All posts filed under: USA

JC Nichols Memorial Fountain with horse

Kansas City Fountains at The Plaza

Published by

We spent 1 week at Kansas City during our US trip to spend time with my Uncle Bernard. It was our chance to experience the “American life” my Uncle has been living for more than 10 years. I just use to hear stories of how life is back in Kansas, it was nice to finally see the places in his stories and dine at his favorite restaurants. The first things that the kids noticed on our drive from the airport to my Auntie Lory’s house was the big fountain located at the entrance/exit of the airport and then some more along the way. You will see more beautiful fountains at the Plaza. To which the kids declared that they need more quarter to make a wish. Later on we found out that Kansas City is also called The City of Fountains. We were then on a quest to have the kids photo taken on each fountain we see. The first fountains built in Kansas City were made for the horses, dogs and birds to drink. If you are on …

A trip to Space at the Griffith Observatory

Published by

A visit to the Griffith Observatory was not in our Los Angeles iterinary, we are sure glad we got to visit this amazing place. Griffith Observatory is a free admission and operated by the government of Los Angeles. It opened in 1935 and has been one of the best informal education facility in the US and the most visited public observatory in the world. The Observatory is the best place to see the famous Hollywood sign. LittleOnes were excited to see the sign that we just see in movies. Place was packed with visitors and news media when we visited last July 14, 2015, we did not have any idea till we went inside and spoke to one friendly staff. We are about to see Pluto up close for the first time!  A historic and fascinating planetary event after 25 years because NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft is about to pass by Pluto and give us humans live images of Pluto. It was in 1989 when NASA showed images of Neptune. They revealed a beautiful image of pluto with …

Star Wars Jedi Training

Star Wars Jedi Training Academy

Published by

As soon as Kuya V saw the Star Wars Jedi Training Academy, he made his Daddy promise to bring him there. We split up to cover more Disneyland activities that both kids requested. LittleMiss C wanted to see Tinkerbell so we headed that way while Kuya V took his Jedi lessons. After taking lesson’s they were put to test.  

Birthday cupcake at Ariels Grotro Disneyland

Birthday Lunch at Ariel’s Grotto

Published by

One of the highlight’s of our Disneyland trip was LittleMiss C’s birthday lunch at Ariel’s Cove. The trip’s main goal was to fulfill our birthday girl’s wish to meet all the Disney Princess and have them sign her book. You enter the main door and then descend at a spiral staircase into the grotto restaurant. Before you get seated, your party will have a chance to meet Princess Ariel and have a photo taken with her. The restaurant is beautiful adorned with jellyfish like chandeliers and ocean mural walls. Windows face the water area of the park which provides a natural light that is great for taking photos.   As soon as we got seated, bread and vegetable sticks with dips arrived shortly. LittleOnes got themselves busy with coloring books, paper crowns and spending quality time with their Ninang Athens who flew from NY to LA to spend time with us. Guest’s can choose from 6 mains from their lunch special, each dish is served with either a salad or soup and dessert. (L-R): Grilled Lobster Tail Salad, Red …

Queen Anna and Princess Elsa of Frozen Disneyland meet

When we met Anna and Elsa…

Published by

Our flight to Los Angeles was the day LittleMiss turned 3 years old. We have not yet got a chance to celebrate her birthday the day she was born, it was either a few days before or after. She was at the age where Disney Princess & Peppa Pig were her best friends, to meet them was her ultimate wish. As soon as our US visa got approved we made plans and the first on the list was a trip to Disneyland Anaheim. This is our 2nd Disneyland trip, we have been to HK but LittleMiss was still too young to appreciate then. Month’s before our US vacation, we all watched and got to know the stories of all Disney Princesses and Fairies (I love Tinkerbell!). We of course have been hit by the Frozen Fever, the ultimate goal was to meet Ana, Elsa and Olaf. If we’ve done that our Disneyland trip is complete. I have learned from Casey of DLR Prep School that to secure a meet and greet with the Frozen characters we have to secure a fastpass. Casey also sent us …

Ceasar Palace Pool Fun

Our hotel stay at Ceasars Palace, Las Vegas

Published by

We left Downtown, Los Angels around 7 am and arrived at Las Vegas shortly after 12 noon. Yes, it took us almost 5 hours (should be just 4 hrs) because we had to do several stops to get food, refill car fuel and toilet break. We were not in a hurry because Uncle B was scheduled to arrive at 11 am so he checked-in the Ceasar Palace hotel for us, it was a blessing because there was long line waiting to be checked-in. As soon as our baggage arrived in the room, we headed out to get proper food, it was the first time that the kids refuse to have another bite of hotdog, chips or bread. Our room had 2 queen size bed and had a view of the Pallazo. Oh my jaccuzi! The kids told us that they want to have one in our house, if we have the space. They once had so much fun in the jaccuzi and they did not hear me knocking the door (I left my key card and phone inside), I had …

Madame Tussauds

Meeting Hollywood Stars at Madame Tussauds

Published by

After a few days in Los Angeles we took a road trip to Las Vegas to meet my Uncle B, Ceasar Palace is our home during this stay.. He’s the younger brother of my Papa and took on the role of being a father for me and my siblings since my Papa passed away. Spending time with him was the main reason why we decided to spend our summer in the USA, he’s planning to retire soon and want to show us what was life like there. He is Lolo Dino to my children and he does a good grandpa job. Oh how he spoils them. We initially planned to just spend 3 days in Vegas but he convinced us that the kids will have fun with all the theater shows so we extended our stay to five days. I think that he just really want to spend quality time with them where it’s only him showering them with attention. He planned our itinerary, first stop was Madame Tussauds. It was our first time. The figures look …

Endeavour Space Shuttle California Science Center

Up-Close with the Endeavour Space Shuttle at California Science Center

Published by

A visit to the California Science Center was not in our plan; we honestly did not know that it is home to the Endeavour Space Shuttle. As we enter the Samuel Oschin Pavilion our jaws dropped at the sight of the Endeavour Space Shuttle, it was huge and completely overwhelming.  It’s not every day that you get to see a space shuttle up close. There is a reservation fee of $2 to see the Endeavour which you can purchase online (timed reservation is required beginning September 2015). We purchased IMAX tickets to watch Galapagos 3D which entitled us to a free pass to see the space shuttle. Kuya V sat thru the movie while the rest of us fell asleep, we were jetlagged.