Hip Kitty Jazz and Fondue in Claremont, CA

Rating: You Should Go 

We've had friends recommend the Hip Kitty for a while now but we never made it around to going there until last week. Nate and I had a date night on a Tuesday because from 6:30-9pm they have Happy Hour (Tues-Thurs). We tried the half-priced grilled cheese and soup (you can get a salad instead of you prefer). It was very good, surprisingly filling,

Jackie Bristow Memorial 5k in San Dimas, CA

My friend and I AFTER the race

Rating: You Should Go

This walk just happened to coincide with the end of my 5k training plan and was for a good cause, so my friend and I joined their 5th annual run for eating disorders. The cost was $25 a person (which includes a T-shirt and timing chip) and proceeds go to the Jackie Bristow Memorial Foundation for girls with

San Antonio Lights in Chino, CA

One house set to music.

Rating: You Should Go

The lights on San Antonio are actually an entire block of houses between Cypress and San Antonio, Walnut and the 60 FWY (see map). When it gets closer to Christmas, police are hired to direct traffic starting on Cypress then going through to San Antonio. We went pretty early this year and on a weekday so a lot of

Thoroughbred Street Christmas Lights in Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Rating: You Should Go

The lights on Thoroughbred are almost like a mini theme park. Almost every house from the corner of Sapphire and Thoroughbred up to Turquoise and back down Jennet is covered in lights. Each house has a unique theme, from religious to winter wonderland to Christmas movies. Some are interactive or have moving parts, and others are just to gaze at in wonder of how much the electricity bill must cost. There are

Logan's Candies in Ontario, CA

Rating: You Should Go

Logan's Candies is a local family-owned shop that my sister-in-law just happens to work at. I've stopped by the shop for their hand-made chocolates and other sweets, and even had their candy canes at a friend's wedding. This was the first time I had been to one of their candy making demos. They host group demos (if booked by July of that year) starting as early as November, but the public demos start Thanksgiving week and are FREE.

Party Idea #5: Big Lebowski Party

The Big Lebowski is sort of a cult favorite, so I understand if this isn't one you'd like to celebrate. Nate and I happen to enjoy it and so do our friends, so for one particular friend's birthday, we decided to put this party idea into action. The group went bowling earlier in the evening, then went back to someone's house for dinner and the movie. If done right, the night can be rather inexpensive. I have signed up for

Pacific Park on Santa Monica Pier

On the Pacific Wheel

Rating: You Should Go

Pacific Park is the amusement park located on Santa Monica Pier. It is free to get into, but you need "tickets" (really a card with money loaded onto it) for all the rides. We were on our way to Malibu for a friend's birthday, so we decided to stop by here for just a couple hours.

Kaladi Brothers Coffee in Anchorage, AK

Kaladi Brothers' Bar

Rating: You Should Go

Our friend Thomas, who grew up and still lives in Alaska, showed us around on our last day in Anchorage, so we got the insider scoop on a lot of things. One of those was Kaladi Brothers, a local coffee house committed to quality coffee. Nate and I aren't coffee drinkers ourselves (the caffeine is a problem for me and

The Anchorage Museum in Alaska

Rating: You Might Like It

The Anchorage Museum is one of the few things I could find to do in that city. It was also free with the Bank of America "Museums on Us" program the weekend we were visiting, so we decided to check it out. It has a little of different areas to explore. There are art galleries, a children's science center, a kinetic science zone, artifacts, videos, and stuffed musk oxen all centering around Alaskan culture. We didn't see everything there

Kenai Fjords Tours in Seward, AK

Our cruise boat.

Rating: You Should Go

Kenai Fjords offers several tours from 3.5 hours to a few days. We did the 4.5 hour Resurrection Bay tour that left at noon (mostly because I didn't know if my stomach could handle any longer than that). We showed up 30 minutes before our cruise and found out they

Homer, AK - Activities

Visit the Spit - You Should Go

The Spit

A Fisherman and his Halibut

The Spit is Homer's most pronounced landmark. It is a 5 mile long strip of land that juts out into Kachemak Bay. It functions the same as a California pier. There are shops, docks, restaurants, and even a hotel along its paved, 2-lane road. This  is a great place to stroll and shop, grab some grub, or just enjoy the view if the skies are clear.

The Troubadour in Los Angeles, CA

Rating: You Should Go

I've been to a few concert halls over the years, but the Troubadour is my favorite so far. We went there to see mewithoutYou (as well as some awesome openers). Besides the fact that they made us line up around the corner, I liked everything about the place. The venue, like

Camping in Hurkey Creek Park, CA

Rating: You Might Like It

This was our first time ever camping in Hurkey Creek Park so we didn't really know what to expect. It's near Idyllwild, which my family went to at least once a year when I was growing up, but a little more dry. We stayed in sites 6 and 7,

Cirque du Soleil IRIS at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, CA

Rating: You Should Go

This review is really about two things, the Dolby Theater and the show IRIS performed by Cirque du Soleil. Luckily, both are AMAZING! The theater is host to the Academy Awards every year (aka The Oscars), which the show played on during one part. The seats are plush and there are four different levels of seating. I

Panorama Trail Hike in Yosemite, CA

Rating: You Should Go

Our friends invited us to go camping with them in Yosemite this year. Nate and I hadn't been in a very long time and we were really looking forward to the trip. We had planned ahead to go on a long hike so we were mentally prepared for this trail. Whether or not we were physically prepared is another story.

The Panorama Trail Hike is an 8.5 mile hike (don't believe what the sign says) that goes from Glacier

Woolworth Diner in Bakersfield, CA

Rating: You Might Like It

We discovered Woolworth Diner on Yelp while we were driving to Yosemite. The diner is on the far side of a very large antique store and there's only a short metal gate that separates the two areas, so you can window antique while you eat. The entrance is on the side of

Claremont Hills Wilderness Trail in Claremont, CA

The View Point

Rating: You Might Like It

I went on the Claremont Hills Wilderness Trail with a group of friends last August. I tend to like trails that take me through woods and streams and have a lot of shade, so this was not my favorite. It's a 5 mile loop on a very wide and well-worn path. There is very little shade, so this is a good trail to take on cool

Stone Brewing Co. and Gardens in Escondido, CA

Rating: You Should Go

We found Stone Brewing Co. when we were looking for a place to eat after a wedding. It took us by surprise for several reasons. First, the building just looks like a big warehouse from the street. The only signs are for valet parking, nothing that says the name of the place on the outside. Then, once you figure out you're in the right place and park, the walkway is like the passage into a secret garden.

Weir Canyon Loop Trail in Anaheim Hills, CA

Rating: You Might Like It

Weir Canyon Loop is rated as an easy trail that's good for training. I think our own lack of physical training, and the fact that we dumbly chose to go in the middle of a hot day, made this hike one of the most difficult I've ever been on. The loop goes as far as 4 miles round trip

Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley, CA

Rating: You Should Go

The Ronald Reagan Library is a fun place to go if you're interested in American history, especially foreign policy. Many of the issues Reagan faced in his presidency still affect us today.  I am not a Republican and I don't know a lot about our presidents, but I still found this Library/Museum fascinating. The admission for adults is $15 each, but parking is free. Kids 10 and under are also free. We actually found a Groupon