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California Dreaming: Los Angeles (Part 1)

September 4, 2009

Leg 4: Stargazing in the City of Angels

Being in LA was exactly what I expected it to be. Having lived on a staple of Hollywood fare pretty much all my life, I felt like I knew all the shops along Rodeo Drive from when Julia Roberts sashayed down the street in Pretty Woman. I even had the soundtrack in my head as I tried to reenact the scene. Sunset Boulevard, Orange County and Santa Monica were all familiar places from various movies. The sidewalks and palm trees. Blading on the Venice Boardwalk, chillaxing in Newport Beach. Ah, I felt like I was home.

The first thing we did upon reaching LA was to head to Staples Centre to catch a Lakers game. It happened to be game night against the Houston Rockets (The Yao, baby) and being the die hard Lakers fan that he is, the husband refused to check into the hotel until we caught the game. Only thing was, we didn’t have any tickets and we had to loiter outside the stadium looking for black market ones. We eventually got a pair of courtside tics from a burly dude at half price just 5 minutes before the whistle blew and it was like winning the lottery.

: We looked like crap after a 7 hour drive so there’s no way I’m putting those pics up

I wasn’t a fan of either teams, but it was the Yao, so being Chinese and all, I pledged my allegiance to the Rockets for the 80 minutes while the husband was screaming himself hoarse for the Lakers. The game turned out to be quite a cracker. Kobe Bryant stepped up with a buzzer beater and I was the only crazy Rockets fan booing him and being stared down by a sea of yellow and purple. Although, the highlight for me was watching a showdown between a feisty little black lady and a giant Italian dude whom I suspect has links with the Mafia cos he sounded like Don Corleone and said Omerta a lot. Or it could have been Berta. It was kinda hard to tell with all that noise.

I was really excited to check out Hollywood Boulevard and I even promised the husband that was THE place to meet Brad Pitt and maybe we might even get spotted to star in the next Rush Hour. Well, nobody told me that famous Hollywood stars didn’t spend all their time hanging around their stars on the walk of fame. Because if I had a star on the walk of fame, that would be all I did. Just sitting next to it looking all smug and pleased with myself. All. the. time.

: Spare me some change

I bet the husband $5 and a lifetime of gloating rights that he wouldn’t be able to make a stranger give him money. Which he totally won. Also, the guy who threw him a quarter was actually really cute and possibly gay.

I did manage to take a photo with the Cat in the Hat, which cost me a dollar. I still feel ripped off when I think about it now. I was too shocked that he made me give him a dollar for the photo and I was partially afraid that he would summon Thing One and Thing Two to sit on me and start rhyming if I didn’t pay up. The worst thing was the husband actually managed to take a kickass photo with Borat (I swear he was real) FOR FREE, which was actually way cooler than some stupid striped cat.

: I know, I’m a sucker.

: Very nice, how much? FREE

The thing about LA is that there’s just so much to do and see. The 5 days we spent were barely enough to cover all the main attractions and unlike SF, we hardly had time to sit and watch the world go by. We would be in downtown LA in the morning, and by the afternoon, we’d be in Venice Beach and finally, to Santa Monica to catch the sunset. Speaking of Santa Monica, it was a place filled with awesomeness. It was where we met and fell in love instantly with Sha-Shaty. The guy has mad sax skills.

: The soundtrack still gives me goosebumps

: Santa Monica, where I was trying to do the whole walking into the sunset thing.

Another great thing about being in LA? In-and-out burger. It is by far the best burger I’ve ever tasted and we had it everyday for because we couldn’t get enough of it. Fatburger doesn’t even come close. And Carl’s Jr tastes like McCrap in comparison. It is THAT good.

by Daphne

love bites

California Dreaming: Las Vegas

August 28, 2009

Leg 3: Viva Las Vegas

After being mesmerized by Tahoe, it was with much reluctance that we packed our bags and took the longest drive of our lives to Vegas. It was over 10 hours of empty desert land on a single-laned road, flying along at 110 mph. Occasionally, a trailer would pass by on the other side and the car would shake so violently we had to grab the steering so tight till our knuckles turned white. It was also somewhere in the Nevada desert that I got chased down by a sneaky highway patrol trooper and slapped with a speeding ticket for $120. Nice. I attempted to charm my way out of it but the trooper looked kinda like this and I think he was unfazed.

License and registration please

Nevada desert

Driving into the city of blinding lights late at night was pretty awesome. Everything was screaming for attention. With the neon lights so bright it leaves your head spinning for days, it was the city that never sleeps. At close to midnight, the Strip was alive with a flurry of activity and the rush of adrenaline was enough to draw our exhausted, beaten bodies out for a quick stroll. There was so much excitement in the air that it was hard to be tired in Vegas.

We got a comped upgrade to the honeymoon suite at the Renaissance (thanks to some eyelid-batting and a twenty), which was absolutely magnificent. The room totally speaks for itself. We were so torn between wanting to camp out in the room for the 3 days and devouring every inch Vegas. We ended up choosing the latter, but the room put up a a tough fight, I tell you.

: The renaissance

Honeymoon suite

Exploring the strip took us an entire day. We walked all the way from Mandalay Bay to Circus Circus and back again, soaking in the sights and sounds. It was a non-stop visual spectacle and we felt like we had taken a trip around the world in 12 hours. There was the Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty, Sphinx, Safari, Pirates, Caesar and my personal favorite, the Bellagio fountains. In true touristy fashion, we stood outside the fountains in rapt amazement for a full 30 minutes as it danced to Andrea Bocelli.

Bellagio fountains

We couldn’t leave Vegas without watching a production and it was a toss up between Cirque du Soleil, Celine Dion, Elton John and David Copperfield. According to the husband, we could catch concerts anytime back home, so we shelled out $300 for a pair of Copperfield tics. I hate to say this, but the king of magic was way past his prime. It was a painful 90 minutes watching the poor guy rehash old tricks, trying to recapture his former glory while Elton John was singing his heart out a few doors down. I caught the concert on Star World after we came back and it was superb. Indulgent, no doubt, but plenty of sing-along fun.

On our last night, we wrapped up Vegas with a comedy show at the Riviera Hotel Comedy Club. It looked a little dingy, so we didn’t know what to expect, but all 3 stand up comedians brought their A game and we were in stitches the entire time.

I wouldn’t say Vegas is the most romantic place in the world. A little too in-your-face for my liking, but it was fun while it lasted. We contemplated getting married again in one of the chapels just for kicks so I could tell my grandkids we eloped and got married dressed up like Elvis. It would totally up our coolness factor, or make us look like complete idiots. Either way, it’s the stuff stories are made of.

by Daphne

love bites

California Dreaming: Lake Tahoe

August 22, 2009

Leg 2: Heavenly Village is well… heavenly

Whatever heaven must be like, it’s gotta have Tahoe. The folks at Heavenly Village obviously shared the same sentiment, seeing that they came up with the perfect name for the place. With its unassuming rustic charm, it totally took my breath away. Being in Lake Tahoe is like stepping into a Hemingway novel, complete with plenty of that old-school romance.

I loved everything about it – the babbling brooks, the snow-capped mountains, the Lake with water so still you’re almost afraid to disturb its serenity. It was the perfect place to escape from the cares of the world, as it were. No phone calls, emails or pesky work issues to clear (URGENTLY it always seems). People knew how to stop and smell the roses, to give you the time of day and chat like old friends and enjoy the little things in life.

Snow-capped mountains in the distance

The lake from 30,000 ft

The lake at ground level

Some may say that it’s terribly backward but sometimes, a little trip back in time may be just what we need.

Originally, we wanted to stay in a log cabin, the kind with walls made of actual logs, a fireplace with actual chimneys and an actual wooden bear outside. I found the loveliest place – the Hyatt Regency in Incline Village, but then it was situated at the other side of the Lake (about an hour’s drive from Heavenly Village). So we settled on Harveys, which was right at the heart of the action.

The loveliest place to stay in Tahoe

You can't have a lodge without a real bear outside

We were in Tahoe in the middle of April, so it wasn’t supposed to snow but we woke up on the second day to find a thick layer of snow had fallen during the night. It was like Christmas came early for me and while everyone was running for cover, there we were, 2 crazy Chinese kids jumping around in the snow.

Speaking of Christmas, Starbucks only brings in Toffee Nut Latte in December and it is the most delightful drink on the planet. Imagine my ecstasy when I wandered into the Starbucks in Tahoe to find Toffee Nut Latte in April. I could have died happy there and then.

I refused to take shelter until I couldn't feel my fingers

Ice-kachang, anyone?

Of course, Tahoe would not be complete without a ride to the top of Adventure Peak on the Gondola. You could ski, snowboard and for the less adventurous, do kiddy stuff like tubing. I watched in awe as skiers flew down from the top of the mountain. It was poetry in motion. I thought for a while and decided to go with tubing just in case I broke a rib or got a concussion. As it turns out, tubing was surprisingly fun. Ok, so it was an activity for kids, but my inner child was having the time of her life.

We were so high I could reach out and touch the clouds

Tubing on Adventure Peak

Gives ice cold beer a whole new meaning

In my opinion, Lake Tahoe is the best place to fall in love. And if you’re already in love, GO TO LAKE TAHOE. There will be lots of boom-chica-wow-wow action. Trust me, I should know.

by Daphne

love bites

California Dreaming: San Francisco

August 14, 2009

I’m having the most severe honeymoon withdrawal ever. It started the moment I got on the plane from LAX and it hasn’t gone away since. For the first two weeks after I got home, I’d crawl into my “happy place” in my head and imagine that I was strolling down the strip in Vegas and squishing snowballs in Tahoe. Some days, I could almost smell the scent of fresh snow. Heavenly. On the last day of my honeymoon, I was throwing a hissy fit refusing to go home. I told the husband something along the lines of “that’s it, I’m staying here forever and you can go home without me.”

2 years and 2 kids later, I still wonder if I should have sat my ass down on the kerb and stood my ground. Life would be so different. IHOP every morning, skiing in the winter, road trips, shopping at Saks, sipping coffee in Santa Monica, Disneyland. Life would be good.

These days, I still retire to my happy place whenever things got too depressing. The irony is that I end up feeling more depressed than ever. It’s bittersweet, especially now that there’s no chance of ever recapturing those moments again. We were young and in love, flying by the seat of our pants and without a care in the world. We’re still young and in love, but my pants are now stuffed with diapers, breast milk and baby vomit. And responsibilities compel me. It’s a catch 22, really. Taking a holiday with the kids would be a logistical nightmare and taking a holiday without them would be an emotional one.

So I’m content with browsing the pictures and recapturing the moments in my head. And since I’m feeling extra generous today, I’ll share them with you.

Leg 1: I left my heart in San Francisco

I still don’t know what ever possessed us to do it, but in a bid to save $400 on admin charges to fly direct to SFO, we decided to land in LAX and take a 9 hour drive along the Pacific Coast Highway right after a gruelling 27 hour flight. I have since learnt a painful lesson on not being too cheapskate.

I was so exhausted I had to hold on to the car for support

I love that the entire Bay area is so laid back. Folks aren’t rushing at breakneck speed and they’ll take the time to stop and chat. The first day, we were up at 5am and by noon, we had conquered Fisherman’s Wharf, Coit Tower, the Embarcadero, Chinatown and Union Square. Don’t ask me how we did it, but we did it.

climbing up coit tower was enough workout for the entire trip

Bubba Gump has the best shrimp in the whole wide world

My personal favorite was Sausalito. It’s like a slice of heaven. We’ve already marked it as our ideal retirement location. I felt like I was stepping into Stars Hollow on the set of Gilmore Girls. The shops were quaint and there was magic in the air. I even made friends with a cute little Goldie.

there's love in the air in Sausalito

one day, I'll get a goldie just like this one

And of course, the magnificent Golden Gate Bridge. Driving across at 80 mph, my hands were trembling as I felt the bridge sway. And in the distance, the bay was completely fogged up.

Me: Look, its all fogged up!

Husband: Hey, stop swearing ok.

Me: Just shut up.

see, I told you it was all fogged up

by Daphne

love bites

The sexiest man alive

July 22, 2009

The husband is the sexiest man alive because he came home with bubble tea yesterday. I know I’m supposed to be confined and drinking cold stuff is an absolute no-no. And cold stuff with caffeine, that’s like the cardinal sin for a confined mother.

So when the husband stepped in the house bearing the bubble tea, it was like I was back in school again, and he was this badass with the wind in his hair, wearing his trademark aviator shades and leather jacket.

*cue music from Top Gun*

The very reason why I fell in love with him seven years ago.

sexiest-man

Well, actually, it was mostly because he MADE me a precious moments card with glitter glue and tiny hearts this one time when I flunked an exam. I know. Precious moments is for pretty girls with braids dancing around the campfire. But somehow, a grown man who loves precious moments, it’s unbelievably hot.

Given my recent bout of the blues, the person who’s gotten it worst is the husband. He’s been at the receiving end of my rants, outbursts and tantrums and so far, he hasn’t even flinched. One moment I’d be on a war path and then I’d just break down crying the next. Honestly, I wouldn’t even have put up with myself.

The only thing keeping me sane these days is knowing that I’ll get to see him at 7pm everyday, and knowing that I’ve made it through another day. I didn’t think I was the clingy type, but what can I say, motherhood brings out the worst in us. I’ve become all needy and having him around is what keeps me going.

And bubble tea, of course.

by Daphne

love bites

What men really want

May 28, 2009

The husband sent me this pic with a giant header that says “This has to appear in your blog”, so I’ve decided to be all nice and obliging since Superdad has been saving my ass the whole of this week. And who doesn’t just LOVE a life-sized remote control with all the buttons for dudes to control women.

I’m all done with my bra-burning days, so hello, Stepford Mom.

I love that all the needs of a man can be filtered down to 3 simple words – sex, food and beer (in that order). All the others are inconsequential.

Take work for example. The whole point of working is to earn a bunch of dough so that they can buy food and beer and a fancypants sports car, which will lead to some smoking hot sex in the sports car. Or outside the sports car so the fancy upholstery wouldn’t be all ruined which would mean the end of all future prospective hot sex, cos the only sex they’ll be getting with a crummy, beat-up junk is from a toothless transvestite who just had a hair transplant.

And married men (especially fathers) need the remote more than their bachelor friends, since their only hope of having any food or hot sex (forget the beer) is if they cleaned up the house, fed the kids, bought some diamonds, gave me a bubble bath and a nice massage, by which time I’d be sleeping like a baby, except on good days where I’m not pregnant, or having PMS or feeling too fat.

I say it’s tough to be a dude. Problem is, most guys who don’t get the sex end up eating more food and guzzling down more beer to try to fill that giant void in their lives. But then they (i’m still referring to men here) end up looking like they’re 7 months pregnant and that also eliminates all hope they have for getting any sex in the foreseeable future. Vicious cycle.

Men are, in fact, the weaker sex. Hey, read the news.

So take it from a chick. It’s far easier to do the housework and run the bubble bath. At least there’s a chance (however slim) it might just be your lucky day.

by Daphne

love bites, milestones & musings, motherhood, pregnancy

Mommy time is good for me

May 25, 2009

Photo from media.sheknows.com

Being alone is awfully therapeutic. Walking around with headphones plugged in, blasting angsty music and looking all cool and sullen, without the shackles of motherhood. It totally brings me back to the days when I was in fact a troubled teen.

Except that my alone time used to be out of necessity, since nobody liked being around an ornery person all the time. To make my time-outs more bearable, I perfected this apathetic, don’t-give-a-crap-about-anything look that I thought was so cool back then. Man, I miss those days. Can’t wait till my kids are old enough to pull that stunt on me.

But now that I’m a mom, I’ve come to relish all the little breaks I like to call “Mommy time”. I get to go for walks, go shopping, do my hair, grab a cuppa and actually read a nice book that is not parenting related. An afternoon off alone can do wonders for my sanity. Not that I hate being around my kid, but when he’s around, everything seems to revolve around him. It’s feeding time, then play time, then nursery rhyme time. Even meal time becomes a frenzy of shrieking and hang-banging.

Tru has a policy when it comes to food. No one else can eat unless he gets a share. Even after he’s had a full meal with 2 rounds of dessert, he’ll still scream for more food the moment he sees us eating. So I either have to hide in a corner and gobble down my food or feed him with more stuff. I should start bringing out celery sticks to feed him, so he doesn’t end up obese.

Anyway, yesterday, I had some time off to check out the Crocs warehouse sale and grab a cuppa while Tru went home with Daddy for the afternoon. I was like a death-row inmate who just got out on parole – I did my trademark victory jig and skipped (ok, it was more like a lumber) all the way there and back. I didn’t have to lug around a kid, a stroller and a whopping diaper bag. Just me and well, that it. It was awesome. Seriously.

I came back with a truckload of stuff (RETAIL THERAPY WORKS!) and enough gumption to last me through the week.

by Daphne

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