Los Angeles My Home

New Capital Seafood Restaurant in San Gabriel

2008-09-20T00:04:00.000-07:00

There are many restaurant you can find good dimsum around Los Angeles area. There are even more choices if you go down to Monterey Park, Alhambra and San Gabriel area. This New Capital Seafood Restaurant is one we like to return to. It is located on the 4th floor of Focus Plaza in San Gabriel. The nearest cross streets are Del Mar and Valley.

We go on weekdays as they have special pricing for their dim sum. I believe is $1.80/plate for all plate sizes. But only on weekdays. Previouly, this restaurant was name Sam Woo Seafood Restaurant. But recently it was taken over by
'Poon Tho' thus the name was changed to New Capital.

The dining area is comfortable and clean. The bathrooms are considerably clean and well kept compared to some other restaurants in the area. Beside dim sum, this place also offer live seafood dishes. I believe many Chinese wedding couple will hold their wedding banquet at this restaurant.

After having our dimsum here, we will proceed to the 99 Ranch Market that is also located in the same plaza to shop for groceries.

New Capital Seafood Restaurant
4th Floor
250 W Valley Blvd
San Gabriel, CA 91776
Ph: (626) 289-4188

Where to trick or treating?

2008-09-17T07:27:00.000-07:00

If you live in the South Bay area, put on your costumes and head down to South Torrance. There is this community in South Torrance that has it big. Most of the homes in that neighborhood are decorated beautifully with Halloween Theme and they give out good candies too. The cross streets of this location are Linda Dr and Reese Rd. The nearest main street cross streets are PCH and Calle Mayor. Two years ago when my friend came visiting from Malaysia, we took her family here for trick or treating and they has so much fun. This year, we will again return to the same place. We usually go around 7pm as soon as the sky turns dark. Parking is usually available on the street when you go early.

Gas: 9/13/08

2008-09-15T21:33:00.000-07:00

Gas prices are getting much lower nowadays. I do want to see them lower definitely, don't you?

The above picture was taken on Saturday morning when we were heading out for my husband office's open day at Redondo Beach. The gas station is the Union 76 on Western and 182nd Street.

Regular: $3.733 9/10
Plus: $3.83 9/10
Premium: $3.93 9/10

From what I know, the gasoline per barrel has gone down from being in the mid $100 to the low $100 per barrel. That why we see such a big reduction at the gas station recently.

Jamba Juice Del Amo Mall

2008-08-08T17:49:00.000-07:00

Need a refreshing healthy drink in this hot weather? Want to try Jamba Juice? We love Jamba Juice. Even my boy loves to drink this. He particularly likes the Banana Berry Classic Smoothies (mix of apple-strawberry juice, blueberries, banana, raspberry sherbet, non-fat frozen yogurt and ice). Me too. The Daddy likes the Razzmatazz Classic Smoothies (tart twist of raspberry juice, strawberries, banana, orange sherbet, ice).

This store we went to is the one located inside Del Amo Mall in the newer section of the mall. It is kinda crowded on the weekend, especially now in the summer time. We have to wait a few minutes in the line, but the service is fast. We were just there last week when they had the promotion where you buy one and get one free smoothies. $3.95 for two small smoothis from Jamba Juice is great deal. :)

Jamba Juice
Del Amo Fashion Center
3525 Carson Street Space 80
Torrance, CA 90503
Ph: (310) 406-3266
Fx: (310) 406-3268

Gas price going down

2008-08-07T20:22:00.000-07:00

Finally the gas prices is heading down. The highest I've seen so far was above $4.50 per gallon. Now you can find $4.09 per gallon for the regular at the pump.

These are the gas prices at Union 76 on Western Ave and 182nd Street in Gardena.

Regular: $4.09 9/10
Plus: $4.19 9/10
Premium: $4.29 9/10

Even though the price is going down, to fill up my Camry full tank still takes $50. That's expensive compare to when I was filling it up for only $25 a few years back ... that's double the price.

Earthquake 5.8 Chino Hills

2008-07-29T14:58:00.000-07:00

We had an earthquake today! At approximately 11:42am, while eating inside the Pat & Oscars Restaurant in Del Amo Mall, Torrance, we felt the ground was moving very slightlly. Tt became a little stronger a few seconds later and we noticed the signs and fans above the ceiling were swaying. Even the ketchup bottle on the table was shaking. Me and my mommy friend were there for a lunch appointment and were enjoying our lunch then this thing happened. I was calm and I told my friend, "It's an earthquake." But we didn't immediately leave the restaurant. We finished up our food and packed the leftover and then only we left. Outside the restaurant I tried to call my Hubby but the cell phone service weren't available. I then saw many people on their cellphone talking about, "Earthquake."

I came home later and used the house phone to contact my Hubby and found out the epicenter was in Chino Hills at 5.8 magnitude. I heard and read on Yahoo! News that some buildings down town LA was swaying and the workers evacuated the building for precaution. This is my second time I felt an earthquake and know it was an earthquake.

Tasty Kitchen in Gardena

2008-07-27T20:27:00.000-07:00

This is the nearest Chinese restaurant to my house. I can basically walk to Tasty Kitchen in 15 minutes, and usually I do. This restaurant is located inside the plaza where the 99 Ranch Market is located on Artesia Blvd. I like their lunch specials $6-$8. Their portion is more than enough for myself. My lunch order usually is their Beef Chow Fun. Some other dishes that I highly recommend including the Salty Spicy Pork and Sweet & Sour Pork. I usually pay around $13 for two lunch specials. They also have dimsum on weekend.

Tasty Kitchen
1324 W. Artesia Blvd.
Gardena, CA 90247
Ph:(310) 515-2251

Gas: 7/22/08

2008-07-23T18:51:00.000-07:00

Gas price is stabilizing this week and I notice a few cents decrease in the price. While driving past this Union76 at Crenshaw and Sepulveda in Torrance, I was able to capture a picture of the price for 7/22.

Regular: $4.33 9/10
Plus: $4.41 9/10
Premium: $4.49 9/10

I am just hoping the price will go down more, but to think about it, it may not go back down under $3.50/gallon. We probably have to get use to paying at least $4 for the coming years.

LAX Tom Bradley Terminal Renovation

2008-07-19T20:55:00.000-07:00

When we departed for Kuala Lumpur on the night of June 2nd, I only realized that LAX Tom Bradley Terminal is going through a series of remodeling. Some of the check-in counters were closed due to on-going renovation. And was it crowded at the terminal ... Oh YA!! But I saw a row of new counters and they look so much nicer and updated. I definitely won't miss the old ones.

We were boarding through gate 1 and when we got there, it was muggy and hot. And guess what? They were remodeling that section of terminal as well.

There were no airconditioning and the lights were dimmed. It was VERY crowded and hot. There were two fans but it didn't help much. There were actually two flights boarding from this section, China Airline and Malaysian Airline. And just because the school holiday had just begun, thus the big crowd of students leaving US and going back to their own respective countries. Wasn't sure if it was due to the renovation of this terminal but our flight was delayed for almost an hour.

We were away

2008-07-14T01:45:00.000-07:00

Sorry for neglecting this blog of mine. We went for a 5 weeks vacation to Malaysia and had just returned to Los Angeles the past week. Of course we had a lot of fun over there, we ate and enjoyed the local food so much that I had put on almost 7 pounds.

What did I see different after my return ... the gasoline price and the weather. It is amazing we are having such a nice July weather. But I also know we had a very hot June and had caused the forest fires in California. And with the gasoline price so high, I am not sure if we are going out as much as before. Gosh ... would we able to see the gas price down under $3 again?

Gas price sored above $4.00 per gallon

2008-06-02T08:16:00.000-07:00

Picture above was taken on May 25th. Gas price has sored above $4 mark. It is crazy and we are just in the beginning of our summer. The gas price may be as high as $4.50 - $4.75 when the summer comes. Will it go over $5 per gallon? It may but I hope not.

Regular: $4.03 9/10
Plus: $4.11 /10
Premium: $4.19 9/10

Rodeo Dr Beverly Hills

2008-05-17T18:25:00.000-07:00

Do you know one of the top ten places to visit in Los Angeles is Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills? My brother told me when he was researching what to do around LA. So we took him there to walk around. We went on early Sunday morning. You can find free parking available inside the structure. It is free for the first 2 hours, thereafter you need to pay. But since we were only there for a walk, 2 hours were more than enough.

There are many high end shops if you walk along Rodeo Drive. Something we can afford but not necessary we want to buy. We did check out the Tiffany shop there. While walking around browsing their items on display, there were servers with wines and desserts asking if we wanted any. It is a different experience but since we weren't really buying anything, we didn't take any of the free food.

Here are some pictures to share of our trip to Rodeo Drive.

Gas: 4/26/08

2008-04-27T10:29:00.000-07:00

Last nite we had to fill up our car again. After our 170 miles trip down to Carlsbad to the Flower Fields, our tank was almost gone. We stopped by the Union76 on 182nd and Western on that evening and the gas prices went up again by a few cents.

Regular: $3.87 9/10
Plus: $3.97 9/10
Premium: $4.07 9/10

Officially, the gas price has gone above $4/gallon. This will be the summer we may just need to stay at home to avoid filling up more gas. The prices are ridiculous. Our full tank cost above $70 pretty soon.

The Flower Fields @ Carlsbad

2008-04-26T16:03:00.000-07:00

Spring time is where all the flowers blooming. One of the nearest spot for us to visit to view these beautiful flowers is at The Flower Fields at Carlsbad. It is not free, the entrance fee is $9 for adult, children 2 and under are fre

Basically, you can see the beautiful over 50 acres farm of Tecolote® Giant Ranunculus from the 5 freeway. There are many activities within the Flower Fields. There is a rose garden, a playground for kids, art & craft fair, performance by musicians, and more.

Enough reading here, let me show you some pictures from the Flower Fields.

It is off the 5 freeway between Los Angeles and San Diego. It is about 80 miles from our home, it took us about 1.5 hours to get here. If you are coming either way, you just exit Palomar Airport Road and head a little east and make a left turn. There is an outlet mall next to this Flower Fields. We stopped by here for shopping after our trip to the Flower Fields this afternoon.

Address: 5704 Paseo Del Norte, Carlsbad, CA 92008

Season: Spring (March 1 through May 11, 2008)

Hours: Monday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM

Prices: $9.00 for Adults, $8.00 for Seniors 60+, $5.00 for Children 3 - 10,
Children 2 and under are Free

Season Passes: $17.00 for Adults, $15.00 Seniors 60+, $9.00 for Children 3 - 10

Wagon Rides: $4.00 for Adults, $3.00 for Children 3 - 10

Information Line: (760) 431-0352

MAS Office in Los Angeles

2008-04-20T14:51:00.000-07:00

This will come in handy if I do need to contact the MAS office in Los Angeles area. I was searching online for the number and wasn't successful with it until I can to Pacific Island Website where it listed all the contact information for MAS offices worldwide.

Here is the address and contact / phone numbers for MAS office in Los Angeles. It is not too far of a drive from my home.

Malaysia Airlines

100 North Sepulveda Blvd
Suite 400, El Segundo
California 90245,
United States of America

Telephone :
R - Toll Free - 1-800-5529264
G - 310-5359288
C - TOLL FREE - 1-800-2335597

Gas: 4/12/08

2008-04-12T19:30:00.000-07:00

Gas prices are soaring high now. It is almost touching the the $4 mark. Last time when I updated, it was back in January. The prices has been going up and down between $3.40 to $3.60. But now it is over that range.

The above gas prices picture was taken at the Union76 gas station on Crenshaw and Sepulveda.

Regular: $3.73 9/10
Plus: $3.81 9/10
Premium: $3.89 9/10

When summer comes, I am guessing the price will be around $4.50.

Easter Decoration at Del Amo Mall Torrance

2008-03-16T20:56:00.000-07:00

Easter is coming up soon. All places I go have Easter decoration, from malls to grocery stores. Do I celebrate Easter? Nope, but I don't mind joining in the fun. We had an Easter Egg Hunt at Wilson Park organized by the teacher of our toddler's class at Griffith Adult School last week. The kids were having so much fun.

On Saturday we were visiting Del Amo Mall in Torrance and their Easter decoration is very pretty so I took several pictures to share with my readers. I wasn't sure if the decoration was the same last year or not. But I will find out next year by comparing the pictures here.

The mall also has picture session available, with the Easter Bunny. I am not sure the pricing. I think it won't be as cheap as if you have the pictures taken at Sam's Club as they too are organizing Picutres with Easter Bunny session. So check out your local Sam's Club to find out the time slots.

Right time to refinance

2008-03-14T15:03:00.001-07:00

If you are thinking of doing a mortgage refinance, now is the right time. The current interest rates are one of the lowest in all time. If you have an ARM mortgage loan that will adjust soon, you better start checking and comparing the interest rates and program. To start, you can visit eMortgageRefinance dot com. You can easily get a mortgage quote from here, all you need are some basic information and someone will get back to you on your convenient time with the programs and rates.

Columbia Park Torrance

2008-03-13T19:49:00.000-07:00

Since we have longer day time now, we took our son to the Columbia Park in Torrance this evening.

This is one of the biggest park in Torrance with 52 acres of land. It is located on 4045 190th Street cross street Prairie Ave. This park has 2 playgrounds, one for younger children (toddlers) and another one for older kids.

There are many picnic areas available for functions and parties. It is better if you plan ahead and make a reservation for a picnic and BBQ area in this park because it can be really crowded on the weekends.

Besides, it has soccer fields, horseshoe courts, sand volleyball court, and a few community gardens.

Columbia Park
4045 190th Street
Torrance, CA

Cool Gifts from House of Cool

2008-02-18T13:35:00.000-08:00

Looking for cool gifts for someone? Try checking out at House of Cool where you can adopt a pony for as gifts for someone special for only £19.99. They do have many other wonderful, practical, green, novelties gifts that may fit into any lifestyle. Drop by and have a look and hope you will be able to find a gift for your friend or anyone you may have thought to send it out to.

La Romeria Park Torrance

2008-02-17T13:21:00.000-08:00

We've been visiting a lot of parks in the city of Torrance since the last week. We are looking to find the perfect park to hold our son's 2nd birthday party. One of the many parks we like is this one - La Romeria Park situation in the West Torrance on 19501 Inglewood Avenue.

The children's play equipment is new and there are many to choose from. There is a slightly higher slide for older kids and many other smaller ones for toddlers. There is several tables in the picnic area with barbeque pits by the other side of the playground. There is a softball diamond, basketball court and tennis court too.

Chinese New Year at Disneyland

2008-02-09T22:18:00.000-08:00

This year, the lunar Chinese Calendar is a Rat year. When we visited Disneyland Anaheim this past Friday, we saw Mickey dressed in the Chinese Costume and taking pictures with the many visitors. We weren't expecting to see this temporaty attraction, but then it is the year of the Rat ... ie the MOUSE.

We would have taken a picture for Brandon with him but the line was too long. When we left the park, there was still a long line for this 'attraction'.

Get free quote for new cars

2008-02-06T09:41:00.000-08:00

How does this sound to you, 'Never pay full price for a New Car'? If you are in the market for a new car, check out the new car prices at CarsBlvd. You can get free quote from the dealers whom are competing for your business. It is fast and easy. And most importantly it is free!!

Gas: 1/27/08

2008-01-31T19:07:00.000-08:00

It was more than a week ago when I updated on gas prices. It seems the prices are going down which is good. The regular grade went down about 14 cents since my last update.

The above picture was taken at the Union 76 gas station we go fill up our tanks on 182nd and Western Ave in Gardena.

Regular: $3.05 9/10
Plus: $3.15 9/10
Premium: $3.25 9/10

Monte Carlo Las Vegas on fire

2008-01-25T22:26:00.000-08:00

I was stunned to have seen the news this afternoon. It was on the afternoon news that Monte Carlo Las Vegas was on fire. We have just visited Las Vegas less than a month ago and had entered to this casino for a little while. The first time I went to Las Vegas, I stayed in this hotel.

It was reported the fire to have started around 11am this morning. Debris were falling down to the street below. The whole building was evacuated. It appears that the top floors (where the luxury suites are) were badly damaged by the fire.

Rain is on the way to Los Angeles

2008-01-20T22:27:00.000-08:00

Weather forecast the next three days with light showers to showers. The clouds are moving in tonight and we may expect the shower begins later this evening. It would be tough for us to go out in the rain as I don't want both of us to get wet and sick from the rain. So is best to stay home, cuddle up and light the fireplace. Remember to boil hot water, as it is good to have hot chocolates on the side too.

Get your coupon from Webbyplanet

2008-01-19T00:33:00.000-08:00

Do you always shop online like I do? Every time, before I shop for my purchase, I would look around for free online coupons to save some money. I visit many sites that offer free coupons and one of them is Webbyplanet.

I like how their free coupon codes are divided into categories for easy to use. Or you can also look for coupons by alphabetized stores directory. The website update the coupons daily so visitors like you and me can enjoy the most savings possible from the merchants. There's even an 'expiring deals' page that you can make sure you catch the deal before is too late. Besides online shopping, you can also print some of the coupons to for in store purchases.

Gas: 1/19/08

2008-01-19T00:29:00.000-08:00

I haven't have the time to update about the gas prices around Los Angeles lately. The last time I posted about the gas update was a little over a month ago. Prices went upward thereafter, as high as $3.25 per gallon for regular grade at Union 76 by Western and 182nd Street.

And since a week ago, gas prices are coming down slowly. Now it has come down to the same price as my update last month.

Regular: $3.19 9/10
Plus: $3.29 9/10
Premium: $3.39 9/10

No picture this time.

Feb 14th 2008

2008-01-18T09:20:00.000-08:00

After New Year, the mall has switched the holiday decoration to Valentine's Day. It is beautiful, and a reminder to all the people to prepare a gift for your love ones whenever you are at the mall. Although it may seem like Feb 14th is still far away, but time passes fast. It is better to get your gift early or order them online to assure on time delivery.

If you are planning to surprise your lover with some beautiful flowers, check out 1-800-FLOWERS. They can provide you with valentines gift ideas so you don't have to think until your hair turns white. They are having a 3-days sale now, ending today where you can save $10 during checkout. Just use the promo code - JAN39.

Summer weather in the winter

2008-01-13T22:45:00.000-08:00

Today has the most wonderful weather since winter has begun. The high today was close to 80 in our city and probably some other cities got over the 80 degrees. There were crowd everywhere. People comes out in this nice weather to enjoy the sun and the outdoor.

We visited Disneyland park today and it had the biggest crowd I've ever seen since we purchased the annual passes. We arrived around noon and there were multiple lines waiting to pay and enter the Mickey and Friends parking structure. Then, there was a crowd waiting to take the tram to the Disney Parks entrance. At the entrance, there were lines buying tickets. We saw the longest lines to enter the Disneyland park but the line we were on was moving fairly quickly.

But once we were inside, it seems like the crowd has dispensed around. Although it was so, there were many lines waiting for the rides. We only had two rides - the Peter Pan and Buzz Light Year before we left the park around 2:15pm.

Stylish Prescription Glasses

2008-01-11T14:13:00.000-08:00

I know how the limited choices you may have for prescription eye glasses at your optometrist or doctor's office. Usually they do not carry many choices for you to choose from. If you are like me, whom prefer wearing something more stylish than those can find there, come with me to visit my Great Discovery: www.ZenniOptical.com. You can able to choose a wide range of high quality stylish frames at Zenni Optical, but you don't have to put a hole in your wallet with what you want.

Old Navy Year End Sales 75% off

2008-01-11T13:48:00.000-08:00

This morning we went to 2 Old Navy stores in our neighborhood. They are starting today their semi annual / year end sales for up to 75% off the original sales prices. Most items are already reduced 50% and during this sale, an additional 50% off the reduced price will be taken at check out. Most nice items are gone ... so you better be quick. Go your nearest Old Navy and see what they still have in stock.

Loss the extra pounds

2008-01-10T15:35:00.000-08:00

There are a handful of Americans who are obese and overweight. This disease brought along other medical problems and health issues. If they are overweight, they may want to discuss with their physician about having a lap band surgery. This is the only surgery that is completely reversible available in America today. For complete information about lap band, do visit JourneyLite online site. They have on-going Free Seminar for anyone that might be interested to understand a little more on this procedure.

Target Holiday Items Sales 90%

2008-01-05T19:25:00.000-08:00

We were at Target Manhattan Beach this afternoon and the staff was changing the holiday items to 90% off. They said to hope to clear off the holiday items by this weekend.

There were many gift wrappers, paper bags, candy canes and more at this store. We got many items, for under $10. The paper bags were only 15 cents each. Gift wrappers were only 30 cents each per roll. I bought several items during the 75% off last week but they are better deal now.

Get to your nearest Target now, hopefully you will be able to get some discounted items too!

Take away the Bad Breath

2008-01-02T08:37:00.000-08:00

I don't encourage smoking but if you are a smoker, you may want to consider getting a fresh breath for yourself after each puff. Most of the conventional gums you see selling in the market may seem to help but they don't. I have many relatives whom smoke and usually even after the regular gun chewing, I as a person whom they speak to can actually smell the cigarette while they are talking to me. I think smokers should check out the new 100% sugar free SmokeScreen Gum Freshens Smokers Breath that only available online. If you order now, you can get free shipping for all orders.

Free Breakfast at Fairfield Inn & Suites San Francisco San Carlos

2007-12-30T13:26:00.000-08:00

More than 1 month I searched online for accommodation in SFO area and I made my reservation with Fairfield Inn & Suites San Francisco San Carlos for 2 nights. The website mentioned this hotel has free continental and hot breakfast provided for all guests. I was trying to search on the internet to find out how and what type of food was serve for their continental breakfast but wasn't to come up with any result.

Now that I've been there and back, I am posting a few pictures of their complimentary continental breakfast with their signature Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwich.

I was very pleased with the food to be honest. I wasn't expecting this many stations. There are 3 stations total. A table by the corner that has self-served coffee and also a hot waffle maker with portion cup mixture. I didn't have the time to make this so I skipped, I would really want to try this next time.

There are 2 stations by the wall counter. The farthest back counter has the danishes, pastries, toast (white/wheat), croissant, muffins, cold and hot cereal boxes. The third station has a microwave, juice dispenser (apple, orange) and a mini refrigerator that has the Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwich, low fat Yoplait yogurts, hard-boiled eggs, non fat milk and 2% milk.

Calling family and friends this Christmas season

2007-12-23T12:26:00.000-08:00

This is the season to be connected to your family and friends. Mine are all over the world. My sister is in Adelaide, father in Brisbane and brother in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia. I have other relatives in Singapore, Hong Kong and Penang. The best way to call them is to use phone card because it helps me save money on my international calls. I don't mind dialing all the numbers and codes when I know I can talk for hours but without needing to rack up a huge bill.

So are you going to call your family and friends to wish them Merry Christmas?

Bad Service / Review - Ikea Carson

2007-12-20T11:28:00.000-08:00

I just returned from Ikea Carson and let me tell you I am very upset on how being treated at this location. Their customer service is slow and today I found out that they don't care much about their customers.

This morning I went in to return an item which I bought and found no use off after I bought it. I was 3rd in the line but waited 15 minutes or more.

Then I pursued to visit their show room, using the elevator to go up to the third floor. This elevator ONLY takes you from 1st floor to the 3rd. The escalator was under repair so there were quite a number of other customers took the elevator up with us.

After walking to the end of the third floor, we wanted to go down to the 2nd and had to use the elevator since I was pushing a stroller with a almost 30 pounds toddler in it. After about 5 minutes, I felt the elevator was not going to come as the button turn off automatically after a while. I pressed it again and it lighted up. A while later, it turned off by itself. I went to talk to a customer service at the kitchen department. This was at 10:30am (Thursday morning).

She saw what happened when I complaint to her and went away for 5 minutes. Came back and told me she couldn't do anything about the elevator and that I needed to use the stairs.

I was expecting a GOOD suggestion like this from her: "Why not you carry your child while I help you carry your stroller down the stairs. This is the least we can help."

When she didn't say anything, I has to ask her to help me with the stroller as I need to carry my toddler down the stairs, she was reluctant to do it.

Then another customer service person at the same department told me that I had to do it all myself. Carry the child down the stairs and come back up to the floor to take the stroller by myself!

I was SHOCKED by her rudely response! What type of customer service is this??! How I can leave my child by himself down stairs and come back up to retrieve the stroller?!? A good customer service would offer help even before I need to ask for it.

She told me they can't take this type of liability. What liability? I was not asking you to carry my child, just help me with the stroller. I was fumedly MAD with her response and headed out to the elevator which I came up with and left IKEA CARSON. They didn't even offer me to use their worker's elevator but just said that the only elevator going down is not working! Such a stupid and unconsiderate response.

I love Ikea but their customer service has to improve a lot for me to return to shopping there again. This is ridiculous service I ever got from shopping at any places at all. I always thought Ikea was a child friendly store but I think may not fit in this category anymore as they are not eager to help a customer that is shopping there with a child when their elevator is out of service.

I may bring this complain to their corporate office. Any suggestions?

Gas: 12/16/07

2007-12-16T23:35:00.000-08:00

It was half a month ago when I blogged about the gas price at Union76 located on Western and 182nd Street. It seems that after that day, the gasoline prices have gone down slowly. Today's gasoline price is about 10 cents lower than 12/1.

Regular: $3.19 9/10
Plus: $3.29 9/10
Premium: $3.39 9/10

Whether the gas price is high or low, we still need to drive around because public transportation in LA is unreliable.

Saving money on groceries

2007-12-16T22:14:00.000-08:00

Holiday is here. I believe most households consume more groceries during the holiday season, especially if they are having parties or dinner with friends and families. Let me tell you, groceries are not cheap nowadays. With the increase in gasoline and all, the prices on groceries also went up. And if you are not the one whom shops for these items, you may not notice the increase. But I am telling you now.

There are ways to deal with the increase of these grocery prices, and that is by using grocery coupons. Although it is not much of a saving per coupon but once accumulated, they are worth a lot. I never shop my grocery without coupons. I cut out manufacturer coupons from the Sunday newspaper as well as print them online from MySavings dot com. It helps to save me quite a bit from each shopping trip and sometimes up to 70% of the retail total price.

Another way is to buy items on the weekly sales. Check out flyers and compare same items from different grocery stores and write down which store has the lowest price. And then go to MySavings to find out if they hare any coupons available for these items. Print these coupons and bring them with you to your grocery shopping trip.

Picture credit: Copyright © mysavings.com

Giant Christmas Tree at Disneyland

2007-12-12T10:14:00.000-08:00

We have been visiting Disneyland during the evening time after our dinner. We enjoy viewing the Christmas Light at the Main Street. Everytime we go to Disneyland, we are greeted by this gigantic Christmas Tree right before we enter Main Street Disney. This decoration was up since after Thanksgiving and will be there till New Year's Day. I think they may take it down after Jan 1st. We'll find out after Jan 1st 2008.

Have poor credit?

2007-12-10T09:36:00.000-08:00

I can understand having a poor credit history is difficult to apply for any insurance, loan or credit card. Most companies require you to have good credit history when you applied for any of those.

But if you have bad credits, you can try to get Auto Loan or Personal Loan from BestLendingLenders. They specialize in helping people like you with poor credit history. You may be able to qualify for their lower finance rates when you get your loan through them online. So don't wait, get your financial status back on track and surf their website to get a free online approval.

Spoon House in Gardena

2007-12-06T20:52:00.000-08:00

I am writing a review for Spoon House in Gardena, a Japanese/French restaurant serving their popular spaghetti and baguette. A long long time ago, we've been here but never went back again because the parking is not convenient and a lot of times the restaurant is pretty full.

This restaurant has a very small interior probably sits less than 20 guests with a few tables as well as counter seatings. But their good food never stop other patrons from returning thus the long wait to get a table.

When we arrived, a table was asking for the checks. We were lucky this time as we were able to get our table and not having to wait long. The table was a small round patio type fitting 2 adults most. We have a toddler and his high chair was placed in an awkward position.

Waitress was kinda prompt. We placed our order of a mushroom spaghetti and a steak spahgetti. Their spaghetti dishes priced between $7-$10. We were served with their fresh baguette and butter as appertizer. YummY! But we waited about 20 minutes for our spagetti. Oh my ... we were hungry by the time the food came. I almost forgot to snap the pictures.

Spoon House
1601 W Redondo Beach Blvd, Gardena, CA 90247
Ph: (310) 538-0376

Visiting Los Angeles

2007-12-04T08:17:00.000-08:00

If you are planning to visit Los Angeles, check out the hotel and car rental rates from Hotel Reservations. One thing you can be sure when you are booking from their website is that you will be getting the lowest rates guaranteed! Another good point I want to bring out is you can surf their site in different languages and currencies for your own convenient. So check them out today, you may able to save up to 70% for your trip or vacation!

Gas: 12/01/07

2007-12-01T22:29:00.001-08:00

Good news for those who commute a lot daily for work. Gas prices went down a little bit this past week. It was almost 1/2 month since I last posted about gas prices. It went down 6 cents from the last time.

Picture taken in the evening at the Union 76 gas station on Western Ave and 182nd Street in Gardena. Our full tank still very expensive, a little over $50. I really long for those old days when gas was just 0.99 cents per gallon, when a full tank only cost $15.

Regular: $3.29 9/10
Plus: $3.39 9/10
Premium: $3.49 9/10

Child Care in Los Angeles

2007-12-01T20:34:00.000-08:00

Child Care is expensive in Los Angeles area. I remember a working parent friend of mine sent her 2 children to child care near her work place which cost her about $900 plus per child for 5 days a week. She still has to take care of her own children on the weekend.

It is difficult at times if the parents want to go out by themselves for a date again. Reliable baby sitting is not easy to find. If you found, probably cost $20 per hour. A night out for dinner and a movie may cost you $60-$80 plus tips.

If you can afford it, it will be better off by employing an Au Pair Live-in Childcare | AuPairCare. It only cost $300/week for 45 hours of live-in child care for the whole family. It may be cheaper than sending two or more children to the child care center. An Au Pair is a young adult from outside USA whom will work for 45 hours a week including child care and child care related light house keeping, in exchange for an opportunity to live with an American family.

At AuPairCare, they carefully screen each experienced applicant. Families can select Au Pairs based on nationality, language, age, driving skill, gender and more. Families can easily compare profiles of Au Pairs on their website. So if you are considering finding a nanny for your children, check out AuPairCare first. The total cost may be lower than hiring a live-in nanny.

Lacoste Magic

2007-11-28T23:32:00.000-08:00

Do you believe in magic? Well I do. But some times it makes me think how it can happened especially if it was performed live in front of a group of audience. I will try to think logically how it would happened and what is the trick used. And at times, logic can't explain it.

Well if you know how this magic was performed, please leave me a comment. Very eager to find out where the baby crocodile came from. Sit back and watch this approximately 6.5 minutes long performance:

Time for another Tim Burton's movie

2007-11-28T20:33:00.000-08:00

I love to watch Johnny Depp's movie. The last one I saw was Pirate of the Caribbean II: Dead Man's Chest. How I wished we were able to watch Pirate of the Caribbean III at the theater but we couldn't as we had to care for our little boy. Anyway, it won't be too long of a wait for the DVD to be out.

Johnny Depp's character, Jack Sparrow, in Pirate of the Caribbean was amazing and funny at the same time. It is definitely not easy to play this role being behind all the make up and hairdo. I particularly like the drunken style of him walking around. That's just kept me laughing all the time. Another role that he played was Willie Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. In this role, he is all clean cut compared to Jack Sparrow. Such a different in character but both portrayed by the same one person, Johnny Depp. He is an amazing actor, I think.

His next and coming up movie is Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, which will be released on December 21st, 2007 just in time for Christmas. Johnny Depp will be playing the role of Benjamin Barker aka Sweeney Todd, whom was wrongly imprisoned by the lustful judge and sent away from England to Australia. He later returned as a barber seeking for vengeance.

You can view the trailer; just visit the official Sweeney Todd movie site. You can also
visit Sweeney Todd on MySpace. This movie also starring Helena Bonham Carter, who had worked with Johnny Depp in a previous Tim Burton's movie: Corpse Bride released in 2005.

Sleeping Beauty Castle at night

2007-11-27T22:08:00.000-08:00

Lately, we've been visiting Disneyland mostly in the evening. They had just put up their Christmas decoration not long ago. The Sleeping Beauty Castle was transformed in a beautiful castle with icicles and snow (see picture above).

During their firework show at night at 9:25pm, snow will be released from the top of the building. I wish we had stayed that long to experience the snow but we haven't as we had to leave early because of our son. We may 'try' to stay longer one night before the black out dates on our annual passes on the Christmas week.

Get a credit card

2007-11-24T15:54:00.000-08:00

You may be spending a lot during this holiday season. I highly recommend to pay for your merchandise using credit card. If you don't have one, then apply for a credit card online. You can check out the best credit card offers at Ascredit Online. They have many for you to pick from. Choose one that fit your lifestyle whether is 0% balance transfer or 0% on purchases.

Black Friday at Disney store

2007-11-23T21:23:00.000-08:00

We went to the Del Amo Mall after shopping at Target on Black Friday morning. Hubby had told me that Disney stores were opened that morning at 4am. WOW! I guess people had to wake up at 3am to be at the store early enough to buy what they want.

It was already 6:30am when we walked by the Disney store at Del Amo Mall. We would have gone in to check out what special they have if not for the line in front of the store to get in. The line went all the way to your right in the picture above (might be about 50 ppl in line). It went down and past 3 stores. And there was another line inside the store to pay at the registers.

I wouldn't want to waste my time queuing up just to go in to see if there's any item on my list. So we skipped the Disney store.

That time of the year to keep in touch

2007-11-23T20:55:00.000-08:00

It is the time of year to send out Christmas cards. It is another way of keeping in touch with families and friends, especially if you are busy with your own family and work.

This year, we will be sending out christmas photo cards as our holiday cards. It is good idea using photo cards as your family and friends will be able to see you and your family without having to travel all the way to visit you. We will also attach a short summary of updates about ourselves when we send the cards out. If you haven't buy any yet, you have to get them soon or else your Christmas card may only arrived after December 25th. We always try to send our cards out the first week of December giving it plenty of time to get to their destinations.

Baby Care Center at Disneyland Anaheim

2007-11-23T16:50:00.000-08:00

Disneyland Anaheim has a Baby Care Center located off the Main Street towards Sleeping Beauty castle. I didn't know about this until Hubby told me. It is convenient as the happiest place on earth caters to a lot of families with young children.

At this baby care center, mother can nurse privately inside enclosured area. There is a kitchen with microwave where milk or food can be warmed. The changing area has 4 tables and a sink. There are also 2 children size potty area inside the same room which I think is great for potty trained kids.

So next time if you need to change or breast feed a baby, do visit Disneyland Baby Care Center for a nice setting taking care of your baby.

I hated school

2007-11-23T13:42:00.000-08:00

I remember when I was young, I hated school. I didn't like the teacher and the way she taught the class. Anyway, needless to say, I didn't excel in my education. How I wished back then they had Innovative Tutor which my parents could have send me to for extra tutoring which might have helped with my overall performance when I was in school. But they have them now. So if you sense you need to have someone to help with your child's school work, don't wait any longer, try checking out a Score! Educational Center near your home.

Del Amo Mall Christmas Decoration

2007-11-23T12:32:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving is over and Christmas season is officially here. Many malls started the Christmas decoration in the beginning of November when they took down the Halloween decoration.

We visit Del Amo Mall in Torrance almost once every week, sometimes twice. Their Christmas decoration is almost the same every year. They build a Santa's house in outside Joann's. There is also a giant Christmas tree where kids are able to have pictures taken with Santa Claus. You will notice the professional camera lighting on the second picture below next to the Christmas tree.

I always like the feel of Christmas Season. Can't wait to start shopping now.

Portable Scanner

2007-11-22T15:21:00.000-08:00

How I wish to receive a portable scanner as Christmas gift. I do have a big huge and heavy scanner at home but it so inconvenient when I need to scan a document or business cards or pictures when I am traveling. I used to visit Malaysia a lot and many times I really wish I have a portable scanner with me as I have many pictures of our family there which I needed to scan for back up.

I also work as a real estate agent and come in contact with a lot of new clients. It so much easier to scan their business cards and store in the information on my laptop instead of keeping the hard copy and search for it when I need to bring up a name or phone number.

That is why a ScanShell 2000N (2000NR) is a perfect Christmas gift for anyone either for home or travel use.

The features of a ScanSehll 2000N include the following:

It is lightweight, only 14oz / 390g
Can fit an A4 paper
USB 2.0 port connection
No need any external power
Scan at 600 dpi, high resolution with color
TWAIN compliant
Comes bundled with with DocShell and Scan2Contacts

It is currently on sale for $149, their regular price on this was $189. So scan your Christmas shopping list now and see if this item fit for anyone on it.

Christmas is early this year

2007-11-20T13:33:00.000-08:00

Christmas season starts early this year. Firstly, our weather is getting cold and chilly. We're also seeing a lot of Christmas decorations up in the malls since beginning of November, immediately after Halloween decorations were down. Christmas items on sale everywhere now. Even KOST 103.5 is playing Christmas carols on the radio. They don't usually start the Christmas carols broadcasting till the day after Thanksgiving. But since the past weekend, I've been listening to KOST 103.5 every evening before bedtime for the Christmas songs. Aahh ... it feels like Christmas is here.

Find the cheap ISP Provider

2007-11-20T13:26:00.000-08:00

If you are planning to sign up for internet or change current ISP companies, you may want to check and compare ISP Providers at GetISP dot info. It even provides internet service provider cancellation instructions if you need to cancel before your service ends.

I know I wouldn't be able to survive without high speed internet and if I ever moved away, I probably have to find a new provider and compare to get the lowest price. Currently, I have DSL service from AT&T. So far, they are alright. But I am getting to the point that DSL is slow. May be I need to upgrade to cable internet service soon.

Getting ready for Black Friday

2007-11-19T15:19:00.000-08:00

Black Friday is coming up in another 4 days. That's the day after Thanksgiving where a lot of merchants are cutting price to attract customers to their store. They have early bird specials, door busters specials and more.

This year, I will be heading out, braving the crowd on this day. I have some items I need to get for myself and the family and the best price and day to get them will be on Black Friday.

What you need to do is plan ahead. Sit down on Thanksgiving day with the newspaper and sales flyers in front of you. Write down your list of stores with items you need to get. Visit the store with the longest list first. If you could, get someone to go with you as two persons are better than one.

On that day itself, wake up early. Have some breakfast. Layer up because it is going to be cold out there. Get a cup of coffee/hot chocolate while waiting in the line for the store to open. Go in and try your best to get all the items on your list. You may not be able to get all of them but if you are lucky you may. So good luck to everyone shopping on Black Friday.

No website designing skill required

2007-11-19T14:54:00.000-08:00

You want to start an online business or shop but you are worry about not having website design knowledge as your background? Not to be afraid anymore as there is Network Solutions E-commerce Web to help.

More and more people are starting their own online shops selling anything from baby diapers to wall fountains. It is a big step for anyone to take to plunge into owning an online business. But this big step won't be as difficult as before. Today, you won't need to have any web designing skill to start it all, thanks to Network Solutions E-commerce.

Their MonsterCommerce e-commerce Shopping Cart Software packages start as low as $49.95 per month with no hidden fee including 24/7 toll-free tech support. This is how it works:

Design your website using their easy customizable pre-built storefront templates
Add your product images
Set up a merchant account and payment option
Secure your site
Promote the site, they even give you up to a $200 Google AdWords™ credit
Start making money

With this being so easy, it makes me wanted to start my own online business too. It is a way to get the products or items to more people and all across the world. But first, I need to find out what I want to sell online.

Parking fee at Disneyland

2007-11-19T13:53:00.000-08:00

You want to know how much is the parking fee at Disneyland Anaheim? See the picture above. Parking for regular car is $11. This parking lot is located in Mickey and Friends parking structure. They do accept credit cards which is convenient for most.

I still remember the first time I went there the parking was only $7 and I thought that was expensive then. It went up more than 50% since then. I forgot to mention it was in 1998 when I first went there by car. The very first time I was there was with a tour group in 1990 and I don't know what was the parking fee back then.

Add a wall fountain to your office

2007-11-19T07:52:00.000-08:00

I know a lot of offices are very boring with not much attractive and decor, yes, I understand, they are offices after all. But if an office is nicely decorated, for example, by adding Wall Fountains in the lobby or reception area will definitely make the surrounding feels more pleasant.

If you are not sure where to start looking, try Garden-Fountains dot com. Their products don't require any special plumbing or electrical hook-up, hence give an easy installation to the buyer. They even have free shipping on selected wall fountains. This may be a great gift idea for anyone coming this Christmas season.

Gas: 11/17/07

2007-11-17T01:36:00.001-08:00

Gas prices went up 8 cents each grade from a week ago. Picture taken at the Union 76 gas station on Western Ave and 182nd Street this earlier Friday morning when we were on our way to Del Amo Mall. I am worry now that the price may surge over $4.00 in coming months.

Regular: $3.35 9/10
Plus: $3.45 9/10
Premium: $3.55 9/10

Aiyaya ... with this increase, to fill up my Toyota Camry it will take more than $50.

Last minute hotel reservation

2007-11-16T13:52:00.000-08:00

When we plan for trips, we always make it to the last minute. It will not be planned in advance as I can be sure about my spouse's vacation dates until a week or so before. He is very busy at work and had to time his vacation only when he is sure his work becomes less busy in the coming week.

That is why Last Minute Hotel Rooms is a great help for people like us. If we do decide to visit England anytime in future, we can always check out and compare last minute hotel rates at HotelShopUK. Browsing this site is very easy, as you can search for hotels at different region, a way to narrow down the search.

At this website, we will be able to find great deals and discounts on accommodation even if we have to make our reservation the week before our vacation. We won't be able to afford to pay full price for hotel rooms as it will be too expensive for our trip.

Hopefully our dream to visit UK will come true next year. I have some ex-high school friends there that will be very excited to see us. We can't wait for the trip since we never been there, it will be fun.

Super Mex at Lakewood

2007-11-14T19:19:00.000-08:00

We were shopping at Lakewood mall and Hubby told me there is a very good Mexican Resraurant in the neighborhood. So I asked that we go there for lunch since we seldom eat out from South Bay area and this would be a good chance to try a new restaurant in Lakewood. He said he has forgotten the exact location of this restaurant so we drove around looking for other restaurant and then he recognized the shop by the corner.

It is called the Super Mex. Restaurant was clean with many tables. It was dark inside as that particular day was a very hot and I believe they were trying to conserve the air-conditioning energy by reducing the heat from the lamp. They were utilizing the natural light from the windows which was not too may.

We were served a basket of tortilla chips with salsa. It was hot and good. Our orders were taken by a young server. We ordered:

Super Mex Burrito
Combination of Pork Tamale and Beef Enchiladas, comes with beans and rice

The portion was huge, and I didn't finish my Tamale so we brought it home for my dinner. Price is in the middle range.

There's a to-go counter beside the restaurant for phone pick-up and to-go orders.

Save money with online coupons

2007-11-14T13:35:00.000-08:00

Who doesn't like shopping? How about shopping and saving money at the same time? I like it. With the money I saved by using Coupon Codes, I can shop even more. For example, most of my home computers were purchased using Dell coupons and it saved me hundreds of dollars. And recently I bought a new set of twin size bed comforter set with Overstock coupons which saved me 50% from the original price. I don't think I will ever buy anything without any coupons now.

Gas: 11/10/07

2007-11-14T09:35:00.000-08:00

Was browsing through my pictures collection and saw this gas record which I haven't posted yet. Our tank was empty until the light was on. We had to fill our tank. The gas price has went up so much from the last time. This picture was taken at Union 76 kiosk at Western and 182 Street in Gardena.

Regular: $3.27 9/10
Plus: $3.37 9/10
Premium: $3.47 9/10

We spent $50 to fill our Camry to full tank. I am scare to think how much more this increase will be going.

Be with someone this holiday season

2007-11-14T09:24:00.000-08:00

It will be lonely to pass this holiday season by yourself. You may want to find a partner or someone to be with this Christmas. If you are single and would like to
meet single men or women with better Internet matchmaking sites you have to try Prime Dating Sites. This is one place that provides reviews on the different online matchmaking websites (eHarmony.com, Yahoo Personals, and more) and resources for single individual to meet perfect "someone". Hop on to their site now and check it out. Hope you will be able to find someone special so that you won't be lonely this Christmas season.

Small World at night

2007-11-10T08:08:00.000-08:00

We went to Disneyland yesterday evening. Something we never done before - visiting Disneyland in the evening.

And I was amazed to see Small World ride being light up so beautifully at night. This is the brightest ride in the whole Disneyland Theme Park. There were many people lining up for this ride too (you can see the crowd right there in the picture). While queuing up for the ride, they can enjoy the light display on the castle.

Need money for emergency?

2007-11-07T23:07:00.000-08:00

Many people can't wait till pay day as they may be the sole bread-winner. Sometimes people get into emergency situation where they need money immediately for medical or any unexpected bills. This is when they can look into getting Payday Loans.

At PayDayLoanQuotes dot com, you can easily get short term loans between $200 and $1500 without any credit check. Application can be submitted secure and confidentially online, minus all the tedious paper work. To apply, an applicant must be at least 18 years of age with a job or a source of income and need to provide an email address, home address, home phone, driver license, social security number, a checking account and a personal reference. Upon approval, money will be deposited into your checking account as little as 24 hours.

Free quotes are available upon request, with no string attached. Check them out if you need a payday loan or cash advance.

Gas: 11/7/06

2007-11-07T14:47:00.000-08:00

Gasoline prices on the rise. It wasn't too long ago it went up 4 cents. Now it again went up another 10 cents from the last time I posted the prices. Today while driving past the Union 76 on Western and 182nd Street in Gardena, I saw the following prices for their different grade of gasoline.

Regular: $3.25 9/10
Plus: $3.35 9/10
Premium: $3.45 9/10

I only realized that my tank was almost empty when I reached home. If I've known it earlier, I probably get my tank filled before the next increase. With this rate of going up, we may be hitting the $4 mark pretty soon.

Extra money for shopping

2007-11-07T13:44:00.000-08:00

Since the holiday season is just a month away, it is time to start shopping. If you need of some extra money for this holiday, you may want to look into Payday Loans. Roberts Bridge Financial UK has short term loan up to £750. Application can be done online and the money will be made available at your bank account as fast as 24 hours.

Christmas Online Shopping

2007-11-07T08:54:00.000-08:00

Christmas is just around the corner. Felt like it was not too long ago when I shopped for 2006 Christmas and now I am so looking forward to start shopping for this year's Christmas. I love shopping so I just can't wait to start.

There are a few sites for you to check out before you shop. They will definitely help you save money if you visit first before buying.

Slickdeals dot net
Fatwaller dot org
Techbargains dot com

Australian Credit Cards

2007-11-07T08:17:00.000-08:00

More and more people are carrying Credit Cards. Number of credit cards has increased so much recently years. A lot of people are using credit cards to build their credit history, just as long as they make sure they pay the balance on time.

If you are living in Australia, you may want to check out CreditCards dot com dot au. I am impressed by the neat layout when I first drop by. Australians now can use this site to compare before deciding which credit cards they want to get. They have a lot of features on the site like the top 5 most popular cards, special promotions or offers and feature credit card issuer. This is one place with the most comprehensive list of credit cards for Australians.

Mr. Wasabi Sushi in Gardena

2007-11-07T07:15:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday we couldn't decide what to eat for lunch and we ended up here at Mr. Wasabi Sushi on Western Ave in Gardena. Hubby said he used to visit for lunch during his office hour but due to it being slow, they had not been visiting for quite a while. Since this time was weekend the restaurant wasn't that busy. There were only 2 tables taken when we enter the restaurant.

Parking is available at the back of the restaurant as well as street parking. The restaurant is a stand alone property with it's own parking lot behind it. It is located between Marine Ave and Redondo Beach Blvd on Western Ave.

There are not much decor outside the restaurant but inside it is very cosy. There was only 1 lady server serving us. I also saw a man behind the sushi bar, probably the sushi chef.

Since it was a weekend, there's no weekday lunch special available. My Hubby ordered a two choice combo Bento Combination at dinner price (see picture below). He asked for the Crunch Rolls (see picture) and Beef Teriyaki. I ordered a Salmon Teriyaki Plate (see picture) to share with my son. The plate and Bento Combo comes with rice, salad, a pc of gyosa, a tempura cucumber and a slice of orange.

After we placed our order, the server returned with the miniature appertizer plates (kim chi/Korean style). We were served with hot tea too but she didn't refill them after we were finished. Probably she was too busy.

Food was good, but service was so so. After we asked for our check/bill, the server also gave us a scoop of sherbet ice cream. The ice cream was too cold and hard to eat. I had a hard time scrapping it down.

Not sure if we will go back another time. Prices are reasonable for weekday lunch menu. Even my Salmon Teriyaki Plate which was at $6.75 wasn't that expensive either.

Mr. Wasabi Sushi
15351 S Western Ave, Gardena, CA 90249
Ph: (310) 324-1757

Survival Kits

2007-11-06T14:53:00.000-08:00

Every office and home should have survival kits. These kit can help make your family safer and more prepared during an emergency. Especially living in Los Angeles where it lies above the earthquake faults, who knows when the big one will happen. So be prepared!

You can even get some commission by signing up with their 'ShareASales' affiliate program. All successful sales through your link you will get 25% commission. This is a great way to earn extra money during this coming holiday season.

Sakuraya Gardena

2007-11-05T23:05:00.000-08:00

This is one of the mochi and manju store I know in South Bay area. Since my Hubby grew up in this area, he is familiar with this place and knows that it sells the best mochi and manju.

The store is located on the main street of Western Avenue between Redondo Beach and Artesia Blvd. Street parking is easily available in front of the store. We usually go on the weekend but have to be there early because they sell out pretty quickly. We usually get the orange mochi plus other with white bean or red bean filling.

Nothing impressive outside or inside the store but they sure have the freshest and softest mochi you can find in town.

Sakuraya
16134 S Western Ave Gardena, CA 90247
Ph: (310) 323-7117

Easy car quotes

2007-11-05T22:19:00.000-08:00

When we are shopping for new car, we usually visit one of the Auto Fairs in LA or OC. By visiting just one place we are able to see all makes and models. We can also check out the interior and feel the steering wheel on the different models. We like to take pictures so we can come home to make the comparison.

But when come to getting, for an example, a Honda Car Quote, we would go to CarsBlvd dot com. This one place you visit able to provide you up to 2 fast, easy and free quotes. Let the dealers compete to get your business instead while you sit back and wait.

Gas: 11/2/06

2007-11-03T17:56:00.000-07:00

Within two days the gas price went up 4 cents per gallon each grade. Photo taken at Union 76 on Western and 182nd Street in Gardena, our usual kiosk for filling gasoline.

Guess we will be seeing more increase in the coming weeks. Have to find ways to save gases and going out less.

Regular: $3.15 9/10
Plus: $3.25 9/10
Premium: $3.35 9/10

Get your business online

2007-11-03T13:30:00.000-07:00

Businesses are going online. But most businesses don't know how to get their stores online. They can actually get help by hiring professionals like programmers, web & logo designers, copy writers, illustrators and others to start their websites. It is easy to locate these professionals or owners can post their projects for these professionals to contact them instead. Owners then can concentrate on marketing and expanding their businesses.

Wilson Park Halloween Fair

2007-11-01T14:50:00.000-07:00

We went to the Halloween Fair organized by the City of Torrance yesterday evening at Wilson Park. There were games stall and musics. There were even a few food stalls selling hotdogs, popcorns (in blue color), and some Mexican food. Several tables were displaying pumpkin cutouts. Some of these were pretty impressive and creative.

We didn't participate in the games as our son was too young. I believe tickets were needed to play the games. Not sure how much they were selling the tickets for. We only stayed a little while. It was pretty cold and breezy. Luckily my son was in his cosy octopus costume so I wasn't worry about him being too cold.

Start your Christmas Shopping

2007-11-01T13:58:00.000-07:00

Start your Christmas Shopping by visiting savebuckets.com. This new UK site can help you find great deals for items on your Christmas shopping list. Buyers can easily compare prices by surfing their site. Items are categorized and easy to locate. Besides giving you the best deals, they also have articles on buying guides for different products.

Here is their press release:

GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST HAUNTS INDEBTED BRITS

- New price saving site launches to save Brits up to 20% this Christmas -

As the nation approaches the final countdown to Christmas, new research rings alarm bells over the financial impact of Christmas in credit crunch Britain. The research from the new money saving website Savebuckets.com reveals that as Brits prepare for Christmas, many are still paying off last year’s festive spending.

With 41 per cent of Britons paying for Christmas on credit last year, almost one in five are still paying for last year’s festivities (17%), fewer than one in three having cleared their Christmas debts when their January credit card bill arrived (29%).

Following a year of consumer confidence in 2006, Christmas spending soared 52 per cent in two years (from an average £548 per adult in 2004* to £837 per adult in 2006), with over one in five Brits spending over £1,000 on Christmas last year (22%). This year, with spending power at its lowest level for 10 years**, consumers are feeling the financial hangover from a more confident Christmas enjoyed on the credit card and loans.

Alarmingly, it is cash strapped youngsters and low income earners who, having spent the most on last Christmas, are most likely to be feeling the repercussions of last year’s spending spree (see figures below).

The research into the financial impacts of last Christmas amongst a GB representative sample of 2,000 British adults was carried out by the new money savings website Savebuckets.com which launches this week to enable Brits to get more for their money this Christmas.

With these alarming figures in mind, Savebuckets.com will give shoppers the opportunity to save up to 20% on their Christmas shopping. Putting consumers back in control of their spending, the site searches over 700 retailers for the best price on around one million products. The site includes a unique price checker which allows consumers to set the price they want to pay for items, notifying them when the price of a product falls to within their budget.

Fairfield Inn & Suites at San Francisco San Carlos

2007-11-01T13:06:00.000-07:00

This is a review for Fairfield Inn & Suites at San Francisco San Carlos. Fairfield Inn & Suites is a subsidiary of Marriot Group. Online reservation with pictures of the hotel and room is available which makes it easy for guests to place their booking. Reviews about the hotel is not directly available from their website. But easily found through 3rd party travel agent site for the hotel reviews.

We reserved our room online with AAA discount and stayed 2 nights in a King Bed Guest Room for $84.05 a night plus $8.70 tax per night. This is the lowest rate I could find in the vicinity of San Francisco for the date we were visiting.

I did place a request for a crib during check out but when we arrived, there was no crib in our bedroom. We were took tired to approach the staff to get the crib so we had our boy slept with us on the King size bed. We were comfortable sharing the bed and did have a good night sleep.

The hotel is located right off the freeway off Holly Street exit from 101. Although is next to the freeway and next to a small local airport, I basically didn't notice the noise at all.

Arrival check-in was a breeze. All they did was take my name, ID, credit card, AAA card and it was done in less than 5 minutes. Room was acceptable in cleanliness and decor. It is convenient to have a vanity outside the bathroom instead of inside (see picture). There is a coffee maker with 2 packs of ground coffee and 8 styrofoam cups. Towels are just enough for the 3 of us, no extra. Shampoo and conditioner are Pantene's brand. There's a bar soap and a facial soap.

Bed was comfortable. Enough to sleep three (my size). I like the firmness of the mattress. There are more than enough pillows though they were of different firmness, but most of them were very soft to my likeness. My son slept between us comfortably and never wake up a little bit during the whole night (may be he was tired from our outings).

The room has a desk, a mini refrigerator and a microwave in the corner. The refrigerator is just perfect as we used it to keep my toddler's milk, yogurts and fruits cold which we brought from home.

The room comes with free high speed internet access as well as free breakfast (which I will blog later). That's one less thing to worry about to find place to eat breakfast. I was able to get online easily, though while signing in, they asked to check the waiver form that I've read everything about their internet service. If you didn't bring your own laptop, there is 1 workstation by the lobby area which you can use.

We didnt' get much time to watch any TV. I know a lot of hotels are now using flat screen LCD / Plasma TV but here, they are still the old box TV stored away in the armoire. No flat screen here. It didn't matter to me as I don't watch much TV.

There are two restaurants within walking distance (2 mins) outside the hotel - Burger King and Izzy's Steak and Chops. Didn't try these restaurants. I didn't get to use the pool either, as our itinerary was fully packed. May be next time.

Will I stay here again? You bet! If during my travel dates, they still offer the lowest price among all the other lodging places in the vicinity, I will definitely book my room here again.

Fairfield Inn at San Carlos
555 Skyway Road
San Carlos , CA 94070
Phone: 1-650-631-0777
Fax: 1-650-631-9610
Sales: 1-650-631-0777
Sales fax: 1-650-631-9610

From their website:

"Conveniently located midway between San Francisco & San Jose. Close to Oracle, Electronic Arts, Openwave, Tyco, Sun Microsystems, L3 Communications. Always fun as well as educational, guests of all ages will enjoy the Airports Hiller Aviation Museum, guests under 16, Free Flights on Saturdays! If business is your pleasure, you will enjoy the Silicon Valley's most central location while being able to relax and enjoy the spectacular scenery of the San Francisco Bay Area. Whether it is shopping, sports, famous city tours or just relaxing by the pool, our knowledgeable, well trained staff are available 24 hours to help you. Never start a full day on an empty stomach. Enjoy the Early Eats complimentary hot breakfast, featuring the Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwich. Experience a fine location with great accommodations at an affordable price, we promise! "

Hotel Highlights

This hotel is nonsmoking
Complimentary High Speed and Wireless Internet
Enjoy the Early Eats complimentary hot breakfast, featuring the Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwich.
Heated Swimming Pool

Here are the pictures I took of the hotel, pool, lobby, the room, bathroom and vanity.

Payday loan estimator

2007-11-01T09:38:00.000-07:00

Many people need a fast loan to get through financial crisis immediately. These people can find fast payday loan, between the amounts of $200 to $1500, from Payday Loan Quotes. Fund will be made available to the borrower in as little as 24 hours. Another best feature is they have a payday loan estimator or loan calculator on their website which helps you see how much your total payment would be on the sum you are going to borrow.

Gas: 10/31/06

2007-11-01T09:25:00.000-07:00

It was half a month ago my last update on gasoline prices. They went up more. Now even the regular gasoline price has sore over $3.00 a gallon. Within a little over two weeks, the price went up 11 cents for the regular.

Heard the news about the price increase of crude oil, so we probably will see more rise in gasoline price in coming weeks.

Regular: $3.11 9/10
Plus: $3.21 9/10
Premium: $3.31 9/10

Planning for a new floor for your home?

2007-11-01T08:02:00.000-07:00

Are you looking into getting new flooring for your home? One place you might want to stop to check out is iFLOOR. They have an online website with a huge inventory of different flooring from hardwood to laminate.

But if you feel like visiting their stores to feel the quality yourselves, you can stop by their 2 brick and mortar stores, one in Los Angeles and another in Stanton if you want to visit.

When you purchase your flooring and installation from iFLOOR, they will include an online buyer's warranty protection plan for up to $1,000,000.00. Read the press release below:

iFLOOR, America's largest online flooring retailer, today announced a $1,000,000 limited warranty designed to protect its customers from predatory manufacturer policies that exclude warranty coverage from online purchases.

The policy, which goes into effect immediately, offers up to one million dollars of coverage in the event that a customer's warranty claim is denied specifically because they made their purchase online. It is complimentary for every iFLOOR customer, and protects the buyer under the same terms as the original product warranty.

iFLOOR, Inc. CEO, Steve Simonson, came up with the program to combat "scare tactics" used by manufacturers of hardwood floors and laminate flooring. "Their idea is to discourage you from buying at a discount!" wrote Simonson in his blog "It's About Flooring". "This is not right! You deserve to save money! So we're going to take care of this problem once and for all."

And it would appear that federal law is on his side. Section 108 of the 1975 Magnuson-Moss Act, states that, "In general, tie-in sales provisions are not allowed. Such a provision would require a purchaser of the warranted product to buy an item or service from a particular company to use with the warranted product in order to be eligible to receive a remedy under the warranty."

Under iFLOOR's new warranty, a key provision allows for iFLOOR to "seek justice" on behalf of the customer in the event of legal action. According to Simonson, "I'm putting iFLOOR's money where my mouth is."

About iFLOOR, Inc.
Since 1998, iFLOOR.com has been the leading online and retail flooring company, with 36 local retail stores nationwide offering more than 70,000 products, including hardwood floors, laminate flooring, bamboo flooring and cork floors. iFLOOR.com is the largest online flooring retailer according to Internet Retailer Magazine, and was named by Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest growing private companies in the United States for the past three years. Committed to
quality customer service, superior selection and friendly expert advice, iFLOOR.com enables customers to buy flooring both online and in its retail stores at a substantial savings over traditional retailers. For more information about iFLOOR, please visit www.iFLOOR.com.

Going Organic

2007-10-31T08:39:00.000-07:00

It is the trend now to go Organic. I am trying my best to buy organic food for our family but sometimes is not easy and expensive. So as for now, I only get organic stuff that is lower in price and if I am shopping at Whole Food Market.

Here are a few useful links if you are planning to go organic. I am keeping these links for my own future reference.

How to Get the Most from Your Farmers' Market
The Musts and Myths of Organic and Locally Grown
Organic Birthday Cake

511 Tactical Outdoor

2007-10-31T08:34:00.000-07:00

Tactical games are getting a hit now. But where can you find the wardrobe for this? You don't have to look around anymore because you can find all tactical products available at 5.11 Tactical. They even offer free shipping for orders over $50. You may also be eligible for free gifts with purchase. Check out their website now.

Santa Ana Windy Condition

2007-10-30T22:34:00.000-07:00

We were trying to visit Tanaka Farm for its Pumpkin Patch Festival two Sundays ago on 10/21, but we turned away after we stepped out from our car. The windy condition was very bad and blew dust from the ground. We knew that we weren't able to enjoy the Pumpkin Patch to the fullest so we left. Though there were still many people who went in. I have to be careful because I know it is very uncomfortable is the dust get into the eyes of my toddler. So may be we'll return here next year.

This is a short video clip I took in the windy condition at the Tanaka Famr in Irvine.

Online business

2007-10-30T22:13:00.000-07:00

I always think about how to make more money for my family and myself. Since we have a little boy now, our monthly expenses has increased. A few times I've wanted to start up an online business selling baby's items. But I didn't get into it because I had no time to do more in-depth research about the process.

One less research I don't have to do is about shopping cart software for my online business. I was able to gather some information about ecommerce software while reading online websites.

Ashop Commerce offers the winning shopping cart software. It is easy to use with web based application and no program to install at the user's end. It allows the merchant to accept credit cards online for their transactions. There are different pricing for different level of businesses. Their starter price for smaller business is $69/month and it comes with a 10 days free trial.

Back Home in Lahaina, Manhattan Beach

2007-10-30T21:52:00.000-07:00

On the way back from Beverly Hill two Saturdays ago, we decided to stopped by Back Home in Lahaina for lunch. My son loves eating rice so he was able to enjoy some of our lunch too.

This restaurant was very quiet when we arrived, probably close to noon on Saturday. It serves Hawaiian Cuisine. My Hubby used to come here for lunch but most of the time it was very crowded during weekday lunch hours.

We orderred:

Fried Chicken Plate $8.99
Barbecued Char Siew Chicken Plate $8.29
Each comes with crispy ramen cabbage salad, macaroni salad and 2 scoops of rice.

I enjoyed their BBQ Char Siew Chicken though it used coloring instead of real BBQ color. My son definitely loves the chicken and rice. Their Fried Chicken plate was wonderful and this will not be the last time we eat here.

Back Home in Lahaina
916 N Sepulveda Blvd, Manhattan Beach, CA
Ph: (310) 374-0111

What's after loosing weight?

2007-10-29T08:49:00.000-07:00

There are many people with obesity problem, especially in America, fast food heaven. Adults whom are obese should choose to go through different procedures to loose weight.

Loosing weight is difficult but it can be done. After loosing the weight, the person may have extra skin layers on the tummy. It doesn't look good with this flabby skin; they can choose to go for a Tummy Tuck surgery to get a flatter abs afterwards. Besides a smaller tummy, the end result may also provide you with a smaller waist. When choosing a place to get this surgery done, make sure you ask the right questions to help you find the right place.

Chili's baby back rib promotion

2007-10-28T21:43:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we stopped by at Chili's for lunch. My first time ever dining at Chili's.

I saw the advertisement for their new baby back rib promotion. For only $10.99 the meal comes with a flavor of your choice half rack baby back rib with their homestyle fries, a bowl of salad with your choice of dressing, and a dessert of your choice. All these for only $10.99. The dessert alone cost as high as $6. So is definitely worth the deal.

Finding antique collection at St. Augustine, FL

2007-10-28T21:05:00.000-07:00

Antique collectors listen up! There is a chance for you to add more antiques to your collection. St. Augustine events community is having two Saturdays, (October 27th and November 24th) whereby you can find shopping for antiques at San Marco Avenue with a different experience. Besides shopping for antiques, you can find yourself surrounded by lively street music, refreshments, book signing opportunities and more while enjoying your shopping.

There are no where better than shopping for antiques at our nation's oldest city where you will also find the oldest street in America, Aviles Street. They have many antique shops open for this event and you never know that you may be able to find there, could be a rare book or some Spanish treasures that interest you.

Besides this featured event, every last Saturday of the month, also called the Uptown Saturday Night which starts from 5pm and ends at 9pm. Shops will remain open at this time and some may serve wine and refreshment in their stores. Free parking is available for this event provided by The Mission of Nombre de Dios.

Better pack up and book a ticket to fly to Florida. You don't miss this incredible opportunity to find some neat treasures for yourself.

Free Gerber bowls with purchase of Gerber Graduates Puff

2007-10-24T11:55:00.000-07:00

This week you can get a free pack of 4 Gerber bowls with lids (worth up to $5.79) when buy any 3 Gerber Graduates Puffs at Babies 'R' Us. The bowls which I bought long time ago are very useful. I use them everyday to make rice cereal or for bringing food when we go out. My son loves the star shaped puffs which come in many flavor including sweet potato, peach, strawberry, and more.

This promotion will end this Saturday. So stock up your puffs for your toddler and get free bowls.

A tool for camping outdoor

2007-10-24T07:30:00.000-07:00

When you are planning for camping outdoor, you must include in your list of things to bring, a WoodGas camp stove.

This is not any ordinary camp stove you see in the market. This stove provides a clean burning energy using 'free' fuels (twigs, pine cones) that you can find in the nature. It doesn't need propane to run and yet produces very little smoke for clean cooking. A must have camping tool if you are a hunter or someone who loves camping.

Gas: 10/14/07

2007-10-22T22:14:00.000-07:00

Back dated post. Been too busy posting on other and forgot that I had a picture of the gasoline price for 10-14-2006. As seen above, the gasoline price for Union76 on Western Ave and 182nd Street were as followed:

Regular: $2.95 9/10
Plus: $3.05 9/10
Premium: $3.15 9/10

These prices were about 1 week ago. Prices now is about 10 cents more for each grade. Even the regular grade is now over $3 a gallong.

Time for a break

2007-10-22T21:36:00.000-07:00

I've been busy blogging lately and it is time to take a break from sitting in front of the computer and be somewhere away from home. We are planning a short weekend break coming up soon. We won't have to wait for cheap flight for this as we will be driving. But we still need to find cheap hotels for our weekend accommodation. Knowing me readers, I don't like paying full price for anything. I love planning for trips as I can start anticipate for the vacation even before it starts. It is highly recommended for stay-at-home-mom like me to take short breaks away from home once in a while to unstressed from the daily routine.

Time for pie

2007-10-22T21:29:00.000-07:00

It is that time of the year again - Semi Annual Pie Sale at Marie Callendar's. From now till Oct 31st, you can get any whole pie to-go for only $5.99 plus tin. There are a few recommendation from me: The Lemon Cream Cheese, one of my favorite. Most of their location do participate in this promotion. This time around I may try a new pie - The Razzleberry.

Become a Star in Hollywood!

2007-10-22T09:01:00.000-07:00

Many people come to Los Angeles in hope to be discovered by the big movie producers and director whom can help them to turn into a big Hollywood Star. But it is not easy if you are not listed by any casting agent. First you may want to check out Talent Rock. They have helped many people to be successful in acting, modeling, comedian, vocalist and even dancers.