My Boy, Benedict

I think I'm noticing a pattern now... I fancy British men! I don't know if it's the accent or if they're just really,really,really good-looking (thanks, Zoolander). Exhibit A: Benedict Cumberbatch. He's no typical boy band beauty (thank heavens!) but Mr. Cumberbatch's wit and sex appeal more than makes up for it! I find him actually quite attractive, his features aren't really of a typical leading man...some even say, he's kind of an acquired taste. He's got those piercing blue eyes, curly locks and lips that resemble of an adorable cherub pouting. Oh jeez and his voice...Holy Shawarma. He could be reciting a State of the Union/Nation Address consisting of only the words "poop" and "tambourine" in it and all I hear would be "economy is back on track"..."all terrorists are retiring"...."gas prices are only 50 cents"...."donuts don't actually make you fat"....

I first got a good glimpse of him when I saw the movie, "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" where he plays as an agent of the British Intelligence.

He's like a red head 007!

Photo credit: www.benedictcumberbatch.co.uk

And then I noticed him again when HBO (BBC in the UK) released a mini-series called Parade's End, an adaptation of novels written by Ford Madox Ford. What's worse than being in the midst of World War I? Why, a love triangle ofcourse! I think he gained some weight but I thought that it was perfect for his character, Mr. Tietjens.

www.benedictcumberbatch.co.uk

And then he totally shoots himself back to the modern era as he plays Sherlock Holmes in BBC's hit series, Sherlock. It's crazy how he managed to look so different with his jet black hair and slimmer silhouette. Slim-fit shirts, slim suits and a double-breasted wool overcoat (Yes, popped collar.) = Modern day Sherlock Holmes.

www.benedictcumberbatch.co.uk

Let's not forget how great he played as the villain, Khan in Star Trek Into Darkness...

www.benedictcumberbatch.co.uk

Okay..so when not in character, he looks like this: Warning! Photo Flood ahead!

Staring deeply into the abyss with his herringbone jacket...*i melt*

He looks super sleek with the shorter 'do and the black on midnight blue ensemble:

www.benedictcumberbatch.co.uk

www.cosmopolitantv.es

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 He looks like a doll with those curly blonde locks...how adorable!

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Can someone please get this guy for the next James Bond movie already? Open-collar shirts on a suit has never looked so good. Seriously. Seriously.

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Hey boy, washu name? Washu numbah? 

Toodles!

Easter Travels: California Science Center

Nothing much is open during Easter Sunday but luckily, the California Science Center welcomed tourists and locals alike to save us all from wandering around aimlessly at empty malls---kinda like how cockroaches would be after a nuclear disaster.

Believe it or not, I didn't make plans for Easter brunch. The past few weeks have been quite exhausting  for me---doing a lot of errands, making important appointments, (real) work, (fake work) blogging and everything else in between! So if you really want to know what I had for Easter brunch, here it is:

My sister packed me my nephews' leftover bacon and rice. She didn't want me to starve on the way to the Science Center. Ah yes, bacon---the salty reason why I will never lose weight.

The California Science Center isn't really hard to find since it's right smack beside the USC (University of Southern California) campus. On the way there, you can also do a quick stop-over and see a historical monument, the St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church. Check out the architecture! Me likey!

When you get to the center, you can park as close as you want to the entrance so make sure to get there as early as you can to beat the crowds. Parking is about $10 USD.

This is what's inside that cylinder-shaped structure from the pic above.

The admission is free to get in to the exhibits except for its main attraction, the Space Shuttle Endeavor, which has a $2 reservation fee. Please take note that it is strongly encouraged for everyone to go online to the center's website to schedule a timed reservation to view the space shuttle.

The Endeavour has its own exhibit as well prior to the viewing of the shuttle itself, which is really all exciting for a semi-nerd like me.

Ground control to Major Tom...(if you don't get it, you must listen to David Bowie once in awhile)

The Endeavour went for 25 missions to outerspace before it was decommissioned.

This is where the astronauts go do number 1 and number 2. Nevermind about constipation, they got bigger problems. They had to pee in a funnel and poop doesn't plop down, it curls up and sticks to any surface.

These pods at the exhibit are simulators of...well, I'm not really sure but I know for sure that they're simulators of something. I'm very thorough, aren't I?

And here it is! The Space Shuttle Endeavour!

My sister and my nephew sitting underneath the three space shuttle main engines (SSMEs).

This is how a space shuttle main engine looks like up close...freakin' huge!

The Spacehab (yes, with an A) gives extra space for the astronauts to store experiments, supplies,etc.

As much as we wanted to stick around and just sit on a bench underneath the Endeavour, the kids wanted to explore the rest of the exhibits available. But first, let me shamelessly insert a little Fruit Fashion Files here.

This is why I can't be strictly a fashion blogger. My photographers are my siblings who constantly make fun of me and I cannot for the life of me, model my clothes. Maybe I'll just stick to styling in the future.

Cropped jacket by A/X; one-shoulder floral dress by Liberty of London; sandals (not seen) by Franco Sarto; my trusty everyday purse by Louis Vuitton (Artsy Empreinte)

Always waiting for bacon to fall from the sky...

Yep, I get so awkward.

Then these guys pulled me to join them on this hurricane simulator that was a waste of $2 dollars but we always make everything seem fun, anyway.

Off we go to explore other places...
That's my mom and dad in front of the aquarium at the Kelp Forest exhibit!

Spot my dad's head amongst the jellyfish.

Still finding Nemo?

One of my nephews breezing through the High Wire Bicycle located at the 3rd floor.

I actually discovered this rose garden right on the other side of the building while grabbing a bite at McDonald's...

Like any other public place, be careful with your belongings as I noticed that there were a bunch of shady people hanging around the garden. With that said, the lawn was well-kept and the flowers were in full bloom!

Blending in?

Whoa! This was one teenage mutant ninja flower!

 That's the Natural History Museum in the background . Sadly, we ran out of time so I wasn't able to explore in there. Note to self: Don't ever sit on the grass sans blanket/ protective layer. Water will seep through dress and underwear and you will acquire moist hiney.

Spring has sprung! I hope everyone had a great Easter weekend!

Toodles!

Easter Travels: Lake Arrowhead

Southern California is not only well-known for its mild weather year-round, it's also a great place to be in if you just want to quickly get out of the city and do a day trip excursion with your loved ones. The great thing about day trips is that you don't have to pack anything or worry about travel arrangements---You simply get in the car and go!

Being just about a 45-minute drive from my place (with light traffic, of course!), Lake Arrowhead is a great option if you don't want to go all the way to its bigger counterpart, Big Bear Lake. My favorite part about Lake Arrowhead is that they have a plaza right by the lake so you can enjoy a spectacular view while taking a stroll along the walkways.

Once you get there, you can choose between both indoor and outdoor parking spaces, it doesn't matter where you park---either spaces are free of charge. Retail shops and restaurants are scattered around the plaza and they are open most of the time, just like any other commercial plaza in your neighborhood---except for the patios, they are closed during winter season.

This is the by the entrance of the plaza.

I usually bee-line in here during winter time before my hiney freezes over to kingdom come.

Yep, they even got Coach up here.

The plaza is dog-friendly so don't forget to bring your furry babies during your visit!

You can ask for a patio seat so you can watch over your pet while you pig out grab a quick bite.

That grass is fake by the way...Do you hear the landscapers rejoicing?

Okay, so where the heck is that lake that I was talking about? Hold on... I see water.

And...Tada!

If you prefer exploring by water, you can join a boat tour. I think the boat leaves every 30 minutes or so.

It can be a bit windy up there, especially if you're by the docks so make sure to bring a light jacket or cardigan if you're the type to get cold easily. Also, make sure to wear something comfy so you can move around freely.

As for me, I went for the ultra comfy look to keep up with my nephews so I opted for a billowy top from H&M, cropped pants from Zara a.k.a. one of my fat pants and nude sandals by Franco Sarto. Notice how I wore black here? It's spring time and that's clearly not stopping me from wearing my fave color. The key is to know how to balance your outfit. If you've got a black top on already, don't pair it up with dark bottoms. Instead, opt for anything light wash to tame down the dark hue or go for bright colors for a little kick.

I love how my top has pleats all over with a lace hem.

Okay, moving on---before I bore your eyes out with fashion stuff

If you've got kids tagging along, like my hyper little nephews, they do have a little kiddie section complete with a carousel, bumper cars and even go-karts for your little speed racers!

My two little munchkins riding the go-karts for the first time, they could barely reach the pedal!

After go-karting, we went back to the store where we bought the go-kart tickets 'coz they wanted to add some sugar to their natural rush. Great idea, since I won't be riding back home with them. Mwahaha.

Funny how random that store was, it was filled with quirky little posters, quotes and signs like these:

And when you're done there, you can buy some duck feed to fatten up the Cole-Haan's paddling around the lake.

We did all these things in a span of about 3.5-4 hours. Not bad right? Plus my sibs were doing some shopping in between!

I had so much fun just watching the kids explore down to the docks, eat candy, chill underneath a tree's shade... it goes to show you don't have to travel so far or spend so much to enjoy your day. Sometimes I take for granted the fact that I live here in SoCal, where nature is so close and accessible (traffic is an utterly different story)!

The adventure doesn't stop here, find out soon where we went for Easter Sunday! :)

Toodles!