Lunch at Leo's

Sumptuous philipino lunch, great fun, delicious snacks and great coffee for our teabreak...And of course, all these wouldn't be possible with our wonderful Hosts ~ Leo and his sister, Ollie!

2nd Row: Moi & Dew, Ollie, Leo, Rodin, Daryl, Suling
front: Siting & Terence

Honeymooning on the West Coast (Part III)

24th Nov'08: Camarillo premium outlet

Shopping!! So, no pics for today.. Only about 4hrs to shop..

Want to take some pictures of the wonderful outlet, but totally forgot about it when I started shopping.

At about 4pm, we started our drive to Death Valley.

Oh yah, did I mention that we totally skipped lunch? And my poor dew got to take Subway sandwich as he drive towards Death Valley

We nearly lost our way as we circled the area a few rounds before finding Furnace Creek Ranch, our acoomodation for the night!

25th Nov'08: Death Valley

In the morning, we drove past Painter's valley towards Badwater basin, the lowest elevation in North America at 85.5m below sea level. Amazing isn't it?

A few other sights to see in Death Valley - Furnace Creek Area (very near our lodge):
- Dante's view: the ultimate viewing point atop the mountain


- Natural Bridge: Massive rock span across the canyon, looks like a sturdy bridge for a giant
- Devil's golf course: immense area of rock salt with jagged edges... and you wonder why it's called devil's golf course

Check out the razor sharp salt-crystals.... I wouldn't want to fall at the Devil's golf course..

- Artist's Drive: Scenic loop drive through the colourful hues created by different minerals on the hills.

Stovepipe wells area:-
- Sand Dunes: Got to go there to satisfy dew's weird desire to set his feet on massive sand dunes after his dissapointment with the sand dune at Nida


Next stop:
- Scotty's castle: a spanish style mansion built by "fiticious gold"
- Ubehebe's crater


After Death Valley, we drove down to Les Vegas!


After checking into MGM Grand, we had dinner at Wolfgang Puck's bar and grill, followed by Mystere show at Treasure Island.

26 Nov'08: Les Vegas
After breakfast at Nathan, we drove to LV premium outlets. Another 4 hours of shopping before we went back to LV to explore the hotels at the strip.

Caught the fountain show at Bellagio again. Beautiful!

Saturday Lunch

Managed to hold a small lunch gathering on a saturday afternoon, just weeks after we shifted to our new house...

It was my first time cooking there, and I started to realise how ill-equipped my kitchen is when dew got to drive all the way back to Guillemard to get the weighing scale, big mixer bowl, electric mixer, .... (and the list goes on...)

I could only start cooking when the guest arrived. Well, I supposed it's a good way to make the food taste better...

Menu for the day:

- Cheesey bacon mushrooms

- Mentaiko Pasta

- Chocolate lava cake

Honeymooning on the West Coast! (Part II)

21 Nov'08: Yosemite

Grabbed Takeaway breakfast before Dew started the long, hard drive to Yosemite...

Dew looking cool in Oakleys

Took us about 3 hrs to reach Yosemite from Fresno.

We checked into our night accomodation at Evergreen Lodge

33160 Evergreen Road, Groveland, California 95321
A nice cabin lodge, spacious with a small gas fireplace, surrounded by Stanislaus National Forest, and near the entrance of Hetch Hetchy Dam.

The draw of Yosemite~

The grand granite rocks, deep valleys, free-flowing waterfalls, crystal-clear river and vast wilderness... Indeed a nature's paradise!

View of Half Dome from Sentinel's Bridge

Bridal Veil - One

Lunch at Ahwahnee Hotel, known for its magnificent facade and architecture.
The Dinning Room looks really grand with it's super high ceiling - 34 foot with large sugar pine trestles and ceilin gto floor windows.

Nice patio at Ahwanee

It was near winter, and some of the roads could be closed due to snow. However, we are lucky that Glacier point is still open for sunset at half dome.

Dinner at Evergreen Lodge

22 Nov'08: Yosemite - Fresno

We started the day with a visit to Hetch Hetchy beofre continue sight-seeing at the Yosemite the next morning

Caugth a glimpse of teh colourful skies during our drive down the sloping terrain of Yosemite national park

Continue sight-seeing at Yosemite, grabbed take-away lunch & dinner before the long, long drive to Fresno.

Overnight at Fresno Four Points


23 Nov'08: Sequoia National Park
Breakfast at Carls Jr

Drive to Sequoia for sight-seeing
(7 Day park fee - USD20)




Lunch at Lodge


Grant Grove (20m) > Cedar Grove > Gant Forest

Dinner - taeaway at Holiday Inn Ventura

Wonderful Memories of D' day

This afternoon, I found some really interesting pictures as I browsed through those pictures taken from my friend's camera on 16 November 2008.

Getting ready in the morning

Boon not forgetting to strike a pose before the "Action" begins...
Check out the smirk on her, I'm sure the guys didn't have an easy time.

Thanks Sistas,

Thanks for making feel like a Queen on that day..

Ops, I mean Princess!

Li & Moi (still in my bathrobe)

Taking a few pictures in the bridal suite to pass time before the Grand March-in

The furniture in the suite gives me the Victorian feel, thus...

Still trying to keep that pose

And finally a more natural shot

(note all taken from the camera's self-timer function)

Honeymooning on the West Coast! (Part I)

17 Nov'08 (Mon): SIN-SF

We rush off to catch our flight the next day after our Wedding - the day we have been looking forward to!

1740 ETD SIN (SQ002)

1630 ETA San Francisco

2000 Check-in Hyatt at Fisherman's Wharf

We met Dominic for dinner at Buena Vista after checking in.

Menu: Dungeoness crab, cheesy potato skins, irish coffee (signature drink)

18 Nov'08 (Tue): SF

0700 Breakfast at Johnny Rocket

Touring around Fisherman's Wharf. *Pier 39 for the noisy california sea lions

0830 Board Alcatraz Cruise at Pier 41 for tour on the lone island (aka "The Rock"), which is visible from Fisherman's Wharf. It is touted to be an escape-proof prison, where notorious convicts like "The birdman"- Robert Stroud, Machine gun Kelly and etc once occupied the cells.

Do remember to book tickets far in advance online (abt 90days) as the excursion is very popular among tourist and space is limited.

Lunch at Boudin, which is famous for their Doughbread clam chowder

Dessert at Ghiradelli - Ghiradelli Sundae. Thier chocolate sauce is thick, and fragrant.

Cable car - A must-try for all first-time visitors! They will bring you up and down the city's steep hills.

Thereafter, we went for Mr Toad's postcard SF Tour at 1430

Truly worth the experience as it will take you to all the sights which is post-card worthy and of course, the touristy sites: e.g. Nob Hill, Russian Hill, Pacific Heights (the ultra elite e.g. the Gettys and Danielle Steel), Chinatown, Union Square , The FInancial DIstrict, The Marina District for a hazy glimpse of The Golden Gate Bridge...

However, it was not so worthwhile for us due to the freezing cold and foggy weather..

Dinner at Gary Danko (French fine dinning)

Thanks to Dominic, who helped us make the reservation for the night.

800 North Point St. (at Hyde St.) Reservations recommended. Opens daily from 5.30 to 10pm.

For USD250, we took a five-course fixed price seasonal set each. Menu in freestyle. My Favourite dish: Glazed oysters with lettuce cream

At the end of the meal after dessert, they would still present you with a plate of petite fours, which you can take-away if you can't stuff down anymore food, and a small box of pumkin cake for take-away. How Sweet!

A pity our jet lag kicks-in after our 3rd dish, and we felt so sleepy, we couldn't enjoy the experience to the fullest.

19 Nov'08: SF - Point Reyes - Lake Tahoe

0700 wake & shine before we set off to collect our rental car!

We made a trip to Lombard Street once again to experience driving down the "crookedest street in the world". Interesting!

We also drove to Golden Gate Bridge to get a photo before we set off for our road trip.

1st check point at Point Reyes National Seashore.

Stopped-by Drakes Oysters for fresh oysters!
Next stop: Napa Valley - Domaine Chandon for some wine-tasting, and picture-taking at their vine yards

After a Long, long drive to Lake Tahoe... (Poor Dew~) we checked-in Seven Seas Inn, which is located at South Lake Taho, for the night. We got the Baroque room, upstairs w fireplace. Not too bad for a Motel.

Late dinner at Hard Rock Cafe.

20 Nov'08: Lake Tahoe

After the complimentary breakfast at Seven Seas Inn, we went for a leisurely drive around Lake Tahoe.
Sight-seeing for the whole day around Lake Tahoe. Some of the sights not to be missed:-

~ Emerald Bay for its emerald green waters and the site of the only island in the Lake, called Fannett Island. Further down, we stopped at the carpark at head of Emerald Bay for a hike down to Vikingsholme. Vikingsholme is a 38-room scandinavian castle built in 1929.

~ Drive up North towards Tahoe City and stop-by for a lakeside lunch. Take a leisurely stroll after lunch, along Truckee River and check out the big trouts at Fanny Bridge.

Lunch at Rosie's Cafe. American food. USD31 for 2 pax

571 North Lake Blvd., Tahoe City. Address: 3940 Lake Tahoe Blvd. (at the junction of Hwy 50 and Pioneer Trail)

Dinner at Naked Fish. Spent USD62 for 2 paxs. It was awarded 2 stars by FroXXXXs, and touted as the best sushi bar in Tahoe. Well, I suppose there ain't much Japanese restaurants in Tahoe.. And for half the price I can get you sushi and sashimis at a much better quality in Singapore.

Boxing Day

A holiday declared by my Company. Super long weekend for me, good, but not so great, as my hubby and friends are all working....

In the end, met my MIL for lunch at Taka' Sushi Tei, and followed by shopping at Orchard. Never had I seen so many people in the malls. Lots of stores were offering (up to) 70% off. Tempting... but after having spent so much in US (honeymoon trip), I got to tighten my belt and restrain myself. *Impressed by my discipline*

Well, the mission for the day is Bedlinens for my new place (though STILL NOT yet ready). So we went to Robinsons, which is having some kind of special members' SALE. Wow, WOw...! The queue was very long and my MIL had to queue (abt 1 hour) whilst I chose my purchase. The people were buying as if everything was free! It's crazy the people are still spending when the market sentiments is so bad, and economy is getting gloomy...

My 'New' Mother & Me

Christmas BBQ

Annual Christmas BBQ

~ using Terence trusty portable pit

The Scouts doing their job..

Christmas Menu for the Night:

~ Black pepper beef

~ Spicy Jiang yu zai Stingray

~ XO prawns

~ Honey lemon chicken, XO Chicken wings

~ Chicken sausages

~ butter crabsticks

Initially, we thought of having BBQ underneath the stars....

In the end, we shifted the portable pit to the sheltered porch due to sudden downpour
But the weather did not spoil our mood for BBQ !

And of course, Cheers to Siting
for her wonderfully marinated food!!
(Now we know who should be incharge of preparing the BBQ food next time...)

Now, the christmas lightings on wheels...

and we are lucky to be the passengers =)

Start of the Strip

Playful lightings to brighten

the gloomy mood during difficult time like this...

Swinging down Orchard Road amidst the blues

Bad jam means we can have a little more time taking pics

High Tea at Sheraton Tower

The scent of pine emmitted from the huge Pine tree filled the air with Chritmas cheers...

Appealing bite-size appetizers leave you wanting more...

Sashimi is our favourite
(though it still can't beat the fresh sashimi we love from Sakuraya)

Nice waterfall view

Wedding - Evening Highlights