Newport Mansions at Rhode Island

Yesterday, my friends and I drove to Rhode Island to visit the Newport Mansions - summer homes of the ultra wealthy in the 1890s until about the first half of the 20th century. It was a 360 mile drive (roundtrip) from New Jersey.

I was just overwhelmed by the mansions - not just by the size of the estates but the opulence of the interiors. Just absorb this - one mansion called "The Breakers" (owned by the Vanderbilts) for instance is about USD350M worth in market value today! Whoa...

We got a 5-mansion pass for USD23. But if you're planning to visit, better check the schedules online as some of the mansions are closed on some days.

Anyway, here are some interesting things about the mansions I really liked:

Rosecliff Mansion. Its ballroom has been used in several movies since the 1970s. Among them are Betsy (starring Sir Laurence Olivier); the Great Gatsby (starring Robert Redford); Amistad (starrring Anthony Hopkins and directed by Spielberg - the tour guide said that when Spielberg visited this mansion, he just said that it had to be the White House's ballroom in Amistad); True Lies and more recently, 27 Dresses.

The Breakers. Built in 1895, this was owned by the Vanderbilts (who donated it later on to the Preservation Society). Again, it has a market value of USD350M today. Other wow facts: it has 27 fireplaces; 70+rooms (33 of which are for servants); at the time the owners lived there, they had 40 servants - 20 servants for indoor and 20 for outdoor; some sections of the mansion have 22 carat gold embossing on the ceiling; there's a separate room for merely plating the food (its kitchen is just for cooking); there's a section for cutting and arranging fresh flowers as the servants need to supply the rooms with fresh flowers everyday; silverware are kept in a safe (as big as a bank vault!); the bath tub has 2 sets of taps - 1 set for freshwater and 1 set for saltwater and lights are dual-powered - by electricity and gas because power outages were common at that time. (P.S. Did you know that Anderson Cooper is a Vanderbilt?  Ok, I didn't until today when the tour guide brought us to the room of Cooper's great, great grandmom.) 

The Elms. In terms of opulence, this is similar to the Breakers. But what's more interesting about this tour is more information on how life was at the mansion was given. Ladies, for instance, changed clothes 4-7 times a day as it was considered ill-bred if they don't change clothes from breakfast to brunch to lunch to tea to dinner. During dinner parties, there are certain protocols - like you should initially talk to the person on your right for 15 minutes and when the next course is served, it's time to talk to the person on your left. When the owners will go to the garden, servants need to make sure that there are no footprints on the path. Servants have different stairways and hallways hidden in secret doors and walls as they shouldn't be seen by the family (only a selected few like the chef, butler, housekeeper and coachman were allowed to be in contact with the family). The house has also an intercom system so the butler would know which room needs any assistance - of course, there were shifts 24 hours/day. As you may have noticed, I was more curious in the lives of the servants than the owners since I can more relate to them! Haha...

But overall, It was really an interesing trip...worth the 6-hour drive (and not just because I wasn't the one driving! haha...).

Wine tour at Napa Valley & Sonoma

I was able to join a wine-tasting tour at the nearby Napa Valley and Sonoma while in Sanfo - about USD67 for a 9-hour tour (it's cheaper to book online if you plan to go - we were able to get USD6 discount/pax). We visited 3 wineries - Madonna Estate, Viansa and Cline - some of their wines are award-winning (but couldn't remember which one! hehe...). We sampled several varieties - Zinfandel, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon - but it's so funny, I couldn't distinguish one from another! I better stick to just drinking dessert wine. Haha... A tip I learned about wine storage from the tour is to never store wine upright. The wine has to come in contact with the cork to regulate the air flow. If it doesn't come in contact with the cork for long time, too much air will flow in and out, making your wine taste flat. Chardonnay, however, has to be stored upright.

We also stopped over the Sonoma county for lunch. It's a quaint village of houses with white picket fences and neatly-manicured lawns. Since we had a 2-hour lunch break, we had enough time to visit the county's historical sites (the photo on the right used to be a barrack but it looks more like Zorro's home to me. haha...).

At the end of the tour, just as when we boarded the bus going back to San Francisco, I was already in tralala land! Haha... I was actually drowsy and half-asleep by the time we were in the last wine-tasting session (imagine, we sampled probably a dozen of wine varieties!).

San Francisco

For 4 days in San Francisco last week, here's what I've been up to:

Sightseeing. On top of my list was to see the Golden Gate (it would be such a shame if I go there without even seeing it! haha...). My friend says it's been quite foggy lately (running the risk of not seeing it!) but at the first chance to go around, I was game. Anyway, the bridge isn't actually golden. The politically correct term is international orange.:) And the photo shows how thick the cable wires holding the bridge. Other sights we visited are the Crooked St at Lombard, Twin Peaks (best view to see the skyline), Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf, Palace of Fine Arts, Crissy Fields, Postcard Row... my only regret not being able to visit is Alcatraz. Apparently, you've to purchase tix at least 1 week in advance. So I just had to enjoy its view from a distance.

Shopping. I never had time to go to the outlet stores in LA but Sanfo made up for it. Hehe... We spent about 8 hours at the Gilroy's Premium Outlet Stores and that wasn't even enough to visit all 400 stores! Tsk...Tsk... But somehow, that's good too so my luggage doesn't go overweight. Ok, actually, it did by a few pounds on my way to New Jersey (even though I already left some stuff in LA... sigh...). The guy at the check-in counter asked me to remove at least 1 item. The scale actually didn't budge after removing a pair of shoes but he still let me through without any extra fee. Whew...

Food. We had to eat at the original Bubba Gump at Pier 39 (posing with Forrest Gump's shoes, suitcase and box of chocolates...hehe...). My friend says that Bourdin's is also a good place to eat - popular for its clam chowder and sourdough bread. We also had steak at Outback - my friend in Sanfo owes me a steak for some bet we did early this year so it was time to collect. I think I better make a lot more bets to keep me stuffed. Haha... I also had a chance to eat at the Jollibee at the Union Square area and ordered my favorite Chickenjoy and Pancit Palabok - instead of calamansi, they serve it with lemon juice extract in sachet. Sosyal. haha...

LA & Stanford

I'm on my Day 6 of my vacation in the US and so far, this is what I've been up to (too bad, I couldn't post photos since my memory card just malfunctioned! huhu...):

1. Attended a beautiful wedding at Portofino Hotel & Yacht Club (a nice boutique hotel in the Redondo beach area). I was part of a friend's entourage (my 12th time to be a bridesmaid! And you thought the movie "27 dresses" was exaggerated. Haha...) It was also my first time to ride a limo - a Hummer Limo:)

2. Shopping. I thought I wouldn't be tempted to shop because you can practically buy everything in Manila now but when you see the marked-down prices, it's really el cheapo. I was able to buy Old Navy shorts for only USD1.99/pair! Obviously, I go straight to clearance racks! haha... My new shopping discoveries are Michael's for art supplies, Staples for office supplies, Nordstrom Rack for shoes and accessories, and Ross for toys. Of course, I went to all-time favorites Target, Best Buy, Payless, Bath & Body Works, VS, Gap and Old Navy. I've yet to visit outlet stores. The only problem with shopping in the US now is that most local flights allow 50 lbs of 1 baggage only (worse, some airlines like Air Trans charges even for your first checked-in bag! Sob...) So you either control your shopping or shop a lot to fill up a balikbayan box for door-to-door shipping (because the cost of excess baggage in local flights can go as high as USD75/baggage! And so door-to-door shipping becomes more practical.)

2. Foodtrip. My first few days were a struggle because I had to control my appetite since I might not fit into my gown. Haha... So far, we've eaten at Soup Plantation (soup, salad and pasta buffet for only about USD8!), In-N-Out (a burger place), Denny's, Manila Sunrise (I actually ate bistek and mongo in LA! haha...), Farmer's Market (a nice, quaint place), Pinkberry (a yoghurt place), Marmalade Cafe (my friend's sister who works there said that the LA Lakers usually have lunch there since they just live and practice nearby but too bad, we went there for dinner!), Cheesecake Factory (we had Beef Ribs, Cajun Chicken Pasta, Calamares and a sinful White Chocolate Caramel Macademia Cheesacake!). Now it doesn't sound like I did any appetite control at all! Although I would like to believe that I did. Hehe...

3. Watched Wicked the Musical at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood Ave. It's the best musical I ever watched! I was expecting it to be a bit sad (based on the novel) but it was actually the contrary. Elphaba and Galinda's witty punchlines just stirred us to non-stop laughter. I was also happy to finally hear the songs on stage (as I've been listening to its soundtrack for more than a year now). Defying Gravity and Dancing through Life remain my favorites. (BTW, just outside the Pantages Theatre are the Hollywood Walk of Fame stars of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Bette Davis, Barry Manilow, etc.).

5. Stanford. Yesterday, we drove from LA to San Francisco (approximately 6 hours) and I stayed overnight at my friend's place at Menlo Park. They say Menlo is the Forbes Park in the area and when I kidded my friend, she joked that they are the poorest at Menlo. And that makes the rest of us like alikabok! Haha... We heard Sunday mass at the nearby Stanford Memorial Church mostly attended by Stanford students. And can I just say that even the homily at Stanford is highly intellectual. The priest made an analogy between a parable and parabola, as well as traced their etymology! Haha...

Just a tip. If you're traveling in the US or generally overseas for several days, it's better to get a local phone kit. I learned the hard way in my past trips incurring exorbitant roaming charges. Anyway, I got an AT&T phone kit at Best Buy for only USD14.99 - that includes a SIM card and a Motorola phone. That's about Php720 only. Really cheap. I topped up USD25 and got a USD10 airtime bonus after a couple of days' use. The charging model here is different though. Each day you use it, you get deducted USD1 and an additional 10 cents/min for calls and 15 cents/SMS (but take note, you also get billed for incoming calls & texts). Then, it's unlimited calls if you're calling an AT&T number . But don't worry, this is still way cheaper than if you'll be on roaming.

Anyway, more stories on my adventure soon.

Taking vacations

I used to not take vacations. Not that I didn't want to but I just couldn't. At the most, I could take 2-4 days time off. Then I had a life-changing realization - this was at the time when I had accumulated over 40+ days of vacation leave credits! How pathetic! Haha... But once I learned how to enjoy vacations (particularly long vacations!), there was no stopping me. For this year, I think I might even exceed may paid VL credits! Shoots! Haha...

But really, if you haven't tried going on a real vacation, it's about time to try it.

Also remember what the elders say -when you're young, you can't travel because you don't have the time and money. Then when you retire and have all the time and money, the sad thing is you no longer have the strength to travel! So find the balance:)

Ooops, the reason why I'm writing this by the way is because I am going on vacation! Be back soon:)

The Richest Man in Babylon

This book by George Clason is just amazing. It was first printed in 1926 but the principles which the parables contain are the same basic principles that most modern personal finance books promote today. A real classic - no wonder it still makes it to the bestsellers' list for business books.

Sharing with you some of the principles but it would be better to read the book and see them through the eyes of rich Babylonians (some of whom used to be slaves):

1. Pay yourself first. Save at least 10% of your income.
2. Do not overstrain or try to save too much or be afraid to spend. Life is good and life is rich with things worthwhile and things to enjoy.
3 Keep within budget.
4. Do not confuse the necessary expenses with desires. Satisfy your necessities and desires without spending beyond 90% of your income.
5. Invest your savings and grow them.
6. Invest by owning a home.
7. Prepare for your retirement.
8. Lend wisely and with caution.
9. Consult people who are experts in the field.
10. Treat work like a friend. Work hard (even if sometimes it isn't appreciated). Work well-done makes one a better person.

And here are some words of wisdom from the richest man in Babylon:
"Wealth, like a tree, grows from a seed. The first copper you save is the seed from which your tree of wealth shall grow. The sooner you plant that seed, the sooner shall the tree grow. And the more faithfully you nourish and water the tree with consistent savings, the sooner may you bask in contentment beneath its shade."

Come to think of it, some of these are the same words of wisdom which my mom gave me (which my lolo also passed on to her). I still clearly remember her telling me when I was just starting to work to make sure that I put a portion of my salary to savings. She said that no matter how small it is, just consistently set aside every payday. And I think I started with P500! haha...

Praying differently

Most of the time when we pray, we ask God to make things happen. An ex-boss and mentor shared another way to pray. Tell God what you want to happen and ask Him to teach you how to execute it. Makes a lot of sense. At least it doesn't sound like we're asking God to do all the work!:)

The convenience of eTransactions

I've been doing a lot of my transactions online recently and it's not just convenient but amazing. Last Wednesday, I was trying to buy tickets online for Wicked the Musical in LA (which I'm hoping to catch in 2 weeks' time). The purchase didn't go through since I had problems with the delivery option that I chose so I sent an email to the Customer Service and got a reply within 4 hours.

The only option for purchases outside the US was to pick up the tickets at the venue an hour before the show (by presenting your credit card, a valid ID and the confirmation). So yesterday, I decided to finally push through with the purchase. When I got the email confirmation, I suddenly realized that my name on my credit card doesn't match with my name on any of my IDs (you know how strict people can get overseas especially when your IDs don't match). I emailed the Customer Service again and got a reply (this time in less than an hour) assuring me that they've already added both my nickname and real name in their records. Whew! All my concerns and worries for a transaction across the globe got addressed in such an efficient way (more efficient than most face-to-face transactions here!).

Incidentally, for those who want to catch Wicked the Musical, the official website is at http://www.wickedthemusical.com/. It has runs in several cities in the US and selected countries.

What do other generations think of your generation?

Here are some interesting survey results when respondents were asked what they thought of the various generations (including their own). Find out what makes your generation a cut above the rest:)

Generation Y (age 13-31)
Most self-indulgent (including a majority of the Gen Y respondents themselves thought so!); Gen Y would like to rename themselves the “Internet Generation” (32%). They dislike being called “Generation Y” or “Millennials.”

Generation X (age 32-43)
Most innovative (ahem...); 2nd widely viewed as having a positive effect on society (ahem...); 2nd viewed as most productive (ahem...); 2nd most self-indulgent (nyarks! haha!); most socially conscious (ahem...) Gen X would choose to rename themselves “Generation Tech” (25%). They dislike being called “Generation X.”

Baby Boomers (age 44-62)
Most productive; most widely viewed as having a positive effect on society; 2nd most generous; 2nd viewed as most innovative; most socially conscious. Baby Boomers are the only generation which seems to like the name given to them (27%).

Silent Generation (age 63-83)
Most admired; most generous. The Silent Generation would re-name themselves the “Responsible Generation” (44%). They strongly dislike being called “Silent” or “Invisible.”

Greatest Generation (age 84+)
Most admired

The study was done by Harris Interactive for Charles Schwab and Age Wave last March-April 2008. The respondents totaled about 4,000 Americans, age 21-83.

Sunburned eyes

Did you know that there's such thing as sunburned eyes? I didn't until recently. Constant exposure to UV rays may cause early cataract, blind spots and skin cancer around the eyelids. And apparently, wearing dark glasses is not enough - this only blocks off the glare. Glasses should ideally have UV protection (although the coating also eventually wears off). Multi-coated lenses have the longest-lasting coating. Shucks, my cheapo shades won't do then. Tsk..tsk...

20 healthy fruits & veggies

Recently, I've been trying to eat healthy. Actually, it's minimal effort on my part because I eat almost anything edible and I don't mind if I eat the same food over and over. I can eat steamed talbos ng kamote or spinach even without any seasoning and with such gusto. Wow, I think I just described myself like some kind of a cow! haha...

Anyway, I came across this interesting article in Health Today entitled 20 Palengke Treasures. We probably already know that these foods are healthy but just the same, I'm sharing with you the list to serve as a guide when you go grocery-shopping:

1. Ampalaya (bitter melon). Spurs the pancreas to produce beta cells which in turn produce insulin. Known to treat diabetes.

2. Avocado. Though high on calories, it's rich in potassium, vit B, C and some vit A & E.

3. Banana. Rich in potassium.

4. Carrot. Good source of vit A, carotene and also contains folic acid, vit C, potassium, iron and magnesium. Its antioxidant compounds may help fight cardiovascular diease and cancer.

5. Cucumber. Not really high on nutrients but it's devoid of calories. It contains some vit A, C and potassium and the seeds are good sources of vit E.

6. Corn. Good source of thiamine, panthothenic acid, folate, fiber, vit C, phosphorous and manganese.

7. Garlic. Helps reduce the risk of heart disease, lowers blood pressure and cholesterol and slows down the hardening of arteries.

8. Ginger. It's an antioxidant. Helps lower cholesterol and cardiovascular disease. It also inhibits platelets from clumping.

9. Guava. High in vit C - 1 fruit contains approximately 200mg of vit C. It's also rich in vit A, potassium and high in fiber and contains lycopene. It has quercetin that bolsters the immune system and lowers the risk of cancer and heart disease.

10. Honey. Oops, I think this is the only that doesn't qualify as fruit or veggie:) Anyway, still a palengke treasure, honey is believed to be an antioxidant and antimicrobial. One study says that constant intake boosts immunity.

11. Kamote (sweet potato). Good source of vit C, manganese, vit B6 and iron. Good substitute for rice because it isn't transformed into sugar after digestion.

12. Kutchay (chives). High in vit C and iron, stimulates appetite and promotes digestion.

13. Lato (seaweeds). Good source of iron, potassium, iodine, calcium, vit A and C.

14. Malunggay. Rich in vit A & B, calcium, proteins and iron. Promotes good eyesight, aids digestion, facilitates bowel movement and increases milk production (for mothers).

15. Onions. Not high in nutrients but contains a wide mix - calcium, iron, folic acid, and vitamins C, E & A. Believed to prevent age-related changes in the blood vessels and loss of appetite.

16. Papaya. Good antioxidant as it is rich in folic acid, potassium, fiber, carotene, vit C & E. Low calorie content. Helps prevent diabetes, atherosclerosis (whatever that is!) and heart disease.

17. Pineapple. High in vit A and C, potassium and calcium. It also contains an enzyme called bromelain that helps promote digestion, prevent infection and protect against blood coagulation and certain tumors.

18. Soybeans. Contains excellent protein content, high level of essential fatty acids, isoflavone and fiber.

19. Squash. High in carbohydrates, vit A and some vit C, potassium, magnesium and iron. Has anti-cancer properties and may have the ability to prevent cell mutation.

20. Tomato. Contains lycopene - a good antioxidant and anti-cancer nutrient.

(Hey, before I forget, here's some disclaimer. My trying to eat healthy doesn't mean I strictly don't eat unhealthy food. I still do! Though I don't crave for it, if it gets served on my plate, it's gonna be hard to refuse not to! Haha... I'm still human ... well, ok with a cow's taste buds. Haha...)