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Poblete Family Blog

Welcome to the Poblete Family Blog, an online journal of our family's thoughts, reflections and experiences. Scroll down below to read up on the latest and greatest regarding our family get-togethers, activities, and trips.

Back to the Manila Lifestyle

After spending the weekend away from civilization, Ron, Carole, Richelle, and Patrick returned to the city for more shopping, eating, shopping, and eating. They first went on the filipino fast food experience eating at McDonalds and Burger King. Come to find out the menus at these american fast food establishments actually cater to the filipino lifestyle serving rice, chicken and gravy (Chicken McDo) and filipino spaghetti (McSpaghetti) and even serve your typical filipino breakfast menu of eggs, rice and choice of corn beef, spam or bacon. Burger King also caters to the cellphone texting lifestyle here providing free cellphone charging stations as well as iPod and PSP chargers. They also experienced the ultimate shopping experience at the 2nd largest shopping mall in the Philippines called the "SM Mall of Asia" (1st largest being the SM City North EDSA). The mall attracts a daily foot traffic of 200,000 people and also features the first ever IMAX theater in the country (one of the world's biggest IMAX screens in 3D) and also the Philippines's first Olympic-sized ice skating rink.

After hanging out for a few hours at the "SM Mall of Asia" and strolling along the "Seaside Boardwalk" along Manila Bay to watch the sunset, they joined the rest of the family at the "Seaside Seafood Paluto Restaurants" on Macapagal Blvd. They ate at "Aling Tonya's Seafood Palutuan" for some fresh seafood where you hand pick the seafood you want and the restaurant cooks and serves it to you. It was a very nice evening spent with their first cousins and a great opportunity to bond with them.

There was plenty more shopping and eating that took place as they went back to the "Green Hills Shopping Center" to shop for gifts (pasalubong) for the kids and co-workers back home. Carole and Richelle also found time to get their hair done at the "Ricky Reyes Beauty Salon". After all the shopping, they ate again and had lunch with their old friend Marla and her daughter and ordered pizzas at the "Yellow Cab Pizza Company." The Chicken BBQ Pizza was their favorite. After lunch they had the opportunity to visit the Net-25 Studios and sat in on the taping of the television show "Spoons" and met former actress and star host of "Spoons" Janice De Belen and her studio guests actress Yasmien Kurdi and the musical guests that performed on the show. Check out all the photos of them experiencing the Manila Lifestyle!

Posted on July 1, 2009 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

Paradise Found

After the long day's drive from Manila, Auntie Auring, Ron, Carole, Julie, Richelle, Patrick, and Peter finally arrived at the "La Luz Beach Resort" in San Juan, Batangas. They arrived just in time for dinner and immediately after their meal proceeded to their suite. Their "Premiere Loft Suite" was able to accomodate them all as it housed 4 beds downstairs and 3 more beds upstairs in the loft. They all retired to their beds for a good nights sleep, only to wake up the next morning to a beautiful sunrise view on the beach.

The "La Luz Beach Resort" is a beautiful private beach resort right on Sabangan Bay. The staff was friendly and the services they provided were great. The resort provided plenty of palm-thatched cabana huts and lounge chairs with umbrellas along the beach where you can relax, take a nap, or pamper yourself with a massage, manicure, and pedicure right by the sandy beach.

Unlike in the city where all you do is shop, eat, shop, and eat again, here at the resort you basically rest, eat, rest, and eat again! As part of the package, guests are served breakfast, lunch, dinner, and also a light snack (or "marienda") in the afternoon during their stay. Meals are served buffet style with a variety of filipino dishes that was so delicious that you had to go back for more.

As the ladies pampered themselves at the cabanas, Ron and Patrick ventured out and hiked around the resort's surroundings to take photos of the beautiful scenery. For anyone wanting to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, the "La Luz Beach Resort" is a nice place to stay. Beautiful private beach, spacious rooms, buffet meals, friendly and accomodating staff, and plenty of services and activities are what you will find here. There were alot of photos taken to check out of this beautiful paradise found at this resort. A resort so far away from civilization with no internet and television that it wasn't known until after they left the resort that the "King of Pop" Michael Jackson had past away.

Posted on June 30, 2009 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

The Drive to Batangas

After their ritual morning breakfast at the Fior Cafe in the Torre Venezia Hotel, Ron, Carole, Richelle, and Patrick were picked up by their driver Peter and Auntie Auring. It had rained the night before and in the morning hours of the day they would travel away from the big city to the rural province areas of Cavite and Batangas. As they left Manila the scenery had changed quickly. Coconut and banana trees, green pastures, rice fields, fish ponds, small stores and small makeshift homes where these humble people lived were the images seen along the way. Cavite City was their first stop to pick up Carole's sister Julie. The reunion of the two siblings was quite touching as they were finally reunited after 27 years.

After a short lunch they headed back on the roads through the small towns of Batangas. The roads were not as conjested as in Manila but these passengers were in good hands as "Transporter Peter" drove through the mayhem of tricycles, buses, and jeepneys that occupied the roads. They made a brief stop in town of Tagaytay at the Taal Vista Hotel for a quick glimpse and photo op of Lake Taal and the still active Taal Volcano. They then proceeded to San Juan, Batangas to the beach resort where they were to get some rest and relaxation and get pampered for the next few days. Check out the photos of their long journey and the sights along the way.

Posted on June 29, 2009 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

Big City Life in Manila

First impression you may have is "Wow, this sure isn't home!" Life in the city and in the Philippines overall is quite different. Things we take for granted in the U.S. may not come so easy here. The way of life seems simple and easy going yet people here work hard doing anything they can to make ends meet. Experiencing life here first hand really makes you appreciate the finer things in life. A very humbling experience indeed!

Like any other big metropolitan city, the cities in Manila have its share of tall buildings, commercial businesses, restaurants and traffic. Getting around the city is not a problem because the streets are filled with tricycles, taxis, buses and most of all jeepneys. (Talk about "Pimp my Ride".) Luckily for these first time visitors, Auntie Auring hired Ron, Carole, Richelle, and Patrick their own personal driver name Peter (or who they liked to call him, "The Transporter" or "Transporter Peter")...and boy can Peter drive!

All there is to do in the city is shop, eat, shop, and eat again. You'll find plenty of street vendors and markets along the city streets. Shopping malls are also all around the city. And because the value of the dollar to the peso goes along way, you can really shop until you drop. "Transporter Peter" dropped these vacationers off at the SM Super Malls and at the Green Hills Mall to get the best bargains.

But you cannot go shopping without eating, and eating is what they did! A few of the restaurants they ate at were "Dencio's" with Auntie Auring and cousin Boom; "Icebergs" with Carole's longtime friend Bojet; and twice at "Jay-J's Chicken Inasal", once with Patrick's cousins Jennifer and Ann and a second time with Bojet and his wife Beth. Check out the photos of big city life in Manila. Next destinations, traveling the roads through the small towns in the provinces of Cavite and Batangas.

Posted on June 27, 2009 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

Modern Living in the Big City

Arrived in the Philippines safe and sound yet tired from the long flight from the United States. Ron, Carole, Richelle and Patrick stepped off the plane into Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila around 10PM (Philippines Time) and were picked up by their Auntie Auring, cousin Jun, and their hired driver Peter. They were dropped off at the "Torre Venezia Hotel" in Quezon City which was to be their home for the next few weeks. After unpacking their luggages they all drop dead from the lack of sleep during their travels.

As morning came, they were welcomed by a beautiful pink sunrise which was their first real glimpse of the Philippines. The view was awesome from their deluxe 2 bedroom loft on the 25th floor. (Ron and Carole taking the larger master bedroom, Richelle in the smaller bedroom while Patrick camped out on the livingroom sofa.) The room had a modern decor and was equipped with a kitchen, 2 bathrooms, A/C, cable television, and wi-fi internet access. The hotel itself had all the amenities one could ask for such as a fitness gym, swimming pool, landscaped walkways and gazebos to relax and lounge at. Located on Timog Avenue (corner of Scout Santiago Street) in Quezon City, the Torre Venezia is close to major shopping malls, restaurants, and entertainment venues. But right on the hotel premises itself conveniently houses the "Fior Cafe" which offers hotel residents free breakfast every morning. (Typical filipino breakfast with fried egg, garlic fried rice, choice of longanisa, tocino, tapa, ham, sausage, or corned beef, and coffee.) A 7-11 type convenience store called "Kaycees" is located right outside the hotel lobby where you will find everything you may need from toothpaste to laundry soup to snacks or groceries that you can take up to your room. The "Nailcraft Foot and Hand Spa" is also located in the building and offers a variety of spa treatments as well as the "Calayan Surgicenter Care" offering cosmetic and dermatological care.

Accomodations are great however there are a few not so great experiences such as the slow elevator ride to your floor and the stuffiness in the un-airconditioned hotel hallways. Nonetheless the pros do outways the cons and if you are ever in the Quezon City area in Manila and looking for a place to stay, you may consider staying at the "Torre Venezia Hotel". Check out the photos and see for yourself. Next stop, conquering the fast paced city life. Stay tuned for the next blog entry as these vacationers experience shopping, eating, and getting around in the big cities of Manila!

Posted on June 24, 2009 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

Fil-Am Kids Philippines Bound

First generation Filipino-American born Poblete kids, Ron and Richelle finally headed to the Philippines for the very first time in their lives. This was also an exciting trip for Carole who had not been back home to her native country in over 27 years and finally had this an opportunity to see her older sister Julie who she hasn't seen since she left. Patrick also came along on the trip and together they journeyed on a 16 hour flight to this country in southeast Asia. A country full of culture, different foods and a different way of life then they are use to in the United States.

Flying out of San Diego's Lindberg Field to Los Angeles International Airport, they boarded the huge 747 Jumbo Jet on Japan Airlines bound for their layover stop in Toyko Japan. The 12 hour flight to Japan was not bad and the seats although in the "Economy" class was pretty comfortable and had all the amenities such as video on demand, video games, and a variety of audio music to keep you entertained. Being that it was a long international flight, several full course meals with dessert were served which was actually pretty good and quite filling! Choice of Chicken Terikayi or Halibut with Pasta was served for the first meal. The second meal was another pasta dish with crab salad. In between meals, snacks were also provided. Not your typical peanuts were served on Japan Airlines but rather a tasty oriental mix of crackers was given with your choice of drink. Japan Airline's signature citrus drink "Skytime" was the favorite. To keep the blood flowing through their legs several trips to the makeshift lounge where the stewardess prepared the meals was the hang out place to stretch your legs and also get a drink.

After a 2 hour layover at Japan's Narita International Airport in Tokyo, Japan, they boarded once again for another four hour trip to Ninoy Aquino International Airport. But instead of seating in "Economy" class, they ended up in "Business" class. Each seat had more space and leg room, equipped with slide out video screen, and the seats reclined almost horizontally. In fact, the seats were so comfortable that Carole skipped her meal and slept all the way to Manila. One cool thing about the flight was the video screens gave you the Pilot's view of taking off or landing on the runway. Check out the photos and experience the flight for yourself. Stay tuned for more blog entries regarding this trip to the P.I. and the experiences in the big city of Manila as well as in the remote province areas.

Posted on June 22, 2009 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

A Day at Mission Bay

It was another trip down to San Diego this past weekend as Ron and Carole dropped off the kids with their Grandparents for the summer. (Since Nico and Kiana were out of school for the next three months and Ron and Carole have vacation plans of their own to go to the Philippines, Papa Rollie and Mama Pearlie suggested the three Poblete Grandkids stay with them for the summer.) As the kids loaded up the family VW Eurovan with their gear for the summer, they also packed up their sand castle gear and mountain bikes as the family was also invited to a little birthday party for Josh and Jason Torres at Mission Bay Park.

After the morning gloom burnt off (The usual "June Gloom" as known by local San Diegans.), it was a perfect day for sand castle building, kite flying, RC car racing in the sand and bike riding at Mission Bay. Richelle, Patrick, Elmer and Ron took off cruising their mountain bikes around the south end of Mission Bay and through the Mission Beach Boardwalk and Belmont Park (Home of the famous Big Dipper Roller Coaster). Beautiful weather and beautiful scenery - Check out the rest of the photos to see why San Diego will always be home for this family.

Posted on June 13, 2009 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

Serendipity 3 Las Vegas

New Yorkers or those who have visited the "Big Apple" may know of the popular restaurant in the upper east side of Manhattan called "Serendipity 3". Established in 1954, this New York restaurant is a favorite among New Yorkers, tourists, and especially celebrities and is known for its foot-long hot dogs and frozen drinks, particularly its trademark "Frrrozen Hot Chocolate". The restaurant is also associated with the 2001 movie "Serendipity" starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale which centers around a couple that meet by chance and share dessert at the restaurant later that same night. "Serendipity 3" is also in the Guiness Book of World Records for having the world's most expensive dessert, the "Golden Opulence Sundae" which cost $1,000.00. (The sundae is actually covered in 23-carat edible gold leaf.)

This weekend, friends Arni, Fred, Archie and Sarah were our out of town guests at "Casa de Poblete". Their weekend consisted of partying at Nico and Kiana's Birthday Party, Seafood Buffet at the M Resort, watching a comedy show, and sightseeing all night long on the Las Vegas Strip. To end the weekend, Ron also accompanied them to "Serendipity 3 Las Vegas", the same New York eatery which opened recently at Caesars Palace. No one ordered the $1,000.00 sundae but Archie was brave enough to order the "One-N-Only Las Vegas Buffet Steak Sandwich", which consist of five kinds of steak sandwiches from different countries, all in one. The famous "Frrrozen Hot Chocolate" was also order for dessert. Check out the photos of all the great food "Serendipity 3 Las Vegas" had to offer.

Posted on June 7, 2009 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

Birthday Party with the Vegas Gang

After celebrating their birthdays down in San Diego with family and friends last weekend (See next blog "Nico & Kiana's Bonfire Birthday" entry below.), Nico and Kiana continued the birthday celebrating at home in Las Vegas this past Friday night. This was their last weekend and chance to hang out with their friends in Vegas before moving back home to San Diego for the summer. The gang hung out past the midnight hour munching on food, playing pool and UFC Fighting on the Playstation 3 in the game room, Yu-gi-oh battling in the dining room, practicing hula dances in the backyard, and performing jam sessions up in Nico's music studio bedroom with the inpromtu band. Photos of all the partying are available and thank you to the whole gang who came and celebrated the night away. Good times indeed!

Posted on June 6, 2009 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

Nico & Kiana's Bonfire Birthday

It was a great Memorial Day Weekend the last few days as Ron, Carole and the kids traveled down to Southern California once again. Ron and Carole got to witness the nuptials of Billy & Ivy and attended their beautiful wedding reception at the Laguna Cliffs Spa and Resort in Dana Point. (Congratulations again Mr. & Mrs Billy Fermin!) To add to the weekend festivities, Nico and Kiana got to celebrate their birthdays in San Diego and held a "Bonfire Birthday Party" with family and friends.

The family packed up the Volkswagon Eurovan with the usual gear of canopy, tables, chairs, bbq grill and most of all the food and set up the party at Shelter Island by the fire rings. Right away the kids ran to the beach and started building sand castles while Elmer and Ron started the bbq grill to cook hot dogs. As the sun started going down the rest of the guests arrived, the rest of the wooded pallets were brought in, and the bonfire was lit. Once again it was another evening of good times with good friends and family having plain ol' good fun! Thanks to all who came and for those who couldn't make it, we'll do it again someday. Check out all the photos from the Bonfire Party and also, special thanks to the gang for collecting and bringing the wooden pallets. It truly wouldn't have been a great "Bonfire Party" without your help.

Posted on May 25, 2009 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

The Poblete Home Movie Theater

Taking the whole family to the movie theaters can be very expensive. The price of the tickets, cost of popcorn, nachos, and drinks for a family of four or five, plus the cost of gas to get there can really add up. That is why one of the extra rooms at "Casa de Poblete" in Las Vegas was converted into our very own home movie theater. Equipped with video projector, 100" screen, surround sound system and decked out with movie posters and memorabilia, this home theater is just as good as watching at any movie theater outside. And the best thing of having your own home movie theater is that you don't have to deal with other people or strangers, bring your own food or have dinner and a movie, and if you ever have the urge to go to the restroom you can always pause the movie at anytime!

The Poblete Home Movie Theater can sit up to five people comfortably but can also accomodate more seats or there is room on the floor to sit or lay down. For larger groups we would accomodate them at our outdoor movie theater pending the weather conditions outside (See "Outdoor Movie Night at the Pobletes" blog entry below). Ron is usually found in the theater room once a week as he uses it as a private screening room to catch up on the latest DVD releases or to watch older movies. He can usually be found in the theater's "Multimedia Room" which is housed in the walk-in closet of the room working on a video project or editing photos. The theater room has more upgrades in the works such as adding curtain treatment around the screen, creation of a make-shift stage below the screen, and utimately adding a media server to house all the movies. But for now you can check out the rest of the photos of the "Poblete Home Movie Theater" in its current state or come over sometime and watch a flick. We're sure you can find something to watch from our video library.

Posted on May 20, 2009 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

One of our Favorite "Hole in the Wall" Restaurants

On our way down to San Diego this past weekend, we had a craving for some authentic mexican food and met Richelle and Patrick for lunch at "Las Cuatro Milpas". This place which opened in 1933 is no high class restaurant but rather it's an old "hole in the wall" establishment in Barrio Logan close to Chicano Park. This place is so ghetto but the food is the best! It's so good that during the lunchtime hour, the line forms outside the restaurant and goes down the sidewalk. But despite the long line, the wait is really worth it!

By the time we arrived the big lunchtime crowd had left. As you walk into the door you come up to the counter where the women are gathered around the stove preparing and serving everything from tacos, tamales, burritos, chorizo, fresh tortillas, rolled tacos, rice and beans. And the salsa they provide is something else! The menu is simple and cheap but food is incredible. As you receive your food you'll have to find a table in one of the adjoining buildings. The decor is nothing fancy...red concrete floors, red and white-checkered table cloths and painted blue walls. Check out the photos but definately check out this restaurant for yourself! It's a must visit if you are ever down in the Barrio.

Posted on May 18, 2009 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

Happy Mother's Day!

Mother's Day is a time of celebration and honoring Mom. However, with all the sacrifices mothers make and have made, mothers should be honored every single day. Yet at times we tend to forget to show our appreciation and on every second Sunday in May we celebrate Mother's Day by giving Moms the day off, let her take it easy and relax while the rest of the family does the work.

Yesterday's Mother's Day started off like every other Sunday as the family attended church services. Afterwards Ron, Richelle, Patrick and the kids honored Carole with a buffet brunch at the Green Valley Ranch Resort. While having brunch and also throughout the day, phone calls and text messages were made back and forth to our mothers, grandmothers, aunts, etc...greeting them all a "Happy Mothers Day". After a full morning of church activities and stuffing our faces with more shrimp, crab legs and the rest of what the buffet had to offer, the family went home to let Carole enjoy her favorite past time..."Sleeping". As the family prepared for possible out of town guests (which seems to happen every weekend or so here in Las Vegas) they last minute decided to take advantage of the nice warm weather and planned for a Mother's Day dinner in the backyard. "Surf and Turf" was the main course as barbequed steak and shrimp was prepared. Check out all our Mother's Day festivities and to all the Mothers we weren't able to greet in person or by a phone call or text message, "Happy Mother's Day!" We hope you enjoyed your special day!

Posted on May 11, 2009 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

Outdoor Movie Night at the Pobletes

It was a perfect Spring evening last night as the Pobletes hosted an "Outdoor Movie Night" to celebrate Ron's birthday with a few friends and family. While Ron and Patrick were setting up the 12 foot high inflatable movie screen in the backyard, Carole was busy barbecuing hot dogs on the grill to add to the menu of "movie theater food" which also included pizza, nachos, and popcorn. As the sun went down, the video projector was about ready to start the show.

It was a double featured night as the first movie that played was the family comedy "Marley & Me" starring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston. While the first group of movie goers watched, some of the other guests hung out in the game room to watch the NBA Playoff Game and also battled on the war zone on the Playstation 3. The second movie that played was an unreleased DVD copy of the movie "Push" starring Chris Evans and Dakota Fanning, which was provided by a movie pirate guest (who's name we cannot reveal due to the FBI and copyright laws). The movie ended around 12 midnight but the partying continued til 2:30 AM as some stayed behind and hung out. After cleaning up around 3:00 AM, Ron, Kiana, Richelle, and Patrick got hungry and decided to head over to the South Pointe Hotel and Casino to take advantage of the "Graveyard Special" and got ordered the Steak and Eggs breakfast. Check out the photos from our first (but not the last) outdoor movie night. There will definately be more movie nights to follow at the Pobletes as summer and fall approaches.

Posted on May 9, 2009 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

Lee & Cecile's Anniversary Weekend

This weekend Carole's sister Cecile and husband Lee celebrated their wedding anniversary here in Las Vegas. The family celebrated with them on Friday Night and headed to a buffet dinner at the Green Valley Ranch Hotel. The Green Valley Ranch buffet is one of our family's favorite buffets because it's away from the hustle and bustle of the Las Vegas Strip and it's right by the house. The other reason why we enjoy this buffet is because it's the only buffet we know where the chef takes your plate of crab legs and shrimp and sautees it with butter, garlic, celantro, tomatoes, green onions, chili flakes, etc... as shown in the photo (Click to enlarge.) This camera phone photo doesn't do it justice but you should really taste and smell it for yourself. It's the best!

Saturday night Ron and Carole brought Lee and Cecile to see a brand new show at the Las Vegas Hilton called "Voices" starring world renowned award winning entertainer "Earl Turner" and Asia's Nightingale, filipina singer Lani Misalucha (formerly of the Society of Seven who performed at the Flamingo). If you've seen the Society of Seven show in the past, you'll also enjoy "Voices". The show is truly an explosion of vocal energy as these two talented singing sensations perform various duets and solo numbers backed by a live high energy band of musicians. Ron, Carole, Cecile and Lee got to meet the star performers and also had a photo opportunity with them. After the show they hung out at the Miracle Mile Shops at the Planet Hollywood and had a late dinner. Once again it was another fun weekend of good food, good music and good times. (It's even more special celebrating and spending time with visiting family.) Happy Anniversary Lee & Cecile!

Posted on April 26, 2009 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

They Way You Do the Things You Do!

So it was a nice spring evening out last night as Ron and Carole had the opportunity to see british reggae band "UB40" at the "Beach" at Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino. The venue was cool as the band performed outdoors by the pools at Mandalay Bay. The "Beach" is literally a beach as the stage was set right by the sandy poolside. (Note to anyone attending concerts at the Mandalay Bay Beach: There are no seats and is standing room only. Bring a towel or beachmat if you would like to sit in the sand.)

UB40 played most of their hits such as "Red Red Wine", "Cherry Oh Baby", "Kingston Town", "The Way You Do the Things You Do", etc...as well as hits from their new album "TwentyFourSeven". It was a perfect night for an outdoor concert listening to some reggae tunes. No photos available except for the photo on this blog which was taken by a passer-byer at the hotel who we had asked to take our photo. Him and his buddy didn't mind doing us a favor and in return we gave them the 2 extra tickets we had for the concert. The look on their faces was priceless as they couldn't believe their eyes. See it pays to be at the right place at the right time! :)

Posted on April 19, 2009 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

"Wii" Can Surf the Web!

As if there wasn't enough computers at the Poblete household for everyone to get online, there's yet another option to check email and surf the web by using the family's Nintendo Wii. Ron being the gadget geek that he is couldn't resist purchasing this wireless keyboard made especially for the Wii console. The "Logitech Cordless Keyboard for Wii" cost as low as $38.00 online and comes complete with a wireless fullsize keyboard (with Wii system keys for navigating, Zoom In/Out, Forward/Back, Quit, and OK button.), 2.4 GHz USB mini-receiver and 2 AA batteries. Installation is very easy. Install the batteries, connect the USB mini-receiver in back of the Wii console, turn on the keyboard and start typing away.

So how can you access the internet from the Wii? Well if you haven't done so already, here are simple instructions on how to do so. First of all, you will need a wireless internet connection in your home and setup your connection on the Wii. Once your connection has been made, simply go to the "Wii Shop Channel" from the main Wii menu to download the internet browser. You will need to add Wii Points to purchase the browser which you can purchase with your credit card ($10 for 1000 Wii Points). You will need 500 Wii Points to download the browser. Select "Wii Channels" from the "Wii Shop Channel" menu and look for the "Internet Channel" and follow instructions to download. Once downloaded, the "Internet Channel" will appear on the main Wii menu for you to select for surfing the web. Navigating on the screen will be done using the Wii remote and an onscreen keyboard is also available for onscreen typing using the remote. But we highly suggests purchasing the wireless keyboard for easier typing of web addresses, searching, and for typing email messages. Check out the photos of Kiana demonstrating surfing the web on the Wii and start using your own Wii to get online on your big screen from the comfort of your living room couch.

Posted on April 9, 2009 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

Earth Hour 2009

Today March 28, 2009, people around the world of all ages, nationalities, race and background had the opportunity to use their light switch as their vote - Switching off your lights for one hour from 8:30 to 9:30 pm is a vote for Earth, or leaving them on is a vote for global warming. Our family headed out to the Strip to witness this global vote but not before switching off our lights prior to leaving the house as we voted for Earth. We headed to the "Panevino Ristorante" parking lot on Sunset and Gillespie here in Las Vegas which had a great view of the Las Vegas Strip. Starting at 8:29 pm, hotels started turning off the lights on the outside of their buildings and turned off their large video marquees. Witnessing the hotels switching off their lights one by one was a sight to see. By 8:30 pm, all the hotels who participated had their lights off. To get a closer view, the family drove up from the south end of the Strip by the "Welcome to Las Vegas" sign (which was also turned off) for the remainder of Earth Hour until the lights turned back on at 9:30 pm. Check out some photos we took during this global event.

Posted on March 28, 2009 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

Happy "Pizookie" Birthday!

To celebrate Richelle's and Patrick's birthdays, the family went to the new "BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse" that just opened up near the house here in Las Vegas. BJ's Restaurant originated in Southern California and has expanded across the US. We're glad they opened one up here in our neck of the woods. BJ's is casual dining, has a fun and child-friendly environment, and has a great menu with large portions. But a must have if you still have room for desert is to order BJ's famous "PIZOOKIE"! It's a freshly baked, hot out of the oven, rich and delicious cookie topped with 2 scoops of vanilla bean ice cream and served in its own deep dish. Your cookie choice is either chocolate chunk, white chocolate macadamia nut, peanut butter or oatmeal raisin walnut. You've got to try it if you get the chance! As Kiana says, "It's the Bomb!" Check out the photos of us devouring our "Pizookie" and "Happy Birthday Richelle and Patrick!"

Posted on March 23, 2009 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

Those Funny Blue Men

To finish off this past weekend, the family went to the Venetian Hotel and Casino to watch the "Blue Man Group" show. This is one of Nico's favorite shows (being that he is a musician and percussionist himself.). He always says he wants to try out to be in the show someday but said one of the requirements is that you have to be 6 foot tall. We told him to try out anyway and maybe they'll call him "Little Boy Blue". The family has seen this show many times but it was a first for Patrick who was visiting from out of town.

So what is the "Blue Man Group" you may ask? For those who haven't seen it yet, it's a theatrical show featured at the Venetian Hotel and Casino which features music, comedy and multimedia visual effects. This visual production is centered around a trio of these "Blue Men" who appear in black clothing and wear blue grease paint over latex bald caps and play a mixture of idiosyncratic, often percussive, instruments. These blue men do not speak, are usually expressionless, and only communicate through intense eye contact and simple gestures. This is not your typical Las Vegas show, however this show is very unique, hilarious and the music is fun. It's a very entertaining show that's great for the whole family. The kids really love this show and we'll probably go back and see it again. Check out last night's evening out at the Blue Man Group show.

Posted on March 22, 2009 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

Whip Appealing at the Babyface Concert

Ron got tickets to see singer/songwriter/producer Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds and American Idol winner Jordan Sparks in concert at Primm Valley. Richelle and Patrick were also in town to celebrate their birthdays and along with Cousin Jay they all met up with other friends Rene, Aileen, JR, Rose, Fred and Lorie and kids and some of Ron's co-workers Ace, Leile, and Allison. While at the box office picking up their tickets, who else but "Babyface" himself walks right by them. Carole runs off to meet him and stands right beside him holding his arm and posing for the cameras. Unfortunately Ron doesn't get the camera out in time for a good shot of Carole with Babyface in arm. (Come on, Ron's a "Photographer" not a "Paparazzi".) Although the shot was not documented, the memory of Carole meeting and talking to Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds will forever be etched in her mind. The gang headed over to Tony Roma's for dinner before the concert but the wait was 1 hour and a half long. Babyface was also having dinner there. We should have mentioned that we were with him since he and Carole with now pretty tight. (LOL!) Instead the gang headed to the Primm Outlet Mall for some Japanese food at the "Café Koraku". (Note: This place was pretty good and alot better than any of the food fast places at the food court.)

The concert itself was fun. Jordan Sparks opened the night singing a few of her hits such as "One Step at a Time", "This Is My Now", "Tattoo", "No Air", and finished up with her rendition of Stevie Wonder's "Superstition". After a short intermission the crowd went wild as Babyface himself took the stage. He started the show singing a few of his own R&B hits such as "For the Cool in You", "My Kinda Girl", and "Whip Appeal". Slowed down the tempo a bit and sang his rendition of James Taylor's "Fire and Rain" and then broke out with a medley of hit songs that he wrote for "The Deele", "Bobby Brown", "Johnny Gill", "Tevin Campbell", and "Boyz II Men". He also sang the song "Change the World" which he wrote for "Eric Clapton" and left the stage as if the concert was over. As some people were exiting the arena, Babyface came back out to do his last song. (Remember people, the concert's not really over until the house lights come back on.) He finished off the night with an acoustic guitar rendition of "When Can I See You Again". All in all it was an awesome concert, great story telling by Babyface in between sets and a full night of songs that brought us all way back in the day. Check out our night with good friends, good music and just having good times!.

Posted on March 21, 2009 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

Hanging out at the "M"

The M Resort, Las Vegas's new billion dollar luxury hotel and casino finally opened its doors earlier this month. The M stands for Marnell, a family owned Architecture firm responsible for the design and/or construction of dozens of resorts in Las Vegas such as the Rio, Wynn Las Vegas, Bellagio, Mirage, New York New York, Treasure Island, and the list goes on. The M Resort's stylish glass tower hotel sits on the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and St. Rose Parkway just south of the Las Vegas Strip (and right in our backyard, about 4 miles or a 3 minute drive away). The M has 390 hotel rooms, a 90,000-square-foot casino, nine restaurants, 60,000 square feet of meeting facilities, a 20,000-square-foot spa, and 2.3 acres of pool area with fire and water features and an outdoor entertainment stage. One cool feature that we had not seen at other hotel/casinos was the complementary self serve fountain drinks just like what you have at fast food restaurants (serving your usual coke, sprite, raspberry iced tea, lemonade, etc…).

We couldn't miss the opportunity to see this spectacular hotel, especially when the marquee was advertising "Free Buffet". (Note to locals or frequent visitors: Sign up and get your M Resort Rewards Card for Free Buffet offer while time allows. Rewards Card also gets you $2 discount off future buffet visits. Also you will need the Rewards Card to use the M Resort coupons some of us received in the mail.) The family took advantage of the Seafood Dinner last Saturday night at the "Studio B Show Kitchen Buffet". The food was great and the desserts were out of this world! One tip to offer when waiting to be seated is to ask for a table or booth with a Strip view. If you're lucky, you'll be lead to a room off of the main dining area which has an awesome view of the Strip, especially at night. (We've been seated there on both our visits so far.) Today we took our family friend Roger who was in town to see the M Resort and had lunch at our "new favorite buffet" out here in Vegas. Check out the photos of us hanging out at the M and definately make time to get out there and see it for yourself. And remember, if you get thirsty don't forget to look for the complimentary fountain drinks stations.

Posted on March 20, 2009 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

Another Day in the Snow

Just when you thought they were tired of snow from the last snow storm back in December, Ron took the kids on a snow trip in the VW Eurovan up to Mount Charleston with some other families from church. The group headed out to Lee Canyon for some snowball fighting, football in the snow and sledding down the hill. It was smooth sailing as they traveled alittle over 35 minutes up to Mount Charleston and the weather was picture perfect.

After a few hours of playing in the snow, sledding in the snow, and eating snow (but not yellow show), they made a pitstop over to the Mount Charleston Hotel Resort before heading down the mountain. They hung out in the lodge to keep warm and sat around the fireplace sipping hot cocoa. The kids found a "Love Tester" machine by the arcade and threw quarters in the slot to see how well they scored on the love meter. Everyone scored high receiving results as "Uncontrollable", "Hot Stuff", and "Passionate" except for Nico who unfortunately scored low twice receiving results as "Clammy" and "Try Again". Check out all the activities from another day in the snow.

Posted on February 21, 2009 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

Carole's Special Day

Another year has come and like every month of February, the family celebrated Carole's birthday. Carole is one who would rather not plan for a big birthday celebration which is why Ron and the kids have given her many surprise parties these past few years. (See photo gallery for past surprise birthday celebrations.) This year they honored her request to have a low-profile celebration with just the family. (Hmmm...maybe it's because she doesn't want to be reminded of her age or announce to the world that she is getting old?)

So for her special day, the family planned for an intimate lunch celebration at "The Cheesecake Factory" at The District at Green Valley Ranch after the kids got off school. Not only does "The Cheesecake Factory" have the best cheesecakes around but their menu is so abundant and the food is really good. (Plus they give you big servings too!) After their late lunch, the celebration continued throughout the evening as they caught a magic show starring "Dixie Dooley - Master Mystifier" at the Royal Resort off the Strip. To end the night they also strolled around the "Town Square Mall" stopping by "Yogurtland" for some flavored yogurt (taro, strawberry, green tea, and mango just to name a few). Check out the photos of her special day. Happy Birthday Carole!

Posted on February 20, 2009 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

Le Reve: A small collection of imperfect dreams

One of the shows on the Las Vegas Strip that Ron and Carole have always wanted to see was "Le Reve" which plays at the Wynn Las Vegas Casino Resort. That opportunity became reality last night as they finally got to see the show. They invited the Cadiz's (Happy B-Day Manang) to come along and found the show to be absolutely amazing! The theatre was stunning, the music was outstanding, and the acrobatics and stunts were thrilling. The overall production value was superb from the lighting and special effects to the costumes and stage (a water stage at that...one million gallons of water).

The show is an acrobatic water performance much like Cirque de Soleil's "O" which plays at the Bellagio. Le Reve which means "The Dream" in French is truly a surreal dreamy experience. Every seat is a good seat as the audience sits in rows surrounding a circular lake - while characters appear and disappear from inside the water and from up above. The actors are olympic level divers and do all of the dances/stunts without any nets and from so high up. Photos are available from our night out at Le Reve but they really don't give it justice to the actual show. Le Reve is definately a must see for anyone visiting the Las Vegas Strip.

Posted on February 3, 2009 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

Primm Valley Getaway and Michael McDonald in Concert

Located about 40 miles south of Las Vegas, in Primm, Nevada, on the California/Nevada state line is the Primm Valley Resort and Casino. Ron, Carole and the kids started this past weekend with a short drive down to the California/Nevada border for a quick over night stay at the Buffalo Bills Hotel and Casino. The hotel itself had a "Old West" theme similar to Knott's Berry Farm and has plenty of amenities and restaurants. It is also the home of the "Desperado", the tallest, fastest, and longest steel roller coaster in the state of Nevada. (Unfortunately we weren't able to ride it due to the weather.) Also adjacent to the hotel is the Fashion Outlets Mall which features more than 100 designer and top name-brand outlet stores and shops.

After spending the whole afternoon shopping with the kids, Ron and Carole had tickets to see R&B/Soul singer and songwriter Michael McDonald perform live in concert that night. The former member of the Doobie Brothers now solo artist who has a very deceptive husky and soulful voice performed a few songs from his former band such as "Takin' It to the Streets", "Minute by Minute" and "What a Fool Believes". He also performed hits from his solo albums, especially hits from his tribute albums Motown 1 & 2 singing hits originally performed by such artist as Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder. The hour and a half concert show was great and his talented band of musicians was awesome (especially the female drummer who also sang backup while playing the drums).

Check out the photos from our one day/night getaway at Primm. You wanna know the best part of it all?...The hotel room and the concert tickets were FREE! Yes...FREE! Email us back and find out how you too can take advantage of such a great deal :)

Posted on January 24, 2009 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

2009 International CES (Consumer Electronics Show)

Ron has finally recovered from covering the 2009 International CES (Consumer Electronics Show) these past few days. CES is the world's largest consumer technology tradeshow which is held every year in Las Vegas. It featured 2,700 exhibitors, including companies who manufacture products or provide services for the audio, digital imaging, home theater, wireless, content and gaming markets. Ron along with the rest of the crew (Arni, Ryan, Jason, Imee, Henry, Aldine, and Junen) ran around with their gear videotaping, photographing and interviewing vendors for NET25's tech show "Convergence." (http://www.net-25.com/convergence.html)

After spending the whole day (all 3 days) on their feet, the crew treated themselves to buffets every night stuffing themselves with unless crab legs and even caught a comedy hypnosis show called "Mesmerized" featuring Marc Savard at the V Theatre at the Planet Hollywood Hotel and Casino. (Highly recommended and a very fun, entertaining, and hilarious show worth seeing!) Click here to check out a few photos of the crew working the show and hanging out at "Casa de Poblete."

Posted on January 12, 2009 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

Yay Chargers...a Happy New Year Indeed!

You can't ask for a better way to start off the new year than having the San Diego Chargers defeat the Colts at yesterday's AFC wild-card playoff game! Mark and Ron scored tickets and headed to Qualcomm Stadium to witnessed the wild and exciting game between the Bolts and the Colts. The energy at the stadium was insane as the Chargers came from behind at the very end of the game to tie the score and send the game into overtime. At the end the Chargers prevailed as #43 Darren Sproles scores the winning touchdown beating the Colts 23 to 17.

Check out the photos from this awesome Chargers Victory! Now onward to Pittsburgh to meet the Steelers in the Divisional Round of the Playoffs. GO CHARGERS GO!

Posted on January 4, 2009 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

Happy New Year 2009

A new year has come again and as always we welcomed the year surrounded by our friends and loved ones. This year we celebrated the new year down in San Diego. As the year ended we took time to reflect on all the happy times this past year (Read below for a "Year in Review" of 2008.) and we are all looking forward for what 2009 has in store.

From our family to yours, we wish you and yours good health, prosperity and happiness in this new year 2009. Continue to stay in touch and "Happy New Year to All and God Bless!"

-The Poblete Family (Rollie, Pearlie, Richelle, Ron, Carole, Nico, Kiana & Nevaeh)

Click here to see photos from our family's "New Year's Festivities!"

Posted on January 1, 2009 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

2008 Year in Review

2008...What a year! High summer gas prices, housing foreclosures nationwide, $700 billion bailout, plummeting stock market. Other 2008 milestone events...Summer Olympics in Beijing, Barack Obama wins presidential election, and after a weak start in the season, the San Diego Chargers come up on top winning the AFC West Division and are heading to the NFL Playoffs! GO CHARGERS!!!

On the family side, 2008 brought us alot of happiness and celebrations during this past year. We started the year off with our family's New Years Gathering in Las Vegas with family and friends. We celebrated more family events such as Carole's Suprise B-Day Party, Mother's Day, Nico's 16th B-Day, Kiana's Pajama/Sleepover B-Day Party, July 4th, Nevaeh's 3rd B-Day, and Turkey Thanksgiving Day.

But the parties didn't stop there as we continued to get together with family and friends, especially out of town guests who visited throughout the year. The kids hosted 2 America's Best Dance Crew Parties (Season 1 and Season 2), family visits during Spring Break and throughout the year, Pre-Wedding Celebrations with Jomie and her Bridesmaids and Vernon and his Groomsmen, San Diego Chargers Opener BBQ Party, and more BBQ'ing get togethers which seem to happen every other weekend or so.

As always, we did try our best to take time off from our busy work, school and church schedules to enjoy family outings throughout the year. We went to quite a few shows and concerts such as Society of Seven featuring Lani Misalucha and Martin Nievera, Fergie in Concert, Earth, Wind and Fire Concert, Carrot Top, Barry Manilow, Danny Ganes, and Nathan Burton Comedy Magic Show. We also got away and played in the snow in Mt. Charleston, vacationed in the San Francisco Bay area, visited Sea World, and made many trips now and then to Southern California.

There was so much to be thankful for this year such as stability during these hard economic times, good health and most of all...economic stimulous checks (just kidding). But the most grateful event that we are most thankful for this year was Papa Rollie's full recovery from his triple bypass and aorta valve replacement surgery and the chance to celebrate his 70th Birthday with family and friends.

As we look forward to the year 2009, no one knows what is actually in store for us all. The only thing we can do is continue to take the time to make every moment count and continue making happy memories to remember. To all our family and friends, thanks for the all good times this past year and we look forward to making more happy memories in the upcoming year!

Posted on December 31, 2008 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

Something unusual happened today in Las Vegas. It actually snowed here and the whole Las Vegas Valley turned into a "Winter Wonderland". Snow flakes started falling around 12:00 noon and within a few hours everything outside was covered in snow. By the time the kids got out of school the snow was about 3 inches deep. Fortunately for Ron, he was able to go home early around the same time as the City of Henderson let all their employees go home for the day. The drive home in the snow was an experience to say the least, as the car would slip and slide at times especially when coming to a stop. Even Carole had problems getting the van into the garage after picking up the kids at school as the tires would spin in the snow while driving up the driveway.

Everyone got home safe and sound and spent the rest of the afternoon playing outside. Nevaeh was so excited as it was her first time to experience playing in the snow. The unfortunate part of all this is that our big California Pepper Trees (1 in the front yard and 2 in the backyard) took a beating as the snow was a bit heavy and large branches broke off and fell from the trees. We'll have to call a tree service to come out once the snow melts to trim the rest of the trees and haul away the large branches. The weather forecast calls for snow to continue falling throughout the night. Carole decided to call in sick at work so that she would not have to drive in the snow and icy roads. Ron and the kids continue to watch the local news to see if County schools will announce if kids will have to go to school tomorrow and if City Offices will close for the day due to the weather. Check out the photos of our "Snow Day" here in Las Vegas. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!!

Also, check out our Snowball Fight video. Happy Holidays!

Posted on December 17, 2008 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

Happy (Deep Fried) Turkey Day!

For this year's Thanksgiving holiday, we took out our fryer and deep fried a turkey again. Our first deep fried turkey from last year's Thanksgiving was pretty good. Our second one we deep fried during our family's New Years Party this year was an experiment gone bad...nonetheless still tasty but terrible presentation-wise. However this third one was the charm. Super moist, tender, juicy and delicious!

Our Thanksgiving activities consisted of eating, story telling, eating, making ice cream sundaes, eating, watching a video (Hancock starring Will Smith), eating, napping, eating, watching football, and also eating. Our old friends Ely and Khit Dabu and their kids joined our family for our Thanksgiving luncheon. (Carole and Khit go way back from high school and Ron and Carole hung out with this couple during their pre-married with children days.) Check out the photos from our Thanksgiving Feast and from our family to yours..."Have a Happy Thanksgiving!" May you eat more than we did (so we won't feel as bad)....Gobble Gobble :)

Posted on November 27, 2008 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

Las Vegas Entertainment

One things we love most about Las Vegas is the variety of entertainment this city has to offer. Many people from all over travel here and spend lots of money to watch shows, concerts, and events that happen here. For us locals, what if I told you that you can watch alot of these shows and events for free? Free you say?...Yes for free! We've taken this opportunity to do so ourselves and have watched so many shows and concerts this past year at no cost. Unfortunately I can not explain how to do so on this blog but if you are really interested, email me and I'll let you know how :)

Yesterday we took advantage of watching another show and took the kids to see "Nathan Burton's Comedy Magic Show" at the Flamingo Hotel and Casino. (No relation to Lance Burton but still as good of a show and worth watching.) Those who have watched the television shows "America's Got Talent and "The Entertainer" on E television may have already seen his magical illusions. The show was great and funny, especially when Nico was picked from the audience to participate in one of his magic acts! For being a good sport, Nico received a free copy of Nathan Burton's DVD and got to hug one of the showgirls up on stage. We all got to meet the magician himself after the show, took a photo with him and got his autograph. For out of town visitors and locals unlike, this show was very entertaining and fun and worth checking out. Check out the fun we had.

Posted on November 22, 2008 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

Sounds of Liberty...Small but Mighty!

For those who have watched Nico grow up through out the years and those who know him too well know that one of his passions, if not the number one passion in life is playing the drums. As captain of the percussion line for Liberty High School's marching band, he and his fellow band members worked very hard this year and earned Superior Ratings and 1st Place awards for Class A bands here in the Las Vegas Valley. Because their band this year was smaller in size, their motto was "Small but Mighty" as they won many awards and outscored bands that were two to three times larger.

Last night we attended their marching band's awards banquet.
Their accomplishments for this year's marching band season includes: 1st Place for Class A and Outstanding General Effects Award at the Silverado Showdown; 3rd Place Class A at the Summerlin Spectacular; 2nd Place for Class A and Outstanding Music Award at the Boulder City Invitational; Excellent Rating Award at the 2008 Half-Time Show Review; and 1st Place for Class A, Superior Rating, Outstanding Music, Outstanding Visual, and Outstanding General Effects Awards at the Las Vegas Invitational. Their band was in the top ten going into the finals and earned 10th place overall at the end of the competition.

Congratulations to the entire "Sounds of Liberty" band and staff for a successful season. Check out the photos of the band in action during the 2008 Halftime Show Review at UNLV's Sam Boyd Stadium.

Posted on November 15, 2008 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

Nevaeh turns 3 Years Old

Nevaeh turned 3 years old this past Sunday. Since we were still in San Diego for the weekend, Mama Pearlie decided to throw her a little birthday party before we headed back home to Las Vegas. A few friends and family came by and celebrated with us.

Time sure does fly. It seems like just yesterday when she was born. Now at 3 years old, Nevaeh's able to have a small conversation, knows a few colors and some letters of the alphabet and can count up to 20...skipping a few numbers at times. You'll also hear her singing songs she's heard on the radio or from her brother's or sister's iPods. Cute you say? Yes, for the most part. However she will have her moments as we deal with her "terrible three" stage. (She totally missed "terrible two".) Pretty typical stage we parents deal with as kids grow up. I guess we just wish they all stayed small, cute and adorable. Well, whatever the case may be, she'll always be "heaven". (Well..."heaven" spelled backwards.)

Check out the photos from Nevaeh's 3rd Birthday Party. And, if you'd like to really go back in time, feel free to check out her Birth Announcement webpage to see the photos from when she was welcomed to the world.

Posted on November 5, 2008 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

Rollie's 70th Birthday Luau

For weeks now Richelle, Ron, Carole and the grandkids have been planning and preparing for Papa Rollie's big "70th Birthday" celebration and decided to throw him a Luau. Mama Pearlie kind of stayed out of the planning and preparation and left it up to the kids to plan and coordinate. Although we would have wanted to invite everyone we knew, that would have required us to rent out Qualcomm Stadium. Instead, due to our limited budget and the limited seating capacity of the room, we ended up holding it at Tom Ham's Lighthouse Restaurant on Harbor Island with about 100 of our closest friends and relatives.

His birthday finally came this past Saturday. Papa Rollie and Mama Pearlie headed to church that morning to attend a church activity while the "Birthday Celebration Team" woke up and gathered all the palm trees, pineapples and the rest of the luau party favors and headed to the venue to set up. All was finished on time for the receiving of our guests. Kiana, Tina, and Bina (dubbed the Las Vegas Showgirls since they came all the way from Vegas) greeted everyone at the door with a flower lei. Nico, Lisa, and Patrick worked the reception area taking photos of everyone with the birthday celebrant and signing of the guestbook. Richelle and Carole entertained and seated the guests while Ron ran around taking photos.

Allan, our Master of Ceremonies for the day introduced the "Birthday Boy" who was escorted in the room by the grandkids. The welcoming was a bit overwelming as Papa Rollie could not hold back his tears of joy. After a prayer the buffet lunch was served. The menu consisted of a big salad bar with different salads and fruits. Main dishes were chicken alfredo pasta, mahi-mahi, fresh vegetables, rice pilaf and a carving station that served iron flat steak with all the fixings. After Papa Rollie's thank you speech, the desert table with various cakes and sweets was open for everyone to enjoy.

The entertainment was provided by Kiana and our two friends Tina and Bina who performed different hula and tahitian dances. (The three also perform for a Hawaiian Dance Troop in Las Vegas.) Part of the entertainment was also provided by some of our guests who "involuntary" performed their hula renditions. Towards the end of the party, a video montage was shown of photos with family and friends from throughout the years and a group photo was taken with everyone after the end of the video.

Thank you to all who attended and to those who also helped make this celebration special. All the photos, video clips, etc... can all be found on "Rollie's 70th Birthday Luau" webpage. Happy 70th Birthday!!!

Posted on November 4, 2008 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

Hanging out in Coronado

One of our favorite places we never get tired of visiting is Coronado, California, a city in San Diego County located on the other side of San Diego Bay. Coronado Island (as locals refer it to) offers great views of downtown San Diego and the San Diego Bay from the Old Ferry Landing Marketplace, miles of pristine beaches, and historic landmarks like the Hotel Del Coronado. For years we would frequently go to Coronado to hang out at the beach, go biking riding or rollerblading up and down the Silver Strand, or sit along the San Diego Bay at night sipping coffee while enjoying the lights of the San Diego downtown skyline.

This past weekend we were back in San Diego for Papa Rollie's 70th Birthday Party. Tina and Bina also came along with us on our trip since they were asked to join Kiana and perform at the big birthday luau celebration we had planned for that weekend. We spent last Friday afternoon hanging out and sightseeing in Coronado. We sure do miss the beach and the beautiful scenery!

Posted on November 3, 2008 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

One Man's Junk is Another Man's Treasure!

Now that the summer heat is gone and we now have cooler autumn temperatures here in Las Vegas, we finally took the time to clean out the garage and decided to have a Garage Sale. As we woke up this past Saturday morning to start setting up, we opened the garage door at 7AM only to find 3 cars that pulled up right away as we were moving our stuff into the driveway. From 7AM - 9AM, we had a steady flow of people who stopped by, and at times were blocking the street as they double parked in front of our house.

We made out pretty successfully as most of the items we put out were sold and we made $300. Even the Arceo and Balosbalos families who joined us made out as the too made $200 and $100 for their items they had for sale. Kiana also made out as she set up her little table selling home baked (and even store bought) chocolate chip cookies and coffee. She made a total of $21.35.

With all our earnings from the Garage Sale, we decided to treat ourselves to a nice dinner. We decided to go to "Yolie's Brazilian Steakhouse" which offered an "All You Can Eat" $35 per person dinner that served different types of meat that came directly to your table on big skewers. The types of meats consist of turkey wrapped in bacon, young spring chicken, homemade sausage, tri-tip of beef, top sirlion of beef, tenderlion of pork, and leg of baby lamp...and did I mention it was "All You Can Eat"? Needless to say we walked out of there very stuffed and satisfied. Check out the photos from our successful Garage Sale and our satisfying dinner.

Posted on September 29, 2008 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

Kalbi BBQ Short Ribs

OK, for those who were asking about our Kalbi Short Ribs marinade recipe, here it is:

  • 1 Cups Water
  • 2 Cup Soy Sauce
  • 5 Tbsp Sugar
  • 1 Tsp Ginger, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp Garlic, chopped
  • 1 Cup Green Onions, chopped
  • 1/2 Cup Round Onion, chopped
  • 1 Tsp Sesame Oil
  • 1 Tsp Sesame Seeds
  • 1/8 Tsp Red Chili Pepper Flakes

Cooking Instructions:
Combine marinade ingredients, bring to boil, lower heat, simmer 45 min. Let cool, marinate meat a few hrs., preferably overnight. (Sauce can be used for beef, pork and chicken.) Grill or broil to desired doneness, 6-8 min. per side for medium - rare.

Check out the photos from this past Sunday's BBQ with the Simon Family who were visiting from San Diego. The Cui's also came over to catch up on the good ol' days as well as the Caligagan's who were related to Mylene. We had a great lunch, watch some football, went sightseeing and reminisced about the past while listening to old 80's music.

Posted on September 23, 2008 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

San Diego Super Chargers!

It's the start of a new NFL Football Season and as tradition goes at the Poblete household for the past few years, the "San Diego Chargers" flag is raised in front of the house on the morning of game day every Sunday. Although we are 332 miles away from Las Vegas to San Diego, everyone knows in this neighborhood that Chargers Fans dwell at this house. In fact, some neighbors had followed suit and began raising flags in front of their homes down the street. (Steeler fans on one end and 49er fans at the other end.)

Pre-game rituals on Sundays usually consist of suiting up in our Chargers jerseys and preparing lunch or BBQing in time for kick off. After kickoff we're usually glued to the television screen for the next 3 hours except for restroom breaks or to get more food during commercials.

This past Sunday we opened the season with a little BBQ Get Together with a few friends (from here in Vegas as well as visitors from San Diego) to watch the San Diego Chargers play the Carolina Panthers. At the 2-minute warning towards the end of the game it looked like a win as the Chargers were leading 24-19. Unfortunately the Panthers tight end caught a touchdown pass in the last two seconds of the game to give Carolina a 25-24 victory. "That Really Sucked!!!"

Posted on September 8, 2008 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

Nico joins the Cycling Club

It's been years since those days when Ron used to take Nico and Kiana on bike rides, pulling them both in a baby carrier attached to the back of his bike. Now the kids are old enough to ride on their own. This past weekend Nico went on his first bike ride with the Las Vegas/Henderson "Cycling Club" on the Historic Railroad Trail. We started our ride at 6AM at the beginning of the trail at Lake Mead National Recreation Area in Boulder City, NV. The trail follows an actual railroad bed that was built in the 1930's. The railroad hauled materials and equipment used in the construction of Hoover Dam. The trail goes through five tunnels that lead to Hoover Dam. The last train trip was in 1961 and the tracks were dismantled shortly there after.

We crossed over the Hoover Dam to the Arizona side and turned back towards the trail back to Lake Mead. The bike ride was approximately 10 miles total. Nico did quite well considering it was his first long bike ride that morning but felt the effects of it later when all he wanted to do was take a nap all afternoon. Check out the photos from Nico's first bike ride with the Cycling Club.

Posted on August 25, 2008 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

America's Best Dance Crew Party II

The kids hosted another "America's Best Dance Crew" Party at the house to watch the season finale of Season Two. For those who don't know what this latest craze is all about, it's a popular television show on MTV where hip hop dance crews from all over the United States compete for the title of being "America's Best Dance Crew".

At last night's final episode, Las Vegas' own "Super Cr3w" squared off against "SoReal Cru" from Houston, Texas. America voted and the winner of the $100,000 prize and the title to become "America's Best Dance Crew" went to..."SUPER CR3W"!!! Check out the photos from last night's "ABDC Party II" - Season Two at the Poblete Residence.

Also, check out the other photos from the kid's first "ABDC Party I" - Season One back in March where San Diego's own "Jabbawockeez" won the title.

Posted on August 22, 2008 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

Carole's New Favorite Restaurant

While down in San Diego last weekend, the family went out to dinner with our friends Junior, Daisy and their boys. For the past couple weeks everyone kept telling us, "you've got to check out this new place called Crab Hut". So off we went to this restaurant at 4646 Convoy Street, Suite 106A, San Diego, CA 92111 (Yeah, that's the address for those who want to find this place via GPS). If you love seafood prepared Lousianna style, this is the place to go!

As you walk in, the room is all decked out with fishing nets, buoys and paddles. You sit at the table covered with butcher paper (which by the way will actually be your plate) and there are no utensils. At this establishment you'll be grubbing with your hands but don't worry, there's lots of paper towels readily handy. We ordered Crispy Fried Calamari for appetizers and for the main course, several pounds of King Crab Legs, Shrimp and Corn on the Cob which was boiled in their Cajun Sensation, Lemon Pepper and Garlic Butter flavors and spiced "Mild" to "Knock Out Hot" depending how you order it. The food came served in giant plastic bags steaming hot and very tasty. (For those who are alergic to seafood (like Nico), they also have other menu items like fried chicken wings and fries.) You can also get side orders like bread, rice and soup and they also give you lots of lime, vineger and salt and pepper to dip your seafood in. Their menu also consist of other seafood like Crawfish, Clams, Mussels and Blue and Dungeness Crabs (served whole).

Eating here can get pretty messy. This is definately Carole's new favorite place to eat. (Probably because she felt at home eating with her hands...Must be a "filipino thing"?) Check out the photos from our night out at the Crab Hut. We're definately going back! Anyone want to join us?

Posted on August 19, 2008 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

Summer Nights at Sea World

One of our family's fondest memories and the one thing we miss about San Diego is going to Sea World. We've had annual passes to Sea World (as well as the San Diego Zoo) every since our eldest "Nico" was one years old (16 years ago). And while pregant with our first daughter "Kiana", we'd go to Sea World so Carole could walk around and get her exercise. As the kids grew up we'd occasionally head to Sea World at any given moment, especially during Summer Nights to catch a show, eat funnel cake and watch the fireworks go off at night.

Unfortunately for our second daughter "Nevaeh", we had moved to Las Vegas after she was born and she hasn't had the chance to visit Shamu the Killer Whale or see the dolphins and seal lions up close until now. And just like her older brother and sister did growing up, she loved it and enjoyed every show. Check out the photos from her first visit to Sea World recently. Since we bought our "Fun Passes" for 2008, this definately won't be her last visit for this year.

Posted on August 8, 2008 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

Get Well Soon Papa Rollie

On Wednesday afteroon, July 30th Rollie (or "Papa Rollie" as he is called by the kids) came home from Church after preparing the chapel for the mid-week service. He arrived home to have dinner with Mom and prepare to perform as Head Deacon for the 5:30PM Worship Service when all of a sudden he was complaining that his chest was heavy and was having difficulty breathing. Mom quickly called 911 and he was rushed to Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center. After the doctors checked him, they found that he had 3 clogged arteries and his aorta valve was damaged. They scheduled him for triple bypass and an aorta valve replacement surgery which lasted over 6 hours. Thank God the operation was a success and he's recovery well.

We'd like to thank everyone for their overwelming support and prayers. A webpage has been set up for the latest news on "Papa Rollie's" recovery. Feel free to to check it out and send him a "Get Well Soon" greeting at: http://www.poblete.com/getwellsoon.

Posted on August 4, 2008 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

Nevaeh's First Flight

This past week we took a family vacation to the San Francisco Bay area. This was also Nevaeh's first flight on a commercial airline and she actually did very well! Seat belted in her very own car seat and window seat, she enjoyed seeing the other planes on the runway and flying through the clouds. After flying over an hour and a half she fell asleep and totally missed the experience of landing at the San Francisco International Airport.

It was great to see the sights of San Francisco again and we got the chance to visit some famous landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard St, Coit Tower and Fisherman's Wharf. We also got the chance to see family in Sacramento, South San Francisco and Daly City. Only complaint about Daly City (where we stayed) was that the clouds come through there in the afternoon from the ocean and is typically cold and overcast (Definately not Las Vegas weather). The joke is that those are not clouds but actually steam from all the rice cookers cooking for dinner time because of all the filipinos that live there. :) Click here or on the photos to see all the pictures from our San Francisco Vacation.

Posted on July 31, 2008 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

San Diego Padres Fan for Life

One of our family past times during the summer was to head out to Petco Park in downtown San Diego to watch the San Diego Padres baseball team. Despite what place they were in the standings the hometown fans would continue to support their team with hopes to take 1st place in the division and hopefully make it to the World Series. Unfortunately this season is looking pretty grim for our "last place" Padres. But cheer up Padres Fans, there's always next year! Just be lucky you still have a Major League Baseball team to root for. The only thing we have close to that here in Las Vegas are the "Las Vegas 51's", the Los Angeles Dodger minor league team (Boo! Dodgers!!!).

Well we sure miss those summer nights at Petco Park and hopefully we'll head out to a game this year before the season ends. In the meantime, let it be known that the Poblete's are "San Diego Padres Fans" for life. We've got our "Poblete Family Brick at Petco Park" to prove it :) Go Padres!!!

Posted on July 20, 2008 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

Life is like riding a bicycle...

As quoted by Albert Einstein..."Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving." It's been a few weeks now since Ron and a group of guys in Las Vegas and Henderson started bike riding on a regular basis. Being that temperatures in Las Vegas get over 100 degrees in the summer time, this group sets out for their early Saturday morning bike rides at 5AM to beat the heat from the sun. Check out all the information and photos on their Cycling Club website at: http://www.poblete.com/cyclingclub.

Posted on July 13, 2008 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe

What's a Blog?

So what exactly is a blog you may ask? The term "blog" is short for web log or weblog which is a web site or page with regular entries or logs of commentary in reverse-chronological order. A blog can be a place to share news and announcements, as a personal diary, or links to web site you want to remember or share. Hence, welcome to the "Poblete Family Blog" page. Our very own place where you can read about our family news, announcements, travel stories and activities. Come back and visit here from time to time to see and hear the latest and greatest. Also, check out our Digital Photo Gallery for photos from more past activities and events.

Posted on July 1, 2008 | Read Comments | Post Comment | Subscribe


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