Thursday, September 2, 2010
Amtrak 火车 santa barbara 一日游
我看了一篇叫 坐火车穿越美国 (http://huaren.us/rd/rd.asp?hrtopic_id=668329&hrurl=http://news.wenxuecity.com/messages/200905/news-gb2312-846192.html) 的帖子,写得实在是让我向往。网上还有美国人写得火车日记 (http://huaren.us/rd/rd.asp?hrtopic_id=668329&hrurl=http://www.trainweb.com/coaststarlight/index.html)那时候就开始计划火车旅游。朋友夏天来看我的时候就是听我的建议坐了海岸星光线从三藩南下到的洛杉矶。可惜人家睡了一路,就听说火车的椅子很舒服,不知道沿途的景色怎么样。还知道那趟火车有小孩的电子游戏,听起来也很吸引人。
心里长草几个月,终于也安排了一次火车的旅行。儿子过生日的时候,约了朋友一家和我们一起去santa barbara。 从我们这里去santa barbara 开车一小时,坐火车一个半小时,一家人的车票用了aaa 还是小贵(要至少提前三天网上订票才能用aaa, 我自己的过期了,也冒用了一次,上车很少有人检查你的aaa卡, 侥幸省点钱),我们两家人都是来美国多年也没坐过火车的,偶尔为之算是经历。早晨到车站,小孩子们都特别的兴奋。我有点迟到了,手忙脚乱的在车站的vending machine 上拿我们的票。用订票的信用卡取票。感觉他们的机器不如机场的好用。如果没有提前买票,在vending machine 上也可以买得,另外上车也可以买。不过我们上车后,服务员说他们希望顾客在机器上买。谁愿意麻烦自己呀。
我们去的火车是两层,其实有小孩子在底层要好些,吵吵闹闹的不惹人烦, 我们直接上二层了。 火车上人不多,基本都是单身旅行的,十几岁的没驾照的,老年人,一家子拖家带口的好像就是我们了。火车开了一阵,看农场,海滩,一路海滩都是冲浪的人。 平时开车根本也看不到风景的。小孩子很兴奋。我带他们到其他车厢看了看。车上有卖吃的,有水,我们自己带吃的, 小孩子吃东西,看风景,大人难得的能聊聊天。santa barbara火车站离海边特别近 , 走路不到5分钟(Amtrak SB Station: 209 State Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101),那是个大站,有卖票的,有当地的特别详细的地图。我本来想带大家去 Ty Warner Sea Center: http://huaren.us/rd/rd.asp?hrtopic_id=668329&hrurl=http://www.sbnature.org/twsc/224.html , 走到海边,小孩子喂喂海鸟,沿着海边走走,到沙滩上就玩起来了。海滩特别干净,美丽,因为过了旅游旺季,人不多。
路两边的城建很好, 有个小孩的游乐场和转圈木马, 可惜我们没时间去。有租一家人都可以骑的自行车,看起来很好玩。 中午的时候, 坐25cent 的Downtown-Waterfront Shuttle小型街車去state street 上找了个地方吃点东西,然后就回家。晚上的火车晚了半小时,孩子们追追打打的时间过得很快。晚上车上的人明显多起来,而且是一层的火车,小孩子在给残疾人留座位的地方玩,看黑夜里海上的船,我老担心他们吵其他人,还好没人跟我们抱怨。最
近朋友来访,按照我们的行程又走一遍,他们坐Downtown Waterfront Shuttle 走了一圈,还看到了热闹温馨的农夫市场, 给我带回鲜花一素。才知道美丽的小城几乎每天都有集市呢(http://huaren.us/rd/rd.asp?hrtopic_id=668329&hrurl=http://www.santabarbara.com/community/farmersmarket/ )。
More travel infor:
1. Amtrak Train,
http://huaren.us/rd/rd.asp?hrtopic_id=668329&hrurl=http://www.amtrak.com/ ,
Amtrak SB Station: 209 State Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Please pick up the map from the train station, they have the best one for travel without car.
2. Downtown Waterfront shuttle. Just 25 cents and Emma is free. 往State St小鎮市中心有Downtown-Waterfront Shuttle小型街車(http://huaren.us/rd/rd.asp?hrtopic_id=668329&hrurl=http://sbmtd.gov/,選Downtown-Waterfront Shuttle),
3. A chinese tour guide for SB: http://huaren.us/rd/rd.asp?hrtopic_id=668329&hrurl=http://calasf.blogspot.com/2007/05/palm-springs-santa-barbara-5.html .
English one: visit SB without a car: http://huaren.us/rd/rd.asp?hrtopic_id=668329&hrurl=http://www.santabarbaracarfree.org/santabarbara.htm
4. Visit: Ty Warner Sea Center: http://huaren.us/rd/rd.asp?hrtopic_id=668329&hrurl=http://www.sbnature.org/twsc/224.html and Zoo is also close by. Both places are small and family friendly. Mission and Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. http://huaren.us/rd/rd.asp?hrtopic_id=668329&hrurl=http://www.sbnature.org/about/68.htmlTransportation: http://huaren.us/rd/rd.asp?hrtopic_id=668329&hrurl=http://www.santabarbaracarfree.org/howto.htm
5. Bus to LAX: santabarbaraairbus.com . (Not sure about it.)
Monday, August 9, 2010
A and B came back
Dad had his birthday in China and got no one to celebrate it for him. I cooked Beijing noodle for him per his request. But how can noodle dinner be called birthday dinner? Arthur insisted that we got to have a cake. But how can a cake without icing to called birthday cake? I have to use the cream cheese to take the place of the cream since the cream that I kept in the freeze doesn't seems to be working. Luckly the cheese can still hold candle. Two boys are happy when they can sing the song for their dad.
Arthur complains that our dinner is so simple. He said that "I used to eat so much but now it is so little". Well, in his grandpa's home, everyday they arranged the dinner and cook. Apparently mom can't beat a group of cook. Arthur wants fish so we went to Costco. Arthur said that a fish without head isn't a real fish. So we got a REAL fish not only has head but covered with scales! Arthur was happy that night since we had a BIG dinner.
I took both kids to the playground of the mall. Two boys were playing in the toy boat, and they said "go away!" loudly to a little girl! After five minutes, Arthur reported to me that Benjamin did something. A 7 or 8 years old girl were in tear. Benjamin said that "I was doing Kongfu! Hey! Hey! Hey!" His little fists were powerful! It isn't easy to get him to say sorry to the poor girl.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
ZT:Fun place in San Diego
http://blog.wenxuecity.com/blogview.php?date=201007&postID=2554
http://blog.wenxuecity.com/blogview.php?date=201007&postID=5684
鼎泰丰 1108 S. Baldwin Ave. Arcadia, CA 91007(626) 574-7068这次去南加,专门去朝圣。我家大小都特别喜欢小笼包,去哪里玩都专门挑小笼包店吃个痛快。去年在台北还特意去了鼎泰丰在永康街的本店。这次和我家表舅一家约在鼎泰丰见面,就是想再胡吃海喝一顿。可惜,期待越大,失望也越大。用了美国猪肉的鼎泰丰小笼包比起台北的失色许多。我们点了很多,小笼包和蟹粉小笼包都还不错,红油抄手很好,素蒸饺一般,牛肉面却很差劲,最出彩的是排骨蛋炒饭,那个排骨真是又香又酥,强力推荐,其他我记不得了,噢噢,还有点豆沙和芋泥甜包,也不推荐。鼎泰丰同一个shopping center就有小雅屋(J.J.Bakery)1130 S. Baldwin Ave.TEL: 626-836-6888,是台式的饼屋,非常非常赞!!!我们买了好多,有甜的(芋泥超赞,红豆麻吉,菠萝,核桃)咸的(肉松,叉烧,热狗,蛋沙拉),香香软软,都好吃的不得了。Irvine 有一家人气超红的面包店叫85degree,http://www.yelp.com/biz/85c-irvine,天天都是排长队啊。他家的蛋糕不怎么样(至少我在台北店里吃到的不怎么样),但是面包真的超好吃的,芋泥麻吉,还有核桃的,还有cheese的,怎么样的都香软得让你觉得好幸福啊!再有就是日本菜。我们好喜欢Tommy's Sushi 1051 E Main St, Tustin, CA 92780,(714) 544-5241Awesome poki bowl, bronco roll, and cucumber paradise. We went there twice! 那个poki bowl,真是我吃过最赞的 poki bowl了,big chunks of salmon, tuna, octopus, avocado, cucumber, and fish roes, and crab salad, 想起来又口水哗哗了。连我老公不是那么喜欢生鱼的都念念不忘。我家两个小的也在里面吃了好多sushi呢。如果喜欢日本拉面,santoka 是一家比较有名的。如果喜欢日式烧烤,我朋友推荐 shinsengumi。泰国菜 Siam Taste of Asia 3520 W 1st St, Santa Ana, CA 92703,(714) 418-9678这家店小小的,地点也不太好,一点不起眼。但是他的菜真不错。deep fried tofu was the star of the night,外脆里嫩,淋在上面的酱汁香气逼人,好吃啊,我们最后居然又叫了一份!还有 Fried seabass with green curry sauce was another winner.还有一家叫 Thai Nakorn 的泰国店,据说比这家还好吃,不过离我们住的地方远一点,我们没有试。越南菜:Brodard。(714) 530-1744. 9892 Westminster Ave, Garden Grove, CA 92844他家的春卷是一绝!韩国菜: Cho Sun Galbee,韩国烤肉LA的中东菜也很棒,黎巴嫩,伊朗,等。我很喜欢希腊菜和中东菜。那里的kebabs好好吃啊。我去的一家叫 Zankou Chicken, 2424 W Ball Rd Ste S, Anaheim, CA 92804, (714) 229-2060 离disney很近。还有tapas wine bar:AOC,www.aocwinebar.com 中国菜:云川园。14310 Culver Dr,Irvine, CA 92604(949) 559-1116云南过桥米线,还有其他云南四川菜。福方园,Noodle House, 18219 E. Gale Avenue, #A Rowland Heights, CA 专门卖饺子的。San Diego 圣地亚哥的美食圣地亚哥最有名的大概就是 fish taco。我们试了很多家。有贵的,在 Del Mar 去了Brigantine's, 据说是 San Diego 最好的,我们却觉得只是还好,没有惊艳。3263 Camino Del Mar,Del Mar, CA 92014,858-481-1166反而吃到最可心fish taco的居然是28街和 Ocean Blvd 交口一个没有名字的店。一看菜单上只有西班牙文就知道来对了地方。这家的鱼有很多种,有的是烤的,有的是炸的,都好吃的不得了啊。离Balboa Park很近的一家 Marketplace Deli,他家的三明治和沙拉都非常新鲜好吃!2601 5th Ave (between Maple St & Nutmeg St) 92103在 Little Italy 有一间Deli 叫 Mona Lisa Deli,做的是意式 cold cut sub style 三明治,no-grills。他家的 eggplant parmigiana sub is amazing! 2061 India St (between Grape St & Hawthorn St) San Diego, CA 92101越南菜:Phuong Trang 4170 Convoy St 92111 (858) 565-6750 很喜欢越南粉,很清淡。中国菜我们就去了两家:過橋園 4690 Convoy St.,San Diego,CA92122。去了两次,很喜欢他家的凉菜,那个红油猪耳很赞啊,我家的小孩吃得好欢。过桥米线很鲜嫩!小肥羊 4718 Clairemont mesa Blvd,San Diego, CA 92117要了一个鸳鸯锅,真的好香好浓啊,但是又不腻,反而很清爽呢。还有他家的手工面,真的好Q好好吃!太怀念了。老公回来后一直念叨要去Houston的小肥羊再过一次瘾。日本拉面。Tajima 但馬 4681 Convoy St,San Diego, CA 92111,汤汁很浓,面也QQ的,老公叫了一个麻婆豆腐的,被我笑,可是居然很好吃呢。
Friday, July 16, 2010
I love San Francisco!
My hotel is on Stockton in Union square. It is one block away from Chinatown. I have been there for breakfast and dinner. My training ends at 6pm. Most of the stores in Chinatown closed around that time. It is kind of scary to walk on the dirty street with so many store closed. Somehow I still find a Northern style restaurant, and go to a beauty store for haircut. A Japanese noodle store has good ramen.
1. ZEY restaurant, 655 Jackson St, 415-981-8988
2. Barber Jason, 945 Stockton St, 415-699-4629
3.
I went to a Buddha temple (www.huazangsi.org, 3134 22st, 94110, ), and there is a temple right next to stockton st. They told me that there is the same temple in LA ( 660 Monterey rd, #100, 626-281-5728).
I went to the same ginseng store that my husband went to (850 Jackson st). It is a whole sale store. I hope to get some sea cucumber back.
I planned to go to Lombard st but it was so cold! I should have booked Alcatraz tour months ago.
SF remind me so much about Beijing: crowded city with many stores, buses everywhere. I love SF!
Friday, July 9, 2010
单身生活
难得的单身生活, 好几年攒下的活一个一个干.
1. project one: reseal granite contertop
这个实在是想起来难,做起来简单,但是还是很累人的活。 网上买了最好的sealer (bulletproof stone sealer),把所有的东西都挪开,countertop 弄干净, 然后用个小滚筒把sealer滚来滚去,和刷漆差不多。 最后擦干。 可惜我家浴室的countertop 质量不好,我也不早早的保护,已经不行了。
Follow up: after I came back from SF, the countertop didn't seem to be as shinning as before. It took me a while to polish them with the dry tower. Luckly it was shinner than before.
For the countertop in Bathroom, I didn't know that I should remove the water stain before seal.
2. project two: bathroom paint and refurbish bathtub
A professional flipper contractor came, he recommend me to leave them as they are since I will be rent the current home out. He said that painting is more important than the new bathtub. Many thanks to him: Stylin Construction, Curly, 818-407-1327
3. project three: paint the wall and door
Joe came and give me a lot of detailed direction on how to paint. I spend a long time at Lowes, could not find the liquid sandpaper. Will go to Homedepot.
4. project four: cleanup all rooms
Monday, April 12, 2010
Searching of a new house
. Vahik Tatoosi, Phone # 818-585-1988, tatoosi@yahoo.com, License# 896934 .
Jeff Lu, 818-648-0755, 818-772-6580, License contractor, #818795 , jiefeilu4@yahoo.com.cn . Stylin Construction, Mike or Curly, 818-407-1327 .
Bruce hashemi http://www.rdmconstructionco.com/About.html .
Handyman: quick and dirty: 818-605-1509 . Pedro Galvan: 310-780-4628 . Handyman: Aljado: 818-207-5335,
. Loan: Broker: Amy(Ming) Wang DRE#01728699 NMLS#296622Realtor/Senior Mortgage Consultant Cell: 408-857-3168 Phone & Fax: 408-212-8807 .
. Inspection: http://www.crystalhomeinspections.com/ http://www.ehomeinspector.com/ . Architect: Len Cardoni of Cardoni Group Architects(805) 494-3853 http://www.cardonigroup.com/ . Architect: Kevin Tohill, associate AIA, 805.577.1098, 818-833-1098, http://www.kta-inc.net/ , .Structure Engineer: 619-708-3598 , more at: http://www.seaosc.org/pa_find.cfm
5. House related http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070124161503AA7lq79 http://www.huaren.us/dispbbs.asp?boardid=337&id=571860 POLYBUTELENE: http://www.repipenews.com/ Vinyl Siding: http://architecture.about.com/cs/repairremodel/a/vinyl.htm
Do I need a big house: http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/dszMR9qbesI A nice little house: http://www.younghouselove.com/photo-gallery-2/ two books: http://www.huaren.us/dispbbs.asp?boardid=337&Id=689534&page=3 Pool Demolish: http://www.kennahconstruction.net/pool_demolition.html?keyphrase=pool+demolition&lid=712048725&c=712046833&provider=google&ping=false pool: http://www.stretcher.com/stories/09/09aug10a.cfm Remove a pool: http://home.comcast.net/~phil.detweiler/PoolDemolition.html BathTub kit: http://www.refinishingonline.com/ Bathtub DIY: http://www.inetgiant.com/AdDetails/Spray-On-Bathtub-Refinishing-Kit-With-Pro-Bond/2099578 Drawn kids data: http://home.comcast.net/~phil.detweiler/poolsafety.html CA tax credit: http://www.ftb.ca.gov/individuals/new_home_credit.shtml City data: http://www.city-data.com/ Rushan Blog: http://blog.wenxuecity.com/blogview.php?date=200906&postID=24581 A post: http://www.huaren.us/dispbbs.asp?boardid=337&Id=656112 CA law for natural hazard zone: http://www.zonedisclosures.com/FAQ.htm Paint the glass: The oil based products, such as Kilz and Zinsser Cover Stain, http://www.naturalhandyman.com/qa/qapaintprep.html
Wood floor redo: http://bbs.wenxuecity.com/floor/1575296.html
Roofing Calculater: http://www.costhelper.com/cost/home-garden/roof.html Roof: http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,198504,00.html LA law: In Los Angeles, since 1989, it has not been permissible to install any type of roofing material (including one that is Class-A fire-rated) over a wood roof on spaced-sheathing. Spaced sheathing is more seismically vulnerable and also can allow a fire to draft more rapidly, and the fasteners of the latest roof will have a tendency to split the old and often dry wood shakes/shingles, which means that the roofing material will also be vulnerable to wind-damage.
Cost of houses: http://bbs.wenxuecity.com/tzlc/271184.html
Office Assess: http://maps.assessor.lacounty.gov/mapping/viewer.asp
LA city Permit record:http://ladbs.org/LADBSWeb/building-permit-records.jsf Windrich Group: http://www.windrichgroup.com/ Navigate LA: http://navigatela.lacity.org/index.cfm
==========
After work: An article: http://www.huaren.us/dispbbs.asp?boardid=337&ID=845752 Change the floor: http://bbs.wenxuecity.com/floor/1670456.html bathroom: http://bbs.wenxuecity.com/myhouse/1675216.html Decoration: http://bbs.wenxuecity.com/furniture/1613116.html coco's site: http://www.cococozy.com/ Floor: http://www.floorguide.com/default.asp?CMD=FEATURED#ThumbsPhone: http://www.ooma.com/
A: Flooring 101 Micheal Soury 805 371-8877 (Phone) Hardwood floor installer:Name: Javier 818 674-7569 (cell phone)
B: Floor: http://www.inetflooring.com/ 18335 Bedford Circle, La Puente, CA 91744 Tel: 626-839-7598, Fax: 626-839-7698 e-mail: inetflooring@earthlink.net Ask for David. He is in charge of sales.
Egypt Floor Guy: Nathan Ghanem 310-213-4213, 11844 Jeffrson Bwd, 90230
Foof: Fortress Roofing: Ron, 805-484-0151Moving: http://www.uship.com/ Kitchen Cabinet: http://www.huaren.us/dispbbs.asp?boardid=337&id=903670&page=0&star=2
Vintage Style Home for a Young Family: http://chattafabulous.blogspot.com/2010/03/vintage-style-home-for-young-family.html
http://www.interiordesignstory.com/2009_05_01_archive.html juvinterior.com: http://www.juvinterior.com/classic-and-lavish-interior-design-ideas-for-home-decoration/
A house: http://19031halstedst.com/
A local coupon: http://www.citypublishingco.com/Mags/Mar2011/Print-coupons-for-Granada-Hills-in-San-Fernando-Valley.pdf+++++++++++++++++++++
Current Record: Termit: http://summittermite.com/ Roof: Fortress Roofing, Ron Astlund, 805-484-0151 Roof: All roof window system, Dave Muschaweck, 818-254-6185, 805-582-1887 Insurance: AmeriPrise, 888-404-5365 electric: Mark Fornoff, 850-496-9620 mark@fornoffelectric.com,
http://www.fornoffelectric.com/Construction:%20Randy%20Pardee:%20805-490-1810,%20www.rpardeeconstruction.com http://www.rpardeeconstruction.com/
++++++++++++++++++Current complex infor: # P & C management, Philip Dufrene, 805-630-8446(cell), 805-492-4435(phone), PO Box 7352, Thousand Oaks, CA 91359, pcmgmt@verizon.net
# Plumming, Zack, 301-508, 7559
# Old Plumming: Felipe, Rino, Ruff Ready Rooter, 919-775-0055, 818-439-3986
# Home Warranty: Fidelity National Home Warranty, http://www.homewarranty.com/, 1800-862-6837
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Arthur's appreciation
I am really touched by his word. Yes, on his fifth birthday, I baked a cake which was cap cakes under it. I put Alphabet letter's on the cake. Every kids just got one cake. Athur got the cup cake with letter A on it. He soon dropped the cake and came back to ask another one. Too bad I didn't have any extra. Then he started to cry. Two girls gave up their cake for Arthur but he only want the one with letter A on it. He cried very hard. It wasn't very happy memory for me. I am glad that he kept the good memory of that cake. I am also glad that he appreciate my work and remembers it. I don't want to raise a spoiled kid and took everything for granted.