Smile #36 - Nice to Meet You, Columbia, SC!

Nice to Meet You, Columbia, SC!  

The brisk breeze paired with the spring sun rays made it a perfect day to stay outdoor. We decided to spend a day at the Riverbank Zoo in Columbia, SC.

From classic mammals, such as zebras and elephants, to countless species of fishes to all types of reptiles and amphibians, it was marvelous to visit each exhibit. My new favorite animal definitely is the Tree Kangaroos. with their short brown coats and light gold faces, they look just like a stuffed animal! :) Can someone please make me a tree kangaroo pillowpet!?

The aquarium section was vibrant. Let me report that Dori and Nemo have both returned home safely. :) Sand eels always make me laugh. These tiny heads stretch up and down and the bodies sway back and forth as if they are dancing. :)

Because of their "dancing", the picture turned out a bit blurry.

Just a short tram ride over, we reached the botanic garden at the other end of the zoo. Serbet flowers covered the garden. Serbet orange, serbet violet, serbet coral...reading these name plates make me crave for actual serbet. :)

Thank you for showing both familiar old friends and new species! Until next time!

Smile #35 - To Buy or To Sell, That is the Question

My current thought:  Ahhh!  I can't believe I am putting that order in.

I have been trying to get my feet wet with the notorious stock market.  I have a thousand plus one more questions - when to sell, when to buy, what to buy, how to buy.  It is SOOO COMPLICATED!  Every move has been a learning experience ... (of what NOT to do....)  :)

Over the past six months, my portfolio has been slowly growing.  :)  And today, I made my first serious call to sell my stock.  Ahhh!

First mini gain!  Yay!!  :)

Smile #34 - Nice to Meet You, Philadelphia, PA! [Part II]

Nice to Meet You, Philadelphia, PA!  [Part II]

The weather was better the second day.  No more rain!

What kind of trip to Philly if I leave without trying an authentic Philly Cheesesteak?!  We walked a couple blocks to the highly recommended Jim's Steak.  I had a Provolone Cheesesteak without and Bubble ordered Cheesesteak with onion and pepper.  :)

We walked to the opposite end of downtown Philly to Reading Terminal, an indoor market.  The goal is to visit Beiler's Bakery, unfortunately it was closed on Sunday.

A large sign advertising Irish Potatoes caught my attention at Philadelphia General Store.   While most people would order it by the pound, but I only wanted a piece to try the favor.  When we came up to the counter to ask for two Irish Potatoes, the cashier chuckled as he handed it to us.  It is basically a coconut ball.  I'd love it if I am a coconut fan...but I am not.

Before we leave, we tried some local beers at Molly Malloy's.  I had pint of Royal Weisse Ale.  Cheers!  :)

Next stop:  JFK Plaza - LOVE Park.  Everyone was busy with the St. Patrick's Day Parade, keeping the park mostly vacant.  We quickly snapped a few photos and left the scene.

Like I said, it's all about the food.  Next on the list is Federal Donuts.  OMG!  It is the BEST donuts I have ever had in my life.  The donut just melts in your mouth.  My mouth is watering as I am writing this post!  :)

Aside from the historical landmarks, we visited the Philadelphia Magic Garden.  Like the name suggested, it is magical.  Every inch of the space is covered in mosaic tiles.  It is absolutely beautiful.   :)

We concluded our trip with dinner at Vernick.

 Thank you Philadelphia for hosting us!  Until next time!

Smile #33 - Nice to Meet You, Philadelphia, PA! [Part I]

Nice to Meet You, Philadelphia, PA!  [Part I]

Chef Bubble and I decided to pay a visit to our nation's original capital.  Let's refresh some of those history lessons I learned back in high school.

Quick quiz - (highlight to find out the answer):
What is the supreme law of the land?  The Constitution 
Name the three rights in the Declaration of Independence?  Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness

Did you get it?  Above questions were taken from the US nationalized exam.

Today's history class included examination of the Declaration of Independence at the National Constitution Center, inspection of the crack on the Liberty Bell, and a walk through Independence Hall.  I learned that my birthday occurred 127 years after Nevada joined the United States.  :)

Philly is a very walk friendly city.  We were able to save money on transportation by just walking to each attraction.  An advantage to that is we lose the calories between each food places we visit.  It's all about the food!  :)

We stumbled across Rosa's pizza during our journey to Chinatown.  Rosa's pizza was featured on Ellen a few months ago.  Of course I got a slice and I paid forward!  :)

 

There is a store dedicated to selling only Sanrio products aka Hello Kitty overload in Chinatown.  It reminded me of the stationary stores in Hong Kong.

We shared the House Special Meat Ball Hand Drawn Noodle Soup.  It was delicious!

Even though we were not hungry for dinner, we wanted to try a place anyways.  More Than Just Ice Cream caught my eyes since it was listed as top place for dessert.  It is imperative that we get dessert!

Smile #32 - I am Having Candy for Dinner

I spent 6.5 hours this past weekend to start and finish a whole series on Netflix.  I promise that wasn't all I did ... I went to the gym for an hour, that counts as productive right?

Netflix just released a new original series - The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt - produced by Tina Fey.  After the first episode, I was sold to finishing the rest of the season.  This upbeat comedy sitcom pokes fun of our pop culture.  The jokes are hilarious!    

Kimmy is taking life one step at a time after being released from captivity of a cult.  She moved to New York to restart her life.  Her basic understanding of life allows her to enjoy life's simple pleasures.  My favorite was when she went to the bathroom and figured out touchless faucets and hand drier.  Her optimistic attitude to every problem makes Kimmy unbreakable.  

Best lesson from Kimmy though has to be: I am having candy for dinner!  Um, HECK YES! :) 

Smile #31 - Dear IRS, No More Taxes

Despite the frustration I felt at the end, I have successfully filed my FIRST TAX RETURN!  :)

I have trekked through those thousand questions and stared at the many tax forms.  There were sooo many!  W2, adjustments, education credits....boxes checked here and unchecked there, amount in box one means taxable and box two means tax exempt....I was stunned at what it all means.

Articles after articles written on how one microscopic error can lead to significant consequences from the IRS, so when I reached the final page and 'Send My Tax Return'  flashed boldly on the screen, I felt relieve to reach the finish line and nervous about potential mistakes.

Both Federal and State have accepted my returns. For now, I am set!  :)  Wheewww!

Thank goodness for the tax professional on live chat and Bubble for being patience and answering all of my frivolous questions.