After checking out Griffith Park Observatory, we drove to Ferndell, which is also located in Griffith Park. Several years ago, I watched an episode of Huell Howser’s California’s Gold where he visited Ferndell. It’s funny how certain things stick with you: I kept Ferndell in my mental filing cabinet of places that I would like to visit one day ever since watching that episode.
For those who are not familiar with Huell Howser or California’s Gold, he was a local icon. I liked his show (which aired on public television) because he explored places in California that were somewhat off of the beaten track. He had an affable on-screen personality and was always curious about everyone and every place he encountered.
So that is how we ended up at Ferndell. First we ate lunch at The Trails Cafe, which is located right by the trail. There is a cute little seating area outside with picnic benches. Perfect for a pre- or post-hike snack or meal.
The kids each had a Snake Dog (hot dog wrapped in puff pastry) with a small side of fruit. They both gave it a thumbs up!
D and I split an egg salad sandwich. We were still pretty full from the breakfast at the Sheraton.
The trail itself is more of a walk than a hike.
The trail follows along a small creek. There are a lot of ferns (hence the name Ferndell), which gives it a shady, tropical feel.
It is not a place that you would expect to find near the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles.
On our way back to the car, I had to stop and take some pictures of the lovely trees.
Even though this staycation was only one night and just over an hour away from our house, it was nice to get away. Thank you, Huell Howser, for inspiring us to explore California’s Gold!
Disclosure: I received tickets to this show to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own.
Last night we had the opportunity to attend the opening night of “Dare to Dream”, the newest Disney on Ice show, at the Honda Center.
Moana is the newest addition to the Disney on Ice repertoire. We were invited to some pre-show activities, including a craft where the kids decorated some Kakamora coconut pirates from Moana.
They turned out pretty cute!
We were also treated to a Polynesian dance performance.
It is always fun to watch performances like these. Their energy is contagious!
Minnie and Mickey also made a special appearance and took pictures with us.
The show was divided into two halves, with an intermission in between. My favorite performance from the first half was Beauty and the Beast. “Be Our Guest” will always be one of my favorite Disney movie scenes. The fun costumes and special effects really added to the skating and music.
The second half was comprised of scenes from Frozen and Moana. Frozen seems like it was just made for an ice-skating production. Moana was the crowd favorite, with a lot of the audience singing along.
Seeing all of the young kids in the audience made me regret that we had not taken the kids to see this show when they were younger. However, I am glad that they were still able to experience and appreciate the Disney magic!
Tip: Bring a jacket, because the ice definitely makes it cold inside!
In Southern California, this show will be taking place at:
Honda Center, Anaheim (December 19-23, 2018)
Citizens Bank Arena, Ontario (December 26-30, 2018)
Long Beach Arena, Long Beach (January 3-6, 2019)
Tickets can be purchased online here. Save 20% on tickets by using promo code: MOM20
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Vanguard but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.
What would you do if you had an extra $160 in your pocket? My husband always reminds me that experiences are worth more than things. With our two kids growing up so quickly, I can see that is true. Any occasion we can go on a special family outing is a time that I cherish.
Recently our family had the opportunity to visit The Huntington Library in San Marino. D and I have been talking about visiting this place for a long time now, but the tickets are a little pricey so we kept putting it off. Now that we have experienced this place, I can see why it is a popular destination in Southern California.
We started out with a delicious lunch at Blue Window in the Norris Dining Terrace. The kids had salmon rolls and D and I split a tuna poke bowl and chicken yakitori salad. After fueling up, we were ready to do a lot of walking!
This unique water feature that greets visitors at the entrance lets you know that this not just an ordinary garden.
Visiting a library and garden might not seem too exciting for kids, but The Huntington has something for everyone. First, we checked out the Orbit Pavillion. When you sit inside this metal sculpture, there is a soundscape experience representing the movement of the International Space Station and 19 Earth Science satellites. The kids thought that was pretty cool!
The Rose Garden was absolutely bursting with fragrant blooms. We saw a lot of women in fancy hats ready to partake in high tea in the Tea Room.
The tranquil Japanese Garden had a koi fish pond and a lot of traditional Japanese design elements like this wooden bridge.
The Chinese Garden was also quite breathtaking. It felt like we were in China. Hopefully one day we can save up and do more international travel with the kids!
The Convservatory was also really interesting. We walked through the mist in both the Rain Forest and Cloud Forest and it felt like we were in different climates.
The Children’s Garden was whimsical and had a lot of great opportunities for play.
Processed with MOLDIV
We also walked through the Library, the Huntington Art Gallery, and the Virginia Steele Scott Gallery (pictured). The grounds are quite immense, and I know that we only saw a fraction of everything there is to see. We will surely remember the afternoon we spent here for years to come.
That brings me back to the title of this post, which asks the question what you would do with an extra $160. According to recent data, if you hold $10,000 in cash, you could earn about $170 in a year, at the current average yields of money market mutual funds. In a bank savings account, you’d only make about $10.*
While $160 may not seem like a lot, over time, this can add up! Choosing a higher-yielding cash account allows our family to do more memorable outings like this one. D and I understand the importance of assessing our options to determine which provider fits best into our financial plan. If you haven’t looked at your cash investments recently, ask yourself whether you are getting the most out of your cash. Check out some of your options at Vanguard.
Disclosure:
This post is sponsored by Vanguard, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.
*This illustration uses 1.69% average yield for money market mutual funds and 0.09% national average yield for bank savings, both as of 9/30/2018, according to cranedata.com and bankrate.com. These rates are not guaranteed.
Vanguard is owned by its funds, which in turn are owned by their investors.
All investing is subject to risk, including the possible loss of the money you invest. Bank deposits are guaranteed (within limits) as to principal and interest by an agency of the federal government. There may be other material differences between products that should be considered before investing.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the Hanart Culture Chinese Lantern Festival.
The Chinese Lantern Festival Will Light up the Night at the Pomona Fairplex
November 15, 2018 – January 6, 2019
The outdoor evening skies will become ablaze with the color and light with more than 1,000 beautifully handcrafted lanterns. The lanterns range in size from 12 – 23 feet tall, and combines art, tradition, and culture. This year’s theme, “The Wild,” features five different locations – America, Oceania, Asia, Antarctica and Africa, with lanterns representing wild animals from each region, including Cheetahs, panda bears, jellyfish, majestic cranes, lions, and even dinosaurs.
The festival will also feature food, Kung Fu shows, animatronic dinosaur rides, demonstrations, and shadow play for the kids. Enjoy Asian and American cuisine, while shopping the craft marketplace where authentic Chinese jewelry, artifacts, dough figurines, as well as Chinese embroidery art, sugar art, paper-cut and fabric art will be available for purchase.
Hanart Chinese Lantern Festival
Thursdays – Sundays from November 15, 2018 to January 6, 2019 – Including Holidays
5:30pm-10:00pm last admission at 9:20 p.m.
Fairplex at Pomona – 1101 W. McKinley Ave., Pomona, CA 91768
Tickets $13-$21; Children under 3 get in free.
– EARLY BIRD SPECIAL – Save up to $10 per ticket when purchasing before November 8th.
I am excited to attend this Chinese Lantern Festival! I have never seen lanterns like these before in person, and they look amazing from the pictures. This looks like a fun way to experience some Chinese culture. I am also pleased to announce a giveaway for four tickets to the festival!
Last week I took the kids to the Tanaka Farms pumpkin patch before n’s soccer practice. I wanted to check out their Sanrio collaboration that they started last year. They offer wagon tours and games on the weekends, but we just did the activities that are included with the $4 basic admission.
There are so many cute photo ops!
Look at n trying to smile without dropping his pumpkin!
In addition to pumpkins, there is also a petting zoo. Our kids were never too into petting zoos, but this would be fun for kids who are.
There is a small corn maze that the kids enjoyed going through. The corn is not too tall, so adults will not get lost!
The sunflower patch is a cute idea, but it was a little past its prime.
All of the signage is really just too cute. I was literally squealing at each new sign.
Sanrio Scarecrows = LOVE!
I could not resist the 40% off sale in the gift shop. (Sale ends 10/12/18, so go now while you can!)
The pumpkin patch is open daily from 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Parking is free Monday-Friday. Reservations are required on the weekends. Check out their website for more details.
Disclosure: I received free samples from Old World Village Oktoberfest in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
It is always fun to learn about other cultures through food, music and entertainment. Last weekend we had the opportunity to introduce our kids to German culture by attending Kinderfest (a family-friendly Oktoberfest celebration) at Old World Huntington Beach.
This celebration takes place a small village in Huntington Beach hidden just off of the 405 freeway.
The center of the action is the Old World German Bar & Restaurant.
The oom-pah-pa band provided a lively atmosphere.
The “Chicken Dance” song prompted a lot of people onto the dance floor!
The Wiener Dog Races were fun to witness. I had to laugh when the announcer warned contestants not to “launch” their dogs.
There were two different places inside the venue to order food. Note the “cash only” sign.
A close-up of our food: Oktoberfest Brawurst with steamed vegetables, roast chicken with mashed potatoes, and Smoked Beer Cheese Bratwurst with sauerkraut.
The kids also split a cheeseburger. We enjoyed both of the brats, and the sides were a nice touch.
We also strolled around the shops and admired the architecture of this small enclave.
We also stopped inside the store/bakery that is connected to the main restaurant.
The kids were excited to try a slice of Black Forest cake since they had seen it featured on MasterChef. According to Wikipedia, it originated in Germany and is “a chocolate sponge cake with a rich cherry filling based on the German dessert Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte, literally “Black Forest Cherry-torte”. Typically, Black Forest gateau consists of several layers of chocolate sponge cake sandwiched with whipped cream and cherries.”
The store had an interesting variety of products from Germany.
This was a wonderful cultural experience for our family. Kinderfest is being held on Sundays, through October 28th, from 2 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Admission for adults is $7, kids 6-12 is $3, and kids under 5 are free. See the Kinderfest website for more details.
Here is some more information from the sponsor:
Orange County’s original Oktoberfest is underway and will run from Sept. 9th – Oct. 28th No One Does Oktoberfest like Old World! Old World Huntington Beach has been hosting Orange County’s Biggest Party since 1977! That’s 41 years! This year’s Oktoberfest promises to be the best celebration yet, offering authentic German Food (voted “Best Bratwurst” in California), imported German Beers, German Bands straight from Germany, and Oktoberfest Skate Squad plus other festivities, competitions, games & more. So, come on down and experience the best Oktoberfest celebration in the World – Old World Huntington Beach. Visit our website at http://www.oldworld.ws/ for more information about Old World. Visit http://www.oldworld.ws/oktoberfest-orange-county.html for all Oktoberfest activities and go to http://www.oldworld.ws/oktoberfest-admission-ticket.html for tickets.
Little Tokyo in Los Angeles occupies a fairly small area, but it is still fun area to browse and explore.
I think this was our first time buying pastries at Cafe Dulce. After this visit, this place will be a must stop anytime we are in the vicinity!
We tried the famed Green Tea Donut.
I am pretty much a fan of anything with vanilla custard. Yum!!
We also tried the Green Tea Roti, which was described as being filled with melted buttercream. It has a light cake-ish texture, and is hollow inside. I did not feel as guilty eating this one-ha! The matcha flavor came through nicely in both. Definitely worth a try!
We picked up a quick lunch to go from Nijiya Market. I think k could live off of onigiri.
D artfully divided the ginger onto his spicy tuna roll, so I had to take a picture.
We ended the day with fresh mochi ice cream from Mikawaya. Coconut Pineapple for D and me, Salted Caramel for k and Cookies & Cream for n. $1.50 per piece.
After our visit here, we realized that the kids have not been to Chinatown or K-town. I guess we will have to plan another trip to L.A. in the near future.
I do not think we had taken the kids here before. It has been a while since I have been, as well.
We had discussed the subject of Japanese American internment with them, but I am not sure how much they understood. This museum does an excellent job in depicting the Japanese American experience during that time.
This display of the living conditions in the internment camps is a real eye-opener.
A model of Manzanar, where my grandparents were interned.
Wow, these school chairs do not look very comfortable!
Had to take a picture with Kokeshi Hello Kitty!
For the record, n is 11 apples tall, k is 13 apples tall, L is 14 apples tall and D is 15 apples tall!
This was part of the hapa.me project. There were side by side pictures of people who identify as “Hapa” (part Japanese) and their reflections from fifteen years ago and now.
The Kaiju vs. Heroes exhibit showcased an extensive Japanese toy collection.
Taking a break outside in the courtyard. If you are at all interested in learning more about Japanese American history, I recommend visiting this unique museum!
On Saturday night, we went to an Angels baseball game. They played the Toronto Blue Jays. I was kind of surprised to see how many Toronto Blue Jays fans there were in attendance.
The stadium was decorated for “Christmas in June” which was kind of fun.
I purposely picked a night game because it is just too hot and sunny during the day. Well, the game started at 6:07, so the sun was still up in the beginning.
It was not very crowded in our section, as you can see.
We brought in our own sandwiches, drinks, and snacks. The rules say “no hard coolers” so we brought a soft-sided cooler and sealed store-bought water bottles and Capri Suns and had no issues.
D is currently in a work competition to see which team can get the most steps so he was walking around the stadium and at his seat. Good thing there was no one directly behind us.
This crowd was really into doing the wave. They actually succeeded in going around the entire stadium a few times. D caught our half-hearted attempt:
Whoever thought of this silliness?
D cannot resist dancing to House of Pain’s “Jump”. k, you better get used to your daddy being embarrassing!
So sadly, the Angels ended up losing in the ninth inning. Where is Ohtani when you need him? But, we were able to watch the fireworks show after the game accompanied by Christmas music!
I don’t think we will be able to watch fireworks for 4th of July this year, so this was a nice substitute.
They were also showing How the Grinch Stole Christmas after that, but it was already late for this early-to-bed family!
This morning we went on a hike in Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve. It was not until after our hike that I found out that it is National Trails Day! Limestone Canyon is part of the 20,000 acres of Irvine Ranch Open Space that the Irvine Company donated to Orange County in 2010.
Public access to Limestone Canyon is limited in that it is only open select days, and online reservations are required. Reservations can be made at Let’s Go Outside!
We parked at the Augustine Staging Area. The parking lot opens at 8 a.m., and it was almost full by 8:10 a.m.! There were hikers, bicyclists, and horse riders. We checked in at a booth and they gave us tags to wear on our hike.
There was a nice patch of wildflowers not too far from the parking lot.
We took some pictures for a Neutrogena campaign along the way.
The kids let out a scream when they saw this guy.
The sun was pretty warm. Where was the morning cloud cover that we have been having the past couple of weeks?
We ended up hiking about 3.8 miles round trip. We did not make it to The Sinks, Orange County’s “miniature Grand Canyon”. Perhaps when the kids are a little older and the weather is cooler!
