SVong-Along

Before this year's wishlist (if you want to see it, scroll down) I'd like to reminisce about what I posted about what I wanted for Christmas in 2017 . Looking back, I'm thinking WTF. While I fondly remember dividing my list to make things simpler, my list was pretty dumb: NON-MATERIAL THINGS Happiness Generally, making time for things I enjoy/not taking life too seriously What? I need to wish for things that are more tangible.  Life Size 2 to actually come out in 2018 and be comparable to the original This one IS coming true, and I have yet to see it but based on teasers , it looks like it will be a trainwreck.  Quality time with friends and family  Little things not on my  #30GoalsBefore30  list, like getting meals or hiking, etc. Being in top 5 of Gumball Rally 2018 w/ Andrew FAILED - we got 13th, but it was actually still a fun day attempting to ride all the rides at Disneyland despite not being in top 5. Professional success/gro...

I was in Chicago last week for the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association convention, but managed to forage for some food that folks recommended to me in the Windy city. It's been over 4 years since I was last in the mid-west, but I still remember some food from my 1L spring break trip. Deep dish: Lou Malnati's  This pizza I had in 2014 was far superior to the sad one I had this trip from Pizzaria Uno. It took over 45 minutes for this individual size to bake, but well worth the wait. There was a sausage layer that kept the whole thing from being too soggy, and the crust was buttery and flaky while the interior was hearty. Peking Duck: Sun Wah BBQ I have traveled to China and ate Peking duck in Peking (better known now as Beijing), but this was by far the best Peking duck I've had in my life. My college roomie Chanrith took me here, and among the two of us we ordered a deluxe duck that was around $40. The meat was perfectly cooked, and with the...

The Nightmare Before Christmas by Tim Burton is a cult classic, and a fun holiday movie where you can get the best of both worlds: Halloween and Christmas! I'm a huge Disney fan, but I've only seen the Nightmare Before Christmas once, and it wasn't really one of my favorite movies, although I do like the overlay of Haunted Mansion at Disneyland between Halloween and Christmas. Regardless, seeing it with a live cast and orchestra at the Hollywood Bowl was an incredible experience. Buying tickets: This was almost a Nightmare since tickets sold out for Saturday's show. Luckily, I was able to get pre-sale for Sunday with my American Express Blue Cash Everyday  Card, and got tickets before only $200+ tickets were left an hour later. I was annoyed that Ticketmaster charged a $20 transaction fee, but generally glad I got verified tickets than risk buying resale or stubhub. Transportation: Josey and I took the Park and Ride Shuttle from Torrance, which was $12 round t...