August 2018 – Insider Irene

Living it up at the 2018 Lexus Grand Tasting (LA Food and Wine Festival)

Published on August 31, 2018August 29, 2018 by Insider IreneLeave a comment

Los Angeles is home to Hollywood stars, year-round summer weather, and some of the country’s best restaurants. So it should come as no surprise that the LA Food and Wine Festival is one of my favorite events to attend (See 2017 post here, here, and here) Not only do they serve from food from world class chefs like Aaron Sanchez and Antonia Lofaso, but over 200 of the best wines and talent rivaling that of the Food Network.

Food, Wine, and Friends at the Lexus Grand Tasting

This five day extravaganza gives foodies a wide variety of experiences to indulge in the countries finest and I was lucky enough to attend Sunday’s Lexus Grand Tasting at Barker Hanger in Santa Monica, where I got to stuff my face silly and meet celebrity chef Curtis Stone!! In his station he was shucking oysters for patrons to enjoy, gotta love a man who’s willing to get his hands dirty. 😉

Like many festivals that I’ve attended they were pumpin’ the top 100 music and served a huge variety of bites to sample including fresh sashimi, lobster waffles, macaroons among other fine dining options. However, what really elevates this festival is the fact that they have servers taking your plates away so the environment is always clean and spotless.

If you could have any celebrity chef make you a meal who would you pick? I’d love Alton Brown to make me anything!

XOXO,

Rockstar

Celebrating Power Rangers 25th Anniversary at Power Morphin Con

Published on August 29, 2018August 22, 2018 by Insider Irene2 Comments

Earlier in August I attended Saban’s Power Morphin Con – a convention centered around the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers! This year marked their 25th anniversary and as a latchkey kid who’s watched the OG cast everyday afterschool – this group of teenagers with attitude definitely spoke to me.

Jason David Frank (Original Green Ranger); Me & Original Power Rangers Cosplayers

Held at the Anaheim Convention Center this biennial event welcomed Power Rangers from the various series including Turbo, Space, and of course the Original (English version) Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Toy companies and artists sold merchandise on the convention floor and of course there were panel discussion. I got a chance to hear Jason David Frank (Original Green/White Ranger) talk about life after Power Rangers as well as his collaboration with the Power Rangers Legacy Wars: Street Fighter Showdown (hence the Chun Li Cosplay). I also found out that my old college friend plays Ryu!

Later in the evening the convention hosted a Prom at Angel Grove High School, the Power Rangers alma mater and boy was it a happenin’ place! The DJ was spinnin’ classic 90’s music like Aqua, Britney Spears, Nsync and best dancin’ favorites. People were doing a train conga line, there was a fun photo booth, and of course a cash bar for drinks. I hadn’t danced like it was 1999 in a LOOOONG time.

What song would you want to hear at a high school dance?

XOXO,

Rockstar

Summer Lovin’ at the Pacific Wine and Food Classic

Published on August 24, 2018August 21, 2018 by Insider IreneLeave a comment

Summer is coming to a close, but I’m incredibly lucky to live in a part of the world where in essential it’s beach season year-round. Pair that with an event that serves fine cuisine and drinks poured with a heavy hand and you’ve got yourself the recipe for an epic party! Thankfully, I was invited again to cover the Pacific Wine and Food Classic at the Newport Dunes and it certainly did not disappoint.

Held outdoors right along the alcove, this annual event brings together some of Orange County’s finest restaurants and wineries for guests to taste the flavors of summer. More than 60 chefs catered the event using exotic and vibrant ingredients to create colorful and flavorful bites. Both carnivores and vegetarians alike would enjoy the event as there were plenty of diverse options to sample. My favorite was the Ponzu Scallops from Blue Water Grill and the mushroom taco from Taco Rosa. Although Flank Steak with Chimichurri and micro greens over a horseradish mashed potatoes from Texas de Brazil definitely was a highlight as well!

Noms and Sips form the Pacific Wine & Food Classic

This two day all inclusive event epitomizes California cool. You’ve got a mixed cocktail in one hand the ocean, breeze flowing through your hair, Top 100 music playing in the background and tons of stations to sample creative new and/or signature dishes.

What would you try first? Seafood? Beef? Chicken? Drinks? So many choices!!

XOXO,

Rockstar

Favorite Cosplay at San Diego Comic Con?!!

Published on August 22, 2018August 5, 2018 by Insider Irene4 Comments

Oh man… so this is officially my 2nd time cosplaying at San Diego Comic Con (see my first year’s post here) and had a blast. I portrayed a different character each day based on what was going on and wanted to share some of my favorite shots!

Thursday: Nightwing (Batman: The Animated Series) – My first genderbend cosplay! Before the convention started, I noticed the DC Universe Experience (right in the Gaslamp District) and knew that I had to try to sneak some shots with my Dick Grayson cosplay. Unfortunately, it was so darn hot so I had to change out mid-day. I was dying in the black unitard – but was thankful to grab a couple of cool shots! What do you think? Does the Boy Wonder have your stamp of approval? 😉

Friday: Lois Lane (Superman: The Animated Series) – Honestly this is probably one of the most under-rated characters in the DC Universe. She’s smart, spunky, and not afraid to take chances. What I love about this cosplay is that I get to act like a reporter and interview people from all over including the panel for the movie screening: Death of Superman.

Saturday: Chun Li (Street Fighter) – Probably one of my most requested cosplay for photo opts. Seems like everyone grew up with this character and thankfully her outfit is very comfortable. Yatta!

Sunday: Violet Parr (The Incredibles) – My first Disney cosplay!! and of course it’s a superhero, tehehe… My favorite part about this cosplay is having all the kids come up to request a photo and also correcting their parents when their mom/dad said “Hey look it’s Mrs. Incredible!” and the kid would reply “No that’s Violet” – yeah you show them!

Out of the four cosplays who should I cosplay more often?

XOXO,

Rockstar

Eating and drinking at the 1st Annual Brunch Life Fest in Long Beach, CA

Published on August 17, 2018August 19, 2018 by Insider IreneLeave a comment

Earlier this month I partnered with Trip.skyscanner.com to check out Southern California’s newest brunch festival – Brunch Life Fest!! Held outdoors at the Rainbow Lagoon Park in Downtown Long Beach, this one day event allowed everyone to enjoy some fresh beats, booze, and brunch!

With the sun shining brightly, many guests came dressed the part with floppy hats, sunglasses and hand with a glass of mimosa to complete the look. lol There were tons of bubbly drinks at the event so if you love your booze you won’t go thirsty here. Additionally, there were a number of fun backdrops for you and your brunch crew to strike a pose with your liquid encouragement.

As for food, Mussels and Pearls made some delicious fish tostado and La Traviata was pumpin’ out several different breakfast items including shortrib sammys, fried potatoes, and brussels sprouts! And of course you can’t end any meal without dessert! Sweet Nina’s chocolate chip cookies were so sinfully good.

As the inaugural event, I think this festival has a lot of potential and hope that next year they’ll invite a greater number of restaurants to come join the fun! One of which must prepare avocado toast! I mean brunch just doesn’t seem complete without this staple.

Whats your must have brunch food item?

XOXO,

Rockstar

I Like Laika – FREE interactive exhibit outside SDCC

Published on August 15, 2018August 3, 2018 by Insider IreneLeave a comment

While most of the San Diego Comic Con was up and runnin’ on Wednesday (SDCC Preview Night), I was among the first guests to enter the Laika Live Experience – a FREE exhibit in the Gaslamp District.

Upon waiting in line my friends and I were handed a fan with a character as well as a headband with the characters iconic headdress (I choose the helmet for Kubo) and we were seated to watch a short video regarding the movies. For my readers unfamiliar with the Laika, they’re known for handcrafted stop-motion animation and stunning visual effects. They swap out heads to mimic different expressions, but at the end of the day it takes hours to create a scene that lasts a couple of minutes. Whew!

They also recreated a few life-size versions of certain scenes, but don’t let this comfy lookin’ couch fool you, it’s as hard as a rock. So deceptive! And my hinny was in great pain, but anything for the shot! lol

I can’t say that I know the franchise all that well, but I am confidently impressed by the patience and care to detail these artists put in creating these features. During the exhibit the artist who worked on the movie showed us techniques and told us how they recorded people doing certain tasks and would emulate those actions with the characters. One artist informed us that his running style was used for one of the mother characters.

My friends who attended last year said that this was even bigger and better than last – who will check this exhibit out in 2019?

XOXO,

Rockstar

Macchiato’s Hacienda Heights Location Grand Opening – Potted Boba Drink!!

Published on August 10, 2018August 8, 2018 by Insider IreneLeave a comment

The weather has been extremely muggy, and the heat doesn’t make it any better. Yuck! But I guess at the very least that gives me a legitimate reason to savor some sweets treats and Macchiato one of my favorite Taiwanese dessert shops is opening another location in Hacienda Heights (15840 Halliburton Rd, Hacienda Heights, CA 91745)!!! WEE!!! To celebrate they’re giving away some goodies on Saturday August 11th from 11am-12am. See details below!

The First 100 People will get a free drink; Next 100 People will get a BOGO Promotion (Same Drink); and if you miss those they’ll be doing BOG1 50% off all day. EVERYONE will be entered to win a Nintendo Switch! Oh!! I love how that sounds!

They’re known for their Special Potted Plant Milk Tea ($4.50) and you’ve probably seen them all over Instagram or at the night-markets. In essence it’s crushed up Oreo cookies on top, with cream, and your choice of milk tea as the base. Super kawaii and a fun way to enjoy a cool beverage.

Be sure to pair your drink with some noms. These two are my top picks!

*Macchiato Sundae Waffle ($8.75) – Mochi style with strawberries, bananas, blueberries and three scoops of ice cream. Guests do have the option to order it crispy (which is a typical waffle), but the mochi style definitely gives the dish more flair. The chewy texture reminds me a lot of a traditional Chinese dessert and it’s beautifully presented. I ordered this at their Santa Ana location and the quality was consist here too! Loved it!

*Charcoal Waffle ($9.50) – A black waffle with strawberries and bananas paired with vanilla and Nutella ice cream and caramel sauce. I think this item is new because I didn’t recall a black waffle in the past. I wanted to order it as it seemed very Instagram worthy and to my surprise, it tasted really good as well! Photogenic desserts don’t always tasty as good as it looks, but this was the best of both worlds. It has a more cake-like texture with a charcoal aftertaste and goes nicely with the ice cream. Two thumbs up!

What will you be trying this weekend??

XOXO,

Rockstar

Macchiato Grand Opening – August 11th from 11am-12am – 15840 Halliburton Rd, Hacienda Heights, CA 91745

Dragon Ball Z at SDCC – 3rd Anniversary Mobile Game Debut + Movie Promotion!

Published on August 8, 2018August 8, 2018 by Insider IreneLeave a comment

San Diego Comic Con is MASSIVE and I felt that I didn’t do the mecca nerd gathering justice by spending just a couple days. So, this year I allocated more time to dwell in the summer nerd capitol and tried to do as many of the outside convention stuff. (See Conan Taping LIVE here.)

Dragon Ball Z life-size and miniature figurines

On Wednesday my friends and I ventured behind the convention to checkout the Dragon Ball Z area and considering it was Preview Night I was surprised at how many people were already waiting in lines! But those lines were no match for the My Hero Academia panel line (check out post here). Nevertheless, the setup was most impressive and there was a ton to do and see for the ultimate Dragon Ball fan! * Note * this area was within the sectioned SDCC Badge area.

The main line was for dedicated to fans who wanted a Dragon Ball Z backpack and lanyard, among other goodies, whereas the side lines were for fans who wanted to try and win freebies such as a t-shirt or hat. There were also photo opportunities as well as figurine replicas re-enacting scenes from the series all to promote the third anniversary mobile game “Dragon Ball Dokkan Battle” – I tried it and it’s super hard, but practice makes perfect right? Lol

Dragon Ball Z will also be premiering a movie later this year. No word on which theaters, but I hope it’s “Over 9000” haha… If you can have a private viewing of an upcoming movie, what movie would you want to see?

XOXO,

Rockstar

My Hero Academia Frenzy at Anime Expo and San Diego Comic Con

Published on August 3, 2018August 2, 2018 by Insider Irene4 Comments

One of my friends recently introduced me to a series called My Hero Academia, an anime focused on high school students training to become pro heroes and of course I got hooked (although 2^nd season is MUCH better than the 1^st). I binged all the dubbed episodes before Anime Expo and hoped to be among the first to watch a special screening of My Hero Academia: Two Hero’s at 12:30pm. My friend and I got there around 8:30am and to no success they passed out all the wristbands. *cries* One of my other friends got there around 6:30am and narrowly snagged one before they ran out.

This is (to say the least) the year of My Hero. EVERYONE was cosplaying as a character from this show. Whether in battle attire or a UA school uniform there was a plethora of Dekus, Todoroki, and Froppys as well as some pretty amazing Bakugos. My favorite character is Momo – who’s yours?

Fast-forward a couple weeks to San Diego Comic Con. The creator, Kohei Horikoshi, and American voice actors for Deku (Justin Briner) and All Might (Christopher Sabat) were scheduled to make an appearance! Considering the cult following, my friends and I got to the panel early and good thing too because this panel was beyond packed. I hope for 2019 Viz Media will request Ballroom 20 or another larger room to accommodate this fandom because there were so many people eager to attend.

(Left to Right): Moderator, maybe a producer?, American voice actors for Deku (Justin Briner) and All Might (Christopher Sabat)

Thankfully my friends and I were able to snag a seat although not together as the panel before did not clear out. We were all given some swag items, including a poster, bandana and fan. Unfortunately, out of respect for the creator we were instructed to refrain from video recording and photography. When the creator came out he disclosed details on his inspiration and did a live drawing of Deku. Although there was rumors that they’d play the movie at SDCC, sadly they did not, but announced when it would be available in theaters – September 25^th – October 2^nd. I still had a great time and the energy in the room was “plus ultra!”

If you could choose a quirk (superpower) what would you pick? I’d pick super-speed, but only if it comes with a high metabolism 🙂

XOXO,

Rockstar