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July 23, 2026

Visit Los Angeles: 48 Hours in LA, Day 1

 There's something exciting about taking a red-eye flight. 





We boarded Hawaiian Airlines the night before and landed at LAX bright and early the next morning, ready to make the most of our two days in Los Angeles.


After picking up our rental car, our first stop was one I had been looking forward to for weeks: Sidecar Doughnuts & Coffee in Culver City.


The stop was inspired by my niece, who is gluten-sensitive and had heard wonderful things about their gluten-friendly options. 


The moment I walked through the doors, I understood the hype. The display case was filled with the most beautiful handcrafted doughnuts, and everything looked absolutely irresistible.


I decided to try the Huckleberry, one of Sidecar's signature flavors, and wow... it completely lived up to its reputation!

The doughnut had a rich, cake-like texture that was incredibly moist, and the huckleberry glaze was both pleasing to the eye and my palate.  


It was easily one of the best doughnuts I've ever had.




Of course, after satisfying our sweet tooth, we were ready for something savory. As luck would have it, there was an In-N-Out Burger just a few minutes away, so that became our second stop of the morning. 


We each ordered burgers and fries, and my niece couldn't stop raving about the Animal Style fries. 


If you've never tried them, they're topped with melted cheese, grilled onions, and the famous In-N-Out sauce—and it's easy to see why it's one of the world's best off-menu item.

That evening, we headed to the Intuit Dome for the Forrest Frank concert, which was the main reason for our quick trip to Los Angeles. 






The venue itself was incredible—modern, clean, with state of the art technology. Forrest Frank put on an amazing show, and the positive energy from the crowd made the experience even more memorable.





One thing to note if you're attending an event at Intuit Dome: be prepared for arena prices when it comes to food and drinks. Everything was noticeably expensive, so you may want to grab a meal before heading inside.

$17.50 Veggie Burger

From incredible doughnuts and classic California burgers to an unforgettable concert, our 48 hours in Los Angeles was off to a fantastic start.

Stay tuned for Day 2, where we'll continue exploring more of LA's food scene and attractions!





📍 Sidecar Doughnuts & Coffee (Culver City)
10705 Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232 

📍 In-N-Out Burger
9245 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90034

📍 Intuit Dome
3930 W Century Blvd, Inglewood, CA 90303










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Musubi Cafe Iyasume

I love stopping at Musubi Cafe Iyasume at Waikiki Beach Walk whenever I'm staying in Waikiki. They have a nice variety to choose from!


A musubi makes for an affordable meal, especially in Waikiki. What we got ranged in price from $2.48 (Umeboshi) to $4.98 (Eel, Avocado, Egg, SPAM). The total for everything pictured was $34.

From top L-R:
  • Umeboshi
  • Spicy Tuna Mayo
  • Avocado Bacon Egg SPAM
  • Bacon Egg SPAM
  • Black Pepper Cheese SPAM
  • Eel Avocado Egg SPAM
  • Teriyaki SPAM
  • Shrimp Avocado 
  • Egg SPAM 

Musubi Cafe Iyasume
227 Lewers St
Honolulu, HI 96815

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July 22, 2026

Visit Las Vegas - Rock Shot Bingo!

Jello shots for the win!

My coworker shared that she had so much fun at Rock Shot Bingo that I knew I had to add it to my Las Vegas itinerary! Definitely not you normal bingo where you keep talking to a minimum, this hour of fun is themed and includes a live DJ! Rock Shot Bingo is held on varying weekends at the five Station Casinos: Red Rock Resort, Green Valley Ranch, Palace Station, Boulder Station, and Santa Fe Station. 

We attended a session at the Green Valley Ranch. Doors open an hour before the 9pm session and I highly recommend you get there early if you want your group to sit together. Each game has a $100 prize with the last coverall game prize of $1000! 

There is a $35 minimum buy in per person and includes 10 Games/50 Cards. It's all electronic cards so you will need to watch your screen for BINGO because you certainly won't hear any numbers being called out. The session also includes drinks and if there is a winner on your table, the entire table gets free jello shots. We had five winners on our table which meant a lot of jello shots! Rock Shot Bingo was definitely a highlight of our Vegas trip!

 


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Visit Anchorage: Alaska Sausage & Seafood

We stopped at Alaska Sausage & Seafood for omiyage.  

They offer a nice selection of sausages, smoked fish, and more.

There are even samples for you to try!


They also process and pack fish and game that you may catch!  

At the shop you'll find lots of European-made goods, as the original owner was from Europe.


Definitely stop in for some omiyage!

Alaska Sausage & Seafood
2914 Arctic Blvd
Anchorage, AK 99503
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July 21, 2026

Visit Las Vegas: Moignet Café





Moignet - Mochi Beignet

Home of the viral mochi beignet and the even tastier mango mochi, Moignet Café is a great place to get sweet treats in Las Vegas. Located in Las Vegas' Chinatown, the café offers a variety of breakfast sandwiches, lattes, and desserts.

The moignet is a blend of fresh mochi beignet dough filled with house-made mochi filling and dusted with matcha powdered sugar. You can also ask for regular powdered sugar. The moignets come in orders of 6 or 12 and you can choose to purchase sauces: yuzu, strawberry, or chocolate.

The mango mochi was definitely my favorite. It is a large piece of mango with cream wrapped in a sheet of soft mochi. 100% recommend! Service was super friendly, but expect to stand in a long line. Inside and outside seating available to enjoy your treats.

I loved the Mango Mochi!

Moignet: A Social Cafe
3500 S Wynn Rd, Las Vegas NV 89103


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Free Small Tomato Bisque Promo at Aloha Salads - Town Center of Mililani


Earlier this month I went to Aloha Salads after stumbling across Kelly Simek's Living 808 TV's promo, in which you can get a free small tomato bisque with the purchase of two entrées when you order online and use code LIVING808 (valid at the Town Center of Mililani only).

Everything was fresh and delish!

Kamuela Cobb

Pastrami Melt

Club Sub

Grilled Steak Wrap

Chicken Pesto Sandwich

Tomato Bisque


I love how Aloha Salads has been supporting local farmers and fishermen ever since they opened up their first location in Kailua 20 years ago.

Aloha Salads
Town Center of Mililani
95-1249 Meheula Pkwy Suite No A107
Mililani, HI 96789
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July 20, 2026

Visit Alaska: Mirror Lake

On the way to Eklutna Lake, we passed a sign for Mirror Lake, so on the way back, we made a stop so we could check it out.

We saw several families picnicking and fishing, and it's a popular spot where people go paddle boarding, kayaking, and canoeing thanks to calm waters.  
And yes, it is aptly named mirror lake.
Capturing shots with the reflections makes for stunning photos!

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