[Pico Rivera] [American] Dal Rae Restaurant

Dal Rae Restaurant
9023 Washington Blvd
Pico Rivera, CA 90660
(562) 949-2444
http://www.dalrae.com

It's DineLA Restaurant Week again!  There are so many restaurants I want to try, but too bad I don't have enough time (and money) to try them all.  So this year I picked 5.  The first one is Dal Rae Restaurant, and I took my parents for lunch.



Dal Rae has been opened since the 50's.  This upscale steakhouse has the old-school charm.  We were seated in a comfortable leather booth.

[El Monte] [Fast Food] Carl's Jr

Carl's Jr
3832 Peck Rd
El Monte, CA 91732
(626) 350-1642
http://www.carlsjr.com

Both my brother and I had to work on Chinese New Year's Eve.  So our family didn't really celebrate this year.  On my way to work, I stopped by at Carl's Jr to get dinner.  Yeah, fast food for Chinese New Year Eve.  Sad....


Charbroiled Steak Sandwich ($4.79)

I had a coupon for free fries and drink when buying their new steak sandwich.  At the drive through display, before they applied the coupon, the combo cost $9.18!  Almost $10 for fast food?  I couldn't believe the price.

[Alhambra] [Ice Cream] Coldstone Creamery

Coldstone Creamery
101 W Main St
Alhambra, CA 91801
(626) 570-9411
http://www.coldstonecreamery.com

After disappointing hot pot dinner and before movie (Oh The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttonis such a wonderful movie!), we stopped by at Coldstone to serve my ice cream craving.



Even though it was a cold night, the line was almost out the door.  They only had 2 people working.  And those 2 people weren't that fast.

[Rosemead] [Chinese] Addictive

Addictive
當心上ㄧㄣˇ
7367 Garvey Ave
Rosemead, CA 91770
(626) 280-3128

My dad told me he saw Addictive's commercial on TV and thought the new hot pot restaurant looks pretty good.  So last Saturday night Dr. P and I went to check it out.  Afterward I had to tell my dad not to waste time and money to try this place.



The small hot pot restaurant is located in a big plaza.  It's not easy to see from the street.  Just look for the El Pollo Loco plaza.

[Los Angeles] [Mexican] El Flamin' Taco

El Flamin' Taco
5th and Vermont
Los Angeles, CA 90020

This taco truck used to be at the corner of 3rd and Vermont.  I first noticed it because it had bright LCD sign with Korean and English running.  Now they moved to a better spot on 5th and Vermont inside a carwash parking lot, and it's within walking distance from my work.


Lengua Taco ($1.25/each)

I went the Walgreens on Vermont to buy something.  Afterward, I remember this flashy taco truck right next door and walked over to grab dinner.  I got 2 lengua taco.  The taco was filled with tender lengua.  And I love their http://www.eileenlikestoeat.commade tortilla. 

[Los Angeles] [Korean] Myung Dong Kyoja

Myung Dong Kyoja
3630 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90010
(213) 385-7789

Since I wasn't feeling too well at work, I felt like having some soup.  I passed by this Korean noodle restaurant Myung Dong Kyoja a few times before.  I decided it would be a good day to try their noodle soup.


Kal Guk Soo (Hand Cut Noodle Soup with Beef and Dumplings) ($7.95)

They only have about 6 different noodles on the menu.  Half of them are cold noodle.  I got the only hot noodle soup, Kal Guk Soo.  They packed the to-go order in two containers.  One with noodle, veggies, ground beef, and dumplings.  One with clear broth.

[Los Angeles] [Burgers] The Apple Pan

The Apple Pan
10801 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(310) 475-3585

That night after the hike, I started feeling sick.  It was a mixture of allergy and cold.  Thank Dr. P for being so nice to go out to buy dinner for me.  I've been wanting to try Apple Pan for the longest time.  Dr. P got me what I wanted and made me feel better.


Hickeryburger ($6.20) with Cheese ($0.50)

Dr. P came http://www.eileenlikestoeat.com and said that the place was packed.  He had to fight through a crowd of people just to get the to-go order.  He got the Hickeryburger with Cheddar cheese.  This was a simple burger.  Mayo, lettuce, beef, cheese and Apple Pan's special hickery BBQ sauce.  All the ingredients tasted very fresh.  I love the tangy BBQ sauce.

[Los Angeles] [Chinese] Feng Mao Mutton Kebab

Feng Mao Mutton Kebab
3901 W Olympic Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90019
(323) 935-1099

One way to lure Wen to come all the way to LA from OC to hike is with the food afterward.  I asked Wen if she wanted Indian food or this.  After reading Exile Kiss's review, Wen eagerly said "I want that, I want that."



During the hike, we couldn't stop thinking about the feast we were going to have afterward.  Feng Mao Mutton Kebab is located in Korea town.  But it's actually a Chinese restaurant.

Franklin Canyon Hike

Last year, Wen and I agreed that we would go hiking once a month.  So we went hiking ONCE in the entire year!  Well, it's a new year and we have new resolution.  This year, we are really going to go hiking once a month.



Our January destination was Franklin Canyon Hike.  We went on the plant adventure guided hike.  The volunteered ranger was very knowledgeable about the plant and animal in the area.  We learned a lot of interesting information, but....  The hike was SO slow.  We probably only walked 1 mile for the 3 hour hike.  It wasn't really the "hike until you sweat like crazy and will lose 3 pounds the next day" kind of hike we were hoping for.

Samgyetang a.k.a. Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup

I wanted to cook something for Dr. P. Knowing how he loves soup, I decide to make samgyetang. Samgyetang, also known as Korean ginseng chicken soup, is actually very easy and CHEAP to make. It was my first try, and it turned out to be "restaurant quality" according to Dr. P's comment. :P


Samgyetang

I bought a pack of samgyetang stuffing at Korean supermarket.  For $5 I got sweet rice, ginseng, dates, chestnut, and this long thin woody herb that I didn't know the name of.  Soak everything in water for a few hours.  The stuffing is enough for 2 cornish hens.  Also got the cornish hens at Korean supermarket.  Price was $5 for 2.  Put the stuffing + some garlic inside the chicken.  Add enough water to cover the chickens and simmer for 1 hour.  Add chopped green onion at the end.  Have salt and white pepper on the table for seasoning.  2 Samgyetang will be about $30 in restaurants.  Total cost for 2 samgyetang at http://www.eileenlikestoeat.com = $10.

[Alhambra] [Drink] Tea Station

Tea Station
加州茶棧
560 W Main St
Alhambra, CA 91804
(626) 289-7389
http://teastation.us

My brother has been telling me how good the boba tea is at Tea Station.  So after our lunch at Kingburg, we went to Tea Station to get some drink.



Tea Station is owned by Ten Ren Tea.  I used to go to the Tea Station in San Gabriel back during college days.  I used to love their tea flavor food.  I even thought their instant noodle with an egg was great.  But I certainly don't remember food and the tea were that expensive before. 

[San Gabriel] [Chinese] Kingburg Kitchen

Kingburg Kitchen
金寶美食坊
715 W Las Tunas Dr
San Gabriel, CA 91776
(626) 282-2386

I read about Kingburg Kitchen on Pepsi Monster's blog.  I didn't know about this restaurant even though I pass by it all the time.  Pepsi Monster raved about the food and made me want to try it right away.  So I took my mom and brother there for lunch.



Kinburg Kitchen is located at the corner El Pollo Loco plaza across from Golden Deli plaza. 

My New Bento Boxes

After looking at Sawtelle Tempura House's bento, let's look at my new bento boxes.



My new bento boxes and bag are from the store on Sawtelle in the Hurry Curry/Blue Merlin/Volcano Tea shopping plaza.  Aren't they cute?  I can't remember the exact price, but the bento boxes are about $2 each and the bag was about $3.  Having cute bento boxes and bag really makes me want to bring my own dinner to work more.

[Los Angeles] [Japanese] Sawtelle Tempura House

Sawtelle Tempura House
1816 Sawtelle Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 479-5989

I really like the bento from Sawtelle Tempura House.  Dr. P likes it, too.  Whenever I'm in that area and need to go to work later, I'll go get a bento to go for dinner.


Bento ($5.50)

The way the bento was packed just make it looked so appetizing.  There were a lot of different stuffs in this bento.  Fried fish, chicken, egg, tempura pumpkin, and a few different types of pickled vegetables.  You can a few bites of everything.  The bento is enough for me to eat 2 meals.

Deal of the Day

Restaurant.com coupon: 70% off gift certificates

Restaurant.com is offering 70% off any gift certificate via coupon code "SAVE". This coupon cuts $25 dining certificates to $3 and $10 gift certificates to $0.90! Restaurant.com's gift certificates are redeemable at local restaurants across the United States.

[Los Angeles] [Japanese] Torafuku Restaurant

Torafuku Restaurant
10914 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(310) 470-0014
http://www.torafuku-usa.com

Torafuku had been on my "to-try" list for the longest time.  I read about their Kamado rice on their website and was really curious about how the rice would taste different from normal rice. 



Dinner at Torafuku is a bit pricey.  Dr. P and I decided to try their much more affordable lunch menu first.

[Los Angeles] [Dessert] Pinkberry

Pinkberry
3300 W 6th St
Los Angeles, CA 90020
(213) 382-8482
http://www.pinkberry.com

I like Pinkberry.  But I can't afford to have Pinkberry as much as I want to.  Thanks to the 4th Birthday Buy 1 Get 1 Free coupon, I can finally have my first Pinkberry of the year.


Original + Blueberry / Pomegranate + Pomegranate ($4.45)

Went with a coworker.  She got original + blueberry.  That was my all time favorite combo.  But I wanted to try their pomegranate fro-yo.  What topping would be good with pomegranate fro-yo?  How about pomegranate?  Pretty creative, yeah? 

MSG Water! Who's In?

If I have a water company, I'd make MSG water. Why? Because

(1) MSG makes water taste good.

(2) MSG makes people thirsty = buy more MSG water.

Great idea, no? How come nobody thought of this before?

Now I need $1 million to start my MSG water company. Who's in?

[Los Angeles] [Japanese] New Japan

New Japan
11283 Santa Monica Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 477-0557

Dr. P went surfing on Sunday.  I couldn't go with him because I had to work in the afternoon.  Poor me had to have lunch alone.  I tried to find a good takeout place on Yelp, and came upon New Japan.



New Japan is a "place your order at the counter and pay" kind of restaurant.  It's kind of like Japanese fast food, but the decoration is much nicer than the normal fast food joint.  They serve everything from sushi, roll, sashimi, to teriyaki and tempura.  One Japanese girl was taking order (and money), while one Hispanic guy did the cooking (and making sushi) in the back.

Dinner at Arthur's

Dr. P has a longtime friend/mentor, Arthur Senzy. He was Dr. P's jujitsu instructor about 8 years ago. He works at The Boeing Company as an engineer. He was also an actor that has worked in 15 films/tv shows. Not only that, Arthur is also a great cook who taught Dr. P this chicken w/ red wine dish that Dr. P cooked for me on our 3rd date which won me over (haha). Arthur invited Dr. P and I to his house for dinner. I couldn't wait to meet him.


Martini

Arthur made us martini before dinner. I had the lemon drop martini while Dr. P had a dry martini (is that how you called the martini with olives?).

GT-R and Ferrari

After lunch, we walked over to my car.  I noticed this car behind my car and mentioned to Dr. P, "Hmmm, that car looks nice."  Dr. P glanced over and said, "Yeah, because it's a $80,000 car."



Me:  "What?  This car cost $80,000?  What's the name of the car?" 
Dr. P:  "Nissan GT-R."
Me:  "Nissan?  A Nissan car for $80,000?  I didn't know Nissan is that expensive."

I'm Sick....

I was going to update my blog tonight. I had 3 posts planned. But now I feel really sick....

It started earlier this week when my allergy started acting up. Then it was time of the month (hope that's not too much info). Then it just got worth and worth. I have headache, body ache, stuffing nose, running nose, itchy eyes, soar throat, dry cough, feel tired, well, basically just feel REALLY BAD. But good thing is I don't have a fever though.

So I really don't know what it is. Flu? I don't think so. It's not THAT bad. Cold? Maybe. Allergy? Most definitely. Allergy + cold? Very likely.

Maybe I should go to a doctor tomorrow instead of sitting here diagnosing myself. Hope I will feel better soon. I really hate this sick feeling.... >_<

[Los Angeles] [Fusion] Restaurant 2117

Restaurant 2117
2117 Sawtelle Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 477-1617
http://restaurant2117.com

We always pass by Restaurant 2117 when we go to the various places in the same plaza.  This place always seems kinda empty.  Their menu looks pretty good, especially their prix fixe 3 course $18 lunch.  So Dr. P and I decided to give the restaurant a try.



We got their around 12pm.  We were the first customers.  They have both indoor and outdoor seating.  We chose an inside table first, but the chlorine smell was so strong so we moved outside.  They really shouldn't clean with strong chlorine right before they open.  Oh well, at least I know they try to keep it clean.   We both opted for the prix fixe lunch.

[Los Angeles] [Fast Food] Subway

Subway
3323 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90010
(213) 380-3671
http://www.subway.com

I saw the ad for Subway's new chicken flatbread sandwich.  The picture looks so good.  The description on their website said "No passport necessary for this Tuscan tastebud getaway. Our Chicken Florentine is filled with tender, juicy chicken, olives, tomatoes, Tuscan spices and melted cheese, all topped off with our creamy spinach artichoke spread. Act fast as this limited time sandwich creation won’t last forever."  Whoever wrote that did a really good job.  Because after reading that, I had to have one.


Chicken Florentine Flatbread Sandwich ($4.45)

The size of the flatbread sandwich is about a 6" sub.  Just like all the Subway sandwiches, you can choose any veggies and sauces you want add to it.  But no sauce is needed because it already had the creamy spinach artichoke spread.

[San Gabriel] [Vietnamese] Com Tam Thuan Kieu

Com Tam Thuan Kieu
順橋碎米飯
123 E Valley Blvd
San Gabriel, CA 91776
(626) 280-5660

Co-worker Vee always buys this Vietnamese rice dish to work for dinner.  It has charbroiled pork, steamed egg and egg roll.  Not only it looks good, it smells wonderful, too.  After seeing it for a few times, I gotta have one myself. 


Pork Chop Broken Rice ($5.99)

Since I didn't know what is on the menu, I just told him to get whatever he's getting.  He got pork chop, egg and sausage rice for me on that day.  The Vietnamese rice is called broken rice.  The grain is a lot smaller than regular rice.  I'm not sure the rice just grows small like that, or they actually "break" the rice that way.  I didn't like the pork chop because it was hard and dry.  But the pork sausage and steamed egg were really good.  I like to pour fish sauce over everything.  Portion was big.  I shared half of it with another coworker and was still really full.

3 Home Cook Meals

One of my new year resolution is "trying to cook more". I love cooking. Not only it is enjoyable, you also eat healthier and can save money. Recently I found the "Month of Menu" from Woman's Day Magazine.  What a convenient tool!  Everything looks easy to prepare and delicious.  They even offer a shopping list to go with the menu.  I eagerly went out and bought the items needed to make week 1's menu.


Pork Chops / Chickpea, Tomato & Feta Salad

Day 1's menu was pork chop and tomato salad.  The magazine gave the instruction on how to make the salad:  "Toss rinsed canned chickpeas, sliced scallions, halved grape tomatoes and crumbled feta cheese with Greek salad dressing."  This salad was so simple to make, and so delicious.  I didn't use Greek salad dressing, but used the "Green Goddess Dressing" from Fresh & Easy.  The tahini based dressing went very well with the flavor of tomato and feta.  Also I used garbanzo bean instead of chickpea.  You can pretty much use any bean you like.

[Los Angeles] [Light Meal] Disney's Soda Fountain

Disney's Soda Fountain
6834 Hollywood Blvd
Hollywood, CA 90068
(323) 817-1475
http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/el_capitan/soda_fountain/main.html

After movie at El Capitan, we went next door to Disney's Soda Fountain for some food and ice cream.



Disney's Soda Fountain is a restaurant and a store in 1.  We went in to the restaurant from the side door at El Capitan directly.  But to be seated, we had to go outside the front door to talk to the hostess.  I didn't like the service from the hostess at all.  She did not smile, wasn't polite, and was extremely slow.  She had that "it's New Year and I shouldn't be working" attitude.

New Year's Day at Hollywood

We spent our New Year's Day in Hollywood.  I met my coworker Iris's daughter Yi-Ping twice before.  Ever since we met, sometimes she requests to talk on the phone with me when her mom calls her at work.  I thought it would be fun to take Yi-Pink to see the movie "Bolts" in 3-D, and have her favorite chocolate ice cream for new year.



Dr. P and I got there a bit early.  So we did a little sightseeing ourselves.  Virgin Megastore, Highland Mall and Kodak Theater.  I still remember how ghetto this area used to be.  This new complex really made Hollywood Blvd so much nicer.

[Los Angeles] [American] BLD Restaurant

BLD Restaurant
7450 Beverly Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 930-9744
http://www.bldrestaurant.com

We were trying to save a few bucks after the damage of our Mexican vacation.  But New Year eve's dinner cost a fortune everywhere.  When I saw the 3 course dinner + champagne offer for $40 per person at BLD, I couldn't believe it.  Then I believed it, and made a reservation right away.



BLD is owned and operated by the same team from Grace.  Since Neal Fraser is the executive chef here, we already know the food must taste great here.  The restaurant is located 2 blocks away from the sister restaurant.  Even though it has a more casual vibe, service was just as top notch as Grace. 

Deal of the Day

Pinkberry coupon: Free small Pinkberry with purchase
FREE

At Pinkberry stores, get a small Pinkberry with one topping for free when you purchase any product of equal or greater value via this printable coupon. Currently stores are only located in California and New York. Coupon ends January 25.

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Perricone MD Advanced Face Firming Activator Mini
$50.00 $10.00 + free shipping

Perricone MD Cosmeceuticals offers its Advanced Face Firming Activator Mini for $50. Apply coupon code "AFFA10" and it falls to $10. Most other merchants charge $120 for a 2-oz. bottle! This treatment "gently erases the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and helps to diminish pore size.""gently erases the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and helps to diminish pore size."

[Rosemead] [Chinese] Ji Rong Restaurant

Ji Rong Restaurant
吉嶸川菜
8450 Valley Blvd., #114
Rosemead, CA 91770
(626) 280-8600

Parents, brother and I went to Ji Rong Restaurant for their lunch special.  On Monday through Friday, lunch special is buy 3 get 1 free.  All dishes range from $3.95~ $5.95.  Pretty good deal.  No wonder the restaurant was full when we got there.



While we were sitting there waiting for a seat, I kept on looking at the giant fish in the tank. That is one big fish. What kind of fish is that?  After waiting for about 20 minutes, we got a table.

Add A Avatar

Did you guys notice when some people leave a comment, their picture will show up?  You can also set your picture up by adding it to Gravator.  It's really really simple.

STEP 1:  Go to http://en.gravatar.com

STEP 2:  Sign up with you e-mail.

STEP 3:  Upload a picture, any picture you want.

That's it!  You're done!  Easy, yeah?

Please see comment to see my Avatar.  I would love to see yours!

Deal of the Day

2.5-lb. Acer Aspire One Intel Atom 1.6GHz 8.9" Netbook
$370.99 + free shipping

Buy.com offers the 2.5-lb. Acer Aspire One A150-1672 Intel Atom 1.6GHz 8.9" Widescreen Netbook Laptop in Rose Pink, model no. LU.S450B.108, for $370.99 with free shipping. It features an Intel Atom N270 1.6GHz processor, 8.9" 1024x600 widescreen LCD, 1GB RAM, 160GB hard drive, built-in webcam with microphone, 802.11b/g wireless, multi-card reader, and Windows XP Home.

I really like this little notebook.  It's pink, small, and really cute!

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The Best of Earth, Space and Sky on DVD
$68.85 $19.95

Discovery Channel Store offers the The Best of Earth, Space and Sky on DVD for $19.95 plus $4 for shipping. That's $49 off list! This 3-volume set includes Planet Earth: Pole to Pole, Mountains & Deep Ocean; When We Left Earth: Project Mercury & Project Gemini; and Sunrise Earth: America's Greatest Sunrises.

Of note, it's available on Blu-ray for $24.95 plus $4 for shipping.

This is such an amazing deal!  I'm a big fan of the Planet Earth series.  I am getting this set for sure.  This is a great educational DVD set to enjoy with the whole family.

New Theme

As you guys can see, I am trying to update the new theme. Sorry if it's a bit messy at times. I'm trying to get the new theme to look its best asap.

How do you guys like the new style?

[San Gabriel] [Taiwanese] Indian Restaurant

Indian Restaurant
633 S San Gabriel Blvd #105
San Gabriel, CA 91776
(626) 287-0688

Dr. P and his brother was in my side of town on Saturday so we went out for dinner together.  Dr. P suggested to take his brother to Indian for delicious waitress Taiwanese food.



We got there at 5:30pm and found out they open at 6:00pm.  People started showing up to wait for the door to open at 5:45pm.  The door opened at 6:00pm promptly.  The restaurant was full at 6:10pm.   Still lots of people waiting outside.

Kitty Wearing A Hat

Kitty usually stay in my room when I'm there. So I was using my computer in front of my desk. Turned around to see what Kitty was doing. She was sleeping on my bed.



She was sleeping on my bed.... under my hat.  Kitty likes to hide her head when she sleeps for some reason.  Usually she hides under a blanket or a jacket.  But since I had a hat on the bed, she put it to use.

Christmas Dinner

Dr. P invited to his family's house on Christmas eve. I wanted to do something nice for his family so I cooked. Since it was a last minute thing, I wanted to fine recipes that's easy and fast. I ended up using Rachel Ray's recipes.


Bacon and Cheese Brussels Sprouts

This appetizer is super delicious.  The brussels sprouts were cooked with maple syrup so it was sweet.  Bacon was salty.  Cheese was creamy.  Mix all the flavors together, it was like heaven in my mouth.  This appetizer also goes very well with red wine.  I drank an extra glass just because of this appetizer.  Definitely will make it again and again.  RECIPE HERE.

NCL Mexican Riviera Cruise Day 7: Aqua Main Restaurant Dinner

Last dinner on the ship. We were expecting something really good. But instead, we had the worst meal on the cruise.


Graviax Salmon Tartar

We got the salmon tartar, didn't know it was smoked salmon tartar.  We suspected these were the leftover salmon from past 7 day's breakfast leftover.  Didn't taste fresh at all.

NCL Mexican Riviera Cruise Day 7: Blue Lagoon Snack

We had "24" marathon in the afternoon. There was no sun and super windy & cold outside. So we just stayed in bed.  Hey, gotta go to our favorite Blue Lagoon to get some afternoon snack to go with our DVDs, right?


Buffalo Wings

Last time we got the buffalo wings, it was drenched with spicy oil.  So this time I got mild instead of spicy, and no oil at all!  The buffalo wings were soooooo good.  I really should've gotten it every single day.

NCL Mexican Riviera Cruise Day 7: Versailles Main Restaurant Lunch

Breakfast was really disappointing.  We didn't expect too much for lunch, either.


Beef and Chicken Empanada

Got the beef and chicken empanada with onion marmalade as appetizer.

NCL Mexican Riviera Cruise Day 7: Versailles Main Restaurant Breakfast

Day 7, last day on the cruise. We actually wake up early because we wanted to enjoy the last day of breakfast. But I guess everyone had the same idea. Versailles Main Restaurant was SUPER crowded that day. Service was extremely slow.


Pastry

We had to wait for 15 minutes before somebody came to take our order.  Then we had to ask few times for somebody to bring the pastry to our table.  It was the same standard pastry for all 7 days.

NCL Mexican Riviera Cruise Day 6: Midnight Chocolate Buffet

We were in the elevator with a lady. She started chatting with us about the midnight chocolate buffet. She told us it's a must-go event and reminded us to remember to bring our camera. We went there 15 minutes before, but there were two long lines of people waiting already. After waiting for about 30 minutes, we finally made it into the room.



There were ice craved scalptures.

NCL Mexican Riviera Cruise Day 6: Aqua Main Restaurant Dinner

We tried to go out to the deck in the afternoon, but there was no sun. It was so windy and cold. So we stayed in our room and watched DVDs. We LOVE 24! We almost didn't want to stop watching the DVDs to go to dinner.


Carlisle Zinfandel ($15/corkage)

We brought our own Zinfandel to dinner.  Corkage was $15.  Really good red wine.

NCL Mexican Riviera Cruise Day 6: Versailles Main Restaurant Lunch

Day 6 and 7 were spend on the sea. We slept in till almost noon on day 6 and headed to Versailles for lunch.



We were seated at a table near window.  But it was a gloomy day with no sun.

NCL Mexican Riviera Cruise Day 5: Aqua Main Restaurant Dinner

There weren't any two-people table available when we went to dinner. We didn't really feel like waiting and opted to share table other other guests. We met some new friends and had really interesting conversation over dinner.


Seafood Ceviche - Los Cabos

I can't really remember what kind of seafood was in the ceviche.  It was soaked in a tomato broth that tasted like gazpacho, which I didn't like.  So I didn't really eat this dish.

NCL Mexican Riviera Cruise Day 5: Rancho Palma Real

Rancho Palma Real
Las Palmas
Carretera Vallarta, Tepic 4766
(322) 221-2120

Our guide took us to Rancho Palma Real for lunch, which was included in the tour.



Besides a restaurant, you can also book a tequila tour or a horseback riding tour here.  They also have fiesta dinner at night time.

NCL Mexican Riviera Cruise Day 5: Puerto Vallarta Jeep Tour

We decided to go on the Puerto Vallarta Jeep Touras our shore excursion.  The all day tour was booked online for $76.50 per person.  Our Jeep guide picked us up at the bus stop right by the marina.  We were one hour late because NCL did not tell us there was a one hour difference in time at Puerto Vallarta.  Luckily we were the only tourists on that day.  Otherwise our guide wouldn't wait for us.



The city part of Puerto Vallarta is just like any other developed city.  We actually found the small villages more fascinating.  Our guide took us into the mountain and stopped by a few small towns.  Every town has a town center.  The size varies, but the color and the shape of the buildings are all the same.

NCL Mexican Riviera Cruise Day 5: Puerto Vallarta

Day 5 we arrived at Puerto Vallarta. After we got off the ship and went out the marina area, we immediately saw Wal-Mart. Yes, they had a Wal-Mart there, as well as Costco and bunch of American retailer stores. The city was just like an American city full of shops, restaurants and malls. But on our tour we went into the mountain. It was a completely different world there. (Will write about the tour in my next post.) First let's look at some pictures and read about the history of Puerto Vallarta.



Tarascans, Chapalas, Huicholes and members of the Aztec confederation of tribes originally inhabited the area around Puerto Vallarta.  The first European visitor was Francisco Hernandez de San Buenaventura, a nephew of conqueror Heman Cortes.

NCL Mexican Riviera Cruise Day 5: Blue Lagoon Breakfast

We really like the food at Blue Lagoon.  On day 5 we came back for breakfast before we went to Puerto Vallarta.


Blue Lagoon Full House

Dr. P had omelet.  I didn't take picture of that.  I got the Blue Lagoon Full House.  It came with two plates.  The first plate had fried eggs and crispy bacon.  The egg was cooked perfectly, but a bit too oily.