Oh Canada!

I traveled on a girl’s trip this Spring with some girlfriends I’ve known for more than half my life, and we went to Canada!

It was my first time in Canada and we left the agenda/itinerary planning to Rowena, because she is an awesome trip planner/researcher and that make sit so much easier if you just let one person take charge of all the planning.

Rowena is a big fan of Hallmark (holiday) movies and loves visiting charming towns that’ve served as a backdrop for the films, and/or have that romantic feel. So, the main destination for our Canadian getaway was Quebec City, but our first order of business was 24 hours in Toronto!

As I mentioned, it was my first visit north of the (US) border, so I was happy to explore a little of Toronto, which I’ve heard so much about. We scored right away when we lucked out on a super cool ride-share driver who gave us some great recommendations and offered us red carpet/VIP service. We did some eating, sightseeing and dancing.

My favorite stop on our quick Toronto tour was a trip to a champagne bar (Coffee Oysters Champagne), which had an unassuming store front, but quickly transported us to a secret speakeasy where we were told to keep our cell phones off. Exquisite decor with delectable bites and drinks!

The one exception for snapping pics, was only for taking photos on the “horse.” LOL!

After our exciting day and night in Toronto we flew to Montrael and landed in Quebec City, the birthplace of Canada, where we stayed in a castle! The Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac along the St. Lawrence River is now a hotel, but was once home to French royalty in the early days of what is now Canada. It is said to be the most European city in all of North America.

The area offers amazing views and is very walkable, it felt very European and French. Cute shops and restaurants, with history at every turn, definitely a fun place to explore and relax. Not only did the castle/hotel have so much history to explore and learn about, but the cobblestone streets and building in the immediate vicinity also offered a glimpse into the past.

We did venture outside of the Old Quebec area to an “island” with artisans of wine, nougat, jams, and chocolate!

Another fun stop during that excursion was the falls, which had a suspension bridge to walk across with great photo opps!

All in all, a good time with great friends. A much needed getaway, and a new destination explored which I can add to my list of places I’ve visited.

Women’s Month Product Roundup

Long time no blog! Well, I’m hoping to be posting a little more regularly on here since we are all pretty much having to “shelter in place” to do our part to stop help prevent the spread of COVID-19. For me, that means “working from home,” not doing my regularly scheduled live weekday lifestyle show, but I figured I can still do lifestyle-ish videos and content. So expect more to come.

In the meantime, I recorded a Women’s Month (March) Product Roundup with some of my Aubrey Approved favorites!

The theme behind these products is that they were either made by women and/or designed exclusively for women! Below is the rundown of the items if you want a closer look!

Beauty Kitchen – beautykitchen.net
Radiate Wellness – radiatewellnessproducts.com
Peggy Li – peggyli.com
KATLA – KATLA.com
Skin Dipp – skinndipp.com
Pattern Curly Hair Care – patternbeauty.com
MARA Face Oil – themarabeauty.com
Strand Boards – strandboards.com
Posh Mommy – poshmommyjewelry.com

TV Host Reel

If you’re looking in the market for a job on TV, the one thing you need is a demo reel. Over the (many) years I have edited several reels (work examples) together, and this weekend I decided to put together a new one featuring some of the work I have done as a TV Lifestyle Correspondent and Host.

Fortunately or unfortunately actually, I have A LOT of footage…my problem is deciding which ones I like and what to include. The fun part is it’s like taking a small trip down memory lane going through my (TV) work clips, and recalling all the different people, places and experiences I have met along the way. It’s always refreshing for me to look back and see how I have been blessed with so many awesome experiences by simply doing my job!

Catalog Cover Model

I’m happy to share that I am on the cover of the Build.com 2016 fall catalog! I grabbed some screen shots below from the PDF version of the catalog. It’s me with my pretend family..and dog!

I traveled out to Chico for this one day shoot, since that’s where build.com is located. Thanks to NYLO for booking this for me. Good times!

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O Christmas Tree

Do you want to get a REAL Christmas Tree in SOUTH FLORIDA, but don’t want to hassle with going to a tree lot and figuring out how to get it home? Better yet, you’d love a freshly cut tree, but chopping one down yourself probably isn’t going to happen? Well, save yourself the hassle of finding the perfect tree by having one delivered direct to your doorstep! Plus, you won’t have to worry about pine needles messing up your car or figuring out how to strap it down on your car roof…

Order online at SantaClausTrees.com and you can have a 6′-7′ Frasier Fir Christmas Tree, FRESH from North Carolina, delivered straight to you!

***Use the promo code “SWEET” and save $20!! It’s that easy…go now >> SantaClausTrees.com

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Miso for Life

I am happy and excited to announce that pre-orders for my book are now available!! Earlier this year I was asked if I would like to be a contributing writer to  “Miso for Life, “the 2nd Anthology of A Melting Pot of Thoughts, published by 13 Minutes Books. I was very flattered and graciously accepted the invite to be part of the book… to share an intimate story from my life… And — now the time has come for the book’s release >> https://ameltingpotofthoughts.ticketbud.com/misoforlife

Pre-order for $13 NOW til Nov.13 using this promo code >> 13forthirteen

A Melting Pot of Thoughts is home to writers of all ages and backgrounds where they come together to share their heartwarming tales that will make us laugh, cry, and appreciate the simple things in life.


A Melting Pot of Thoughts houses collections of short stories and poems that takes readers on a journey of the many expressions of love, through the lens of Asian and other cultures. Immigrants will grapple with their new identity. Children will reminisce about mom’s homemade cooking. Parents will lose sleep over new generational gaps. Lovers will dance through the cultural lines. Friends will enjoy each other’s company over a tasty meal while discussing the heartaches, the challenges, and joys of life.

No matter where we are in our journey through life, these essays and poems will remind the readers that – in the end – love still conquers all. Its inspiring words will stir passion in their hearts and make their spirits soar.

Info listed at https://ameltingpotofthoughts.ticketbud.com/misoforlife also includes the red carpet release which will be happening in SoCal this December. The previous and first book in the anthology, “Pho For Life,” was released in 2011 and did quite well…so I’m anxious to see how “Miso for Life” does this year…with MY contribution! 😉 Yep, it feels good to be a published “author” (again)!! Thanks in advance for your support!

Visit and “LIKE” the (book’s) FB fan page at http://www.facebook.com/AMeltingPotOfThoughts

Beats, Rhymes & Life

I went to a Sunday Matinee today to watch “Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest” …it’s a documentary of the legendary hip hop group formed by Q-Tip, Phife Dog, Ali Shaheed and Jarobi. The film was directed by Michael Rapaport. First off, I really enjoyed watching this movie for the simple fact of it was like a hip hop journey, telling the tale of how Tribe came to be and touching up on the foundation of hip hop…especially during the era of my teenage years. I’ve always been drawn to east coast rap and their hip hop beats..I can still recall the first time I saw the video for “I Left My Wallet in El Segundo,” thinking wow…these guys are cool…so this doc brought me waaaay back!

I thought it was well done, documenting Tribe’s rise to fame and the new dimension they brought to the hip hop game, and as my boy GG said, the first half was “like a musicology.” More than anything, I loved to see the behind the scenes inner workings of the music game and how the group members interacted and dealt with everything that comes with being a rap star. The ending fell a little flat as I wish it had a little more insight to the fallout of the group, but maybe that’s just it, maybe there wasn’t more to show? Gosh, I remember going to Rock the Bells in 2008 in a steamy hot, HUMID Miami and other than it just being such an amazing event where the music touches your soul…it was a privilege to see Tribe on the stage together. Of course I had to cover it for Deco… Anytime I can push my agenda..I will! 😉

If you’re a hip hop head, “Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest” is a must see…brings you back to the “feel good” days of party rap. If you’re an aspiring artist, do yourself a favor and watch this… I’ve spent some time in and around the music industry and I think it’s SO IMPORTANT, especially for emerging (hip hop) artists to KNOW hip hop history. In the movie, Q-Tip said something like Hip Hop is the last American (musical) art form…and if you sit back and think about it, it’s true…it came from the Bronx to the mainstream. So all I’m saying is if you’re trying to make a come up in the industry, know the history, the musicians who laid the foundation and give respect. This documentary is one example of the power of the hip hop culture and its music.