Explore “Travels” to read about some seriously aesthetic places to visit around the world! Beware: personal travel narratives (and even travel attempts) included.
- Mission San Jose: The One in Fremont Where Estanislao Lived🌄
Moving along the El Camino Real1, I made my visit to Mission San Jose last month. I naturally assumed by its name that it was located somewhere in San Jose. Interestingly enough, it’s actually located… Read more: Mission San Jose: The One in Fremont Where Estanislao Lived🌄 - California Missions Passport & Stamps
I did touch upon the topic of California Missions Passport in my post on Mission Santa Clara. But I decided to dedicate an entire post, as it turns out to be much more significant than… Read more: California Missions Passport & Stamps - Mission Santa Clara de Asís: Historic Church On Campus🏫
Continuing on with my long overdue trips to California’s 21 missions, I arrived at the next mission on my list: Mission Santa Clara de Asís. As its name indicates, I thought that it was located… Read more: Mission Santa Clara de Asís: Historic Church On Campus🏫 - The Day I Caught Scooby-Doo
If you clicked on this blog post wondering about the title, it’s exactly as you read it: I literally caught Scooby-Doo one day. It was at Westfield Valley Fair, inside Bowlero Valley Fair where there… Read more: The Day I Caught Scooby-Doo - San Jose Japantown: A Hub of History (feat. Manju & More)
San Jose’s Japantown When “Japantown” is mentioned, I think most people immediately think of the one in San Francisco. Well, at least that’s how Google seems to think according to search results. And honestly, that’s… Read more: San Jose Japantown: A Hub of History (feat. Manju & More) - BART Appreciation Art – BARTolomew
A few months ago, there was a call for artworks on the Bay Area Rapid Transit system. The BART Art Program invited local artists to submit their artworks to be shared in various public spaces… Read more: BART Appreciation Art – BARTolomew - Lick Mill & Mansion: Remnants of History Amongst Apartments
Mansion Grove Apartments I traveled to Santa Clara, CA for the first time recently. And while down there, I visited an apartment complex called Mansion Grove. It’s located near the VTA Headquarters, Samsung, Cisco and… Read more: Lick Mill & Mansion: Remnants of History Amongst Apartments - Mission Dolores: A Lovely Chapel of History at the Heart of SF❤️
California missions hold a special place in my heart. I think it’s because I love history so much, to the point of majoring in it in college, that structures dating back to early Californian history… Read more: Mission Dolores: A Lovely Chapel of History at the Heart of SF❤️ - International House at UC Berkeley: A Building Steeped in History
Have you heard of “International House,” aka “I-House”? I had never heard of it until 2022 when I found out that such a place existed at UC Berkeley. And after learning about its history and… Read more: International House at UC Berkeley: A Building Steeped in History - Gem of a French Bread: Fougasse from Fournée Bakery
One thing I’ve noticed after moving up to NorCal is that bakeries here are infinitely better than the ones in SoCal. What I mean is, bakeries in the Bay feel more authentic and artisanal, and… Read more: Gem of a French Bread: Fougasse from Fournée Bakery - Christmas at PADERIA BAKEHOUSE: ‘Twas a Holly Jolly Visit 🎄
Just four more days until Christmas! It really has felt like it for the past few weeks. With the radio blasting timeless songs and Spotify recommending playlists like “Christmas Pop” and “Merry & Bright,” it… Read more: Christmas at PADERIA BAKEHOUSE: ‘Twas a Holly Jolly Visit 🎄 - Best Coffee in Berkeley, CA
It’s been a long time coming since I decided to write this post. After being inundated with material and ideas (as well as non-blog related matters) over the past six months or so, I had… Read more: Best Coffee in Berkeley, CA - Gray Loft Gallery: An Art Exhibit to Remember
Shades of Gray at the Gray Loft Gallery This January, I had an opportunity to attend an art exhibit called Shades of Gray. No, it has nothing to do with the infamous novel by E.L.… Read more: Gray Loft Gallery: An Art Exhibit to Remember - Visiting Ursula K. Le Guin’s Childhood Home in Berkeley, CA
It just happened so that I read Ursula K. Le Guin’s A Wizard of Earthsea in Berkeley, the very city where the author had grown up in. And so, after finishing the wonderful fantasy novel… Read more: Visiting Ursula K. Le Guin’s Childhood Home in Berkeley, CA - FoodieLand Night Market: Only For Foodies with Money to Spare
After purchasing my $7.00 ticket for the FoodieLand Night Market back in July, I spent the following weeks excited at the prospect of attending the “foodie inspired multi-cultural food and entertainment event.” Due to the… Read more: FoodieLand Night Market: Only For Foodies with Money to Spare - MY Coffee Roastery: A Whimsical Cottage with Chill Vibes
Cute Café in Berkeley, CA If you search “cute cafes to visit in Berkeley” in Google, chances are “MY Coffee Roastery” will pop up. And being the ever-tireless fan of cute cafes, I set my… Read more: MY Coffee Roastery: A Whimsical Cottage with Chill Vibes - Mini Art Mart at Japantown SF 🌉
You probably know about San Francisco’s Chinatown. It’s one of the oldest and most established Chinatowns in the United States, boasting the largest Chinese population outside of Asia. But did you know that there’s a… Read more: Mini Art Mart at Japantown SF 🌉 - Things to Do in Corona Del Mar, aka “Crown of the Sea” 👑
I touched upon Corona Del Mar in my post about Rendez Vous French Bakery & Cafe (click HERE for the post), but it really deserves a post of its own. So here’s a post dedicated… Read more: Things to Do in Corona Del Mar, aka “Crown of the Sea” 👑 - Ahoy, Scratch-Made Treats! Blackmarket Bakery 🏴☠️
Nestled in an eco-friendly retail campus surrounded by the 73, 55 and 405 highways is a glass building with a logo reminiscent of the pirate flag. It’s none other than Blackmarket Bakery! Allow me to… Read more: Ahoy, Scratch-Made Treats! Blackmarket Bakery 🏴☠️ - Rendez Vous Cafe in Corona Del Mar: Best Beignets, Worst Latte 🥐
If someone had asked me where my favorite café was just three months ago, I would have readily answered: Rendez Vous French Bakery & Cafe in Corona Del Mar, CA! But now I can’t. Because… Read more: Rendez Vous Cafe in Corona Del Mar: Best Beignets, Worst Latte 🥐 - PADERIA BAKEHOUSE: A Whole New Level of Quality Pastry
Not all pastry shops are the same. There are the good ones that sell pastries that aren’t overly sweet but still taste excellent; the bad ones with tasty but sugary goods that make one feel… Read more: PADERIA BAKEHOUSE: A Whole New Level of Quality Pastry - The Other Cafe Lola: The Henderson Location
2021 came to an end a few weeks ago. Yet, there is still no sign of the pandemic coming to an end. Not even close. The pandemic, as everyone knows, has been terrible, affecting everyone… Read more: The Other Cafe Lola: The Henderson Location - “Not Your Grandma’s Coffee Shop”: The One and Only, Coffee Dose ☕
Ever in search of aesthetic cafes, I came across an interesting coffee shop this month. It’s called, “Coffee Dose.” Nestled between office buildings in Irvine (also located in LA and Costa Mesa), Coffee Dose is… Read more: “Not Your Grandma’s Coffee Shop”: The One and Only, Coffee Dose ☕ - Honey & Butter Macarons: Where Macarons Are Pieces of Art
A Special Occasion Last Saturday on October 16th, Honey & Butter released macarons in collaboration with LINE FRIENDS (characters popular in Asia). According to their website, they will continue to release these special macarons for… Read more: Honey & Butter Macarons: Where Macarons Are Pieces of Art - Cafe Lola Summerlin: An Aesthetic Café by Red Rock Canyon
This summer, I had a chance to visit Las Vegas with my family. But as we are in the midst of a pandemic, we chose to explore the outdoors around the city instead of lingering… Read more: Cafe Lola Summerlin: An Aesthetic Café by Red Rock Canyon - Applying to EPIK: Not So Epic Experience (Part III – The Questions)
The EPIK Interview My EPIK interview via Zoom finally took place on Friday, September 17th. But my EPIK coordinator had trouble with Internet connection that day too, so his screen was pitch-black. Hence, I had… Read more: Applying to EPIK: Not So Epic Experience (Part III – The Questions) - Applying to EPIK: Not So Epic Experience (PART II – The Interview)
So in my last post, I left off at the part where I find out that I had wasted my money, time and energy on the criminal record check that was no longer needed for… Read more: Applying to EPIK: Not So Epic Experience (PART II – The Interview) - Applying to EPIK: Not So Epic Experience (PART I)
After working for a company for about two years, I left in search of a new one. It’s not that I disliked the company or my colleagues. In fact, my job was very fulfilling, my… Read more: Applying to EPIK: Not So Epic Experience (PART I)
