Next Stop: Los Angeles County

Carlsbad Premium Outlets
Glendora

Are we in the States or are we in Manila? (West Covina)
E's special request for dinner

January 12-13, 2008. Our friends A and G (E's sister C's very good friends) will be hosting us for one night in their home in Glendora (Los Angeles county). Being good friends that they are, they drove all the way down to San Diego to pick us up. On our way to Los Angeles, we made a stop at Carlsbad Premium Outlets for still more "bilins" and last minute shopping. We found out here that prices for the same items were already higher than when we shopped at Woodsbury in New York and Jackson in New Jersey. So, that's one more lesson in outlet shopping, sometimes timing is key, we just have to figure out exactly when prices are at their lowest. Sales tax in San Diego is 7.75%, while in the Los Angeles county, it is 8.25%. So, bilins being bilins, we still had to buy even if the same items cost a little higher. After a few hours, we headed to Glendora. A and G treated us to a Japanese dinner of bento. And it was good! Thanks, A and G!

The next day (Jan. 13, Sunday), we went to Holy Mass, and then A and G treated us to brunch at IHOP (International House of Pancakes). I had the International Passport (two eggs, two bacon strips, two pork sausages and crepes), and I finished it all --- my excuse: it is BReakfast and lUNCH...

The rest of the day was a whirlwind of shopping : TJMaxx, Walmart, Target, Ikea...

At TJMaxx, we bought a couple of bed linen for our home and my Mom (prices of bed linen we bought ranged from USD27-35, containing fitted and flat sheets and 2 pillowcases) and more bath towels at USD4. At Walmart, it was a couple of bilins (Airwick, shampoo, etc). At Ikea, our favorite things such as tea light candles, flatware, colored paper napkins.

Oh, and I am impressed with how Filipinos have made their presence felt in Los Angeles County (West Covina) --- a whole mall of Filipino groceries , restaurants, banks, etc. It was just like being in Manila!