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Showing posts from December, 2011

Grand Hyatt San Francisco (Review)- San Francisco, CA

The Grand Hyatt San Francisco was our pick for the Bay Area trip we took in early April. At the time, the hotel was still under renovation, and recent reviews on the hotel were average. The rates however, were much better compared to the other Hyatts in the area. This was surprising since this hotel has the "Grand Hyatt" branding, yet companies like Zagat rate this hotel below the other Hyatt properties in the area, which include the Hyatt at Fisherman'sWharf and the Hyatt Regency. (Check-In Area) (Elevators) (Information) The lobby was quite dark when we arrived, and everything had a yellow tint. However, during the day, sunlight flowed through the windows and created a much brighter environment. (Concierge) Our check in experience was fine; the employees were friendly, if not as professional as in some other hotels. Joanna Husk, the concierge (also part of Les Clefs d'Or Concierge) which helped us later during our stay, was really helpful in providing

Boudin SF- Irvine, CA

One of my first introductions to the Irvine outside of UC Irvine was a conference that I attended two years ago. You can see some of the posts I wrote about it by clicking HERE . Well this year, I attended the same conference again, and we had to find a place for breakfast. After looking at the dismal options at the Cafe inside the Hyatt Regency (a good thing: a small cup of coffee is 1.50 USD there), we headed out mindlessly to find some restaurant. It did not take long for us to find Boudin SF, which was just right across the street from the hotel's main entrance. There, it was like a smaller version of Boudin at San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf ; there was yet again another window display of a baker at work, a line to purchase food, a large display of various breads, and a large sitting area to enjoy the food. Since it wasn't sunny indoors, I could capture the baker working without getting much glare from the window. The Boudin SF concept is similar to that of

Happy Holidays!

Wishing all a merry Christmas and a happy holiday! All the pictures in this post were taken at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden in Arcadia, California; the grounds have been closed since early December due to the windstorm, but on Monday, December 26, 2011, the Arboretum will be open to the public again. Workers and volunteers (like me) have been working hard to bring back the Arboretum's splendor. Go visit and take lots of pictures, just like I did a month ago for these pictures. I have more pictures of the Arboretum which you can see by CLICKING HERE .  (Disclosure: This post was written on my own interest and for your information. Besides, we need some holiday-like pictures on the blog.) Thanks for visiting. This week's post is on Bistro Boudin in San Francisco , if you have not read it already. 

Bistro Boudin- Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco, CA

After reading David Ng's article on Boudin , I reminded myself to visit the Fisherman's Wharf location on a future trip to San Francisco. So, after visiting UC Berkeley, we promptly went back to San Francisco for a late lunch at Boudin. The Fisherman Wharf's location is a prime tourist spot; its glass windows and prominent logos make it distinctive among the other buildings in the area, and it houses five different sections: Peet's Coffee and tea, Baker's Hall, Bistro Boudin, Boudin Museum & Bakery Tour, and Bakery & Bakeshop. There is plenty to see and do in just this confined area! We skipped viewing most of the building and went upstairs to Bistro Boudin, a full-service restaurant. One will pay a premium at Bistro Boudin for its full-service capabilities, dining environment, cutlery, and additional items on the menu. Several selections, however, are the same as those of Bistro Boudin, but  presented in a more casual manner. Paper or