Starbucks You Are Here Collection Mug - Lake Tahoe

        As I mentioned in my previous entry, my husband and I traveled Lake Tahoe about six months ago. If truth be told, one of the reasons why we traveled there was we didn't have Starbucks You Are Here Collection Lake Tahoe mug. :)  There were some Starbucks branches around South Lake Tahoe, so we went there to find You Are Here mug on August 31. However, we were not able to find ones at three Starbucks we first visited. We thought that those were located in the tourist-frequented district, so people tend to buy local mugs there. That's why we drove to the next cities which were about 45 minutes away from the main tourist area of South Lake Tahoe. We didn't want to leave there until we were able to get this mug. As you can see my photos below, we were finally able to purchase this Lake Tahoe mug! :)  I'm going to share my Starbucks You Are Here Collection Lake Tahoe mug with you.


Starbucks You Are Here Collection Mug - Lake Tahoe

     Lake Tahoe is known as one of the best places for winter activity and is home to a number of ski resorts indeed. As you can see the picture below, the lake is surrounded by mountains. I think that the right side of picture is probably a snowboard. The left side of picture is a mountain bike biking up to the mountain. There are numerous hiking and mountain biking trails around the lake.

Starbucks You Are Here Collection Mug - Lake Tahoe

        The only island lies within Emerald Bay in Lake Tahoe is named Fannette Island.

Starbucks You Are Here Collection Mug - Lake Tahoe

       There are some gondola rides in Lake Tahoe.

Starbucks You Are Here Collection Mug - Lake Tahoe

        A sailboat on Lake Tahoe is pictured on this mug. The lake is popular for water sports and beach activities during summer season.

Starbucks You Are Here Collection Mug - Lake Tahoe

Starbucks You Are Here Collection Mug - Lake Tahoe

Starbucks You Are Here Collection Mug - Lake Tahoe

     Now, we have 15 Starbucks You Are Here Collection mugs!




    These are my entries related to You Are Here Collection Mugs.

Hawaii

Waikiki

Las Vegas

Los Angeles

California

Orange County

San Diego

Chicago

Dallas

San Francisco

Utah

Vancouver

Arizona

Phoenix

Lake Tahoe

Houston

Ohio

Pike Place Market

Seattle

Illinois

Texas

New Mexico

Twin Cities

Washington, D.C.

Virginia

Maryland



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How to Make Spinach Fried Rice with Garlic Butter Soy Sauce Flavor

        Yesterday, I cooked this spinach fried rice with garlic butter and soy sauce flavor. I really liked this because it's nutritionally well-balanced. It contained a lot of spinach, onion and eggs. I'm going to share this recipe with you.

Spinach Fried Rice with Garlic Butter Soy Sauce Flavor

Ingredients

1 bunch of spinach (about 1/2 - 1 lb)
2 large eggs
2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
1 onion (minced)
1/2 lb of pork (cut into a bite size)
nip of salt and black pepper
3 bowls of cooked rice
1 tablespoon of hondashi
1 tablespoon of butter or margarine
2 tablespoon of soy sauce



1. Cook spinach in boiling water for 30 seconds. Right after taking it out from boiled water, put it into iced water. Immerse it in iced water for several minutes until cold to stop the cooking process. Then, squeeze spinach to drain off the water. Cut it into little pieces.

2. Heat oil into a pan over high heat, and fry beaten eggs. Then, move the eggs onto a dish.

3. Heat oil into a pan over high heat. Then, stir-fry garlic, onion and pork until almost no liquid remains in the pan. Add salt and black pepper.

4. Add rice and hondashi. Then, stir them well.

5. Add butter, spinach and cooked egg. Then, stir them well.

6. Add soy sauce and stir them.

7. Enjoy!




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Emerald Bay - Traveling Lake Tahoe

       My husband and I went on a road trip to South Lake Tahoe on August 30 through September 1. It's been about six months since we traveled there. I didn't finish writing about it because I was very busy during holiday season last year. I cannot believe that my last entry about Lake Tahoe was written on October 2. Today, I finally decided to write about it where I left off. :)

       It was a very  beautiful morning on September 1, which was the last day of our traveling in Lake Tahoe. We woke up early and headed toward this inspiration point vista of Emerald Bay. This parking lot was not busy at all and was free. :)

Emerald Bay Inspiration Point Vista

Emerald Bay Inspiration Point Vista

Emerald Bay Inspiration Point Vista

          We were able to see Fannette Island, which is the only island in Lake Tahoe and lies within Emerald Bay. The scenery of Emerald Bay was breathtaking!

Fannette Island in Lake Tahoe

        Lake Tahoe is one of the largest lakes in the U.S. Some people were kayaking on this huge beautiful lake. I hope I will try kayaking there some day.

Fannette Island in Lake Tahoe

Emerald Bay Inspiration Point Vista

Emerald Bay Inspiration Point Vista

         There were some boats around Fannette Island.

Fannette Island in Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe



Emerald Bay

Lake Tahoe

          We were able to take beautiful pictures there, but I wished I could have stayed there longer. Anyway, we headed toward home. It was a log trip to come back Southern California.


Inspiration Point Vista of Emerald Bay
Emerald Bay Rd
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150



       I uploaded my YouTube video which I recorded that day.

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A Clover Reserve Starbucks - Starbucks Reserve West Java Preanger

         I received my Starbucks Birthday Reward this month, so my husband and I went to my local Clover Reserve Starbucks last Sunday. He told me that they had just released new reserve coffee, West Java Prenger, so I decided to try one. Its coffee aroma was fresh. It had rich taste but not bitter. :) We really love coffee which was brewed by clover coffee makers, which are only used at a small number of Starbucks Reserved stores. We wish we could have the amazing clover machine at home.


Starbucks Reserve West Java Preanger

Starbucks Reserve® West Java Preanger

The beans are grown on volcanic mountainsides so steep and remote, motor scooters are used to transport the coffee to processing stations. Heavy rainfall, high humidity and cool temperatures culminate in a multilayered flavor. The beans are semi-washed with multiple drying stages—further deepening the coffee’s herbal complexity and milk-chocolate sweetness.


       Starbucks Reserve packaging used to be black, but now it's white!

Starbucks Reserve West Java Preanger

Picture at Clover Reserve Starbucks

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Say GoodBye to the Big Island - Traveling the Big Island, Hawaii - Day 5

       Last day of our travel on the Big Island, my husband and I took a walk around our hotel in the early morning to take more pictures for our traveling photo book. It was a beautiful sunny day so was a perfect day to take photos. :)

Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay

          Despite a sunny day, the sea was pretty roaring and windy. I felt the sea spray from the surface on my face while I was walking there. The contrast of the black lava rocks, the blue sea and sky, and the green garden was so amazing. :)

Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay

Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay

Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay

Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay

Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay

Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay

Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay
78-128 Ehukai Street
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740


        On our way to Kona International Airport, we stopped by Rainbow Cafe to grab quick lunch. When we arrived at the airport, there were very long lines at the security. Many people were waiting in lines to get on plane bound for Los Angeles. Anyway, we were finally able to make it to the plane.

Kona International Airport

        After the plane took off, we were able to see amazing Hawaiian turquoise blue water from above. It's time to say goodbye to Hawaii.

       After five-hour flight, we finally arrived in Los Angeles. Our travel in Hawaii finally ended on January 4. 


Los Angeles

       While traveling the Big Island for five days, we had many priceless experiences on that beautiful volcanic island. We understood the fact that the Big Island is still growing through our experiences. I wish I could have stayed longer on the Big Island. If we have a chance, we would like to travel Hawaii again. :)


       My entries related to our traveling on the Big Island can be seen here.
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KTA Super Stores - Traveling the Big Island, Hawaii - Day 4-4

       Last night of our traveling the Big Island, my husband and I went to KTA Super Stores, the closest supermarket from Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay, we stayed on the Big Island. The huge Christmas tree was still decorated in center of the mall on January 3.

 

      We walked around the store and found so many Hawaiian products there. I'm going to share some of products I bought there with you.

       I bought this set of potholders and oven mitt. I have been using them since I came back from our traveling. :)

Hawaiian Potholders and Oven Mitt

      As I mentioned in my previous entry, we bought 100% Kona Coffee by Royal Kona and Lion Coffee there. We already drank up Lion Coffee (That's why I don't have its photo.) and was pretty good. Yet, this 100% Kona Coffee tasted much better!

100% Kona Coffee

Coffee Aisle at KTA Super Stores

       I bought this Big Island Bees Organic Hawaiian Honey. This honey was made from Lehua blossom which grows on the remote volcanic slopes of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa on the Big Island. This white honey has creamy texture. When I found it at the store, I didn't know that this honey was one of the most popular products of the Big Island. This honey has many positive reviews. I can't wait to taste this one!

Big Island Bees Organic Hawaiian Honey, White Ohia Lehua Blossom Honey 9 oz

        I also bought this Rainbow Falls Connection Hawaiian Macadamia Nut Honey. This honey was made from white flowers of the Macadamia Nut Tree which blooms only in the winter. As you might know Hawaii is famous for macadamia nut production. Indeed, I found some macadamia nut farm on the Big Island.


 Rainbow Falls Connection Hawaiian Macadamia Nut Honey 16 oz

        We also bought some fresh bananas which were produced in Hawaii. I found that Hawaiian bananas taste super good! Actually, when we first traveled Hawaii many years ago, we also bought bananas at a convenience store and had them at the hotel. We were surprised at how delicious those were at that time. We also had bananas as dessert at hotel on the day before leaving the Big Island this time!

Our Last Dinner During Our Travel on the Big Island

       We also bought a Hawaiian t-shirt and some snacks there. :)



 KTA Super Stores 

Keauhou Shopping Center

78-6831 Ali`i Drive

Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740

       My entries related to our traveling on the Big Island can be seen here.
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How to Make Creamy Broccoli Salad

       Tonight, I made this creamy broccoli salad. This recipe has been my favorite one for many years. Unlike people in the U.S., Japanese people usually don't eat raw broccoli. To me, raw broccoli is too firm for even salad. Anyway, I'm going to share the recipe with you.

Creamy Broccoli Salad

Ingredients

2-3 bunch of broccoli (Cut the head into flowerets, and slice the stem into 1/4 inch.)
4 boiled eggs (Peel and chop)
3 tablespoons of mayonnaise
1 teaspoon of mustard
nip of salt and black pepper


1. Put broccoli into boiled water and cook them for 30-60 seconds. Right after taking them out from boiled water, put them into iced water. Immerse them in iced water for several minutes until cold to stop the cooking process. Drain off the water from broccoli.

2. Mix mayonnaise, mustard, and salt and black pepper in a bowl. Then, add egg and mix them lightly.

3. Add broccoli and stir them.

4. Enjoy!

Creamy Broccoli Salad

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Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point

       My husband and I went to Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point to take sunset photos this evening because we really loved our photos, which we took at Newport Beach last weekend.

       We arrived there before sundown, but today was really cloudy evening. We tried to watch sunset over the sea, but we barely saw it because of cloud. We will try it next time. :)

Salt Creek Beach
33333 S Pacific Coast Hwy
Dana Point, CA 92629


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