Category Archives: California

Side Trip 1

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Some of my travels are minor excursions, side trips, that I don’t know where or how to post it. I did have some quick stops posted from before like Walt Disney Concert Hall, Marilyn Monroe’s statue, Drive-In Theater, Shell Beach in Pismo, etc. Mind you, side trips are not to be ignored. Some of my trips are even a collection of side trips like when I got my kicks on Route 66. Some of my side trips didn’t turn out to be what it supposed to or thought it’d be such as LA’s Arboretum, San Juan Capistrano Mission, Venice Canal, etc. In order for me to have one specific post for my side trips, this is going to be a running post every month.

For my first side trip… the world’s shortest railway, Angels Flight…

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For only 50 cents, you get to ride a part of Los Angeles history. Oh yeah, it is very short, looks so charming, and going UP is just er? … a sweet ride. It looks cool now as it was before …
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Angels Flight is in Downtown LA so it’s easy to make it a brief stop on your way to an event in LA, or maybe to Chinatown like what I did.
Read all about it from a previous Featured Blogger here.
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Then to the top, I walked a little further and, by chance, spotted LA’s Museum of Contemporary Art .


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Closer look…
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Those are scraps of metal of aircraft. The museum was closed so I didn’t get to see the inside. it reminded me so much of San Diego’s.
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This time it’s scraps of boats. And this time I went in.
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I can’t put my finger on the one on the left. To be honest, I don’t really understand most art.
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San Diego’s MOCA is very small. Definitely consider it just a side trip. Although it is smack dab right by La Jolla shores. And the good thing of the museum being small, it allows every exhibits to shine compared to other clustered and spacious museums.
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That’s it for now. You see, side trips and quick stops are definitely not to reckoned with. A little bit of this and that will definitely do as my travel medicine.

Anywho…

Last Calls…
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See you next month for more Side Trip.

Hiking in Joshua Tree National Park

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After Palm Springs, I spotted another sign on the road that interest me. I did a little bit of research, found a decent price hotel, and off I went to 29 Palms.

I got there at night, perfect timing actually. Palm Springs was so good, Joshua Tree was very promising, and Rommel was just pumped up ready to do something but was getting eaten by boredom.

I remedied that with a relaxing, feel-good undertaking …

Drive-In Theater

A blast from the past, very cool Drive-In Theater! I got me a popcorn, nachos and soda, and was just eating and sitting at the comfort of my car. It sounds low but it really was just awesome experience to me. I mean, you don’t have to worry about cellphone ringing, muttering voices, people standing up for nature calls and tugging feet at the back of your chair.

Ow, I also found this on the way to 29 Palms…

Sonic in California

America’s Drive-In. Weee!Two Drive-In,’s sweet! I miss this so much.
i used to go here all the time when I was in Mississippi. Basically, for those who are not acquainted, this is Southerners’ pride Fast Food where you can park your car, get your order, stay there because they bring your food to your car so you just sit back and relax, and eat! I got me a grilled cheese sandwich, a hotdog, their tots and a slush. Exactly the signature Sonic meal.

Do check out my post on the Jumbo Rocks in Joshua Tree National Park


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Continuing on …

Being a mecca for all things outdoorsy including numerous hiking trails, Joshua Tree National Parks, to me, is an instant addition to my list of Absolute Musts.

Cholla Cactus Garden

First off was a quick stroll with these interesting kind of cactus …

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It was cool because there’s a garden of these Cholla cacti. But then, one spool of spines clung to my jacket and poked me. It was so hard to detach it without any gloves. That’s all I’m gonna say :D ..

Skull Rock Trail

I was confused with this trail. I didn’t think I followed the trail. I stayed around because the entrance area alone is already magnificent, and fun! There were people going up the rocks, jumping from one rock to another, ducking in between rocks, and just reeling in the fascination of these rocks…

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Clever of them to call this Skull Rock Trail.

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There’s a cool guy who posed for the camera…
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Unto the Wall Street Mill Trail I went on…
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At the edge of the Wonderland of Rocks sits the Wall Street Mill, a finest example of gold processing mill remaining in the park. This trail shows what’s left during the second gold rush which happened here – the mill, dilapidated buildings, windmill, and some awesome old cars.
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Last Call..
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At times I get frustrated when a pamphlet would tell you that you can see these species and flowers that a lot of times, in reality, are actually hard to come by. Well, after coming back from this 2-mile round hike, I spotted this bird. :)
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I even sushed some people, not to startle the bird so I can capture it. :D

I always envy those who hike farther and more regularly, esp. RV’ers. I guess with Joshua Tree National Park, i found myself extremely content having gone to a RV-type, kind of location. :) And eventhough I resulted to shorter hikes, as I always do, it’s just not at all hard to love Joshua Tree National Park. Driving there alone, seeing the magnificent rock formations is already a bliss.

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Celebrating Chinese New Year

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Did you celebrate Chinese New Year this month? Is there any Asian community in your close proximity? If not, well, you missed out. :D I hope this post can convince you to attend to one next year.

If you did join in the fun, then you know how awesome it was. If you haven’t found any Asian area in your community, well find it!

You’ve been warned. This post contains excessive amount of pictures due to eventful happenings the celebration brought to the public.

First off, Gung Hay Fat Choi!

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This is how Chinatown in Los Angeles was when it’s just a regular day - Chinatown in Los Angeles.

Did you look? Yeah, right. You didn’t.

Here is it now. BAM!

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When I got there, it was, immediately, follow-the-drumbeat chase. What goes with the music are the lions dancing. This is the first Chinese celebration I ever attended so, I’m not going to lie, I was static.

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It’s so clever of them to put on comfortable bottoms and shoes for the lions to wear because they paraded all over the streets stopping at different establishments around Chinatown.

You are going to see those papers and that guy with a Chinese yo-yo later again. But for now …

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Ow! There’s food trucks and live music stage as well.

The snakes are smart, and also cunning and conniving. The emcee said that fact is good for business. The order of the animals was determined by a race. Snakes, being what they are, snaky, jumped on top of the horse. Close to the finish, it hopped out, slithered it’s way to finish line, and it became the 6th animal out of the twelve. OH SNAP!

People here celebrated The Year of the Snake with a BANG!

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This guy enlivens the spirit of the snakes. He’s so smart …

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Now onto the main stage in Central Plaza. This is Hou Kai. The star of the show. He was on to a good number of acrobatic performances.

Click on the images to see my caption.

Chinese Yo-yo
“I must concentrate.”
“Oh Look! I don’t have to pay attention.” :P
“I’m so awesome”
Reserve Juggling
Straw Hats
“HA!”
Hoop Diving

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This is a cool shot of mine. :D

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What I also love about the show was they also showcased other Asian culture as well. At one point, I heard a Filipino song playing. There were Americans performing Martial Arts. This next collage shows Cyr Wheel (similar manner of German wheel), a Cantonese music ensemble and more Chinese acrobatic exhibitions (to include balancing three eggs – GASP).

Look at the eyebrows!
Balancing Act
Cantonese Music Ensemble
3 Eggs
Cyr Wheel
Lion Dance

The acrobatic performances are WHOAsome, but the Lion Dance performance was so cool. At first, the lion and the guy are, like, fighting, battling each other. Then, the guy with feathery headpiece tamed the lion with this red card that he’s holding. Wherever he sways the red card, the lion acts on it. It was beautiful.

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Hang tight. Stay with me. Let’s go back to the Paper-Folded Snake I mentioned earlier in the post. A Sesame-Balls Eating Contest in Mandarin Plaza as well.

Here it is!
Paper-Folded Snake
Sesame Balls Eating Contest

Last. There’s more activities going on in West Plaza. Calligraphy, face clay sculpture, dough sculpture, (not seen) magician, storytelling and other arts and craps … sorry typo, crafts.

Dough Sculpture
Clay Portrait Sculpture
Chinese Calligraphy

So, I was exhausted walking around LA Chinatown being happy-snappy. And Geez, Luiz! I’m exhausted composing this darn post. I hope I made my point that this event is fun and that I convinced you to attend any events of other cultures in your area.

Not agreeing? This girl does…

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Kung Hei Fat Choi!

*wipes forehead*