travel
The third day took us to another country—the Vatican, technically speaking, even though it sits inside Rome. Earlier this year, I had spent a lot of time playing Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. The Vatican is the first major stage in the game, where I navigated endless corridors
travel
The second day started with rain, exactly as forecast. After the long walk on Day 1, Day 2 felt much more relaxed, thanks to two guided tours we had booked in advance. The morning began with a Segway tour. We had done one just this past summer in Washington, D.
travel
Thanksgiving road trips (mostly various US National Parks) have been my family’s annual ritual for years. But this year, we decided to do something different: visiting Italy. My daughter is a high-school junior, and next year will likely be packed with college prep and deadlines. It felt like one
concert
Speaking of LAFC — I actually visited their home, BMO Stadium, last Friday. But this time, it wasn’t for a soccer match. It was for the K-pop boy band Seventeen's concert. My daughter had declared that her birthday wish this year was simple and non-negotiable: Seventeen concert tickets.
travel
Last month, we took a summer family trip to Los Angeles. The highlight was a two-day visit to Universal Studios — but we packed a few other stops along the way too. Right before we headed to the stay, we visited UCLA since my daughter (now in 11th grade) has some
travel
Last year, we watched the July 4th fireworks from North Crestview Park in San Carlos. The view was impressive — you could see fireworks stretching across the Bay Area, from San Jose to Oakland, all in one sweep. But the fireworks themselves felt distant and small, which took away some of
travel
As 2024 winds down, we decided to follow a similar approach to our Thanksgiving trip: prioritizing peaceful rest over hectic schedules. So, we planned only a 4-night trip, which included two nights in Paso Robles and two in Solvang. Paso Robles has always been one of our favorite stopovers on
travel
My family’s Thanksgiving tradition has often involved long-distance road trips. In past years, we’ve explored the Grand Canyon (2021) and the Great Canyon Loop (2022) and even visited relatives in Illinois (2023). This year, however, I decided it was time for a change. Instead of a grand adventure,
travel
Every third Friday of the month, my wife gets a day off from work (called Happy Friday). On July's Happy Friday, With our daughter away at summer camp for a month, we decided to head out for a short day trip to Point Lobos State Reserve. 0:00
travel
Last July, my daughter attended CSSSA (California State Summer School for the Arts), a 4-week program held at CalArts (California Institute of the Arts) in Valencia, CA. We needed to drop her off on the opening day, and it was a 5-hour drive from home. I felt a same-day return
travel
My usual Memorial Day ritual was visiting Yosemite, but this year, we decided to check off the last two parks on my California National Park list: Sequoia and Kings Canyon. Although they are two separate Parks, they operate as one, requiring only a single entrance fee. We planned a three-day
travel
We booked a Luau show at my hotel, "Legends of Hawaii Luau," for the last night. A luau is a traditional Hawaiian party or feast, and many places host one. My favorite Luau experience was at the Hale Koa Hotel (in Oahu) in 2008 when Glen Medeiros hosted
