Tag: California
Lido Village Books: Newport Beach’s Beloved Indie Bookstore
I love bookstore chains as much as the next bookworm, but there’s something special about independent bookstores. Usually tucked in corner spaces or under-the-radar locations, these little shops are the types I come across by chance. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kate Alvarez (Kate Was Here) (@replikate) I was sauntering through […]
An Ode to Cali’s Pink Box Doughnuts
Filipinos, whenever you travel to California, what tops your bucket list? While I love Disneyland, Universal Studios, and the outlet shops like every other Pinoy with a cut-out of someone’s foot in their wallet, there’s one thing I look forward to the most in NorCal and SoCal—the pink doughnut box. @replikate How do I love […]
Remember When 7-Eleven Stores Became Kwik-E-Marts?
I remember a trip to Los Angeles back in July 2007. The world was eagerly awaiting the premiere of The Simpsons Movie when they pulled the ultimate marketing stunt: 11 7-Eleven locations in the US and Canada were temporarily transformed into Springfield’s fictional Kwik-E-Mart. My friends and I found one of the 11 locations and […]
Unearthing My ’80s-’90s Toys
While stuck in enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in the Philippines, I finally did the major thing I said I’d do when I have the time—declutter my stuff. My board games, electronics, and toys from the ’80s and ’90s have been gathering dust on the second level of my closet and my mother’s bodega. Most are […]
I Can’t Believe It’s Vegan!
It looks like empanada. It smells like empanada. It sure tastes like the meaty beef and chicken empanadas I would eat as a child in the Philippines. “But it’s vegan,” said Sandy Famy, a full-time cook and food specialist at La Petit Academy, California. Of Filipino descent, she was raised in the Bay Area with […]
My Space: Nicole Mercado’s Sun Room
There’s a vibrant energy that Nicole Mercado emits. It was the last week of April and she had just returned to her hometown Vallejo after a series of European travels, while I had just taken a bus ride from Santa Monica to San Francisco. We thought it was fate that we planned to be at […]
Golden Ticket to Pixar
The Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, California, is a campus, except that the students are grownups who love going to class and doing their homework. The 22-acre location is the kind of workplace you see in Silicon Valley documentaries, where the perks and extra-curricular activities seem too good to be true. Employees stuck in a […]
Corner Mexican Bakery
One of the best ways to fight homesickness or stress during long-term travel is to find your usual spot—a place where you can do a relaxing activity daily or at least every other day. For me it’s finding a coffee shop or breakfast nook where I can spend an hour or two a day while reading […]
LA Cheap Thrills
Backpackers and budget travelers have to deal with monetary constraints, especially if you’re aiming for long-term travel. I’ve been away from the Philippines since March 24, and I find myself tightening my belt as the weeks go by. One thing I’ve learned is that you don’t always have to spend on popular tourist spots, which […]