Then you walk down the stairs and see the main shopping area with even more household products – cookware (rice cooker, pressure cooker), cookbooks and condiments…etc. Further in, you will finally see the Market Restaurant and Bar. We went in the middle of the week for a late lunch so we just walked in without a reservation, but if you plan to go during busy weekday lunch hours or on the weekends, we highly recommend you make a reservation.

We sat at a table by the dim sum bar at the back of the restaurant. All the ladies were busy steaming and preparing all the hot dim sum dishes.

The interior decor has an industrial feel to it with lots of concrete flooring and ceiling (with Chinese characters), paired with nice wood furniture that warms up the place.

When we visited, it happened to be the last day of the San Francisco Restaurant Week and we tried out their special menu which included an appetizer, a main course and a drink (tea or beer) – Darren opted for the beer! We selected the Shanghai thick noodles which is always my favorite!

We also selected the 6-piece Xiao Long Bao, which was very tasty. I love these bite-size ones, they were perfect.

And we added the 4-piece shrimp and scallops Siu Mai dumplings. They were $14, the most expensive Siu Mai I have ever had!

Absolutely love the decor of this place…

Their in-house China Live brand sauces and condiments… with the special menu we ordered, it also included a bottle of chili sauce!

They even have a barbeque meat section (enclosed by glass) at the restaurant facing the bar:

We walked around the shop after lunch…

Tons of fine tea on the shelves:

And high-end cooking sauces and wines:

Horoscope bar soaps:

It was definitely a nice marketplace and restaurant if you don’t mind spending a little more!

644 Broadway
San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 788-8188

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Let’s take a deeper look at the 2 packs:

This is the Carryall Pack.  Just as it says, you can pack all of your clothes in this bag.  The interior is spacious and it has plenty of pockets for loose items.  You can carry it in so many different ways – as a duffel (the photo above), or hand-carry (2 photos below).  It is very durable and made of heavy duty matte finish tarpaulin and abrasion resistant ballistic nylon, all waterproof material.  The handles and zipper pulls are made of leather.

The buckles are heavy duty metal and feel very solid.  It is a very well made bag.  All outer zippers are YYK #8 waterproof
lockable zippers.

If you flip over the Carryall Pack, you can unzip the cover all the way at the bottom and voila!  It converts into a backpack!  All you have to do is roll up the cover, and there is a velcro pocket that you can tug the cover inside.

Now the Carryall Pack turns into a full-on backpack!  The padded waist belt with the harness at the bottom part works very well.  There are lots of padding and support in the back.

It looks very stylish as a backpack and you can fit quite a bit in it as well, depending on how much weight you can carry on your back.

The front sternum strap on top and the padded waist belt give lots of support while you are carrying the bag.

Love the heavy-weight Cobra metal buckles that cross the main zipper openings for added security:

My favorite is definitely the zippers!  Look how clean the design is.  They are all sealed and water resistant.  I have never seen zippers that serve its purpose and also look stylish!  You can’t see the seam at all.

Here is the entire system – the Carryall Pack in the back and the Day Pack in the front.  There are tons of buckles and clips on the backpack straps that you can attach the Day Pack.  What I love about the entire system is that the weight distribution of both packs is very even, and they are so comfortable to carry that I almost forgot that I was carrying 2 bags at the same time!  I also love being able to carry 2 bags at once and still have both hands free.

There are so many pockets in the Day Pack that you can tailor to your needs, and if you just wear the Day Pack alone, you can unzip the back side and find the stowaway padded backpack straps.

And you can also carry up to a 15″ laptop in the Day Pack.  On the side is a water bottle slot as well.

Both packs have the rain covers for those not so sunny days, and they are backed by a lifetime of travel guarantee!

I can’t wait to travel with these bags in a few weeks when we have to drive down to Southern California for our client’s engagement session.  If you are interested in getting your hands on this travel pack system, CLICK HERE and you can order yours on Kickstarter!

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It’s finally time for Darren and me to say goodbye to our Maui home.  We both met in San Francisco back in 2002, got married in 2005 and 2 weeks after our destination wedding in Honolulu, we actually moved to the Hawaiian islands for 5-1/2 years.  We lived on Maui for the first 5-1/2 years and then Oahu for one year.  We bought a lovely home in Wailuku in 2006.  It was such a great first home for us and we created a lot of beautiful memories there.  We also started our wedding photography journey there right out of our home office!

Living in Hawaii was one of the best experiences we have ever had.  The people there are very nice and the beauty of the islands are just breathtaking.  There was never a bad day when you live in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and surrounded by all the natural beauty.

Almost 6 years ago, we decided to move back to the San Francisco Bay Area.  That’s where home and our heart is even though I have lived in Hong Kong, London (UK) and Southern California throughout my life.  We kept our Maui home all this time and finally a few months ago, we put the house on the market.  Now the house is in escrow and will close at the end of November!

It is such a bittersweet moment for us.  It is sad to say goodbye to our first ever home, but we are also excited to find a new home base here in Northern California.  Be sure to follow our journey here as well as on our other “home buying” Instagram account!  We will still continue to travel the world and update our adventures here!  Stay tuned…

The post Saying Goodbye to Our Maui Home appeared first on The Globetrotter Collective.

This restaurant is ALWAYS busy and packed!  It doesn’t matter what time of day you come or what month you visit.  There is always a line of people – both locals and tourists, look at the photo below!  They are an institution and if you happen to stop by Half Moon Bay and want some seafood, you just HAVE to stop here.

The only thing about this restaurant is that their dishes average about $15 to $25, and they take CASH ONLY.  So before you put your name down on their list, make sure you stop by the ATM as well.

During the summer, their takeout counter (on the left side of the photo below) is opened every day, but during the off-season, they are only open on the weekends.  So if you want take-out on the weekdays like we did, you will have to order inside the restaurant.

The reason why we like the fish and chips at Barbara’s is that the batter is very light, unlike a lot of other restaurants that make them very thick, and the cod is very fresh and flaky – just like how we like it.  If you don’t want chips, you can also opt for rice pilaf and cole slaw.

The restaurant has 6 picnic tables total – 3 on the left and 3 on the right of the restaurant.  We always eat at those picnic tables as it’s nice to sit outside looking out to the harbor.  It has such a relaxing feel.  If you want, you can actually purchase seafood directly at the harbor from the fishermen!  We have bought fish before and it was delicious!

Last time we ordered their combo plate and they also have excellent calamari and shell fish.  Every time we drive down to Half Moon Bay, we always look forward to eating at Barbara’s.  Here is their address and phone number:

Barbara’s Fish Trap
281 Capistrano Road
Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
(650) 728-7049

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When you first walk into the hotel, you see the main lobby straight ahead, the front desk is on the left and the Oceano Bar & Grill is on the right.  The restaurant offers breakfast starting at 7:00 am, and then lunch and dinner till 10:00 pm on the weeknights and 11:00 pm on the weekends.  Breakfast menu items include omelets, yogurt, oatmeal, quesadillas to lunch and dinner items such as salads, sandwiches, steak, cod fillet, salmon, and pasta.

The main lobby has a beautiful skylight ceiling which makes is very bright and airy.  It has a very comfortable and homey feel.  The new couches, seats, coffee tables and rugs now have a neutral gray tone which fits the coastal environment perfectly.

Their staff is super friendly and helpful.  We have photographed a few weddings there and we absolutely love it there.

The outdoor lawn with the trellis is perfect for wedding ceremonies:

There used to be a permanent tent at this spot for outdoor events, but Oceano replaced it with the Gate House which could hold 200 guests for any functions and weddings.

Oceano also has a spa and health club on premise.

The post Oceano Hotel and Spa | Half Moon Bay, California, USA appeared first on The Globetrotter Collective.

The resort looks very dramatic from the Three Rocks Beach:

The resort features 2 championship golf courses.  They have the most amazing view of the California coastline.

And idyllic garden setting perfect for reading a book outdoor or enjoying a glass of wine!

The front entrance of the resort is very inviting:

Outdoor function space with a fire pit:

The outdoor bar and seating area where guests have an amazing coastline view:

The Three Rocks right by the resort:

Gorgeous Half Moon Bay coastline and Three Rocks Beach!

The view of the resort from the walk path that leads to Three Rocks Beach:

The Bridge at the Half Moon Bay Golf Links:

The lobby of the resort with new chandeliers, carpets and furnishings:

The Conservatory lobby restaurant offers healthy farm-to-table lunch and dinner every day from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm:

The Cork Wine Bar offers wine flights and wine by the glass:

The post The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay | California, USA appeared first on The Globetrotter Collective.

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area maintains a strict opening and closing hours (6:00 am to 6:00 pm), therefore all of the game drives need to start early in the morning right around sunrise time, as it also takes a little bit of time to drive down to the crater floor from the rim where the lodges are.  And to avoid two-way safari vehicle traffic, there is one road heading down to the crater and another one going up the crater.

The crater floor does get super crowded with tourists:

Ngorongoro Crater was the only place we visited that had closed safari vehicles.  The reason being the crater rim, at 7,500 feet, is often cool and drizzly – hidden in clouds/fog making arrival by plane almost impossible.  As the vehicles that are used to transfer guests are the same that are used for wildlife viewing they are closed for guest comfort.  However, Darren and I did fly into the conservation area from Lake Manyara.

Hyenas have to be my least favorite animals.  Even though they are scavengers and will finish off the leftovers that the predators left behind (no waste there), they just look mean and their “laugh” is actually very chilling to hear.  The ones at the Ngorongoro Crater were not even afraid of people and the safari vehicles.  Just like in the photo below, they wouldn’t move when a safari vehicle drove by.

The majestic view of the wildebeests crossing in front of our safari vehicle.  Just minutes after this photo was taken, we learned that a group of hyenas just took down a zebra alive.  Our vehicle was pretty far from where it happened, but with the help of binoculars, we were able to see the zebra still fighting for its life.  Nature can be very brutal, but that’s how our ecosystem works – survival of the fittest.

The post Ngorongoro Crater Safari Game Drive | Tanzania appeared first on The Globetrotter Collective.

At the entrance of the lodge, zebras were grazing on the grass on the property:

It was almost like the movie set of “The Lord of the Rings”…

The main dining lodge:

The wonderful staff was welcoming us with their special song, dance, and beverage:

The main dining lodge with the Ngorongoro Crater behind us:

These were the guest lodges and the zebras just roamed freely:

The entrance/foyer of the main dining lodge:

The living room area where guests have their sundowner cocktails:

The opulent setting of the living room of the main lodge, it had the British Colonial feel to it:

The main dining room:

And there was African art work everywhere in the main lodge:

This was the entrance to our guest lodge:

Inside our lodge with a King-sized bed and the dressing area and bathroom in the far end:

The fireplace and living room area of our guest lodge:

The bathroom:

Straight ahead was the shower area in between the 2 sinks:

Close up of the shower:

View of our bedroom in the far end from the bathroom:

The dressing area:

After a long day of game drive, they drew a nice warm bubble bath for us right before dinner:

Every guest lodge faces the crater, and this was our terrace and deck.  In the morning it was pretty chilly up at the lodge which was 5,900 feet above sea level, but the air was fresh and crisp!

A panoramic view of the crater at sunrise:

The traditional Maasai outfit:

I was excited to see a “Menu for Evonne” on the dining table!

A photo of me with the manager, Daniel:

Very delicious lunch:

Us at the dining room:

On the last night of our Safari, my stomach wasn’t feeling too well so we moved the dinner to our lodge and the chef created a special menu for me.  Their attention to detail and personalization is just top-notch, hands down!

Look how pretty they packaged our laundry!

Our last breakfast at the lodge, they presented us with a cake to celebrate my birthday as well as our 10th wedding anniversary.  How pretty was this table with all the red rose petals.  It couldn’t get any more romantic than that!

I didn’t even know Darren took a photo of me as I was leaving a note in the guest book right before we departed!

The post andBeyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge | Tanzania appeared first on The Globetrotter Collective.

Our guide, Peter, was very knowledgeable.  He was telling us about all the animals and birds that were inhabited in this little park.

Peter greeted us at the Lake Manyara Airport:

The andBeyond welcome drinks and snacks all setup at the airport parking lot:

The official welcome sign of Lake Manyara National Park:

We never get tired of outdoor picnics:

One great thing about traveling is you get to meet new friends.  Here are Maria and Joel visiting from Chicago, IL!

The post Lake Manyara Safari Game Drive | Tanzania appeared first on The Globetrotter Collective.

Every camp/lodge with andBeyond has a welcome sign right at the entrance:

And the staff always sing a welcome song and present the guests with a beverage and treats:

The Lake Manyara Tree Lodge is deep in the mahogany forest…

Once we walked through the entrance, there was the dining and lobby lodge with the sitting area and interactive kitchen on the top floor and a Safari shop on the bottom level.  The lodge is surrounded by the boma for outdoor open air dining.

During lunch when it’s super warm, we ate inside the dining lodge overlooking the forest.  It was so relaxing.

Every day the lunch menu changes, and we can select our choices from the chalk board:

This was our private tree lodge.  We love the decor and reminded us of the hotels in Bali decorated with draperies and lots of wood furnishings:

This was the outdoor deck of our tree lodge:

The view of the living area and our bedroom from the front entrance of the tree lodge:

And you can see the outdoor deck from this view:

This was the view from the bathroom, looking back at the bedroom, the living area and the front entrance in the far end:

Our most comfortable and luxurious bedding:

The outdoor shower on the left, and the indoor bathtub on the right.  I used the outdoor shower every day and I could see elephants grazing on the trees right outside.  It was the most amazing experience ever!

Love all their bath products:

Welcome packet and treats on the coffee table as we walked in:

The lodge at night…

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