One Busy Bee

Empire Apartments, Melbourne

2019-03-09T12:41:00.000-08:00

Located at Elizabeth and A'Beckett in the heart of Melbourne, Australia, we stayed at the Empire Apartments. It was rather affordable but had a few quirks. Our flight from San Francisco landed at 6:45 AM. We would have time to kill at the café at the neighboring café at Hotel Jasper. Reception wouldn't receive our luggage until 11 am.

At 11 AM, we were able to leave our luggage with Jules. She stored them until we were to return at 3 PM to check in. Unfortunately, they didn't have a room ready for us. We really wanted to take a shower and freshen up but we made do. Exploring it is!

We went to the Royal Arcade, the Visitors Center, checked out a Labour Day area with booths and live music near the Crown Hotel, checked out the Sea Life Aquarium and had drinks and snacks at a rooftop bar called State of Grace. More detail on these places soon. We received a text that our room was ready while on our second drink on the roof. It was warm and we were really ready for a shower.

We walked back to Empire, checked in, retrieved our luggage and stopped on the 25th floor of 60 available. There were many elevators so you won't have to wait too long.

Our apartment was down the hall. Open the door and you look down the long hallway to see a balcony at the other end. Immediately to your right is the bathroom with a glass shower, toilet, large vanity mirror and deep rectangular sink.

To the right of the entrance is the laundry room. The appliances are stacked on top of each other and it would be convenient if we were staying here more than one night.

In the hall is your kitchen with a large fridge, gas stove, coffee maker and sink.

The living room comes with a Google Home, flat screen television, love seat and circular table with chairs and a bench built into the wall.

The bedroom has a full size bed, a spacious shower and windows to see across Melbourne. The bed was comfortable and the décor is simple, soft and from IKEA.

Not bad of a place. I wish they had assistance 24-hours a day. We also attempted to check out the gym this morning but we couldn't access Floor 8 at 5 AM. Checking out the pool might be in my future. The wifi works fine and the AC does its job.

Again, not bad. There are just some convenience tweaks I would like as a Travel Agent for my guests staying here. Let me know if I can help you with your Melbourne itinerary.

What do you think?

First Time Via Qantas

2019-03-08T15:56:00.000-08:00

We have just arrived in Melbourne and are currently sitting at the café at the Jasper Hotel. The reception desk for our hotel doesn't open for another forty minutes. Here, we are able to sit with our four pieces of luggage, use Victoria region's complimentary wi-fi and stay connected. We were also able to Coconut and Macadamia Nut Waffles and an Avacodo Smash post our first flight on Qantas. My roommate, Kim, and I safely flew for 15-hours from San Francisco. An exciting video is posted on my personal Instagram at @bappletree.

SFO was easy to get thru via security. Having Clear helped (let me send you a free month), but I am most likely going to get global entry when I return to the states. We ate at Gott's pre-flight and did some yoga while our phones charged until we were ready to board. We waiting just past our boarding time as there's no need to wait in line just to sit down. It was nice to see that there was no longer a wait when we finally reached our gate. The staff was friendly and welcoming. Be prepared to show your passport and your boarding pass at least three times.

It was a large plane and we sat in row 41. Our seats came with a welcome pouch with ear plugs, an eye mask, a toothbrush and toothpaste. I still use my eye mask from JetBlue. But a third eye mask could be useful! The seat also had a red blanket in a plastic bag. I brought my own so this left unopened.

I sat down, got myself situated and observed what will be available to me for the next 15 hours. I had my own personal screen for entertainment which I didn't have to pay for. It was touch screen as well. You did not have to press hard or repeatedly to recognize your commands. Lucky for me and the child sitting in front me. No hard and frustrating pressing was going to be taking place at the back of my head either.

Just underneath the screen, find a pull down shelf if you will where you can prop up your electronic device (tablet or iPhone) to view your downloaded videos or books. Inside that compartment was a USB power outlet. YES! American and Southwest experiences lately did not have this available. I think every plane should have this. Don't you?

The screen was filled with movies, TV show options, music and games. My screen was occupied with A Star is Born, Bohemian Rhapsody and Vogue: My Sponsored Life. Grammy nominated movies and some educational shows definitely kept me entertained.

In the same compartment was a band to hold things in place against the back. I securely placed my phone there when I wasn't using it. It helped avoid it falling out when you abruptly open this compartment. As well all know, contents may have shifted during the course of the flight. I thought that was a great feature.

The food was decent. I had the chicken salad with a cherry vinaigrette. I don't think I was that hungry to devour some nice-sized pieces of chicken. I did enjoy the chocolate mousse when I was actually hungry. Candies were offered about an hour before breakfast. I chose my favorite: the Kit Kat. Breakfast was also offered. I selected the bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs and hash browns. The roasted tomato was good and the hash brown was crispy.

The staff was great. Very friendly and they looked like they enjoyed their job. It truly makes a difference. There wasn't very many interruptions to our entertainment viewing by the cockpit. Bathrooms were fully stocked as well.

Perhaps it was because I was sitting in a middle seat, but it seemed a bit cramped for my 5'1" body. You may shape the headrest. This helped me not irritating Kim as I slept.

It was a great experience so well done, Qantas. We will be taking the same airline for our return in two weeks. I also applaud your social media attention.

Let me help you book your trip to Melbourne, Australia or New Zealand. Kim and I headed out to see via the Golden Princess tomorrow afternoon.

We are ready to explore Melbourne! Please follow me on social media (Instagram, SnapChat @bappletree) for real time photos and videos.

OBB Weekly - 3-5-19

2019-03-04T09:25:00.001-08:00

Two months down for 2019. How would you say your year is going for you so far? February was full of travel for me. March, I’m headed back down. Down under, that is. Have you been? What are you down for? What downs have you come up from? Like a basketball, you’re bound to come up.

TRAVEL

Almost a year after I completed the Princess Academy with Princess Cruises, I have selected my graduation gift: a free 13-day cruise from Melbourne, Australia and around New Zealand. My roommate is pretty excited. We both haven’t been down under. We will be flying direct on Qantas, thank goodness. We will spend at least one full day in Melbourne on both ends of the trip. She wants to hold a koala (still working on that). I want to go to their rooftop bars and eat at their nice restaurants. I am glad we both agreed to a spa day before we head back in time for our return flight to San Francisco. Then again, my roommate is down for anything.

We have ran across the below articles on what to do in Melbourne. If you have any recommendations, please do share! Follow via the links at the bottom of this post to see what I’m seeing as it’s happening! Our hashtag: #KimNBernGoDown (Under).

CONCIERGE

If you know me, I’m always down for a Los Lonely Boys concert. I have been a fan of theirs for 13 years. I just went to my 73rd concert. Of course, I was down front. My friends and I that travel with to see these shows have a saying, “There’s no place like front row.” If you haven’t seen them live, please check them out when they come to your town or see my videos on YouTube. There are plenty.

Met this beautiful gal thru an LLB concert and it's nice to keep in touch with her thru the years.

Front row, Baby.

As a Concierge, I was happy to get my hotel guests tickets to basketball and baseball games and concerts as down close to the front as possible. We have partnerships with companies that can get you down front or pretty close. Just be aware that there may be a service fee and you will most likely be paying a premium. I recommend planning ahead and getting tickets as soon as they are released.

EVENT PLANNING

The early reservation of your private event venue is just like securing tickets. Expect to pay immediately with a down payment to lock in your date, time and location. The cost varies based on the venue. The same is true for vendors like caterers, DJs and photographers. If you need assistance, I can recommend vendors as your Event Planner. Some venues you will love to put down a deposit for are at the below locations.

The Cape, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

The Inn at Pasatiempo, Santa Cruz, California

Saratoga Springs, Saratoga, California

Pacific Star Winery, Fort Bragg, California

FOOD

Let’s be real here. I gained almost four pounds after a week of traveling in New York and only able to get one so-so workout in. I put down a lot of delicious food. “You can eat!” is a common comment lately. But hey, it makes my tastebuds happy. I would really regret not having that New York Strip at Danny Meyer’s Union Square Cafe and get hit by a taxi as I left the restaurant. I am not promoting you to be obese. I am promoting enjoying the moment and balance. Understand there’s a cost associated. I have been back a week and knocked down two of those four pounds. It’s work but damn that steak was tasty.

Other dishes put down in front of me were from

Russ & Daughters, New York City - Pickeled veggies. The best pickeled tomatoes I have ever had. Mouth is watering now.

Russ & Daughters, New York City - Pickeled fish

One Dine, New York City - 100 floors up and this is their branzino.

My second set of tots and caviar in NYC. Union Square Cafe. First time having this was at Please Don't Tell.

Bacon from Tavern on the Green, New York City

MOTIVATION

Failure is a part of life. But so are successes, no matter how small. I still have two pounds to go to be pre-New York weight. A bigger failure is not being back down to 18% body fat by this cruise on Sunday. I am no where close to that. I get it. I failed in reaching that goal, but I’m chasing it. This Event Planner may always be on time but there are some things I will be late to party for. The point is, don’t give up. Refocus. Continue the work.

One thing I feel I can be proud of is my roommate reaching her goal weight before this cruise. I invite her to early morning workout sessions, I aim for her really ‘sexy’ gym face and we did two yoga videos this weekend instead of one. As mentioned, she’s down for anything. This weekend, she also discovered that she and I are the same size jeans now! She was ecstatic. Hard work pays off. She rewarded herself with new bikinis! Thanks, Seafolly. We’ll be rockin’ your products on our vacation and with a little more confidence.

Keep at it!

"Are you sisters? You have the same smile." - Captain America. Swooon.
Disneyland

#WereHungryToo Randomness

2019-03-04T08:14:00.001-08:00

I have damn near close to 10,000 photos on my phone. The intentions are to do write-ups on these locations but I have clearly fell behind! So here’s some randomness to try to delete these from my phone so they can live on the internet forever and available for your drooling pleasure.

Paella in Barcelona

Dinner at Scala’s Bistro at Union Square, San Francisco

Tacos in Cabo San Lucas, México.

Breakfast special at Rudy’s Can’t Fail Cafe in Emeryville, California with some Mighty Leaf green tea.

Fish and chips from Pier Market at Pier 39. Their clam chowder is way better. Get a 10% off coupon from me!

Honored to have the Michelin star Belford’s Savannah Seafood and Steaks re-post my photo of their peach and avocado soup and cocktail.

The best carbonara I have had in the United States. Restaurant name to come but it’s in Santa Cruz, California.

Red meat and potatoes from Be Our Guest at Walt Disney World.

Mud Pie at Chart House at Pier 39 in San Francisco, California. My sister was in town from Raleigh, North Carolina. I'm going to say that she's the one that wanted dessert. 🤣

Enjoy!! Be sure to follow me on Instagram (@werehungrytoo) and Twitter (@werehungry2)

Style Sunday: My First Burberry

2019-03-03T07:07:00.001-08:00

My new pretties! This was my first Burberry experience and I bought three pieces. My Hawaiian Airlines credit card loves me. I purchased these beauties at the SoHo store in New York City last week. I was looking for the Stella & Dot Design Studio on Spring Street and decided to pop in. I had an ex that loved Burberry so I wanted to touch and feel what all the fuss is about. I totally get it, Bro.

I walked in in my Makers Mark beanie, The North Face jacket and my yellow Michael Kors backpack. Don’t I paint the picture of a girl with money to spend and knows fashion? I walked in and got smiles from the two ladies at the front of the store waiting for buying customers to greet. No ‘Welcome.’ Was this about to be The Pretty Woman scene waiting to happen? I walked a bit further into the store and was smiled at by an Asian sales person busy with another customer.

Browse. Browse. Browse. I came across the sunglasses display. I liked the ex’s new Pradas I basically took over during our stay in Monterey. I’ve had my Pradas for 12 years and they are a little beat up. I tried on a few. I found one like his. I also found a fun red pair that would be great with my Fenty Beauty and Kat Von D red lipstain.

The tall gorgeousness with long dark hair, Fatima, approached me. I asked how much they were. Doable. I said I would take both of them. With no intentions of spending more, I said I would browse. She escorted me upstairs to see what else they had to offer. Fatima showed me the Burberry way. I found my way to an area near the front of the store.

And then I found this amazing “B” print (because, y’know 🐝 #onebusybee). The print was on smaller pieces like a crossbody, wallet, phone case, etc. The crossbody was more than I was willing to spend for something not as functional. Fatima showed me my next purse. Go big or go home.

It was nice to clear the shelves and call this beauty mine. It’s new and from the latest fashion show. New York Fashion Week took place earlier that month. All of my handbags that are worth anything are special to me. I don’t buy bags just to have them. I am not a collector. My bee Gucci and red alligator skin Georgio Armani I purchased in Milan were exclusives too. I don’t like having things everybody else has had at the time.

Can you tell I’m happy with my purchase? And damnit, I deserve it! I continued my shopping spree with matching Tiffany & Co. apple earrings from the iconic store on 5th Ave This ‘bappletree’ needed it. The sales person loved that the apple was tattooed on me. That was my first tattoo. OK! No more shopping! I want that house in Maui!

Are you a Burberry fan?

Do you love shopping in SoHo New York?

If you have designer handbags, do you use them everyday or save for special events?

OBB Weekly - 2-26-19

2019-02-26T09:19:00.003-08:00

Speeches from The Academy Awards last night were filled with inspiration. Lady Gaga called out to fight for a dream, Spike Lee's urge "to make the moral choice between love versus hate," and Rami Malek says "part of my story is being written right now." These Oscar winners faced challenge, rejection and overcame. They deserve to be rewarded for their hard work. What do you deserve?

TRAVEL

I have seen several articles online of Californians not taking advantage of their earned PTO (paid time off). They are looking to get ahead, they do not want to be seen as someone that doesn't make their work a priority and they fear being replaced. If you can work for yourself or find an employer with an unlimited vacation policy, take it! If you are a hard worker and get the job done, you deserve it. If you're like me, you'll be checking your emails anyways en route or maybe a few times while you are at a beautiful resort in Fiji. This particular resort has very limited wi-fi to help you focus on what's important during your stay - relaxation and to reconnect with your family and loved ones without technology. The benefits you will gain while on vacation will make you a better employee. Employers should encourage it and you deserve it.

"Californians among the worst the worst in the nation as using paid vacation time." (Sacramento Bee, January 22, 2019)
"Five Reasons Why Travel is Good for Your Mental Health." (Forbes, January 22, 2018)

CONCIERGE

Speaking of vacation, I have dealt with many clients and guests on holiday. At the Concierge desk in San Francisco at the wonderful Argonaut Hotel, I have memories of wonderful and friendly guests. I have connected with people via social media because we enjoyed our brief time together. One of my favorite guests is a little girl named Lucy that came to see me with her father at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel. I helped them with some advice getting around the city and I spoke to her, asked her questions and shared some laugh. Her father later told me that she said, "I found a new friend, Dad!" We exchanged numbers and she has FaceTimed with me and exchanged a few messages. It warmed my heart. I should actually reach out.

Then there are times when the high and mighty check in and they literally throw a couple dollars in front of you to 'just take care of it.' I am terribly sorry that these people did not properly prepare to get things accomplished and expect others to do it at the drop of a hat or two dollar bills. Please do not be this kind of person. You deserve the respect as a service work and especially just as a person.

7 Ways to Get the Respect You Deserve. (Power of Positivity)

EVENT PLANNING

I have had Brides that do not like attention. Unfortunately, my dear, you will be the center of attention. For one day, I think my Brides have handled it very well. After all, it is their day. The Bride is the focus. Though the Groom can be a handsome prince, there isn't a publication out called Groom. Guests want to see the gown, the jewelry, the make up, hair style and flowers. When will you ever get to wear that beautiful gown again? I do recommend having some fun with the dress and get in the water on Kauai to trash your wedding dress. This photo shoot would be about you so enjoy it! You deserve to have a day when it's just about you and your groom and to celebrate being done with all that wedding planning. Trust me, I know. Let me help you plan yours.

Millennial Brides Want Their Bridesmaids to Where White as a Concept of "being upstaged" is Dying Out. (The Telegraph, October 18, 2018)

FOOD

Three and a half pounds later and only hitting the gym once last week, I have returned from Chicago and New York. I ate things I typically do not eat - gourmet popcorn from Garrett's, fried chicken sandwiches from SmashBurger and sour straws for breakfast from the newsstand, etc. I was traveling for a week and there were very long days at the customer site. I felt I deserved to indulge. When you work hard and have been trying to stay on your fitness game, you deserve a break sometimes.

I would suggest a break consisting of a Tavern Coffee at Tavern on the Green in New York City, the S'Mores Dessert at Union Square Cafe and wine by the talented Sommelier, Thom Talone, at Il Buco Alimentari. Calories can be burned, fat turned into muscle. Restaurant offerings provided by industry talent should not be overlooked.You deserve amazing and flavorful food. Indulging once in a while can actually help you get back on track if you feel guilty. The below article from the Independent says to "switch your focus to the positive steps you've taken and what you have achieved." Go ahead, get those Baked by Melissa treats at the JFK Airport on the way home. And be sure to bring your awesome roommate some too! Other people work hard and deserve a treat as well. Spread the love!

My Roommate's portion

My portion

How Not to Feel Guilty After Indulging in Food or Skipping a Gym Session (Independent, October 25, 2017)
Cheat Days May Actually Help Dieters Lose Weight, Study Finds. (ABC News, September 21, 2017)

MOTIVATION

Friends and family laugh at me for loving Twitter. I enjoy it. It's a great quick way to confirm whether or not that was an earthquake or see what's trending in the area. But check out the article below on how Actor, Patton Oswalt, responded to some hateful tweets from a troll. As mentioned before, I have received "Anonymous" comments from a reader/Twitter follower about their opinion of me on my blog. I responded with as much respect as I could and decided not to be hateful, but playful. I remember my ex-father-in-law saying in his Portuguese accent, "Opinions are likes assholes, everyone has one." Don't feed their anger. Respect their opinions as the bigger person and don't let them ruin your day. You deserve to be happy. Do what makes you happy. Go be awesome! Give someone a compliment. Hold the door open for someone that wouldn't say thank you. Tip a service worker having a bad day. And by the way, you have a nice butt. Maybe your actions will humble people like Mr. Michael Beatty.

Anger Can Be Contagious - Here's How To Stop the Spread. (NPR, February 25, 2019)
Related posts:
Mi Sonrisa
Triggered Memories to "Makita Studio: A Love Letter" & ARC

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A Few Hours in Chi-Town

2019-02-22T10:30:00.000-08:00

I was waiting to board my American Airlines flight in Chicago to get to Albany, New York. The layover was three hours long. Snacking on my Garrett cheesy popcorn, I get a vibration in my back pocket. I look around me to find a disappointing look on the faces of my fellow travelers. I looked at the screen above the desk.

CANCELLED

I must have had great travel luck as I have never had a flight cancelled on me. Then again, it's not very often that I travel in snowy conditions like the East coast was experiencing. It was almost 8 PM. I had already eaten, I was automatically booked on a 9:24 AM flight the following morning and I was actually happy I get to spend the night in Chicago. Unfortunately, the airport wasn't too close to downtown. The discounted voucher with a phone number to get a hotel room for the night didn't have an appealing option. I decided to find myself a hotel near The Bean. Uber there was about $30. Not bad.

Not being familiar with Chicago, I selected a hotel called Hotel Julian. It was a block away from Millennium Park where The Bean was located and it was near City Walk and the river. Plus it was cheap! And, the same name of a one of my favorite Army boys. Booked, called an Uber and headed downtown.

After dropping off my co-riders, I got to chatting with my driver, Mohammed. I was going to be his last ride after a 13-hour day. He said he had a family of six he was helping in Sri Lanka. His sisters were going to school and his mother needed assistance. He had a crazy amount of completed rides. He was nice enough to point out landmarks, where to eat and drop me right in front of the Hotel Julian. He asked me to review him. I did and sent him a nice tip to help his family back home. I told him to make sure his sisters take care of him too!

Hotel Julian's double automatic doors opened to the steakhouse About Last Knives and a dim walkway to the front desk. I checked in with a nice gentlemen who advised me on where to go to explore and to eat. He also assured me that it was safe to walk at night. And alone. Perfect. I was going to make the most of my time in Chicago.

When the elevator doors opened, every inch is covered in framed photos. Honestly, I did not recognize most of the figures but it was a great design. The doors opened again to the second floor. It was also the same floor as the fitness center. Unfortunately, my work out clothes remained at Chicago O'Hare. Then there's the unveiling of my room.

Scan the key card above the door knob and you open the door to some darkness. Step in and the lights automatically turn on. Step into the white, clean tiled bathroom to your immediate right and the lights turn on as well. An immaculate bathroom with shower stall was appreciated. Turn to your right from the bathroom, you see you a full-length mirror to your left and hooks on the wall. Along the same wall, you'll find the flat screen television mounted on the wall and a small shelf to lay your key and other small items. Continue along that wall and you will find a desk with a phone, alarm clock and the tasty menu for About Last Knives downstairs. Oh, I wish I had the opportunity to try it! But they closed soon and they also have one in Southern California. I will have to scope it out the next time I am down south.

The floor to ceiling windows face Michigan Avenue. The double shade options are helpful for day to night and for privacy. You can see Stan's Donuts was across the street. I was having that for breakfast the next morning.

The bed was a queen-sized with night stands, power outlets, a padded headboard and artwork just above that. To the right of the bed, you will find your ice bucket and coffee maker. Back to your foyer, there is a narrow closet that housed two white bathrobes. They were to be my nightgown come bed time.

Next it was time to head out and explore. Bundled up and making sure I didn't slip on some ice, I cautiously walked towards Millennium Park. The streets were nearly empty and it was quiet like the town had a curfew. I am used to being in San Francisco where there is so much commotion and traffic at all hours happening. Was it that safe?

I made my way into the park. I only crossed paths with one couple before I realized that The Bean was right there! It was huge! As I approached, I was lucky to see that only two people were there and I was able to get this photo with the timer on my phone. It was so cool to see the frozen frijole with snow on it. I had to take off my gloves to handle my phone and I was starting to feel it in my skin. It was getting tight. I took my photos, including one with part of the bean and the building where the little girl in Adventures in Babysitting scaled the windows. I love that movie. I immediately put my gloves back on and went on my merry way. CHECK!

I decided to next head to the river. It was just three or so blocks away and the wind started to pick up. Chicago was the Windy City and was living up to its name. I started to jog to try to stay warm as I did during the hike the day before at Coyote Hills. It sort of helped but kept the blood moving and the heart pounding. I had to use my hand to cover my mouth and nose slightly because it was so very cold.

I made it to the river. I saw the building and landscapes that are in the opening of sitcoms such as Perfect Strangers and Family Matters. Plus, The Trump Building and the Chicago Tribune. When it's nice, it would be great to dine at the restaurants along the river and take a boat ride. I crossed the river and it saddened me to see the homeless sitting there in the cold. We have homelessness in San Francisco but these conditions night after night is terrible. If there was a 7-11 open nearby, I would have loved to get them a coffee at least.

I continued on my walk and exploring but I was getting pretty cold. Not a whole lot of action was happening on a President's Day evening in Chicago. I stopped by the Chicago Theatre and took a photo, thinking of Roxie Hart and singing 'He Had it Coming."

Per my Front Desk Agent's referral, I stopped off at an English pub called Elephant and Castle. There were some 20-somethings enjoying themselves and an older gentleman at the end of the bar chatting with the bartender in a white shirt and black vest. I sat down and asked if they were still serving food. He handed me their selection of delicious offerings and I went with the pretzels and cheese and a local Revolution IPA. It was #MeatlessMonday and I had to make sure I didn't consume the bacon bits I didn't know came with the dish.

I was starting to get tired and I headed back to Hotel Julian to relax. The bed was comfortable and I turned up the heater pretty high to be pretty warm in my robe for the evening. The shower and its bathroom products worked really well. Check out was a breeze.

As I said, I got breakfast at Stan's Donuts. I went with the Cronut. It was my third cronut ever and it was covered in sugar and filled with cream. My good friend, Stan, was sent pictures of this place. "Stan does it better."

Then it was off to the airport. No flight delay, thank goodness. I will have to return to Chicago and visit friends here. Unfortunately, it was too late of a notice to meet up with anyone I knew. I'll be back. Maybe with you!

OBB Weekly - 2-19-19

2019-02-19T07:26:00.003-08:00

Hello, Albany!...through a cold, touristy night in Chicago. Post coming soon! Not quite in New York City yet but this San Francisco Bay Area native is excited to explore the Big Apple a bit more. As mentioned in my excitement in my previous post, I have been twice before. I received great feedback on places to visit and things to do from friends and followers. Don’t forget to support those bloggers sharing similar travel tips and experiences like Tracy Kaler's New York.

TRAVEL

The new employer says I’ll have my weekends. I was headed out to Albany for the first time to understand the process I will be in charge of coordinating from the home office in Palo Alto. I hoped I would have the weekend to do ‘research’. It was actually cheaper in terms of flights if I did! I saved the company $250 if I stayed thru the weekend. Sweet! I will have a full two days to explore the city. The cost wasn’t bad for booking flights within a week. Ask me to help you find great deals on flights. I can also save you time and the headache.

It was a no brained to decide to stay at a Marriott property. I am in love with the Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay and at Momi Bay in Fiji. I want those points! And I want to go back.

How much time does it take you to find flights you’re happy with?

What is your favorite rewards points program?

CONCIERGE

“$130 per person?!?” When it’s summer time in San Francisco, tickets to Alcatraz are the hot ticket. They’re paying to go to prison! This high price tag is usually tied with another product like a hop on hop off bus tour (see pics below). Some tourists pay it. They didn’t ask their Travel Agent or call the Concierge at the hotel for tips

I am in the same boat with these folks but I’m not willing to pay a premium. Unfortunately, I will not go up to the crown of Lady Liberty on Saturday. I was able to go to the island and the pedestal. Check! My ticket also includes visiting Ellis Island. As the first generation born here of Filipino immigrants, this would be a good thing to visit.

What is the most you’ve paid for a tourist attraction?

Was it worth it?

Where did your family immigrate from?

EVENT PLANNING

‘Say Yes to the Dress’ is a show on TLC of brides finding their wedding dress at Kleinfeld’s in New York. I used to watch it when I had Dish and recently it was on in the gym at the Hilton Fiji. I even applied to be on it when I was engaged. I plan to visit the store while in New York.

If you’re in the market for a wedding dress in the Bay Area, try my friend’s shop .... I actually got my wedding dress at ... in Brentwood, California. I had a 10% off coupon from a bridal show I attended. Plus, I love helping out local businesses. But looooved this dress I found in Sacramento with my Matron of Honor. It was $5,000.

What is/was your budget for your wedding dress?

What did you actual spend?

FOOD

I am kind of geeking out over here. This foodie and @werehungrytoo owner booked dining reservations for this coming weekend. I plan on seeing my friend, Thom, at the current restaurant he is a Sommelier at. I booked a late dinner at Union Square Cafe by Danny Meyer. I read his book, Setting the Table, before opening up my restaurant in San Francisco in 2016. Then I scheduled brunch at Tavern on the Green in Central Park. I met Executive Chef Peet at the Hawaii Food & Wine Festival on Maui last year. My cousin in Minnesota also suggested places such as a place Anthony Bourdain worked at. Yes, there are so many things to see and do in New York City. I specifically booked a room with a hotel that has a fitness center because as my Papa Bear says, “Sweetheart, you can EAT!"

What is the most memorable dinner you've had when you traveled?
Are you interested in meeting celebrity chefs?

MOTIVATION

I have never claimed to be a great writer. Or a reader of books for that matter. The books I read are usually food and beverage related but while on my second visit to the airport in Chicago, I picked up this book. It has travel, a character that had the balls to move on from a life she didn't want and it has my damn name in it! This motivates to continue to share my stories and experiences. The real question is "Where am I NOT going?" Please excuse my lack of great writing skills, but I hope you enjoy what I do share and that it motivates you to go for yourself and create memories of your own.

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Let’s Hike - Coyote Hills

2019-02-18T15:25:00.006-08:00

Covered in a little bit of mud and stuffing our faces with BBQ in Lafayette is when we planned our next hike. The date worked for the table at the time. Then things change as they often do. I was going to be in NYC during that time. Regardless, I wanted to stay on track with hiking once a month. While at the gym on a Sunday morning, I opted for outdoor cardio instead of being on machine. Kim, was of course, down to go. (You know her by now from my posts, right?

Text was sent, alert to my Let’s Hike Facebook group was posted and I finished up my weight training session. Google is great. I just entered ‘paved hikes in the east bay’ It generates options for me. I selected Coyote Hills in Newark, California. It was off of 84, my usual route to go to the day job in Palo Alto. I pass this area almost every day. Now I can say I’ve climbed to its little peak.

Parking is free near the main road. It’s about half a mile from the main entrance and where your park entrance is collected. We parked there because we’re frugal. Parking can be tight and sometimes people don’t know how to park. I squeezed in between two cars. Good thing I’m kinda small to squeeze out thru the 6 inches allowed when I opened my door.

It was a sunny but breezy morning. The trail to the main entrance had folks out and about enjoying the dry weather. We have had a lot of rain in the Bay Area. There have been road closures, bad traffic and a tree in my complex even fell down. It was a nice but chilly day to go outside.

Ducks were in the water, flying low and many dogs had smiles on their faces. I miss my Bevo. Around every bend, you can find people on bikes, in groups and taking photos.

I did not have a particular route planned and the web said there was a 4-mile loop. That sounded good. What sounded great was that Kim knew where she was going. We ended up off paved paths and walked on gravel, red dirt and a little mud. She even suggested we go up hills! See her motivating photo below. My hammies and other muscles weren’t prepared for a second workout and I took it easy and stopped when they were on fire. The views were worth it. You could see the Dumbarton and San Mateo bridges, Oakland, San Francisco and the east bay hills.

At the top, a yoga pose is needed of course. I need to learn more poses. My friend, Lisa, will help me with that. I should actually invest some time into practicing. That might help, right?

We made our way down thru a little bit of mud. My Under Armour sneakers weren’t the best for this adventure but I didn’t fall. We were getting hungry and decided to go to Lazy Dog restaurant in Newark for brunch as we needed to run an errand at the mall in the same parking lot. We deserved some goodness after this spontaneous hike.

Lazy Dog has a great selection on the menu, with their own beer, a big bar and plenty of seating inside and out. Plus their prices are what I’d consider cheap for the Bay Area and a sit down restaurant.

Sitting at the bar, I started off with a Virgin Bloody Mary. The Carnitas and Tatot Tot Hash sounded good to me. Kim has her eye on the Banana Fosters French Toast since she looked at menu while on the tail end of our hike. Everything was tasty. I loved the sauce, the carnitas wasn’t overly salty but there could have been more tots. The guy next to us had plenty of tots! Can you sense the jealousy? Kim’s French Toast was delicious. It was crispy, not soggy as many French coasts are. The mound of cream on top was great. She needs to go to New Orleans and have all the Banana Fosters! I’m down to go to with Ms. Downs. It’s a fun city!

February hike - check!!!

We are thinking of doing a hike in New Zealand on either of the two ports we have some free time at. We leave in three weeks. Stay tuned for our March hike.

Have you seen January’s hike location?

Related posts:
Let's Hike - Briones & Bonehead
Let's Hike 2015

We're Hungry Too on Instagram / Twitter

Big Apple Time

2019-02-17T08:42:00.001-08:00

This ‘Bappletree’ is headed to the Big Apple next week! I have always wanted to live in that city and the last two visit confirmed it. I am looking forward to exploring more of this incredible city.

I believe my first visit was in 2009 with the inevitable ex-husband who was from Pennsylvania. He didn’t have the same excitement for NYC as I did. We did the Empire State Building, Times Square, the library used in the Sex and the City movie and $20 cocktails at the bar at The Plaza. A quick 6-hour trip was worth it.

Nearly ten years later, my friend, Merk, and I met up with old friends and enjoyed more of what New York has to offer. We had whiskey, NY Pizza and Please Don’t Tell. visited Central Park, Central Station, Times Square, Wall Street, Rockefeller Center, Brooklyn, Ground Zero. Such good times!

This time, I am headed solo but a coworker might join me for the first night. I have reached out to friends there and on the east coast hoping they’ll come join in on the fun. I will probably do the tourist thing and try to go to the Statue of Liberty. Ice skating at Rockefeller Center, dessert at Serendipity and maybe a show. I will definitely be eating and drinking a lot of goodness because #WereHungryToo

What do you recommend?

Amour

2019-02-14T16:53:00.002-08:00

Happy Valentine’s Day to you! May you spend today with loved ones.

A special Valentine’s Day for those in an amazing relationship with their partner such as my beautiful Brides and Grooms turned married couples. I hope we celebrate your anniversaries for many years to come.

McElvy Studios

Contact me to plan your wedding and honeymoon.

While flowers and candy and cards are distributed, don’t forget to love yourself too. Past relationships have served their purpose and hopefully you have learned something from them. Continue to work on you, your happiness and well-being and you can give and love those special people in your life in an effortless way.

Now, how will you do that?

Personally, I love my life. I am not in a long-term relationship but I have and had a lot of love in my life and I know I am very lucky. It would be wonderful to have a best friend to love and spoil, come home to and join me in all my adventures as a One Busy Bee. If it’s meant to be, the universe will make this person be known and all will work out as it should be. For now, I’m doing me.

More travel and more yoga poses in fun places to come! I love that.

And take advantage of specials like this Alaska Airlines offer, good for today only! Let me know if I can help!

OBB Weekly - 2-12-19

2019-02-12T18:34:00.001-08:00

BULA! I have returned from a week-long familiarization trip in Fiji and it was incredible. It was so amazing it is all I want to write about in this weekly post. Apologies for missing last week. I was touring amazing resorts, stood at the bow of a boat and eating kokoda, my new favorite Fijian dish. Read on to learn more. I hope this inspires you to go to the South Pacific. I would be happy to help you plan your trip.

Travel

When I received the invitation to apply for this familiarization trip, aka Fam, I didn't hesitate. Fiji? The location wasn't even a top 10 spot on my list of places to visit next. But if it was going to be educational and a business expense, sign me up! I was one of six Travel Agents selected. I couldn't wait to go.

Fiji did not disappoint. Expect to be welcomed every morning, at every resort and even in passing on the highway or thru a village. You will see warm and welcoming Fijian smiles and a loud "Bula!" and/or wave. The landscape is beautiful, the water is warm and the food is delicious. But nothing compares to how strangers are welcomed.

When I returned to the States, going thru the gate doors, I immediately missed the Fiji spirit. I'm sure you will too.

See the video above of the welcome we received from the team at Tropica Island Resort. They were closed for renovations but welcomed us as if we were incoming guests. What an experience!

What other place welcomes you like this?
Have you been to the South Pacific?

Concierge

Your trusted Travel Agent can set you up with tours to experience what Fiji has to offer. We can partner with operators like Rosie's Holiday for transfers and unique excursions. Our team went on the Off-Road Cave Tour via an ATV. We went across a river that looked like chocolate milk, drove thru villages where the adorable children ran to the ATV to get high fives and explored a cave with only our headlamps on our head. We were in water up to our waist! Bring water shoes for this adventure! A change of clothes is also helpful. Don't even let a flat tire ruin your trip. This company had us back on the road in 15 minutes.

How adventurous do you like to be on your vacation?
Are you a thrill seeker?
Or prefer to visit the spa instead?

Event Planning

If you want a destination wedding, Fiji has it all. Exchange vows up on a hill overlooking the beach, at the beach or in a beautiful garden. The Outrigger Fiji Resort has a property with a chapel on a hill next to their spa. The Hilton Fiji Beach Resort & Spa has plenty of beach event space including a banquet hall with a wraparound patio on the second level. The Garden of the Sleeping Giants has an open lawn space just after walking across the platform over the pond. Say hello to the frogs on the lily pads and stop to smell the orchids.

Would you marry your Frog Prince in a garden?

On the beach?
On top of a hill?

Food

In California, it is common to see ceviche on the menu. Diced up fish or shrimp is cooked with the acid in limes or lemons. Add a variety of vegetables like onions, celery or tomatoes or other fish, plus coriander and salt. In Fiji, they have kokoda. It is basically the same concept but with coconut milk. And it is tasty! I had it with lobster for the first time at the Intercontinental.

Next, we were served tastings of it in soup spoons at the Tropica Island Resort. Then again, we had the pleasure of having a mini-cooking class at the incredible Liku Liku Lagoon Resort. See video below. I will definitely be making this at home.

Would you try this dish?
If so, which fish or kind of seafood would you use?
How would you make the dish your own?

Motivation

With all this travel, eating and stunning scenery, it makes you want to book your trip to Fiji, right? I would love to go back! Maybe with you! There is so much to explore, taste and experience. As a Certified Princess Cruises and Hawai'i Tourism Specialist, I think a Fijian Tourism certification makes sense for me to conquer next. After all, we did visit 12 resorts and ate at twice as many restaurants and dining establishments.

By the next OBB Weekly, I hope to have more news to share with you. Until then, think of Fiji, its sandy beaches, warm waters and an infinity amount of infinity pools to dip into. Maybe put a few bucks aside to start your fund. You have to start somewhere. Money returns. Time doesn't. Let's go to Fiji! Get jumpin'! Like these Fijian frogs.

Is Fiji on your top 10 places to visit?
When you think of Fiji, what do you think of?

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Bula from Fiji

2019-02-04T09:46:00.001-08:00

This One Busy Bee says ‘Bula’ from Fiji and apologizes for not having a OBB Weekly post up. I was on a 10:30 PM flight from LAX, missed Groundhog Day entirely and immediately did tours and hotel site visits right off the plane.

Now it’s Tuesday and writing this from the gym at the gorgeous Marriott Momi Bay, one of two resorts that have over water bungalows. We have more ahead the next 2.5 days and it’s been great so far. I am learning a lot, meeting other female Travel Agents bearing issues they’ve had and how they’ve solved them. It’s been a great experience so far.

To see more and immediately, follow me on Snapchat at bappletree. I had 8,000 plus photos to do write ups on and I expect to add at least 2,000 to this phone. Stay tuned. For now, this is what Fiji has to offer.

Let's Hike - Briones and Bonehead

2019-01-31T18:17:00.001-08:00

2019 Goals, I'm comin' after you!

One of the goals for this year is to get back to hiking once a month. This One Busy Bee and Travel Agent loves exploring new territories and getting a work out in. Then reward myself with a beer and good food, which sadly cancels out the work out. But nonetheless, it's time well spent in my opinion.

Trying to be a good granddaughter, I scheduled January's hike around taking my Lola to church. As a social butterfly like me, we were a bit late in getting out of there. Not to mention she had her walker to help her get around, which I nicknamed her skateboard. She thinks I'm silly. She is so right. After dropping her off at home in Martinez and doing a quick wardrobe change, I jumped in my car and headed to Lafayette to meet my roommate, Kim, and my Cuginos, Ron and Angela. Kim has missed doing hikes as she prepared for her Susan G. Komen walk in November and it's nice to do these hikes again with Rongela.

We immediately dove in with intentions of reaching the summit after a 3-mile hike up. What we didn't prepare for was a lot of mud the first quarter mile and a lot of up and downs. And they were pretty steep. During the so-called flat area, Angela wanted to run. This woman has done a half marathon every quarter before. I was just happy to have completed one! She was the overachiever of the day and I followed her for a little bit to get some running in. I haven't ran since the weekend before.

Yup, had to rock my Stella & Dot cap. Host a trunk show with me!

Kim and I did a training session with Irma at 24 Hour Fitness the morning before. It was Training Day apparently and Kim said she wanted to work on legs. What a silly girl. She was definitely hurting on this hike and the day after. She stayed behind with Cugino.

"Another hill?"

"How ya feelin, Kim?" That does not look like a thumbs up.

On the hike, you can see the Lafayette Reservoir in the distance, Mt. Diablo, the Shell refinery in Martinez and even Highway 4 towards Antioch. It is a dog-friendly trail and has cows roaming as well. We have hiked another trail of Briones Regional Park and the cows were not as friendly. I was a bit weary of them.

Angela sits at the top on the right.

Due to the many ups and downs, we didn't reach the summit. We were a bit tired and Kim was hurting pretty bad. Her motivation was the BBQ we were going to enjoy afterwards. We took our pictures at our then summit and headed back down. Again with the ups and downs!

The mud was dry by the time we reached our cars and we were so ready for Bonehead's Texas BBQ. There, you will find outdoor seating, tasty ribs, nice portions, a complimentary corn bread when you check in on Yelp with honey butter and has sweet tea. What more do you need? They also had a friendly staff and funny shirts. See the photo I posted. I'd rock that. Bathrooms are outside. Find the key in the bucket near the door. They serve beer, cider and cocktails. TVs are hanging above the windows, apparently they sometimes have live music and they recycle and compost. I'm OK with that and I'd go back. I really enjoyed the ribs, the available extra BBQ sauce comes in regular and spicy, their mac n cheese is heavy and I thought their collard greens needed a touch of vinegar. We went on a Sunday and it wasn't busy at all. I recommend it as a post hike destination like we did. You deserve it!

Not nearly as bad as doing a Warrior Dash event.

The next hike will be on the peninsula on Saturday, February 23rd. If you wish to join, please let me know!

Related posts:
Let's Hike - January 2017
Hike for Girls with GirlVentures - May 7, 2016
Let's Hike 2015

The Realest Thing

2019-01-31T11:38:00.000-08:00

“Yes. No. I want. I’m hungry.”

An ex of mine used to say those were the phrases I say most. Today, that still holds true. Show me a new opportunity and I’ll say yes. Tell me to do something that doesn’t benefit me or hurts people, I’ll say no. My whole blog is everything I’ve wanted and gotten. And I even have an Instagram account called @WereHungryToo. I would like to say I am indeed real.

My roommate, Kim, and I just happened to have re-watched The Sweetest Thing starring Cameron Diaz and Christina Applegate. Kim and I do road trips, go have fun and definitely talk about the boys coming in and out of our lives. We say the same things at exactly the same time and sing the same lines of songs. I asked her, which character was her and which one was I. She claimed she was Cameron Diaz. As the movie went on, I agreed that I was definitely Christina Applegate. I will be the one that says to quit being a p*ssy. I think I have more balls than most men I come across and I’ll tell you how it is.

I respect people that can be completely honest with me even though the truth may hurt me. What people don’t realize is that you may think you’re saving someone’s feelings or an argument but what you’re really doing is not giving them all the facts to deal with the pain ONCE. The offender may also fear that the other person will make a decision based on the truth that doesn’t benefit them. Well guess what? If you made the decision to lie to them, they have the same right to make whatever decision at any given moment. Including ask questions to fully understand your deception.

This post stems from statements that have come out of my mouth at one moment and then quickly realizing that that isn’t me. I said “I’m going to milk it.” I briefly thought about using the situation to my benefit until there wasn’t anything left. I could do that, but the thought of it makes me feel dirty, not a good human, it’s not me and I’d hate for someone ‘milk’ me for all I got. Moooooo.

I decided to not go milking and have an honest discussion instead with some info I discovered. I’ll let you know how that pans out. But other instances of when this occurred was with the last guy I dated. Oh yes, him. We dated on and off over two years about four or five years ago. Back then, he made good money as he does now, had the nice cars, said he’d buy me this and that. I never cashed in. I don’t need your money, TMM aka The Mystery Man. I got my own. You can’t buy loyalty, love and respect. So TMM came around again with the ‘oh, I’ll spoil and love you like no other’ proposals filled my head on the daily. Questioning whether this actually pans out this time, I thought, 'Eh, I'll milk it.' We would go shopping and went to the mall in Marin. He was going to buy me my first pair of Louboutins. The Neiman Marcus location didn’t have any but he gave me the go ahead to buy two pairs of shoes of my choosing. I browsed as my gorgeous Dream Man was on a conference call. I didn’t even try anything on. There were tons of beautiful shoes I would have loved to take home with me but I didn’t even bother. I didn’t want shoes. I wanted something he couldn’t offer. No milking was done. I couldn't do it! But man, I could have really enjoyed them as a parting gift.

But! In case you want to buy me a pair, I’m a size 6.

Will also take these in red. Please and thank you.

Thank you for reading. I hope this encourages you to be real. Real with yourself. Real with those you say you love. And real with every human you come across. Just put that positive energy in the universe and you will be rewarded. I am lucky to have wonderful friends like these. This is real.

Las Vegas 2017 with Christy

L.E. Winery with my #Instafriend in their private tasting room

L.E. Winery again with Nikki B.

Oakland Zoo in the gondolas with my nieces

Nelly & I at The Game 95.7 live airing at Schroeder's in SF.

Let's be real here. If we're going to be friends, we'll be drinking a lot of wine, having tons of adventures and I will even accept you, even if you're a Raider fan.

Jewelry by Stella & Dot

OBB Weekly - 1-29-19

2019-01-29T11:06:00.002-08:00

Where did this month go?! How are you doing with your 2019 goals? Thankfully, I am making progress. I hope you are too. Now that the first month of the first year is basically over, how are you going to make 2019 your B*tch? Pardon my French. Here is what's happening in this One Busy Bee's world and links to some articles to hopefully inspire you.

TRAVEL

This coming Friday, I’ll be headed to Fiji for my first familiarization trip (FAM trip) for a week. We will be staying in a different hotel every single night which will be quite exhausting with activities and meals throughout the week. This is a perfect destination as an Event and Wedding Planner as a destination wedding and honeymoon location. I am also currently researching all-inclusive resorts in Phuket, Thailand and the Maldives. I look forward to reporting back. Follow me on social media at the links below.

Have you been wanting to go to these destinations? Think over the water bungalows, beach, sun and relaxation. I have read so many articles on studies that employees don’t use all of their earned vacation days. You’ve earned it! Some would rather take the cash value but taking a break is good for you, your family and the company. Everybody needs a minute to recharge. Don’t burn yourself out. Trust me, I’ve done that. Even to the point that I fainted on the airplane when I finally took a vacation. That’s quite a story for another time but don’t let that happen to you. You’re more valuable alive, I assure you. Don’t kill yourself for a company that will inevidentely have to find your replacement. Don’t you know? You’re irreplaceable. There’s only one you!

5 Reasons You Must Use All of Your Vacation Days - VisitCalifornia.com

If you could go anywhere for your honeymoon or a special anniversary, where would you go?

Do you like to relax with beach time and spa treatments? Or do you like to be active?

CONCIERGE

I am scheduled to take my Napa Valley Wine Certification exam next month and I am NOT ready. I really need to cram this information and have to take it serious. With my 30 or so hours on the plane back and forth to Fiji, I hope to get some good study time in. I elected to take this exam because I had so much fun putting wine tasting itineraries together for my hotel guests as a Concierge. I had a list of wineries I would give them and the desk as tasting fee coupons. Contact me to get yours! I absolutely adore wine country and every time I go up, I say I want to buy property there.

The Winter WINEland event thrown by The Wine Road in Sonoma County was a lot of fun. I took my dear friend, fellow entrepreneur for ACT Language Schools and North Bay native, Nikki Bannister Taylor. You may have seen her in my previous posts as ‘Nikki B.’ We’ve been friends a long time.

Speaking of a long time, it has been awhile since I wine tasted two days in a row. I believe the last time was for my birthday weekend in Paso Robles in 2016. Nikki and I went to six participating wineries plus Breathless, a woman-owned winery with a woman winemaker specializing in sparkling wine in the traditional method. We started out at Kendall Jackson who had a Chardonnay I actually liked. Not a Chard fan. Then we went to Cast where Nikki knew someone. Their Zinfandels are delicious. Next we went to Ferrari Carano. What a beautiful property. Each location has food and bites. The next day, we enjoyed tasting rooms in downtown Healdsburg by visiting Rockpile, La Crema and Hawley. Shout out to The Wine Road and Hawley for the media support, retweets and re-posts. This blogger is so appreciative!

More on Breatless another time but see this article on the Coppola family. Yay to women in the industry!

Eleanor Coppola: Meet the Matriarch Behind the Movie & Wine Empire - Wineoh.tv

Have you been to an event by The Wine Road?

What do you love about wine?

FOOD

As I write this, it’s another #MeatlessMonday I am nine months in of partipating and it feels good. People ask if I can tell any difference. Honestly, I can’t in regards to my body but I know even the smallest change is beneficial. One of the differences I can tell is that I CAN do it. There are so many plant-based ways to get your protein and eat a little healthier while helping to save a life and Mother Earth’s resources. See the article below on going Meatless one day a week can help.

Florio, San Francisco

Pabu, San Francisco

Promote Meatless Monday

Have you considered doing Meatless Monday?

How about going vegan?

What is your favorite vegetable?

EVENT PLANNING

Beautiful photos from the wedding I did in December are being posted and they’re beautiful! And complete with a rainbow and we’re not even in Hawai’i! As an Event Planner, one thing not to skimp on is your photographer. These photos will be with you forever and something to look back at why you started the long and sometimes hard road of marriage. Plus, you’re spending a nice chunk of change already. Make sure every detail is captured.

I have two couples that are now divorced but I also have couples that invest in their relationship by listening to podcasts like the Smart Couple and those that are open to counseling. Marriage is a huge commitment and I believe you should put the work in before throwing in the towel. Not to say those couples that are no longer together didn’t, I’m sure they have. I was one of them! If you give it all you can, then you can’t say you haven’t tried. If and when you’re ready to move on, at least you can walk away knowing you did all you can. In the mean time, when times get tough try finding articles like the one below to find help and ideas to pull through. Wishing you the best of luck!

5 Essential Relationship Tips for Power Couples - PureWow.com

Are you and your partner a Power Couple?
What do you do every day to keep the relationship strong?

MOTIVATION

It’s Day 1 (right?) of bodybuilding.com’s first challenge of the year - #bbccomchallengeseries and I’m in it, along with my running buddy, Nelson, and my girl, Nikki B. (See, she’s all over this blog. Not sure how she feels about that.) As one of my 2019 goals is to get back down to 18% body fat and I have a lot of work to do. I started these challenges when a certain someone was training for their first fitness competition. I joined in with no intentions of competing in a bikini. But the results were me being the best shape of my life. That didn’t mean being super skinny and wearing size 0 jeans like I did when I was younger. The before and after photos were crazy. I didn’t win the prize money but I won the confidence and realization that by eating well, working out and having the support and friends to do with it, you can get results!

So here’s to the next 12 weeks and the additional challenge of keeping up with it with a week in Fiji and two weeks aboard the Golden Princess cruiseship in Australia and New Zealand. I worked out every day while on the Oosterdamn to the Mexican Riviera and didn’t gain a pound. While on my first cruise on the Celebrity Reflection, I gained ten pounds on a two-week cruise in the Mediterranean. Not cute and that is not happening again. I forbid it!

Want to get fit with me? Let’s do this!

The Only Two Core Exercises You Really Need - Shape Magazine

What are your fitness goals?

How do you stay motivated?

Do you need any help? I would love to!

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OBB Weekly - 1-22-19

2019-01-22T11:42:00.000-08:00

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." - Martin Luther King Jr.

Every time you turn on the news, do you feel it's often depressing by the terrible things that people do? Or even reading your social media feed, why do the good people you call friends fall victim to unexplainable acts? Does it make you angry? Sad? Motivated?

Our current President wants to exclude and divide, while I have been raised to believe that America loves and accepts all. My parents are immigrants, as majority of us are or are descendants of one. Had they not immigrated and taken advantage of the land of opportunity, I wouldn't be writing with the same perspective today. With yesterday being Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday and Oakland-native Kamala Harris announcing her running for President in 2020, it is time to fight back and make changes with love.

Heading quickly into the month of love and Valentine's Day cards and candy already stocked on shelves at your local supermarket, here are some things that have embraced change that people love.

Share the Love - Stella & Dot

TRAVEL

Sadly, I have a friend and fellow blogger that I have not yet met IRL (in real life) that was scared when President Trump was elected. He lives in the South and it seemed the white supremacists came out full force. Threatening and rallying pamphlets and flyers were distributed and I feared for him. You must have seen the crazy, multiple videos on social media of open acts of racism recorded in public places! How about the recording of a mother not wanting her child to play with another kid at the public park because of the color of her skin. I have seen many videos of verbal altercations between shoppers at a grocery store and orders to 'go back to their country.' I recall one even taken place in Daly City, the city where this 100% Filipina was born. That's US territory, FYI. This Pinay visited the South last summer and I was pleased.

Not to say there isn't still work to do, a lot has changed since the days of slavery. It made me feel extremely uncomfortable to walk the grounds and see the slave quarters were, then take a tour of the grand Boone Hall Plantation. I was with my 12-year-old nephew and he is half Filipino and half white. Though a sad place to be and he is now immersed in the South as a resident of North Carolina, I hope he can see that times have changed for the better and he supports further progress. We also toured Charleston, South Carolina and had a spontaneous trip to Savannah, Georgia. Besides good food, that Southern Hospitality is very real. For an area and people with so many scars, it's astounding at the level of warmth and welcome we received. I am a big fan. We didn't get to visit Atlanta but after all, tomorrow is another day.

Do you travel to places specifically for its historical significance?
Did you have a physical or emotional reaction when you did?
If so, what was that like?

CONCIERGE

"What should we do? Where should we go?" This was a constant question from hotel guests at the Argonaut Hotel in San Francisco to me as a Concierge. My response was a rapid fire of questions to help me narrow down an endless number of options. I would sometimes go into describing the different neighborhoods and what to expect. Rebuilding after the 1906 earthquake and again from the 1989 earthquake, the city has gone thru some changes. Long before the tech companies built bullet-shaped (or however you interpret it) buildings downtown, the Summer of Love in 1967 brought young folks from all over the world. I would always suggest the SF Love Tours for an intimate city tour in a VW Love Bus. It's a groovy experience. I would definitely mention to guests of the Haight & Ashbury. Some hippies had political agendas and were against the Vietnam War, some hippies came for the music and art and/or both. But it was about love. That love was brought back to their cities, states, countries and invoked change. San Francisco and the Bay Area is definitely a city where change can start. Thank you Oakland's own, Kamala Harris.

What city have you been to that embraces its history but was nothing like you imagined before arriving?
What kind of cultures or traditions have you brought back home with you?

EVENT PLANNER

There is nothing like same-sex marriage that goes hand-in-hand with change and love. Am I right? Or am I right? As a Wedding Planner, and one that has yet to work with an LGBTQ couple, I am in love with the amount of fierce support and persistence for it to be legal. Permanently. Having a total fear of commitment, it was so hot and cold for a minute but thankfully, California now offers same-sex marriages since June 28, 2013.

Were you always pro same-sex marriage?
If not, what made you change your mind?

FOOD

"You have a good appetite!" says my Papa Bear on my most recent visit to Maui for the Hawai'i Food and Wine Festival. I was trying not to take that as "Oh, Sweetheart, you're getting fat." My Lola on the other hand would say it without hesitation and a smile. What can I say? I love to eat. And I love to eat well. But I also need to change my eating habits if I am going to see major changes during this bodybuilding.com #BBComChallengeSeries fitness challenge. I am on my 9th month of doing #MeatlessMondays and I even tried going vegan two days a week for two months. I decided to stop the vegan efforts as I was going thru the sickness of my Bevo, my Boston Terrier. He actually ended up passing away the following day and I wouldn't have been able to go thru the stress of thinking about what I can and cannot consume (if anything) as I was just trying to keep it together emotionally. You can change what you put in your body for the love of your body, then it's crazy how the love and loss for your long-time companion and heartbreak can make you avoid food entirely. Just remember to love what you do, know that change is inevitable and possible and know that beignet isn't going to eat itself. Plus, it's not as tasty the next day. Seize the beignet!

Parish Café, Healdsburg, California

The Blue Mermaid, San Francisco, California

Greens Restaurant, San Francisco, California

What diet changes have you made this new year to help love yourself more?
Been to Cafe du Monde in New Orleans?
Did you go twice in one trip? Guilty.

MOTIVATION

I'm still thinking about those beignets. Aren't you? I am also still thinking about how much I am going to love the list of accomplishments from 2019. I have my list of goals for 2019 published, I am back to hitting the gym or being active at least six days a week post-half marathon, I have a plan to eat better (less the beignets), I have revived my Stella & Dot business and am working with my coach and I have to do my part to get some changes made in next election. Along the way, I am hoping to make this motivation contagious. It does make me even more motivated when friends tell me that I have inspired them. Thank you, Girls!

Inspired? Looking to meet other like-minded women? I am picking up my Women Wednesday events but it has to be in the Palo Alto area as my day job is now located there. Join us on Wednesday, January 31st at 7:30 PM at NOLA Restaurant. Contact me if you'd like to join! Limited seating available. Not hosted.

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#10yearchallenge

2019-01-16T11:48:00.003-08:00

There have been so many social media challenges over the years and I haven’t really participated. Fitness challenges are more my thing. However, the #10yearchallenge is pretty simple. I have been on Facebook for 10 years so photos were easy to find without having to plug in my external hard drive. Oh, the content on that thing! So here is what I posted.

I still get carded. Kim, my roommate, didn’t like the Southwest flight attendant that carded me but not her. She points out that she’s younger than I am. I also was mistaken for 24 by a Bartender I would see on a weekly basis for about a year. Carlos, you get major points. I’m 38 by the way.

Here are some other fun photos from around 10 years ago that I found along the way. Good times.

Halloween at the Saddle Rack in Fremont, California

A low key New Year's Eve with the pups

That ended up being a crazy St. Patrick's Day

Alice Radio concert in the park with my sister. Look at my crazy pup.

A friend's birthday limo

Bottle service at Infusion Lounge in San Francisco at the Meet & Greet Party with Donnie Wahlberg of New Kids on the Block

AND!!! It appears I have been blogging for 10 years. It definitely has not been consistent but this blog has been around since then. Please view and comment some of the old posts. I’d appreciate it!

OBB Weekly - 1-15-19

2019-01-15T13:09:00.000-08:00

Every day is a gift. I lost my Lolo, grandfather in Tagalog, six years ago. He lived with leukemia for many years. In his memory, I signed up for my first half marathon with Team in Training benefiting the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society that took place Saturday, January 12, 2019. It was at Walt Disney World in Florida. As a Certified Disney Travel Agent, it was perfect for this One Busy Bee. I was able to visit parks I have never been to before, do something big to keep Lolo’s memory alive and hopefully find a cure and help fund treatments for those with blood cancer. It has been an amazing journey.

TRAVEL

Florida gets cold! I initially packed shorts and planned to run the morning after our arrival with my running partner, Nelson, who also signed up with Team in Training. Our friend, Sandra Eudy, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease last year. With the time difference, I didn’t make the run. It was a bit ambitious of me. With the long day ahead of exploring the Magic Kingdom Disney Park. It was best that I didn’t and avoid the risk of getting sick for the half marathon. I doubled up on layers for that day and eventually rocked my unique Disney Princess tank tops the following two days. Thankfully it wasn’t 46 degrees the morning of the run. The sun came up and it didn’t help my time but I’m glad it wasn’t super cold. Be sure to check the weather often and pack accordingly. Like in San Francisco, dress in layers. It’s better than bringing a big North Face jacket everywhere.

Are you cold like me all the time?
What is the hottest and coolest place you've been to?

CONCIERGE

My time as an on-site Concierge has come to an end. However I am still able to sell my employer’s products. At Walt Disney World, there are so many options. One thing I did notice was Cast Members, what Disney calls their employers, walking about the park as personal guides. If being a Disney expert is your desire, let’s talk about adding this to your trip.

Another thing I saw were groups, besides the Team in Training, groups. I was traveling with a total of four adults and it was a lot of fun. I saw groups with matching but personalized shirts, backpacks and even groups from Brazil and Italy. Be sure to think about recruiting friends and family to join you your vacation. Group rates usually include discounts and special incentives. Plus, dividing the cost of a more spacious hotel room or suite helps keep costs down. Let me help you with this. More the merrier!

Solo travelers are big trend recently. Do you prefer it?
If so, what kind of travel do you like to do alone?

EVENT PLANNER

I would LOVE to work a Disney wedding! Disney does such an amazing job of creating a unique experience and having your dreams come true. Everywhere I turned had beautiful backdrops, space that didn’t need too much work to transform into a fantasy destination and their customer service is great. Whether you’re looking for a small elopement, grand wedding or elopement, Disney has it all. I even saw a couple on the half marathon that stated they were on their honeymoon. Quite the active future is ahead of them. I would be happy to be your Wedding Planner & Coordinating Cast Member.

If you HAD to choose, would you prefer to have a Disney character or Elvis marry you?

FOOD

Plan to get a Dole Whip if you haven’t had one. I first tried it at Disneyland in November as my roommate, Kim, loves them. I got mine as a float with pineapple juice. This time at Animal Kingdom, I opted of not getting one as I wasn’t too thrilled with my initial experience. But I had several bites of Kim’s and finished off Sandra’s as I think it’s better without the extra juice. I now know how I like it. I also recommend pre-ordering the all food items at the parks if it’s available. Why wait in line? You’ll just hangry!

Other spots I recommend getting reservations at Be Our Guest in Magic Kingdom. Dine in the grand hall, the West Wing or another room, plus you get to meet the Beast! I was super excited. It’s an excellent costume. The food was fantastic and three courses with the gray stuff. It’s delicious!

Outside of the park, go to The Boathouse at Disney Springs. Kim has the best crab cakes I’ve ever had. The poke, mussels and my filet mignon was fantastic. Cocktails were creative, service by Scott was fantastic, there was live music and we sat in a speed boat! So cool. I can go on and on about Walt Disney World’s food like the lazy river. Sign up to get notices of these posts in your inbox by adding your email using the form on the left hand side.

What is the most unique dining setting you've encountered?

MOTIVATION

Now that I have been to four Walt Disney World parks and Disneyland recently being more knowledgeable with first-hand experiences and finished my first half marathon without stopping, I am motivated and feel I can do anything when I put my mind to it. I went far - far east on the other side of the country and 13.5 miles to be exact. What now? Well, a Disney Cruise Line experience will most likely take place in 2020 and Nelson will be joining me on the next Bodybuilding.com challenge. I have a week-long Fiji familiarization trip in a few weeks and Melbourne, Australia and New Zealand cruise aboard the Princess cruise ship, Golden, in March. I am motivated to get this body in great shape. I have made it a goal to get back down to 18% body fat but I want to see some major changes. Once I have recovered from this soreness, I will be back at the gym before work. Want to join us on this journey? Before photos are needed to posted to your bodybuilding.com account by the last Sunday of January. Join us!

In regards to fundraising and supporting a non-profit, I am still waiting to hear back from Wonder Dog Rescue in San Francisco. They do a lot with Boston Terriers and I miss my Bevo so much. I might do another Team in Training event but I’m not sure. I will sign up for the Teal Run again benefiting ovarian cancer research. Kim’s late mother had ovarian cancer and there are very few fundraising events to support this particular kind of cancer. If you know of any, please do let us know. Kim has already signed up for her third 60-mile Susan G. Koman walk later this year. Sponsor her HERE.

It wouldn’t be One Busy Bee-like of me if I didn’t mention other recent goals. Besides my #goalby40 of having property on Maui, I have added buying myself a white 911 Porsche. And I have a goal of earning that incentive trip to Mexico from Stella & Dot. Would you like to host a trunk show and earn $100s in free jewelry and accessories for having a girls’ night? Contact me! My best friend said she’d love to be my plus one. We would leave on her birthday but she has to help get me sales. Maybe that will really motivate her to get her passport! If you haven’t gotten yours, what are you waiting for???

What is your dream car?
What motivates you?
Would you like to go for a spin in my (soon-to-be) new Porsche sometime?

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Glam Getaway Goals

2019-01-08T19:08:00.004-08:00

I said it before and here I am saying it again. I AM going to go on this incentive trip!

I have been a Stella & Dot Stylist for almost 8 years. It has always been a side gig and for fun to wear jewelry. Now they have handbags, accessories and clothing. Every year, they offer a chance to earn rewards. Yes, I like free product and what not. But this One Busy Bee Travel Agent loves to travel. Last year they were sending folks to Hawaii. Yes, been there. This year, they are sending folks to Mexico. Yes, been there too BUT, this ties into my new year's goals. I love killing two birds with one stone. Make sales, earn commission, save more money to put down for a down payment for that Maui real estate goal. This allows me to also earn a free trip. It's a win-win.

I obviously can't do this alone. The dates of the trip would be February 20-23, 2020. It just happens to fall on my best friend's birthday. If I reach the top level of the rewards with 60,000 points, I will earn a trip for two. I told my best friend that I would take her if she would help me. The deadline to reach this is June 30, 2019.

There are opportunities to earn more points towards these rewards. Sales now thru February 5, 2019 will earn double points. If I add Stylists to my team and they reach a certain amount of sales in their first 60 days, I can also earn additional points. So, do you want to earn some extra income and possibly an incentive trip? Let me know!

I actually considered not continuing the business but not now! It's another stream of income, which they say millionaires have at least seven streams. I have noticed in my collection of 1000 photos on my phone, I barely have any of the new products. Some pieces are listed on Poshmark (Code 'ONEBUSYBEEBLOG' to get a $5 spending credit as a new user) but I think I need to have a party at my house and sell my old pieces. Want to join?

So here I go.

I AM going to go on this incentive trip!

Pave Arabesque Earrings ($49) - My favorite. I wear them all the time.

Book an in-home or online trunk show with me! Willing to travel with jewels! Let's do it! Vamanos!

Some of the new January collection now available as of today, January 8th.

January Trunk Show Hostesses can offer their guests these discounts when spend $50 or more via their link.

OBB Weekly - 1-8-19

2019-01-08T18:06:00.003-08:00

It's a new year and a lot of changes have occurred. My draft for the OBB Weekly post for December 18th was made the day before my beloved dog, Bevo, passed away. This post in a step in moving on and forward as it crushed me. A part of me will always be missing and searching for his love, heavy breathing and snoring. I have modified that posting and adapted it here for the first OBB Weekly post of the new year. At the time, we were house and cat sitting in the beachy town of Santa Cruz for friends vacationing in Mexico. From their social media posts, they look like they're having a blast. Bevo and I always enjoyed getting out of town. Learn what you can do in Santa Cruz County! Thanks to the VisitSantaCruz Twitter and Instagram accounts for love on my posts.

Not Santa Cruz but not too far off. Bevo's last trip to the beach. His favorite.

Travel

I have been coming to Santa Cruz County for ages. My dear cousin swam for the Banana Slugs of UC Santa Cruz, friends and I have had beach days at Seabright and dinner dates on the pier took place with sightings of sea life below us. There is so much to do!

You can camp, hike, go to Roaring Camp for a private event and ride trains including meeting Thomas the Train. There are wineries, a downtown area where you can watch the Santa Cruz Warriors basketball team and visit Capitola where I send guests to see the beach house version of the colorful San Francisco Painted Ladies. Looking to learn how to surf? This is totally the spot.

What do you expect to do for a beach vacation?

View of the pier and the Beach Boardwalk from the Dream Inn.

Concierge

Now, no longer working a desk at the Argonaut Hotel as of Sunday, January 6th, I can still provide the same products I did as if I did. Hotel guests from all over the world mostly want to visit wine country, Napa and Sonoma, when they come to California. We offer tours to Yosemite, Monterey and Carmel and Muir Woods. Sadly, Santa Cruz doesn't get as much attention.

When guests want to do the coastal drive down to Los Angeles, I definitely recommend them stopping in Santa Cruz and visit the Boardwalk if they have children and Harbor Cafe to dine at a spot where locals go. Their huevos rancheros are delicious and they're always busy and dog friendly. Get their peanut butter cookies for your pup.

I had the pleasure of touring the Dream Inn located right on the beach, has the tallest tower in Santa Cruz and is walking distance to the Boardwalk and the pier. Talk about convenience!

When you travel, do you take advantage of the Concierge services if they are available?

Event Planning

If you're looking for a unique venue for a company dinner, intimate wedding and dinner reception, consider Shadow Brook Restaurant in Soquel, California. Way south of San Francisco's cable cars, take the restaurant's 6-person cable car down to the venue. You may take the stairs as well and enjoy the greenery and fountains along the way.

Shadow Brook has many different rooms with a cabin but greenhouse like feel. Get married under large skylights or near the Soquel Creek, have a company dinner in the cellars room or have a romantic table for two on a landing on a staircase with a view of their stone fireplace. They do not have room for a typical standing reception and dancing but a first dance and father/daughter dance has been done in the space near their proposed sweetheart table.

More write-ups on my Santa Cruz County venue tours are to come! Plus, they are much more affordable than San Francisco venues if you're looking to save money. You can have a destination wedding without having to book a flight.

Have you been to a wedding in Santa Cruz county?
If so, where?

Food

If it's not a funnel cake from the Beach Boardwalk, I seem to be consuming Mexican food. Upon arrival, I stopped at El Jardin and ordered their special of the day, a pulled pork tamale with rice and beans. What I really longed for was my favorite dish already mentioned, the Huevos Rancheros from Harbor Cafe. I called in an order and Bevo and I walked down to pick it up. It was just as tasty as I remembered it.

Not hankering for a deep fried Oreo or Twinkie? Other spots worth checking out is Oswald's, my friend's favorite spot. The Crow's Nest for sunset views and a busy bar with occasional live music. Lago de Como for Italian, who has the best carbonara I've had outside of Italy since I was there in 2016. Find out what else I thought was delicious there by clicking the link. This list of 50 Foods to Try in Santa Cruz Before You Die by Spoon University is also a great resource. Sounds perfectly fattening.

Are you a funnel cake fan?
If so, how do you like it?

Motivation

Some days I don't talk about my blog to anyone or on social media. Then I look at my stats and I have a good day. I would say I am putting quite the effort to add unique content and using my own photos given my One Busy Bee schedule. I have had some successes but would love to have the attention of other bloggers without paying for the attention. How do I do it? I have received some tips from successful bloggers and it takes a lot of time. Reading this article of 9 Proven Tips to Get More Social Media Followers is a good reminder (Search Engine Journal).

Almost a month ago, I invested some time in growing my Pinterest. I have 1,700 pins. Verbal Gold Blogger has 16,000 Pinterest followers. I have a sad 173. Verbal Gold Blogger pins graphics of her blog content. I don't have a header on my blog posts. Should I? I should also update my Advertise page.

What tips do you have to increase your followers?

ALSO, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my late Lolo. I miss our silly times like this. But definitely miss and think about you every single day. With wearing your wedding ring every day since you left to doing my first half marathon on Saturday in your memory (and in honor of other strong people like you.) I hope you're proud of me and I will try to remember just how blessed I am because of your love, faith and you praying for me multiple times per day. I love you.

Honolulu Airport - 2006

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Hike Once a Month

2019-01-02T13:01:00.001-08:00

Climbing mountains on the daily.

One of this One Busy Bee's favorite thing to do is kill two birds with one stone - be productive and have fun, drink wine but get educated, or travel to hike. I completely slacked in 2018 in getting many hikes in. But as it is in writing, one of my 2019 goals is to hike once a month. I have also signed up for the Bodybuilding.com challenge #BBComChallengeSeries and I want to be in the best shape of my life come March and boarding that Golden Princess cruise ship in Melbourne, Australia to New Zealand. January's hike is scheduled for Sunday, January 27th in the East Bay. Let me know if you'd like to join the group. The more the merrier!

Montara Mountain Trail, Pacifica, California

Lake Chabot hike with Bevo, supporting Kim in getting some miles in in preparation for her 60-mile Susan G. Koman Walk in San Diego, California. - Castro Valley, California

Bevo tuckered out in the heat.

Kim & I with goals to hike to the Hollywood sign. We were just a tad bit off. - Los Angeles, California - March 2018

Hikes: DONE
January 2019
February 2019

Happy Hiking!!!

Related posts:
Kauai - Day 3
Let's Hike - January 2017
Let's Hike - 2015

Yoga n Champagne

2019-01-01T23:17:00.000-08:00

Not a typical combo for yogis or wine-Os but it happened. I can't take it back. I am so far behind in posting on my travels that I need to catch up. Saved as one of the first photos in the Favorites album on my phone are these beauties. Yoga in Champagne, France.

I met my friend, Lisa, through one of the monthly Women Wednesday events I used to throw at my restaurant in San Francisco. There isn't anything this girl doesn't do. She's a yoga instructor, aesthetician and sommelier. I attended an event she was working and she mentioned she and her boyfriend were going to Paris. I jokingly asked if I could crash her vacation. No joke, I did, but I brought my dear friend, Mercedes with me too, plus mi Papichulo (a nickname I call a dear Puerto Rican friend of mine).

Before I fainted on the airplane to Europe (that's another story for another time), I thought it'd be good for Mercedes and Lisa to meet. Papichulo lived in Orlando so that we would be difficult to arrange. We had lunch at The Rotunda restaurant at the top of Neiman Marcus in San Francisco. Lisa invited us to both participate in a 30-day yoga challenge. Far from being a yogi and always down for a challenge, I accepted. As did Mercedes. We finished the challenge and holy moly my poses did not look cute whatsoever. Mercedes is always adorable so see her photos, not mine. But that is how these photos came to be. I have not progressed in my yoga practice but I do have fun taking photos in fun places, and getting my girlfriends to do it too.

Lisa & I, Mendocino, California - February 2018

Venice Canals, Los Angeles, California - March 2018

With Bevo - Griffith Park, Los Angeles, California - March 2018

Forestville, California - March 19, 2018

Lisa & I - Madame Tussuads, San Francisco, California - March 23, 2018

Taking a break from the segway night tour - Pier 5, San Francisco, California - May 3, 2018

Harder while balancing on a log - Yosemite, California - May 2018

First time this native has been to Mosaic Steps - San Francisco, California - July 4, 2018

Polka dots & heels & a wine glass - Grigich Hills Winery - Napa, California - August 10, 2018

Hearst Castle - San Simeon, California - August 11, 2018

Boone Hall Plantation - Mount Pleasant, South Carolina - August 2018

Teal Run benefiting ovarian cancer - Campbell, California
September 29, 2018

Yoga or Champagne?

So Much Travel!

2019-01-01T14:50:00.001-08:00

The first thing to look forward to is ALLLL the travel ahead! Helloooo, 2019. What do you have booked so far? Maybe our paths will cross someday at a bar with swings as bar seats in Mexico or having a crazy amount of whiskey at a pub in Ireland (planned for September 2020) or sipping on some limoncello in neighboring beach chairs on the Amalfi Coast. You just never know! I love meeting people from all over the world. Here is what is happening in 2019. Want to join in on the fun? More the merrier!

January - Walt Disney World - Orlando, Florida

I will be participating in my first half marathon at the Happiest Place on Earth with my good friend, Nelly, running it with me and our two chEARleaders, Sandra and Kim. I am letting Kim lead the itinerary as I have never been and she can show this Certified Disney Travel Agent all I need to tell my guests. The one thing I wanted to do was dine at Be Our Guest, but we missed out on getting reservations. Oh, I also want to meet Thor. We met Captain America at Disneyland in November 2018 and I fell in love.

Disneyland - November 2018

February - Fiji

This will be my first FAM (familiarization) trip through an organization. I usually plan all my travel as research and book meetings and tours to do a good job exploring the area and being able to report back to my travel clients. As a Wedding and Event Planner, booking their honeymoon to Fiji would be fantastic! Come February, I will be able to speak on the location from first-hand experiences.

Maui Sunset - October 2018

March - Melbourne, Australia & New Zealand

Last year, the first training I went after was the Princess Cruises certification course. It was fun to say I was attending the Princess Academy. With my completion, I was given a free cruise to again be able to speak on the product well from first-hand experiences. I chose the longest length and was able to bring a guest. My roommate is one lucky girl. I found us non-stop, round-trip and affordable flights to Melbourne. We will explore that town for a day before embarking on our Golden Princess cruise ship for a 13-day voyage. Upon our arrival back in Melbourne, we will have a spa day (exact location TBD) before getting on a long flight home. This will be the perfect way to Come Back New. My friend, Catherine, and I went to the Coronado Hotel and Spa in San Diego, California after our Holland America cruise to the Mexican Riviera. It was perfect.

MSS Oosterdam - San Diego, December 2017

Coronado Hotel & Spa - January 2018

July - Las Vegas, Nevada

2018 was a year. I wasn't able to join my roommate for some shenanigans last month, so this trip is a make up session. Plus, it'll be for Independence Day Weekend for this independent girl and though I've been to Vegas several times, some crazy fun is much needed.

Tao Beach - September 2017

Meeting new friends at a neighboring table from New York - Tao Beach - September 2017

October - Maui, Hawai'i

I am planning on returning to Maui to report back from the Hawai'i Food and Wine Festival as I have in the past two years. See posts HERE. I also still have my #GoalBy40 endeavor to own property on that gorgeous island. I heard that they are in need of good and reliable wedding planners. Attending these events have definitely helped me network and get some great experience, not to mention chow down on some delicious food by talented chefs. I love to eat! See just how much at @werehungrytoo as well.

Portugal, Italy and...
Wherever the wind takes me, I will go. I had tentative plans of going to Portugal but not sure I'll be able to fit that in with a new full-time job at a start up starting this week. My Navy cousin will also be stationed in Napoli, Italia so I would love to go visit there. The cutie I met while I was in Barcelona, Spain in February 2018 lives there. Maybe I'll let him take me out to dinner. A trip to San Diego is also an option to meet my sister there for a work-related getaway. I need to meet my two new beautiful nieces in Colorado and Nashville, Tennessee. And a friend is an professional ref. I might meet up with him in some odd part of the states to support him. We shall see!

I am extremely excited to be able to travel so much and see more of the world. I'll be One Busy Bee loving my life and welcoming to new adventures, new friends S(see example of that silly twosome below) and a crazy amount of stories to post here. Thanks for reading! I hope this inspires you to book some travel. Let this Travel Agent help you! Contact me.

Dancing aboard the MSS Oosterdam by Holland America - December 2017

Complimentary tickets to one of my favorite places in San Francisco - the Cal Academy of Sciences

Follow me on Instagram @OneBusyBeeEnt for travel inspiration.
Paris, France and Moulin Rouge for my birthday - September 2017

Jake the Horse made me have some feelings. Charleston, South Carolina - August 2018

2019 Goals

2018-12-31T17:38:00.002-08:00

Fort Bragg, California

2018 has had its highs but sadly it ended on a very low low with losing my dog, Bevo, that has been by my side for 10 years, to being deceived by a man I loved for several years. I loved him more than the man I actually married. But my dog, my co-pilot, the closest thing that would make me feel like a mother is gone. When you are so down, it's hard to look at the positives that has happened to me this year. But tomorrow starts a new year.

2019 will be my year and I will welcome whatever the universe has in store for me with open arms. But you better believe that I will be doing my damndest to get what I want. I may not have the best dog in the world, the love, the ring, the marriage or the Princess that that man promised me, but I will strive to live a full life as if Bevo is still here reaping the benefits. He was a very loved, spoiled and well-traveled dog.

Here are my goals for 2019.

Down to 18% body fat by the cruise in March in New Zealand and keep it there.
Pay off credit card
Build savings amount back up
Do at least three more weddings - 1 of 3 booked
Book at least four cruises for clients
Get media passes for two more events
Get at least 27,000 blog hits
Hit 1,000 followers on OBB twitter
Hike once a month - Done: Jan., Feb., Mar.
Volunteer to benefit Boston Terriers/dogs and keep Bevo’s memory alive
Do at least one other 10K race - Scheduled for 3/31 in San Jose, CA.
Empower more women - Women Weds., be more involved and be a promoter/supporter of women in/fresh out of bad relationships. - WW event scheduled for 1/30
Travel at least once a month - Done: Jan - Orlando, Feb - Fiji, Chicago, Albany, NY, NYC, Mar - Melbourne, Australia, New Zealand, June - Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, July - Las Vegas, NV, Oct - Maui
Heal, be patient and ready and love myself

Downtown Sonoma, California

What are your goals?