Christmas in Vegas

For Christmas this year, my parents and I took a step back from reality and spent the holiday in Vegas! It was our very family vacation and I was excited about it ever since booking the trip in July. We had an amazing time there. The shops were extravagant, the food was scrumptious, and the views were spectacular. Not a drinker nor a gambler, I still had the best of times and the days flew by. Seriously, Christmas was over in a blink of an eye. I am still processing over the fact that I have to take down my holiday decorations soon. Anyway, our first family trip was a success! My family's already planning for the next one.

Our stay was at the Stratosphere Hotel from December 24th-27th. The day before we left was hectic! I started packing days before while parents packed everything the night before. We hit the road at 6:30AM on Thursday morning, and the drive started out wet and gloomy. I was beyond excited and couldn't believe we were leaving California for once. There is something about being on the highway that makes me feel very calm and at peace. I love seeing the long stretches of roads with no end in sight, it's almost like anything is possible. The sky is the limit, ya know? I could stay on the highway and drive forever. Anyhoo, 3 rest stops and 9 hours later, we arrived to our destination. Read below for a run down of what I did in Vegas:

Day 1 | Dec. 24th

✳︎ Drove on The Strip to Caesars Palace
✳︎ Dinner at Gordon Ramsay 
✳︎ Explored Caesars Palace (the place is massive)
✳︎ Second dinner in Chinatown

Day 2 | Dec. 25th

✳︎ Brunch buffet
✳︎  Walked The Strip
✳︎  Visited The Cromwell, Venetian, and The Mirage
✳︎ Dessert at Serendipity 3
✳︎ Hit the Via Bellagio shops 
✳︎  Checked out the Christmas decorations in Bellagio 
✳︎ Dinner in Chinatown

Day 3 | Dec. 26th

✳︎ Brunch in hotel diner
✳︎ Visited the observation deck at the Stratosphere Hotel
✳︎ Dinner in Chinatown
✳︎ Went to the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace
✳︎ Caught the ending bit of the Atlantis Show

Day 4 | Dec. 27th

✳︎ Checked out in the morning
✳︎ Took a detour to Arcadia, CA for a late lunch
✳︎ Arrived home at exactly 11PM (spent 12 hours on the road)

On the road in the early hours / watching the sun rise 

First dinner in Vegas @ Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill

Lobby @ Caesars Palace

The Strip

Dessert break @ Serendipity 3

The Bellagio

Christmas display in The Bellagio

View from the Observation Deck

@ The Forum Shops

View from the Observation Deck at night

Last night in Vegas

  Detour to Arcadia, CA

Late lunch @ Din Tai Fung

Heading home

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Culture Chat: Mid-Autumn Festival

Why am I posting pictures of mooncakes, you say? It's in the spirit of Mid-Autumn Festival this Sunday! The cultural festival is one of the main holidays celebrated in Taiwan, China, Vietnam, and by anyone of Chinese ethnicity. In Korea, it's the Chuseok holiday (Korean Thanksgiving). In mainland China, it's commonly known as the Moon Festival, because it's on the night of a full moon. The holiday is originated from tales of worshipping the moon, as people in the ancient times believed the moon and water brought rejuvenation. In the modern day, people keep the traditions alive by giving offerings to the moon and making mooncakes from scratch. Though traditions vary from family to family, the meaning of the holiday is simply about bringing people together and to celebrate a harmonious union. It's the Asian edition of Thanksgiving, as people give thanks for being with loved ones and wish good fortunes among family members.

Mooncakes are widely eaten during the festival season. They're round pastries with a sweet or savory center, and come in an assortment of flavors. In the picture above are tea mooncakes in the flavors of oolong, jasmine, Chinese dates, green tea, lotus bean, and chestnut. The custom is to cut the mooncakes into tiny pieces and share it among family members. This is related to the round shape of these pastries, which represent wholeness and unity. 

My family and I are naturally low-key when it comes to these cultural celebrations. We typically just buy the mooncakes and eat them together to celebrate the festival season. (We keep it super minimal). In fact, we just finished the box of mooncakes (pictured above) a few days ago. Though the mooncakes are oily and full of unhealthy fat, for something that's enjoyed once a year, it's worth it.

There goes my tiny bit of a culture chat! Now excuse me while my family and I debate whether we should buy a second box...

This year's Moon Festival falls on the the Supermoon Lunar Eclipse, which won't happen again until the year 2033. Will you be watching?

Dim Sum on New Years

Happy New Year! Here's to an amazing 2015 filled with happiness and warmth!
On New Years day, my family and I decided to go to a very popular dim sum restaurant, called Koi Palace. We've never been, but heard impressive reviews about them and wanted to see what the rave was all about. The place was packed when we arrived at noon, and I mean packed as in there were no available tables (in a restaurant that seats over 100), and large groups of people filled up the waiting room and even gathered outside near the entrance. We expected there to be a wait, but we didn't realize it would be that crazy. After a 2-hour wait (insane, right?), we were seated at a comfortable area, and good thing the food didn't take long to come, because we were starving! The atmosphere was warm and lively as it was filled with excited chatter. As for the food, let's just say it was worth the long wait. I'm not particular when it comes to dim sum, but after going there, it has set my expectations pretty high for all dim sum places now. From the savory dishes to the sweet treats, everything were super delicious! I walked out of the place with a satisfied belly, still thinking about the warm and gooey baked Portuguese custard tarts we ordered. They were my favorite! It's a solid dim sum place, and I can't imagine going anywhere else for dim sum. 

What we ordered:

Stewed Chicken Feet in Abalone Sauce

Coconut Banana Mouse Cake

Pan Seared Crispy Noodle with Mixed Seafood

Mongolian Beef Bun

Pan Grilled Pork Bun

Salt and Pepper Calamari

Shanghai Style Juicy Pork Dumpling

Shangxi Style Dates Cake

Shrimp Dumpling

Baked Portuguese Custard Tart

Lights, camera, Christmas!

It's hard to believe Christmas is over! Last year, I shared a picture of the tree (post here), and wanting to keep the tradition alive, here is this year's picture!

In the previous post, I mentioned cooking an Italian meal on Christmas Eve for my family, and I'm happy to say that it turned out to be a huge success! My mother was extremely satisfied, and did not shy away from getting seconds. Seeing loved ones enjoy my cooking is one of the best things ever. I hope you had a beautiful Christmas with your family, friends, pets, and loved ones. Now, onto the festivities for welcoming the new year!

Happy holidays!

Wishing you a holiday season filled with love, sparkle, and joy!