This week we enjoyed some more Orange County food spots and also made sure to treat our hosts
Travel and transportation
Car rental to show next week – We started renting a car so the price will show up next week
$75 – gas and parking. We drove up to Pasadena, and then several trips around Orange County
Lodging
$1,000 free value – 6 days of lodging – We moved twice this week – once from next door neighbors to hotel, and then to a host in Irvine
$223 – hosting gifts. We bought gift cards for all the people who generously hosted us and also some small gifts
$300 free value – one free night at the Sheraton Pasadena. We used a free night redemption from one of my Marriott Bonvoy credit cards. This hotel shoots up in rates around new year’s day because of the Rose Bowl, hence I valued this higher than their average booking.
Food and eating out
$60 on groceries. Which we did not finish, as I made a huge meal for a host family and ended up with a ton of leftovers. Not a big deal!
$163 all spent on eating out or takeout. Some of the highlights are as follows
$70 free food value – We were treated to a dinner at home, and our hotel in Pasadena came with free lounge food due to hubby’s Platinum Elite status, which we ate for breakfast and dinner.
We went back to Crave for more fruit snow and also a fruit smoothie (pictured). The dessert was $20 which in retrospect seemed like a lot but this place made me really happy. BB had a diaper blowout. Their restroom is not child friendly, I changed with a puppy pad placed on the floor
Mr. Savemycents and I often get Gyu Kaku when traveling. We go during a happy hour (which usually is $1 off dishes so it’s not a huge discount, we don’t drink alcohol when out at these kinds of places) and get 4 dishes. We got yaki shabu beef (a favorite), kalbi chuck rib (also a favorite), spicky kalbi ramen (helps with carb loading), and angus beef ribs (would not get again)
That same night with Gyu Kaku I tried Matcha Maiko Cafe in Garden Grove. The matcha is very high quality and delicious, but I felt they added way too much sugar to this concoction
While up in the Pasadena area we went to Mr. Dragon Noodle House for lunch (I had to a find an Asian place in San Gabriel Valley that can seat 8 adults quickly, and had multiple no-pork, no-shellfish options, and vegetarian options, and wasn’t too spicy, talk about a ton of requirements). We treated everyone who was with us. I counted $30 of it as being for just myself and hubby. I really enjoyed the food, but BB was crying up a storm during lunch so I didn’t get to really really enjoy it.
.Other
$50 free value – We went to the Huntington Library and Gardens on one of their free days
$40 Rose Bowl Parade Float Viewing – this trip was really fun and ended up taking way longer than I thought. We went on January 1 which is the busier day of the days the floats are available for viewing. We thankfully skipped the line going to the floats by having a stroller and being let on the ADA line. Coming back, we were in the regular line, so it took much longer. I’d say it’s a really fun experience, but be prepared to spend your entire afternoon there. Bring snacks as not to pay for overpriced concession food
A Rose Bowl Parade float that is from the Huntington Library and Gardens
$14 – toys. Also caved this week and bought some toys for BB. Well, I think this penguin from Miniso (a new store I discovered full of all the cute things, currently primarily in California only) is more for me
Week 3 totals: $585 cash spent, $1,420 in free value realized
Trip totals: $1,344 cash spent, $5,432 in free value realized
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