6 Days In Las Vegas =)

Last week, I spent 6 days (yes, 6!) in Vegas!  The most common question I got was what in the world do you do in Vegas for 6 days, and lucky you, I’m about to show you.  Enjoy…

Scoured the magazine stands @ the airport for something interesting to read on the plane…

This is a the REAL cover for TIME Magazine

Packed our own mini bar!  Brought organic fruits from home (purchased from Farmers Market the day before), Twizzlers, Apple Chips, pistachios, and a tin full of green tea!

Eat your fruits!

Arrived @ the Wynn, and was greeted by 2 beautiful Lions…

My good luck charm.

Ventured off to Chinatown, for some non-westernized Chinese food…

Gambled at Encore, and checked out the 20 something foot crystal dragon that adorns the Wazuzu restaurant…

Wazuzu @ the Encore

Small replica is available for purchase @ the gift boutique.

Followed the red ornate carpet back home to Wynn, and got a glimpse of XS, sans the party goers…

Went to Venice (aka Venetian) and dined at Mario Batali’s famed San Marco Restaurant.

I highly recommend the Prosciutto & Arugula Pizza!  Thin, crispy, and very light crust.  Very authentic!

A view from my seat @ the San Marco Restaurant bar…

Lunch for 1!

Wandered the streets and saw the big show over @ Mirage.  It was spectacular!

Back to Chinatown for some Cajun seafood!  Our guests from Japan, ordered up a huge Heineken can…hilarious!

Dined at Wynn Buffet with a large group of friends.  Must say, Bellagio is still #1 in my book!

Admired some art, that reminded me of JP & Fuego!

Stood at the top of Palazzo and looked down to see, glittery coins at the top of the waterfall.  So pretty!

Dined @ my favorite restaurant Noodles, inside of Bellagio with Young & friend.

Soft, pillowy, and light fried tofu. Delicious!

My all time favorite @ Noodles…Flat rice noodle soup with bbq pork!

And, now…on to SEMA!   My show highlights!

The Lexus LFA in black carbon...Love it!

Lexus had limited edition artist prints made on-site!  I was so lucky and got the last one…150/150.  Thanks guys!

Artists in action.

There's mine!

Voila! 150/150

My fellow SMART buddies over at Smart Madness…

Camo Smart Rally!

Pinch. You're too cute.

@ the Honda booth, they had a really cool “Dog Friendly” accessories.  Here is the doggy bed that fits snuggly in the trunk!

Finally, at the airport…I ran into a crazy reptile on the floor (it’s not real, but it’s huge)!

Bye Bye Las Vegas…  They were smart an added these decorative planes in between the escalators.  You better think twice before sliding down the middle!!!  Ouchy.

And, if you’re wondering…

Did I gamble?              Yes!

Did I win or lose?        Walked away with $750 in cash money!

Wow, what did I play?   Blackjack!

Any shopping?    Of course!  Sephora, Michael Kors, Hugo Boss, Neiman Marcus, and Fresh.

Any clubs?   Lavo, Tao, & XS…all in one night.

=)

Sharing Is Caring.

The holiday season is usually a time where people are more compassionate toward others. Sharing your love, affection, food, and resources is a nice way to spread joy.

Homelessness & hunger are a huge problem worldwide, especially here in LA. JP and I have definitely been more conscious when it comes to wasting food. We make an effort to put aside food that we’re not going to eat or finish, and have it packaged up to-go. We simply take it down to Santa Monica and drop it off with someone in need, so that their tummy may be also comforted with food. In recent months, we’ve also re-packaged our pillows (in their original plastic zippered bags), and brought those over to distribute as well.  Sleeping on the ground is definitely not comfortable, so we hope the pillows will give them some comfort to their aching bodies.

Most of us live each day and probably never think about how it feels to be homeless. Every time I drive down the street, I see men, women, and children, wandering the streets during the day, with no shelter to rest their tired bodies at the end of the evening.

People may assume that people are homeless because they are druggies or alcoholics, but many don’t realize that sometimes they are just down on their luck. Unemployment, divorces, and grievances takes a huge toll on your mental health, and it typically leads to depression, and then that  can lead to drug abuse or alcoholism. You get my point. I don’t think anyone in a healthy mental state would choose to be homeless.

So…whether it is today, tomorrow, or next year, do think about sharing your wealth with those who could use some assistance. If you could spare 1 can of food, a blanket, jacket, gloves, or shoes, that would make a world of difference.

Btw… CB2 has teamed up with the LA Regional Food Bank to take in donations for this holiday season. In return, they are giving 15% off your purchase.

Give

Do you ever wonder how long your food is good for?

Stop throwing away your money and find out how long you can keep your food.

Well, I came across this really cool article on Re-Nest and thought it would be nice to share with you.   If you’re like me, there are those moments when I reach into the fridge, to only discover some old fruit or yogurt I had totally forgotten about.  Because most fruit and vegetables do not come with an expiration date, I guess you have to go by how it looks.  With other food items, it may be hard to judge whether or not it’s safe to eat it, so it usually ends up as rubbish.

Instead of prematurely throwing away your food, double check on this nifty website for additional information food storage and the safe amount of time you have to consume it.  It will probably end up saving you money in the long run, since throwing away food = throwing away money.  Be safe, eat well, and save yourself a stomach ache!  Enjoy!

Hello Kitty x Happy Birthday x Royal T

I love celebrating birthdays, and here’s your chance to join Hello Kitty for hers!  Royal T in Culver City is officially hosting a whole week long of special events leading up to Hello Kitty’s Birthday celebration on November 1st.

Special Hello Kitty inspired menu will be served, only for a limited time.

For a complete list of scheduled events, click here:

Click here for more info.

Good Eats: Thyme Cafe and Market

Here on the Westside, we’re so fortunate to have so many delicious eateries.  This afternoon I decided to check out Thyme Cafe out in Santa Monica, and the food was just divine!   The only caveat is that they close at 7pm daily.  =(

The seating is sparse, as there are only a couple of tables and 1 communal table.  Most of the customers ordered take-out, so the seating situation didn’t get ugly.  I would definitely not recommend taking a large group to Thyme because of the lack of seating and parking in the area.  They have a back lot, but that gets filled up very quickly.  Now, on to the good stuff.

Thyme Cafe’s menu features about 8 sandwiches and 8 salads, for just under $9.00.  It was a really tough choice, so I decided to get one of each.  They also feature a breakfast menu, ala cart items, pastries, and an extensive beverage selection.  I highly recommend the Chinese Chicken Salad because the dressing was flavorful and not over powering.  The wonton strips and lettuce were crisp and bell peppers definitely added a nice flavor to this salad.  The Ham & Brie bagette is one of my favorites over at Joans on 3rd, and Thyme’s version is absolutely delicious.  It is a light sandwich that is packed with robust flavors!

I must take JP with me next time.   And, then I can try the Pressed Salami Sandwich, or maybe the Steak Sandwich.  =)

Funny Signs.

With so many serious things going on in life, it’s always fun to see a sign like this:

=) It's quick and to the point. Love it!

You can see this sign @ Mitsuwa in Torrance. It's also written out in Japanese as well.

Fall Gourmet Food Fair @ Mitsuwa (Torrance)

Phew, I am so happy to be starting up a new week. Last I had a couple of crazy a** days. I’m pretty laid back 99% of the time, but there are certain things that really irk me. Any who, this weekend was really fun and relaxing!!!

On Saturday, we lucked out and got a chance to try some of the Japanese goodies during the Fall Gourmet Food Fair @ Mitsuwa.

The line for the Okonomiyaki (Osaka Style) was about 10 ppl deep, but that didn’t deter me from waiting. =)

Then we had “waffles” from “Kobe-Fugetsudo. These yummy “waffles” were sooo delicious! You can choose from an assortment of “waffles” filled with custard, matcha red bean paste, and chestnut cream. Jp went with the matcha & azuki bean and I got the chestnut one.

Mr. Man is making okonomiyaki right before your eyes!

Long line, because it takes awhile for okonomiyaki to cook.

Waffles from Fugetsudo. Light, sweet, and full of flavor.

Chirashi!

We All <3 Tiesto!

Just got a tip off to this freaking awesome vid/song by Tiesto.  Thanks Trinster!

Sneak Peak…Porsche Panamera

Jp and I stopped in to check out the Porsche Panamera in person yesterday, and it looks pretty good.  We both think it could use some sprucing up, with a full Mansory kit.  =)  Is it me, or does the car look naked?

Porsche Panamera

Sporty gauges

Lots of controls in the middle console area.

Now here’s what the Porsche Panamera will look like, after it gets the Mansory kit on it!

Mansory Porsche Panamera Kit

DIY Halloween Costume Accessories.

My dear friend Katherine is going to be Hello Kitty this Halloween, so we had to get creative and find the right outfit and accessories.  After scouring several stores, we realized that this is going to be a DIY kind of costume.  Soooo…Katherine made her own Hello Kitty furry ears from scrap materials at home, and I made a cute bow to affix over one of the ears.  And for the outfit, we plan to recycle one of my Halloween costumes from the previous year.  Can’t wait to see how everything looks, once it is all put together!

Supplies you need to make the bow:

-  Felt

-  Embroidery thread

-  Embroidery needles

-  Cotton (to stuff inside)

-  A good imagination!

Fuschia bow, made out of felt.

Voila! Now we're just missing the ears...

Supplies you’ll need for the ears:

-  Faux fur scrap pieces

-  wire clothes hanger (to add shape inside of it)

-  thread & needle

-  ribbon or  headband, to attach ears & bow

Made by Katherine!

The choice of outfit was inspired by these two photos of Hello Kitty: