Insider Irene

West Coast Roadtrip – Costco Gas Pitstop list

Published on July 11, 2016July 12, 2016 by Insider IreneLeave a comment

Not a sexy blog topic, but a necessary one when planning a roadtrip up PCH. New to the “Frugal Finds” travel series? Click to read my original post “Explore the West Coast for Cheap – 8 Day Roadtrip” and “7 travel essentials to bring on a roadtrip.”

If you have a Costco membership and are planning to fill-up there, make it a part of your travel plans.*FYI – I am NOT a Costco spokesperson or getting paid to endorse, just an enthusiast and organized travel planner :)Below detail the locations that have gas and addresses to help you plan your trip.

Garden Grove, CA – 11000 Garden Grove Boulevard, Garden Grove 92843

San Luis Obispo, CA – 1540 Froom Ranch Road, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405

Gilroy, CA – 7251 Camino Arroyo, Gilroy, CA 95020

Eureka, CA – 1006 W Wabash Ave, Eureka, CA 95501

Eugene, OR – 2828 Chad Drive, Eugene, OR 97408

Tacoma, WA – 2219 S 37th St, Tacoma, WA 98409

Tigard, OR – 7850 SW Dartmouth Road, Tigard, OR 97223

Medford, OR – 3639 Crater Lake Highway, Medford, OR 97504

Sacramento, CA – 1600 Expo Parkway, Sacramento, CA 95815

— cow country — There’s no Costco gas (that I could find) between these two points, I’d recommend filling up just a little bit (maybe $5 worth) at a random station to be on the safe side.

Burbank, CA – 1041 N Victory Place, Burbank 91502

Do you have gas tips to share? Comment below

XOXO,

Rockstar

Frugal Finds, West Coast Roadtrip – Bowling Ball Beach, Schooner Gulch, & Point Arena, CA

Published on July 8, 2016July 7, 2016 by Insider Irene2 Comments

We departed San Francisco (Click here for SF Part 1/ Click here SF Part 2 Post) bright and early in the morning for a 3 hour trip towards one of California’s hidden gems.

Prior to my West Coast Road Trip I read Buzzfeed’s 16 of the World’s Most Spectacular Beaches and found out that three of California beaches made the list. Since we were driving up PCH we decided to hit up the two unique ones – Bowling Ball Beach and Glass Beach (stay tuned for the next post).

What I didn’t know was how difficult it was going to be to find it! With non-existent cell phone service and no major signs we actually drove past the “entrance” twice. Below is a snapshot of the trail entrance. Keep in mind you can only park on the south-side (meaning that you’re driving down from Fort Bragg towards San Francisco). It’s a small dirt patch where you can park your car.

After walking for about 10-15 minutes through the forest we finally made it down to the beach. There’s a lot of driftwood and smaller rocks we started to walk towards what could be Bowling Ball Beach. It was low tide (as we were there around 11:30am) but the rock formation did not appear as round as expected. I had read reviews that the rocks were covered in algae so I assumed that these were it. Definitely not what I expected…

Bowling Balls?

After wandering around for another 15 -20 minutes I gave up and decided to head towards the next destination. My photos didn’t look anything like the photos from buzzfeed, but the air was really crisp and the view was still very enjoyable. Upon further research when I returned home I realized that perhaps I visited Schooner Gulch State Beach and that the Northern Trail to Bowling Ball Beach was closed due to erosion *tear* – but at least I did get some nice nature shots!

We then headed towards Point Arena which in my opinion is a retreat destination for individuals who gravitate towards a health conscious lifestyle. This one street city has all the basic essentials and a public restaurant near the end of the strip. The local grocery store was modest, but sold mostly organic /vegan/gluten-free options and surprisingly a lot of Thai ingredients. I’d think that if you were into yoga and hiking this would be paradise for you as many of the locals seemed to embrace a very holistic mindset.

By this point I was itching for some munchies and decided to pay Franny’s Cup and Saucer a visit. Everything was baked fresh from scratch and while I was really looking forward to the huckleberry scone (sold out unfortunately), I decided to try their savory vegetarian bread pudding cup with garlic and parmesan cheese. It would definitely cast away any lurking vampires. The price was on the higher side ($5 for the small slice) and they’re cash only; however, considering the time of day and the number of options in the surrounding community it satisfied my appetite.

Did I miss a frugal find, comment below and let me know!

XOXO,

Rockstar

Frugal Finds, West Coast Roadtrip – San Francisco, CA (Part 2)

Published on July 6, 2016June 29, 2016 by Insider Irene2 Comments

San Francisco is home to many ethnic areas so I decided to spend the day exploring three different areas: Chinatown, Union Square, and Tenderloin aka. Thai Town (my phone died so I unfortunately do not have any cool images of the later two cities *cries*) – nevertheless I’ll still compile a list of the places you’ll have to visit!

It’s quite a walk from the Exploratorium – but after a good 30 minutes or so we finally made it to Chinatown. Notes: Most of these restaurants won’t have their own business pages so I included a hyperlink to their respective yelp pages – hope it helps! 🙂

Chinatown Food (Cheap Eats)

New Lun Ting Cafe: By the time we walked to Chinatown I was famished. I pulled up my phone and looked for some cheap eats with generous portions and this restaurant popped up. My friend and I shared the Oxtail stew and for $8.95 it was quite a steal. The meat was fall off the bone tender and the gravy was a great accompaniment to the rice and veggies.

Good Mong Kok Bakery: Serving traditional dim Sum in a fast food type of manner. If you see a long line outside you’re in the right place. Stand there and get read to point to everything you’d want to eat. They have everything from har gaw, BBQ buns, shu mai among other items. Each item is also jumbo sized – like twice the size of a typical counterpart. Cash only.

Golden Gate Bakery: No trip to SF’s Chinatown would be complete without sampling the famous egg tarts – if you catch them when they’re open. On many different occasions this bakery has closed due to random vacations, but you can check their Facebook page to see status updates.

AA Bakery and Cafe: A bakery serving authentic sweet and savory pastries for a very affordable price point. I took two buns home and they tasted great 🙂

The Fashionable Diva ($$$) in the Financial District/ Union Square

Tourists and locals would flock to Union Square to as it’s the Heart of San Francisco (complete with all the heart sculptures you can imagine). It’s also home to almost all the major designer labels and fashion staples. But if you’re looking for something a bit more unique consider the shop below.

Angelic Pretty and Harajuku Hearts: If you’re into Japanese fashion, you’re going to love this store. Angelic Pretty carries more girly, frilly items whereas Harajuku Hearts tailors to the moth goth punk crowd. Both share the space and there are a bunch of really cute unique items. Kawaii!

Authentic Thai ($) in Tenderloin, CA
Sai Jai Thai Restaurant: When most of the patrons are Thai you know you’re in a solid joint. This hole in the wall restaurant serves traditional Thai fare for a very reasonable price (see menu above). The pad thai with shrimp was really tasty and I would definitely be back again!

Do you have a favorite frugal find that I missed? Comment below!

XOXO,

Rockstar

Frugal Finds, West Coast Roadtrip – San Francisco, CA (Part 1)

Published on July 4, 2016June 29, 2016 by Insider Irene2 Comments

San Francisco is a mecca of good eats and outdoor attractions; unfortunately it’s a nightmare when it comes to parking, so my friend and I decided to strap up our tennies and take public transit to the city.

We stayed at an Air BnB (use my code here – we both will get $25 travel credit when you book a place of $75+) in Daly City and decided to park our car in the lot ($3 – be sure to pay at the machine!) and take the Bart to Embarcadero ($3.25 one way). For newbie travelers here’s a list and picture of the stations the bart travels to. The price varies based on how far you want to travel, but considering the convenience it’s a great option to get around the city without the headache of looking for overly priced parking spots and walking’s good for you.

Near the Bart Embaradero exit is the Ferry Building Marketplace – our first foodie destination. This modern day indoor bazaar is home to dozens of unique restaurants and shops. We opted to try three different cuisines for lunch.

Boccalone – Known for their tasty salted pig parts, this gourmet shop that specializes in cured meat. Not sure what to try? Not a problem – they have a sample cone for $4 where you can try slices of three of their most popular cuts.

Hog Island Oyster Co – Unfortunately they don’t offer happy hour oysters anymore, but with an average of 4.5 stars and over 3500 reviews on yelp this was definitely a place I wanted to check out for myself. I shared a half dozen of the Redwood Curtain Kumamoto on the half shell ($20) and they were definitely fresh and delicious. This restaurant is known for long wait times, but if you come right at opening you would certainly be able to snag a seat with a great view of the bridge.

Golden Gate Meat Company – This butcher counter is located right outside of Hog Island Oyster Co. While we were not fortunate enough to take home some of their specialized cuts, we did try a beef pot pie and it was extremely hearty and filling. Not bad for a $8 investment

After eating so many different items we decided to head over to the Exploratorium – a museum that greatly emphasizes hands-on learning and only about a short 10 minute walk from the Ferry Building Marketplace.

On the day I visited there were a ton of kids enjoying themselves with all the interactive exhibits and if you’re a California educator you can get FREE admission. Click here to request a voucher. Be sure to submit the information and print out the ticket before you visit. Museum admission is otherwise $29.95 for general admission.

Depending on how thorough you are with reading the exhibits descriptions and/or participating in the activities, you can spend anywhere from 1-2 hours here. There was one exhibit focused on the idea of “love” and guests were asked to type in 6 words that embody your idea of love. “Food will make me happy, yes!” – was the closest I could come up with – ha!

Speaking of love…

On the opposite side of the Ferry Building Marketplace is Cupid’s Span – an enormous art sculpture located in front of the Bay Bridge. It’s a pretty cool landmark and this would be a great place to bring a date.

Pro Tip: While my photos all showcase how bright and beautiful the area is, I’d recommend traveling with a jacket because it did get rather windy.

Have you been to the Ferry Building Marketplace? What was your favorite restaurant and what did you order? Stay tuned for Frugal Fun, West Coast Roadtrip – San Francisco Edition Part 2.

XOXO,

Rockstar

Frugal Finds, West Coast Roadtrip -Monterey Bay,CA

Published on July 1, 2016June 29, 2016 by Insider Irene1 Comment

After spending a few hours at San Luis Obispo (click here to read about my SLO adventures) the next destination was Monterey Bay – Home of the World Famous Monterey Bay Aquarium. But before seeing some cute sea otters we drove past Bixby Bridge – a historic landmark with a great panoramic view of the ocean in Big Sur.

For my readers just tuning in, click here to see my original post outlining the finances and pit stops with hyperlinks documenting my journey!

It’s a popular tourist attraction and many patrons parked alongside the road or the mini lot on the side to snap some selfies and obviously I couldn’t resist either. It was also a good opportunity stretch your legs and take a break from driving.

Soon afterwards we headed to Monterey Bay. Both my friend and I had visited the world famous aquarium so we decided to try to see the adorable sea otters in an alternative and more frugal manner.

I got a tip that Schooners Coastal Kitchen and Bar in Cannery Row (made famous by John Steinbeck’s book with the same namesake and footsteps away from the aquarium) oversees the bay and that guests often saw wild otters from the restaurant window. I also read up that the restaurant offered a happy hour (4-5:30; Monday – Friday) – sweet!
My friend and I ordered two items from their Coastal Hour Small Bites, which were split into there categories ($3, $4, and $5). They also had cocktails ranging from $6-$10. The service was polite and the view was breath-taking; however, to be honest I was quite disappointed in the two items we ordered. The calamari was mushy and tasted as if it were reheated in a microwave and the artichoke frittata wasn’t memorable; however from my research many patrons enjoyed the homemade clam chowder. I had a big bowl earlier that day so I wasn’t in the mood to sample theirs. I had also heard good things about their seafood ceviche – next time!

Alternatively, you can consider ordering something from the dessert menu if you happen to be in town when it’s not happy hour. It’s a great way to sample their offering without paying the $$$ price tag for a full entree.

The view at this establishment is hard to beat and while the sea otters didn’t come out to play on our visit, I would certainly return to catch them again

After enjoying the peaceful view we took a stroll down cannery row, which is home to your typical tourist shops and attractions. In some way it’s like SF’s Fisherman’s Wharf but on a much smaller scale. If you walk a few streets up you can find a lovely new bakery called “The Perfect Crumb Bakery” where the owner uses her own recipes to make delicious desserts and treats. The key lime pie sounded amazing, but I wanted something a bit lighter and opted for a traditional chocolate chip cookie. It was soft and just what I needed before heading off to our next destination.

Did I miss a frugal find, comment below and let me know!

XOXO,

Rockstar

7 travel essentials to bring on a Roadtrip

Published on June 29, 2016July 2, 2016 by Insider Irene3 Comments

When you’re planning an extended vacation the most important and obvious things come to mind (cell phone, wallet, car keys, clothes etc.), but to make your trip as enjoyable as possible remember these 10 travel essentials. Check out my original post documenting my 8 Day West Coast Roadtrip.

1. A portable battery charger and cables – My cell phone’s lifespan is very short and as a tourist who loves snapping photos and taking videos my phone is often drained.

2. Cash – Some of the smaller shops don’t accept plastic so be sure to hit up the bank. Personally I withdrew $200 and requested the teller to break them up into $1s, $5s, $10s and $20s.

3. A blanket and pillow – They make the long drives a bit more bearable and depending on your room accommodations these two items may help you sleep better. I’ve noticed that at a few Air BnB places the blankets tend to be thiner and why yes that is a Harry Potter blanket. *wink* It was a splurge gift to myself from Universal Studios Harry Potter World Soft opening. Here’s the link to see check out the Hogwarts Crest Throw.

4. Cds of your favorite music or an Ipod– There are stretches in the trip where you’ll have limited reception and there’s only so many times when you can listen to Justin Bieber’s “Sorry” on the radio – think of it as a bomb karaoke party!

5. Good walking shoes – We parked the car and usually did not go back until the end of the day. Ladies leave the heels at home, your feet will thank you!

6. Sunscreen and shades – Vitamin D is great, but too much of a good thing can be harmful. Protect you skin and shield your eyes. At my local RiteAid they were doing a B1G1 Free for all Hawaiian Tropic Products.

I got this Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration SPF 30 and smells really nice. It’s glides on easily and there no white cast that you get from some other products. Here’s a link on amazon if you’re curious to see what others have to say about the product.

And sunglasses will help when the sun shines in your eyes as you’re driving.

7. Water – This may sound like a no brainer, but there may be long stretches on the trip when you won’t see a city for miles and you definitely don’t want to be dehydrated while driving.

I recommend investing in some type of water container and purchasing a gallon of water (as opposed to the bottles) so you can refill as needed when you make your stops. It’s cheaper and you’ll be doing the planet a huge favor.

Are there other items that aren’t on this list that should be? Comment below!

XOXO,

Rockstar

Explore the West Coast for Cheap – 8 Day Roadtrip!

Published on June 28, 2016July 22, 2016 by Insider Irene9 Comments

If you’ve been following the hashtag #FollowYu on my Instagram account (Add @Yurockstar if you’re not) – you’d know that I recently took an 8 day road trip to explore some amazing destinations off the beaten path.

My friend and I took the scenic route and drove up PCH to hit some of California’s hidden gems and continued our adventures in the Pacific Northwest. We ventured throughout Oregon, and Washington and starting this week I’ll be posting some of the different highlights from my entire trip and of course it’ll be done in a fabulously frugal fashion. 🙂

Finances:

I allocated about $1000 for this adventure and together with a friend we were able to share many of the expenses and bring down the overall individual cost.

The major expenses (car rental, gas, room) was a little less than $850 total and for major cities we tried to minimize our costs by taking public transportation when we could or parked a bit further and walked. We allocated $100 on public transit, parking etc and bookmarked all the local free or near free activities. In total the per person shared cost was roughly $475.

I gave myself a rather generous budget for food (stomach souvenirs) – essentially the rest of the budget :D, but still took advantage of all the lunch specials or happy hour pricing. It’s great if you and your travel companion are both adventurous eaters because then you can share the cost and try even more items!

Click here to read “7 Travel Essentials to Bring on a Roadtrip”

City List – Here’s a list of all the major pit stops we made and we started in Orange County. Click on the hyperlink to read about my adventure!

San Luis Obispo, CA

Monterey Bay, CA

San Francisco (Part 1), CA; San Francisco (Part 2), CA

Bowling Ball Beach, Schooner Gulch, and Point Arena, CA

Glass Beach, CA and Leggit, CA

Eureka, CA

Roseburg, OR and Eugene, OR

Portland, OR (Part 1); Portland, OR (Part 2)

Seattle, WA

Redding, CA

Sacramento, CA

I’ll try to pump out a new entry for all the places I’ve visited – which city are you most interested to see? Comment below 🙂

XOXO,

Rockstar

Frugal Finds, West Coast Roadtrip – San Luis Obispo, CA

Published on June 27, 2016July 22, 2016 by Insider Irene3 Comments

The first major pit stop for my 8 day roadtrip was San Luis Obispo (roughly 4 hours away from Orange County) and I was famished. Ready for the first foodie stop!

Click here if you missed the original post documenting my journey.

Bookmarked on my list was Splash Cafe, a little hole-in-the-wall mom n’ pop shop that’s known for their clam chowder. My friend and I split a bowl ($5.50), which was essentially twice the amount but only a dollar more. A cup was $4.50 and they didn’t mind giving us an extra cup to share.

The soup was on the more salty side, but it was very flavorful and creamy. The seafood was ample and I can see why this restaurant is a local favorite. I saw a lot of delicious looking pastries in the display case, but wanted to pace myself for all the yummy munchies I’ve planned for this trip.

As a small college town San Luis Obispo is home to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (aka, SLO), one of two Cal Polytechnic schools in California (the other being Cal Poly Pomona) that emphasizes a “learn by doing” educational philosophy. The university is known for their robust engineering program, but also their flourishing agriculture and horticulture department.

A cool and FREE thing to do is visiting the Leaning Pine Arboretum, a 5 acre garden with breathtaking mountain views. The garden features plants from all over the world including New Zealand, South Africa and other Mediterranean climates.

Pro Tip: Park in the student lot before you hit the horse ranch and pay the blue automated ticket box. Parking is $2 for an hour.

Hours of operation is 8am -5pm, Monday – Saturday; however, I recommend travelers to come early in the morning to beat the heat. 45 minutes to an hour is also adequate time to spend walking through the different gardens, but they do have benches scattered throughout the park so you can definitely slow down and enjoy the scenic views.

After a brisk walk around the garden it was time for lunch and let me tell you if you’re hungry you definitely want to hit up Firestone Grill – it’s where all the hunky firemen eat *wink*

Unfortunately on my visit there were no men in uniform on break; however, my eyes were all on the tri-tip sandwich ($9.25) – yum! The meat was super tender, BBQ sauce was tangy , and the bread was lightly toasted making it a really hearty meal. Two thumbs up! The restaurant set-up is also really conducive for any sports gathering. I can only imagine what this place would be like for the Superbowl or the World Cup. With great food and ample big screen tv’s I wouldn’t want to go anywhere else. It’s a happenin’ place!

But if you’re looking for a more intimate location to enjoy a conversation with a friend or just seeking a great local coffee shop, Scout Coffee Company, is an up and coming cafe simple rustic decor. The environment has a type of zen feel and patrons can enjoy everything from their cold brew to homemade almond milk.

The SLO downtown area has a lot of great cute restaurants and shops and one that caught my eye was the Hep Kat Clothing, a shop that sells new vintage style clothes, which is timeless and very figure flattering. I only quickly browsed through their sales racks, but they had some really adorable items.

Are there places I missed in SLO, comment below!

XOXO,

Rockstar

Highly Anticipated Birth Month Freebies List + Photos- April 2016 Edition

Published on May 18, 2016 by Insider Irene1 Comment

It’s as simple as signing up for their rewards email list, which I conveniently included a hyperlink for each store. Enjoy!

Gift with Purchase

Kiehls: They give you their Lip Balm #1 ($7 value) with any purchase (no minimum – although I purchased the Ultra Facial Cream, which is super hydrating and lightweight) They’re also running a recycling program where if you bring back any 10 full sized empty bottles or containers (including the lip balm) they’ll give you a free travel sized item.

Free Stuff (or near free)

DSW: Complimentary $5 gift card to spend. I hadn’t seen any shoes in that price range, but I can usually find an adorable pair of socks. This year I scored cat socks – yes, I suppose I’m turning into that crazy cat lady 🙂

Victoria’s Secret: Complimentary $10 gift card to spend (excludes clearance items). You can get a pair of bottoms for approximately $.50.

Sephora: Sign up to be a Beauty Insider and redeem a free beauty of skincare deluxe sample. My choices were Fresh Soy Face Cleanser and Rose Face Mask or Marc Jacob’s Beauty kit (Le Marc Lip Creme and Highliner Gel Eye Crayon) I picked the former at my local store and the size is perfect for my upcoming road trip!

Free Food

Baskin Robbins: Free scoop of ice cream. They’re really picky about printing out the coupons, so be sure to do that!

Boston Market: Join their VIP club and get a free dessert or an order of a regular side (no purchase necessary). I absolutely love stuffing and I can usually only get it during the holidays – so I felt festive and thankful.

Brueggars Bagels : Free toasted bagel with cream cheese!

Corner Bakery: Be in the know and sign up for their eCafe list. They’ll give you a free pastry treat. I picked up their cream cheese brownie and it was sinfully good. Yum!

Del Taco: A free strawberry milkshake! and when you initially join you’ll also get two free grilled chicken tacos!

Godiva: Complimentary $10 for chocolate – you don’t have to tell me twice!

Red Robin: I think this is the best deal of them all. A free gourmet beef or chicken burger plus unlimited fries free FREE! No string attached. Just show them your Red Robin’s Rewards Number.

Starbucks: You get a free beverage within two days of your birthday. Must have a Starbucks account.

Food Discounts

Veggie Grill: Buy 1 Get 1 Free (entree of equal of less value) If you’re vegetarian or trying to eat healthier this is a great deal to snag with a friend. Papa’s Portobello sandwich ($9.25) is delicious as is the Quinoa Power salad ($9.95).

Buca De Beppo: $20 off with a minimum purchase of 2 pastas. They will also sing happy birthday to you and give you a cool chandelier to blow your candles.

Johnny Rockets: Free hamburger with purchase of entree and drink

Medieval Times: B1G1 Free tickets. Can be redeemed anytime during the birth month, but must be reserved by telephone (they won’t accept online reservations). Alternatively you can do standby and save a $6 per person processing fee; however, you do run the risk of not having a seat. I feel like you don’t have to sign up, but in case you want a reminder email about this opportunity it could be helpful.

Whats your favorite birthday freebie to redeem? Are there freebies that I missed? Comment below!

XOXO, Rockstar

Go! Go! Power Rangers!

Published on January 24, 2016January 24, 2016 by Insider IreneLeave a comment

blog- all power rangers — Sorry! Left my suit at home 🙂

You know you’re a 90’s kid when you come home from school and you turn your tv to watch the latest episode of “The Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers” – I certainly did, and would often time extend my arms out forward with my imaginary power morpher and yell “Saber Tooth Tiger.” Yup I was that kid, but could you blame me? I do sorta look like Trini 🙂

Recently Nucleus, an intimate art gallery and geek shop in Alhambra, hosted a Power Rangers Tribute Exhibition and Comic Launch to showcase the artists work. Patrons who purchased the set of comics at this event had the opportunity to get them signed by the artists. Naturally, I attended and boy did it bring back memories.

blog- comics 2 — Totally diggin’ the glossy covers

Now I knew based on the invitation that we should get there early, but boy the line was out the door and wrapped around the building!

After waiting about an hour or so outside my party of Power Ranger enthusiast gazed upon the various memorabilia and artwork. I snapped a bunch of photos and was really impressed by the authenticity of the guest cosplayers outfits. The helmets alone looked like they could have been used in the actual tv and movies.

The exhibit was pretty small, but with free admission and memories that brought me back to my childhood was certainly well worth it. Can you believe it’s been over 20 years since the original “Mighty Morphin’ Power debuted? Crazy how time flies.

blog- yello ranger yellow border

Who’s your favorite Power Rangers character?

XOXO,

Rockstar