Travel: Birch Aquarium

One morning, I set out to brace the 5-North traffic to get to Birch Aquarium at Scripps. I heard about it from a docent in my tour of Torrey Pines. The adult ticket was $17. (Note: You can get a $3 coupon from this website.) As soon as I got in, I enjoyed an empty aquarium almost entirely to myself. On the left side is what I call the "Environmental Awareness" room, where you'll read about global warming, the effects of carbon dioxide excess, and how everyday, simple acts can help our planet. The first thing that stood out for me was the...

Philippines: About Typhoon Yolanda

Since Typhoon Yolanda (international codename: Haiyan) hit the Philippines a few weeks ago, I've been holding back tears whenever people ask how are my relatives at home. I reply, "My family is safe and blessed, but there are so many other people that died." Thousands dead and millions more affected, losing friends and family, livelihood, and property. How are you even going to rebuild when all of humanity around you has been wiped out? Here in San Diego, we don't even see much of the typhoon news in mainstream media. So all the more...

Travel: Torrey Pines State Reserve

I found it odd that no local has mentioned it or brought me there. Yet, all of the guide books recommend going. If you check Yelp, it even has stellar reviews. How come the Torrey Pines State Reserve isn't so popular? When I drove there this morning, I witnessed one of the most picturesque scenes in front of my eyes. Torrey Pines State Reserve - Beach Trail My goal today is to take the free docent nature walk. They have it every weekend and holiday at 10AM and 2PM. From my experience in traveling, I learned that it's best to hear...

Quote from David Meerman Scott

Marketing, PR, Branding Tips and Ideas If you're job hunting, how are your accounts helping your future employer find you? If you're an organization, how are you reaching your audience? If you're a brand, how are you communicating to your market? I'm currently reading a book by David Meerman Scott, a marketer/strategist and best-selling author. I find marketing and PR quite fascinating, because that's how people and organizations present themselves to the world. For example, people like Oprah or Anderson Cooper will never be unemployed just...

College Survival Tips (and Living in San Francisco)

In 2009, Academy of Art University in San Francisco offered me a golf scholarship. From a meager 18-year old Filipina girl, to now a well-equipped, working woman, I was transformed by learning about production, culture, art education and survival skills. In four years I spent there, I’ve been awarded three All-American honors for my golf performance and high grades.  Life as a student-athlete in art school: 5AM workouts, three-hour long classes, 18 holes in the afternoon, art projects at night. All in one day. As a way to reciprocate...

5 Reasons Why I Like Paleo

"All human beings agree that there are three necessities to survive: Food, Clothing, Shelter. And in that order. Food first." -Dr. Aris Latham Food is a debatable topic because it's highly subjective and personal. I recently started cooking, and have been slowly learning about smell, flavors, and textures. A problem came up one day while I was baking. The cook book said: "Add three cups of vegetable oil." Three cups? I certainly won't sit down and eat that in one gulp. How is it possible to have so much sugar and oil in what we eat?  I...

Hiking: Mount Jacinto State Park in Palms Springs

My mom and I set up a hiking date in Palm Springs. She's never done it, but in the spirit of being game with me, she is going to try for the first time. We left San Diego at 8 AM and arrived in Palm Springs two hours later. As we fell in line for the Aerial Tramway (ticket cost $23/person), I discovered that it's the biggest of its kind in the world. It can fit 80 people and reaches to a staggering 8,000 feet on air. If we fell off on this 10-minute ride, sure nobody's to survive.  We got off at a large cabin, the main tourist center...

Hello - First Post!

I'm an information geek. I read massive amounts of pages (web or book, either way) everyday, often highlighting them in my personal notes or sharing them with people in proximity. This blog is about sharing my knowledge to a bigger circle -- and perhaps helping someone else live better, faster, fuller. Chee...

Foodie's Quest at Hillcrest

Here's my experience taking a food tour of San Diego's Hillcrest neighbourhood, writes Crystal Neri ...