Danny's Kobe-style Burger.. sooooo goooooooood... I'm speechless. 

My Rotisseirie Carnitas Tacos... so juicy, tender, healthy, delisssh!  

Libbi's Crab Ravioli...which she indeed polished off before I even got to start my tacos! Oink! Oink! 

Cora's Coffee Shoppe is the new hole-in-the-wall cafe we're OWNING now. We LOVE it. Everyone must go! Here is the Hand-chunked Portuguese tuna salad panino! Hell yeah!  

teaser for upcoming entry:

The Newest Hole-In-The-Wall Breakfast Spot.....

Pictures will be posted shortly with dishes, websites, all rolled into 1 entry.

THE ART OF SHOPPING FOR UNMENTIONABLES....FROM THE FEMALE PERSPECTIVE....

AN HOMAGE TO THE BOY SHORT

If you gentlemen didn't know, girls own a TON of undies. TONS. TONS. Prolly enough for the 3rd world countries combined. Enough undies that we prolly filter out and chuck a bunch each season cuz we know we're never gonna wear them again even if they are perfectly new. You may ask yourself WHY? Girls, you make be asking yourself why as well. Well, today my 2 cents will be shared in dissecting the art of why we love undies.... (Guys... may you realize now that we DON'T CALL THEM PANTIES... panties is an ugly word. Ugly ugly world.)

The Phases of Undies....
In college, buying undies meant going down to your local mall's Vicky's Secret and buying up the 5/$20, 3/$28 promo's on all their signature styles. I won't name styles cuz those words are kinda ugly too. Every word except cotton is pretty ugly for the internet. Anyways, VS is SOOO COLLEGE. I prolly had enough for an entire discussion section. Anyways, those were THE DAYS. If you had informals coming up, it was time to go th VS to get seamless! Nude! Whatever to avoid panty-lines.

Post-college, it's all bout cute, confident undies. I may be an undies snob actually, thanks to my sister that works @ Anthropologie... home of some of the cutest unmentionables on earth...made by EBERJEY or HANKY PANKY. BEST UNDIES EVEEEER!!! It's not always about who else gets to see the undies besides yourself but it's the transcending effect AWESOME undies have on your day and your confidence! In fact, EBERJEY creators have this to say:
"Eberjey was born from our belief that the layer worn closest to the heart should express happiness, love and confidence - all the things that make a woman truly beautiful... Tired of lingerie that confines women to unnatural ideas of standard beauty, we wanted drawers full of pretty pieces that flatter real bodies and feel good too... Things that made us happy when we put them on every morning."

Co-founder Ali Mejia has always joked that someday she would design undies for the laterally challenged, small, flat-bottomed women like herself. Together with her biz partner, they started the BOY SHORT REVOLUTION!!! (sidenote..boy short is also known as "french brief")And so, my story goes, boy shorts are here to stay! They rule! For this reason, I must filter thru the old-skool VS styles and throw them out! Why do girls buy BOY SHORTS in handfuls? Cuz they're actually flattering! No wedgies! No LOVECHUB being strangled creating unflattering overflow! If you have never tried boy shorts, go get a pair, if you've never seen your girl in boy short undies, go get her a pair too! She will lurrrve you!!!!

Anyways, so the art to shopping for unmentionables is comfy, confident, flattering and ultra-fem pieces... and my secret to you is the boy short! In no way am I dissing the ultra-popular thong, I mean long live the thong, infact best friend says, "I LOVE THE MESH... any style!" but when you're looking for flattering bottoms AND you have an audience... all hail to the BS, hands down. Lights on! Lights off! No complaints here. Or so I gather? I put my confidence in the boy short! Salud!!!! =)

*footnote: quality boyshorts aren't cheap. But they'll last you thru many many seasons.

HIKING = Working out muscles in your BUNS you never knew existed.

So I went real hiking for the FIRST time ever. I was able to be introduced to hiking thanks to TIN! And lemme tell ya, hiking makes the buns go, "OUCCCHH!!!!!" I woke up this morning feeling achey in areas of the buns I never knew existed! Tin and I have concluded that this section of the bun is called, "the core of the bun." It's seriously smack daddy in the middle of each cheek. Hiking is great, nonetheless!

It was a beautiful day in sunny california and we went around 3pm to Temescal Canyon! Tin, being the super guide she is, drafted a trail for us and we were off! Waterfalls! Flying bugs! Bees! Creepy spiders! Stones! Rocks! Bridges! View of rich peoples houses with luscious lawns! Lotsa people!

I never knew hiking was such a hit in socal! Tons of people, families, couples, even Grandmas and Grandpas hiking away faster than us! There was this one earthy skinny-minny man, kinda Jesus looking, who had Teva-like sandals on and 15 lb. dumbells in each hand climbing the hills. He's way hard-core! Anyways, by the time we got to the top...after taking MULTIPLE BREAKS to breathe, the view was amazing. You can see from downtown all the way to the edge of the Pacific. Stupid me forgot my camera so this means I have to go back again and work the BUNS, Hun!!! This hike took a mere 90 minutes and as tough as it was, as many breaks as we took going up the incline - it beats the treadmill anyday!

Hikers unite! Let's all go hiking!!!! (easy ones, please) =)

PMS sweettttttooooth!

PMS is a monthly lifestyle that womankind are familiar with in any culture. The cramps. The aches. The moodiness. The bloating. All symptoms boys will never know or understand. But the most important symptom is "SWEETOOTH" during this monthly lifestyle spurt ...... the craving for SWEEEEEEEEEETS... chocolate! Ice cream! Cake! Or for me ... Cheesecake Factory's Vanilla Bean Cheesecake and Cinnabon! This months PMS has been elevated due to the change in environmental factors. Big sis has moved back in so take PMS x 2... and you get... *taaadaaa!* sweets craving hormones raging thru the roof...raising the roof.

Below are the delightful medications that help ease PMS for womankind... if you're a guy... please stock the kitchen/fridge up with these helpful meds that will make your life easier.

1. Chocolate - fyi.. since easter just passed, there might be a ton still 50% off. Load your basket up!!!!
2. Jell-o Pudding Pops - sweet, rich, creamy indulgence on a stick. RALPH'S CLUB this week... 3/$6!!!!
3. Fudgesicles - a healthier alternative for the girl that's watching her waist. Coming in at a whopping 45 cal per 'sicle.. you can have 2 and not feel guilty about ploppin' onto bed for 10 hours of sleep right after! Again, RALPH'S CLUB this week... 3/$6!!!! Ditch the basket, you'll need to UPGRADE to the CART now!!! Muahah!
4. Cheesecake Factory Cheesecakes - the creamy the better. Pick something without hidden chunks.
5. Cupcakes, fruit tarts, Krispy Kremes. etc. - all this is fair game. Don't hold back.

With all of these in your cart, I'm sorry to apologize, but you won't be able to go thru the Express 10 or less Items line. But hey, at least you can RALPH'S CLUB it and keep yourself happy or your lady!

*Be ware of side effects: Quenching a woman's PMS cravings may lead her to post-PMS b*itching about feeling fat and needing to go to the gym, so please consult with your relationship counselor before embarking on satisfying a lady's PMS sweets cravings.

And So It Goes.....

A Kwik Recap of the past weekend!

Peet's Coffee - I think Kat and I have found our new neighborhood coffeehouse! Not only do they serve great NON-STARBUCKS coffee, they serve pastries from LA BREA BAKERY - the best artisan bakery in California!!!! Their cheese danish and rustic apple danish are soooo..... I have no words. I'm speechless. Love it.

The Getty on a Sat. Morning - this museum on a Sat. morning provides such an incredible view of this city. Despite of a lil layer of smog. The exhibition's are awesome giving me a new perspective on art and another jolt of inspiration on why i love landscape photography. Going to the Getty is pretty much escaping LA. You're in another world, away from the traffic, the craze of this city's vain/botoxiful side. Go with a pal. You can picnic too!! No alcohol beyond the garden though! =) Too bad I forgot my camera and couldn't take pics of the lovely view.

Fever Pitch - sucha funny and cute movie. I'd liken it to.... Never Been Kissed + Baseball!!! It's a fun time. You should go. Jimmy and Drew are increddddibly funny! Watch it with good company too!!

Grand Lux Cafe - with Tin, Skess and Kat... a lovely end to a great day. Hella food and a sinful chocolate dream cake. Rich as hell but when youre PMSing.. there's no such thing as too much chocolate or ice cream. =)

Anyways, this past Sat was just great because I rarely get Saturdays off and to get one and spend it doing everything I love to do.... meant everything to me for the week. Just glad I didn't have to spend the day indoorrs doing Jack and Squat. Now if only Mell were here to share in the glory of a great Sat... though I'm sure she's having her own turtleriffic fun upnorth. That Mell. =)

Now I will resume debating with mell on whether or not we should vacation to europe this year and do a touristy tour or a wannabe-local tour.... good night!

Did I mention this Sat kat will not be in town so I have to FIND FRIENDS TO PLAY WITH!?!? WAHHH!!!

F.Y.I.

*the previous entry was in no way a madness expression. I was just voicing out concern to stupid girls and stupid guys. I'm not angry, silly rabbits.

Funnies for the Day

New vocab word created after viewing corn-on-the-cob frenching:

Cobbed - (verb, past tense) to engage in dual person corn-on-the-cob mouthing -- like two people eating a twizzler from both ends, or two dogs eating a piece of spaghetti from both ends a la some disney movie... only it's brought together by a corn on the cob.

How COBBED can be used. "I've been corn-on-the-cobbed by *name*. I can die happy."

If you didn't find that funny, I'm sure TIN did. HAHAHAAHA.

What kinda of cheese isn't your cheese?
Naaaaachoooooo cheese.

I'm reorganizing my on-the-go vitamin box now so this is it till someone gets COBBED again. Har har har.

WHY IT PAYS TO BE FRIENDS WITH MELL AND HER MOM....

So I dragged back from Taiwan a bottle of MAXIM instant coffee (some french brand) cuz I loved it in Taiwan...but low and behold.. I find out that Mell's mom loves this brand too and she didn't have any access to it.

Well Abracadabra - I decide to give her the bottle today after work in Palos Verdes. I previously arranged to drop off the coffee to Mell's mom after work andI had only intended on staying 20 minutes to beat traffic @ 3pm... but then she started bringing out the tea and rolls which she got from costco..which were just delightful with "ro-sung", we got to chatting, and 2 hours flew by. Anyways, these two hours were well spent learning about MELL's childhood, MELL's high school hood, all of her young love's, her bf's, the relationships her friends have with her mom but most importantly BOYS.

The following are some lesson learned today:
*Any guy can buy you flowers, order flowers, pay for your meal, go online and dot.com some flowers, tell his secretary to order flowers every V-day for his wife, get a divorce, and forget to tell his secretary to stop sending flowers to his ex-wife after a divorce --leading her to think that her ex-husband still cares. Point being.... at the end, it's the little things that count, his lil ways of trying to get to know one of your interests when he has no previous knowledge about it. That kinda ooey-gooey crap that actually counts. We want to know... YOU'RE DAMN WELL LISTENING and paying attention.

*Some say it's not possible to be capable and humble... but I say, yes it is. YES IT IS. If someone is capable in whatever x, y, z, they best well know that it's a blessing to be graced with that ability and take pride it using it to help so cause. Not being some hotshot wise arse who think he's god's gift to earth. Like if a person is rich.. who cares if he's rich! It's not about how much $$$ you've accumulated, it's what you do with it. Money is just paper, a form of exchange. Get over it.

*Girl's need to date older guys because guys their age aren't mature enough in the head. If you don't know how to take care of girl, you're really not ready to date seriously. So go home. Study. And when you've woken up and smelled the coffee, you can come out to play.

*Don't penalize a girl if she wants to be worldly, well-rounded, smart, interesting... let her pursue her goals instead of holding her back, jack arse. Some one has to have goals and go after them. If it ain't you, why not her? If you only wanted to do they same, we'd support you 100% anyways.

Well, that's today's food for thought. Bon appetit!

Us at a Gala Dinner in Thailand.. in the city, finally. Mama Chen is hot hot hot! heheheh! 

Here's the fam at a lil restaurant down the river. We ate tons of shrimp out of the river. It was delish, DESPITE the fact that when i looked down to the river at the back of the restaurant, there was a jumbo car tire in the river.... yes, the same river the shrimp came out of. MMMmm. 

These some of my Gramp's siblings. He hasn't seen some of them in MANY MANY years. The recently renovated this rundown treehouse, and now it has hardwood floors and A/C. This is a MANSION compared to the other treehouses along this river. 

Our cousin Nicky. 

The Treehouse.  

Here's our Aunt riding shotgun on the canoe with her daughter, Nicky. This canoe leaked so much my Great-Uncle used a trimmed down water bottle to scoop the water out of the canoe. Welcome to the countryside! 

As we approach the Dock, one of our great-aunt's comes out to dock-us in. 

Going to Gramp's childhood home on the outskirts of Bangkok, we had to ride a leaky canoe across a river to get to his childhood treehouse home. Kat's in the canoe. Everyone is a relative except the lady in the back. 

We love Grams! 

Take 2.. Grams finally get's her French Fries up and running! 

Saying farewell at the Taipei Airport, we got Gram's to play the McDonald's Game too.. only on take 1.. she decided to cheat and not play! Bad grams! 

Our cousin Blackie - modeling a Gucci sweater Gucci lent him for a public appearance. 

Guess who. Yes you are right! Kat and Danny the Boba-holics! 5 Mugs! Man they were on the toilet the entire nite! jk. 

Slightly intoxicated.. we present to your our McDonald Drinking Game Moves.. L-R... Filet o Fish, French Fries, Hamburger, Chicken Nuggets. Don't ask. Actually.. do.. it's a very funny story. 

Now some fun pics! - Danny and Kat @ Lava  

Can't have Grams without Gramps! Here's our lovely Gramps in his cozy couch with 2 of his granddaughters! (He has a pink Betty Boop heater in the bottom left corner..hehehe) 

After the wedding, Grams and me in the cab. I told her to smile.. she decided to do a kara-te chop!!! 

The 1st dish of the night, LOBSTER, was preceeded by a firework entrance by the entire waitstaff. 

The ceremony 

My Mom's side of the family 

The Cousin's and my mom.