it exactly, but it’s basically a cheese stuffed ravioli with a black truffle cream sauce.  Other than in Italy, it was one of the best pasta dishes I’ve ever had.  They have a great gnocchi dish, too.

Of course last but not least, the shopping.  The shops range from affordable to high-end, depending on your taste.  I got a couple of shots of some beautiful store fronts.  Even if I can’t quite rush in and immediately buy something at a moment’s notice (I actually could, but the hubby would protest), it’s always fun to window shop.  So if you’re ever in Las Vegas, one of your must-see hotels on the Strip has got to be The Venetian.  Hope you all had a great weekend!

Weekend in Pictures: The Cars 2 Experience

This weekend, we finally watched “Cars 2” in 3D at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, then went to the “Cars 2 World Grand Prix” outdoor attraction, which was across the street at Hollywood High.  When we arrived, we didn’t know that theatre was hosting a VIP showing of “The Lion King” re-released in 3D, which shifted all of the other shows, eliminating one of them.  I was very glad that we arrived early and bought our tickets, ensuring a decent place in line and great seats in the theatre.  The second shot above is one of my favorites.  We were waiting in front of the Disney Soda Fountain and Studio Store on the Walk of Fame when Dominic decided to stand in front of the store.  He looks like he’s on some kind of covert mission, checking to see if anyone is tailing him!

It was quite a wait before the VIP fanfare was cleared and sidewalks were unblocked in front of the theatre.  Once we got our wristbands, I think we finally felt like we were getting somewhere.  I love the fact that Dominic’s second time at a movie theatre was in a grand one like El Capitan.  Before the movie came on, we were treated to a performance by the house organist, which was fantastic.

The best part of the day was the “Cars 2 World Grand Prix” attraction, which all of the movie goers were treated to after the movie.  This allowed Dominic to see all of the images from the movie suddenly come to life, letting him run around and actually interact with everything he just saw.  We took the shot below from the garage where we parked, right next to Hollywood High.  It was nice to get a shot with no crowds, just to show how awesome the space was.  It consisted of all the locations from the movie: Radiator Springs, Paris, Tokyo, Porto Corsa, and London.  I think I took a similar shot of Big Ben when I was last in London (in the movie, they call it Big Bentley).

I wish we could have raced on the track, but Dominic still hasn’t quite gotten the hang of pedaling yet.  That still didn’t overshadow my favorite part of the day, which was seeing my son’s reaction to his favorite character from the movie, Lightning McQueen, larger than life.  Here is a video of when we first entered the attraction, followed by a picture of his proud moment and our free picture which we took in “Tokyo”.  Hope you all had a great weekend!

Foodie Fever: Keep on Truckin’!

This past weekend, we met up with my sister at the Gourmet Food Truck Festival held at the Del Mar Racetrack (the traditional site of the San Diego County Fair).  I’ve been seeing these types of events on television as well as all over the city.  I missed out on a smaller version a couple of months ago, so I when we reset our plans to see the “Cars 2 Experience” to next week, we knew exactly where we wanted to go.

Gone are the days of “the roach coach”.  There were 45 trucks at this event filled with edible mobile goodness at every turn.  Although my family only hit up two trucks, my sister, her friends and family share with each other by buying food from several different trucks, slicing up smaller portions so that everyone can have a sample, which reminded me of tapas.  We got to sample food from at least five other trucks this way (although I can’t recall which ones).

Part of the fun of this type of food festival are the trucks themselves.  Each truck had something savory to sell, and something fanciful for the eyes.  It was fun to walk around just to see all of the keenly decorated trucks with clever names.  Because of all of the incredibly long lines, we only went to two trucks:  Brats Berlin and Buttermilk Truck.

At the Brats Berlin truck, I tried the traditional bratwurst with sauerkraut and grilled onions while Deon tried the chicken jalapeno and onion sausage with spicy and sweet peppers.  Both were incredibly good, bursting with flavor and spice.

With a name like Buttermilk Truck, I knew I had to stop in to at least check out the menu.  For only $5, I was able to get the red velvet chocolate chip pancake bites and the housemade cake donuts.  We added just a touch of syrup to the pancakes because we weren’t sure how sweet it would already be, but it only made it taste even better.  Both dishes were moist and just sweet enough so they weren’t overbearing.  The butter was lightly whipped and almost tasted like ice cream.  There was enough to share with another person, so my sister and I devoured the whole thing.  That clearly was my favorite food truck of the day.  Apparently Andrew Zimmern has eaten there as a part of his “Appetite for Life” feature on MSN, a show all about America’s street cuisine.

I’m so very glad that we rearranged our weekend to make room for this festival because it is definitely something that we will be attending again.  This time, we will make sure to get out there early to avoid all of the long lines and hit up more trucks.  Hope you all had a great weekend!

Dominic and Mei-Lin had a blast at the Gourmet Food Truck Festival!

Weekend in Pictures: Three if by Sea

Last Sunday, we went out to Seaport Village to fly another kite that we bought Dominic because the other kite had been taken by the wind (original post here).  Since this one was bigger, badder and had a different reel, we knew this one would be able to stand what Mother Nature had to offer. Meet Dominic’s new kite, The Red Baron!

We then ventured back into Seaport Village and had cupcakes at our favorite place, Frosted Robin.  This time, we had the chance to sample the English Sticky Toffee, German Chocolate and Peanut Butter cupcakes.  We washed the sweetness down with some white peach tea and chatted a bit with Sheree, the owner and manager (see my interview with Sheree here).

We ended the day at Joe’s Crab Shack on the Embarcadero, in a building that used to be the San Diego Rowing Club, which was deemed a historic building back in 1979.  It’s right on the water, behind the San Diego Convention Center.  Dominic enjoyed all of the wall decor and we enjoyed the food and the scenery.  We are lucky to live in such a beautiful city like San Diego.  Hope you all had a great weekend!

I wore my favorite comfy shoes by Marc Jacobs the whole day.

Weekend in Pictures: Deep Fried Paradise (aka The San Diego County Fair)

Happy 4th of July!  We are currently in Las Vegas, about to celebrate.  But since I won’t have actual pictures of the celebration until later, I thought I’d post what we did the last weekend.  Every year we try to make it out to The San Diego County Fair, which will forever be affectionately known to our family as The Del Mar Fair.  I’ve been going since I was a little girl with my sister, mom and dad.  Now that my sister and I have our own family, we’re continuing the tradition with our own families.

Each year, the food gets more and more outlandish.  I’m not sure what they’re going to deep fry next, but I’m pretty sure we’ll be eating it.  I think most of the pictures will speak for themselves.  Hope you have a great 4th!