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Good Bye 2015 Hello 2016
Before we welcome the new year 2016, we cannot forget
to reflect on the year 2015. It was another year of
family gatherings, celebrating milestones and achievements.
But it was also a year that did not start on a happy
note as the year started with tragic news of the lost
of a close family friend Elson Gabrintina.
Just a few days later more tragic news came as the family
also learned of the lost of Kal Logan Catapat (5 month
baby boy of cousins Jay and Honeylette). Although they
are no longer with us, they will always be remembered
and memories of them both will be with the family forever.
Despite the unhappy start of the year, the family
continued on was able to get together and kick off the
new year with a belated celebration
at the Vdara Resort with cousins Gary and Lannie
from Chicago. It was the first of many family celebrations
for the year as many birthdays were celebrated starting
with Carole's Birthday at the Bellagio, Nevaeh's 10th
Birthday at Chuck E Cheeses and two milestone birthdays.
The first one was Ron's Big 50th Birthday which was
celebrated with a party at Casa de Poblete but also
celebrated weeks before as he treated the family and
his best of friends on a 3-day Carnival Cruise where
they sailed and toured around Ensenada, Mexico and purchased
his Porsche Boxster. Mama Pearlie celebrated her milestone
75th Birthday with a party at the Center Cut Restaurant
and also treated the family on a weekend vacation/staycation
weekend stay at the Paradise Point Resort on Mission
Bay in San Diego. It was also a double celebration as
Mama Pearlie and Papa Rollie's celebrated their 51st
Wedding Anniversary which they wanted to spend with
the kids and grandkids at the resort. Ron and Carole
also celebrated their anniversary which was also a milestone
one as they celebrated 25 years of marriage with a Las
Vegas Staycation stay at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.
They also went on their annual summer staycation stay
at Lake Las Vegas as they treated Carole's newlywedded
sister Ellen and husband Danny for a honeymoon getaway.
One another family celebration that happened this year
was the great achivements of Nico as he graduated with
a Bachelor of Science degree in Digital Filmmaking and
Video Production from the Art Institute. He also won
the blue ribbon for Best in Show at the school's Graduate
Portfolio Show. After his graduation ceremony, family
and friends gathered for a small reception at Casa de
Poblete.
Like every year, the family made time for more outings
throughout the year such as visiting the Mob Museum,
road trips to Salt Lake City, Utah, Hiking Red Rock
Canyon, driving through the Valley of Fire National
Park, watching the Padres vs. Dodgers games (one at
Dodgers Stadium the other at Petco Park), attending
Chargers Training Camp and the Chargers Home Season
Opener Game, Lakers vs. Kings Preseason game, and watching
various concerts, shows and events such as Justin Timberlake,
BabyFace, Cirque du Soleil's O, MJ Live, Purple Reign,
Marc Savard Hypnotist, Paranormal, Pacquiao Mayweather
Weigh-In, Billboard Music Awards, Freestyle 80's Flashback,
New Edition, Ariana Grande, Island Heat Luau and participated
in this year's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer
5K walk.
Scroll down below for all the blog entries, photos
and video montages of all these events that happened
in 2015. And as we say Good Bye to 2015, the family
is looking forward to see what in store for 2016. From
our family to yours, Happy New Year to all and we pray
that God will continue to shower his blessings upon
all of us in this coming year and may this new year
bring much success, happiness and good health for us
all.
Posted on December 31, 2015 | Read
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Ron and Carole's 25th Wedding Anniversary Getaway
This month of November Ron and Carole once again celebrated their wedding anniversary. However
this year was extra special because it was their milestone silver wedding anniversary. It's hard
to believe it's been 25 years now since that 24th day of November 25 years ago. (Click here to
go back in time and check out some of their old photos from their wedding day.) So to celebrate
instead of going on a big trip, they decided to just stay in town for a weekend staycation getaway
on the Las Vegas Strip. Having stayed at most of the big hotel resorts on the Strip which is still
one of Carole's goals to spend the night at each one of them, one of the hotel resorts they needed
to check off the list was the Las Vegas Mandarin Oriental.
The Mandarin Oriental is a Forbes triple five-star luxury hotel located right in the middle of the
Las Vegas Strip. 47 stories high, the hotel offers Asian-inspired rooms and suites, gourmet fusion
restaurants, and a spacious spa that is spread over two floors and provides a variety of pampering
treatments. As Ron and Carole arrived and had the car valeted, they took the elevator up to the 23rd
floor which was where the hotel's lobby was located. As they checked in, the Front Desk Clerk told
them that their room was not ready and still needed to be inspected. So for the inconvenience, the
clerk offered them a $100 dining credit to one of their restaurants. Since it was mid-afternoon and
having heard about the Tea Lounge at the hotel which was also up on the 23rd floor, they decided to
just enjoy some afternoon tea while they waited for their room since it was compliments of the hotel.
While enjoying the view of the Las Vegas Strip and the Classic English Afternoon Tea which included
a pot of tea of choice and pastries and finger sandwiches, the Front Desk Clerk came over and told
 them that the room was ready however there seemed to be a malfunctioning issue with the door.
He had offered them to either wait for the room while the technician fixes the door or be upgraded
to one of their Jr suites. Although the suite being offered was on a lower floor and didn't have the
Strip view from high above unlike the original room they had reserved, they decided to accept the
upgraded Jr Suite. It was a good choice because it was much larger and provided many more amenities
as they found out when they arrived at the room.
After relaxing for awhile in their now upgraded suite, Ron and Carole decided to take a walk outside
on the Strip and around The Shops at Crystals. This high end luxury mall included retail stores such
as Christian Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Saint Laurent, Tiffany & Co., and Versace just to name a
few. Before heading back to their hotel suite they stopped by for a quick bite at Bobby's Burger
Palace which is the burger restaurant opened by famous chef Bobby Flay. They wanted to eat light
 because the next day they had reservations at the Sterling Brunch Buffet at Bally's which is one,
if not the most expensive buffet on the Las Vegas Strip. At over $100 per person (which includes
tax and tip), the Sterling Brunch Buffet includes seafood items such as poached jumbo shrimp,
fresh oysters, crab claws, steamed Alaskan king crab legs, and lobster tails. The carving station
offered roasted prime rib of beef, rack of lamb, filet mignon and a slab of bacon. The buffet also
offered many other delicious dishes, salads, soups, cavair, sushi, and am abundance of desserts.
Needless to say, Ron and Carole stayed for several hours and got their money's worth.
Click here to see all the photos from their 25th wedding anniversary getaway or
check out the YouTube video montage.
Posted on October 21, 2015 | Read
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Nevaeh's 10th Birthday at Chuck E. Cheese's
It's hard to believe our little girl isn't a little girl anymore as Nevaeh turned double digits this year. It seems like it was
just yesterday when she was born. (Go back in time and visit her birth announcement webpage at www.poblete.com/nevaeh) Since the weekends were so busy and her birthday fell on a weekday, for Nevaeh's 10th
Birthday the family decided to just invite a few friends to join her for a little celebration at Chuck E. Cheese's. So after work that day everyone headed over for an evening of pizza and fun and games.
As the family arrived so did the Corpuz Family followed by friends Kyle and Emma. While the pizzas and chicken was being ordered,
everyone grabbed tokens and started playing all the video games, skee ball and basketball hoop games to win as many tickets as they could.
As the pizzas arrived, so did the Dabu Family who also came to join the fun. The evening continued with more video game playing and
out of all the games played, the Barrel of Monkeys video game seemed to be the favorite as everyone not only played but enjoyed
watching everyone take turns trying to pick up all the monkeys from the barrel. At the end of the night it was time to redeem
all the tickets so that Nevaeh and her friends could pick out gifts and prizes at the Chuck E Store.
Check out all the fun photos or watch the video montage of this fun night at Chuck E Cheese's...Where A Kids Can Be A Kid!
Posted on November 8, 2015 | Read
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75th Birthday and 51st Anniversary Dinner at Center Cut Restaurant
To celebrate Papa Rollie and Mama Pearlie's 51st Anniversary and Mama Pearlie's 75th Birthday, instead of going on a big trip they
decided to just have an intimate staycation in town with their kids and grandkids. (Scroll down to blog entry "Paradise Point Resort Staycation Vacation"
below.) But because Papa and Mama are blessed with so many extended family and friends, they also celebrated with some of them
over an intimate dinner at the Center Cut Restaurant in Chula Vista, California. The Center Cut Restaurant was Papa Rollie and
Mama Pearlie new favorite family restaurant which not only provided great food but also live music that they enjoyed as they dined.
As all the guests arrived, dinner started off with a everyone being served a mix salad with the house balsamic dressing.
Then orders were taken as everyone had their choice of ordering either the Top Sirloin that was grilled on mesquite charcole, the
Baked Salmon with a lemon capers beurre blanc sauce, or the Herb Crusted Chicken with blanc sauce. All the dishes were served with
sauteed veggies and garlic mashed potatoes. During dinner everyone enjoyed the live music and singing provided by musician
Ray Correa. After dinner a few on the guests joined him on stage and sang as Ray Correa accompanied them on the guitar.
Click here to see all the festive photos or watch the video montage on our YouTube channel of this fun evening with family and
friends celebrating another year of marriage bliss and Mama Pearlie's 75th birthday.
Posted on October 29, 2015 | Read
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2015 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5K Walk
It was that time of year again as the month of October rolled around. October happens to be Breast Cancer Awareness Month and
like in the past few years now, Team Poblete was again signed up to participate in this year's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer
5K Walk. This was the fourth year now participating in this annual event which the family does every year to raise awareness and
to remember and walk in honor of Carole's sister Timi who had lost her battle with breast cancer 2 years ago. The walk was once
again held at the Red Rock Casino Resort where it was held last year. And like every year Team Poblete donates to the cause and
tries to promote the walk by inviting other friends and family to join them. This year Kiana's old high school friend Mikayla
joined the family at this Breast Cancer Walk event.
It was a nice overcast morning as all the participants gathered at the hotel's parking lot where a stage was set for presentations
that were given. Plenty of booths were also set up that provided everything from free literature to water, fruits and energy bars
for everyone. Before the start of the walk, a jazzercise instuctor took the stage and led all the participants in stretching and warming
up before they start the 5K course which equals to 3.1 miles of walking. The course's starting/finish line was at the edge of the
parking lot and the course went through the adjacent Downtown Summerlin Shopping Center and along the main streets of West Sahara
Avenue and Town Center Drive and back to the Red Rock Casino Resort parking lot. Team Poblete completed the course in an hour and
a half. After the 3.1 mile walk the family decided to keep healthy and have a lunch at Sweet Tomatoes Salad, Soup and Bakery Restaurant.
Check out all the photos of Team Poblete at this year's Breast Cancer 5K Walk or watch the video montage on our YouTube channel.
Although the walk is over, donations can still be made on our Team Poblete webpage.
Posted on October 23, 2015 | Read
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Paradise Point Resort Staycation Vacation
After Papa Rollie and Mama Pearlie celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary in Hawaii last year, this year they decided they just
wanted to stay in town and spend some quality time with the family. So after deciding which hotel resort in San Diego they would like
to staycation at, it was decided that the family would stay at the Paradise Point Resort in Mission Bay. So on the weekend before
their actual anniversary Ron, Carole and the kids drove down for the weekend to join the whole family to celebrate not only Papa
Rollie and Mama Pearlie's 51st wedding anniversary but also Mama Pearlie's 75th birthday. (They were actually married on Mama Pearlie's
Birthday so every year it's always a double celebration.)
Set on a 44-acre private island with a mile of sandy beach, this stylish resort is 6.9 miles from downtown San Diego. The resort offered
bungalow-style rooms amidst lush, tropical gardens, and tranquil lagoons with five swimming pools, beach bonfire pits, a marina,
five dining venues, an award-winning spa and endless recreation options. The family made reservations for a Bayside Bungalow that
included a separated living room and dining area with kitchenette that had it's own covered patio and was just steps from the sandy beach
and bonfire pits on Mission Bay. Because the whole family couldn't be accommodated in just the one room they also made reservations for
the adjoining Lanai Bayside Guestroom that included two more queen beds.
Because their bungalow room included a kitchenette, Mama Pearlie prepared enough food for their entire stay so they wouldn't have to
go out to eat and just enjoy their stay at the resort. And because the resort provided bonfire pits on the beach, Ron brought alot
of firewood to burn throughout the night. However when they arrived at the resort all the bonfire pits were already reserved by the other
resort guests so they reverted to having their own bonfire in their patio as Ron, Richelle and Patrick ran to Home Depot to buy a small
Weber BBQ pit to burn the wood that they brought. During their stay the plan was to just spend their time having some rest and relaxation,
enjoy the outdoors strolling through the resort gardens and sandy beaches, and taking in the views of Mission Bay.
While they were staycationing they also had visitors stop by as the Cadiz Kids Matt, Ariane, Tina and Leila hung out for awhile since they were
also in town visiting from Las Vegas.
Click here to see all the photos from the family's staycation vacation or check out the YouTube video montage. It was definitely a
nice weekend of family bonding with one another while celebrating Papa Rollie and Mama Pearlie's 51st Wedding Anniversary.
Posted on October 21, 2015 | Read
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Lakers vs. Kings 2015 Preseason Game at the MGM Grand Las Vegas
Living in Las Vegas and not having a professional sports team to root for isn't the same as when Ron, Carole and the kids lived back
in their hometown of San Diego. Back then they would occasionally head out to watch the Padres baseball game at Petco Park or head out
to Qualcomm Stadium to watch a Chargers football game. In Las Vegas the only sports teams they could root for would be the UNLV Rebels
but no professional sports teams. So when a professional NBA Basketball team comes to town to hold one of their pre-season games in Las Vegas,
Ron and Nico alway try their best to catch the game so they could see the teams and players live in person instead of on the television set.
And once again the Los Angeles Lakers and the Sacramento Kings were town and played at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
This year Ron and Nico were joined by friends Ken, Michela, Matt, Leila, Kyle and Julie and they sat down on the Concourse Level in
Section 6 in Row M. The tickets were around $100 per seat but Kyle was able to get them for half price through MGM since he works for
on of the MGM hotel properties. Unlike last year's preseason game in Las Vegas, Kobe Bryant was on the court this year and played in the
first half of the game. But he left the game in the second half due to an injury but it was later mentioned in the news that he had left the
game to be with his former Laker teammate Lamar Odom who was just admitted to Sunrise Hospital fighting for his life from an apparent overdose.
The Lakers trailed most of the game but came close to winning towards the end but lost to the Kings 107 to 100.
Check out all the action photos or watch the video montage on YouTube of this fun night at the Lakers game. Hopefully the Lakers
will have a winning season and Ron and Nico will be able to watch them again, this next time at the Staple Center in Los Angeles.
Posted on October 19, 2015 | Read
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Nico's Graduation Ceremony and Reception
Although Nico's last day of school was earlier this year in the Spring which ended with the Graduate Portfolio Show
(See blog entry "The Art Institute of Las Vegas Graduate Portfolio Show" below.) in which he won "Best In Show", his
actual graduation ceremony wasn't scheduled until this month of September. It was another proud day for the family as
yet another college graduate was about to receive their diploma. It was just last year when Kiana received hers from
beauty college and became a licensed cosmotologist. The Art Institute of Las Vegas Commencement Ceremony was held at
the Fashion Show Mall on the Las Vegas Strip. The whole family including Papa Rollie, Mama Pearlie and Richelle were
present to witness Nico's special day. Patrick and other friends Matt and Matt (yes they're both named Matt) were also
present at the ceremony.
As the ceremony was about to start, an announcement was made for all families and guests to take their seats. Once everyone
was seated, music began to play and the stage and runway was magically raised up from the floor. On the stage with all the
smoke and lighting going on as if it was a concert was the faculty of the school who proceeded down the runway followed by
all the graduating class. It was a sight to see and a one-of-a-kind experience which is what can only be expected here in
Las Vegas. After a few motivating speeches by some of the faculty, the presentation of the diplomas followed. The Art Institute
specialized and offered degree programs in Culinary Arts, Interior Design, Media Arts, Game Art & Design, Photography and more.
It was the Digital Filmmaking and Video Production program that Nico finished and received a Bachelor of Science degree in.
As they called his name he was given his diploma and he walked down the runway followed by close family friend Kyle who
was only steps away behind him. Once the whole class received their diplomas it was then the turning of the tassels from
right to left and presentation of the whole graduating class. The graduates then took to the runway again to the stage
with all the fanfare going and then both the stage with all the graduates and the runway was magically lowered to the floor.
After the ceremony family and friends were invited to come celebrate the achievements of both Nico and Kyle with a small reception
at Casa de Poblete. Although it was a school, work or church night for some, it didn't matter for a few of their closest friends
as they came over to hang out and celebrate their success and achievements with them.
Click here to see all the photos from this special day or click here to watch the video montage on YouTube. A big "Thank You" to
all family and friends for all the love and support and for attending and celebrating with us at Nico graduation ceremony
and reception.
Posted on September 30, 2015 | Read
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San Diego Chargers 2015 Home Season Opener
For years now it's been a Poblete Family tradition to attend the first home season opener game of the San Diego Chargers
at Qualcomm Stadium. With all the controvesy between the City of San Diego and the San Diego Chargers organization regarding
the building a new football stadium, will this be the last year of this family tradition if the Chargers move to Los Angeles?
Only time will tell but for now the Chargers are still around and their NFL Football Season has begun as they host the
Detroit Lions for their first home season opener. This year is was Ron, Nico, Richelle and Patrick who made it out for the game.
Parking at their usual spot at the Hazard Center Mall in Mission Valley, they hopped on the San Diego Trolley's Green Line towards
Qualcomm Stadium. As usual the stadium parking lot was full of tailgaters and Chargers spirit was in the air. As they entered
the stadium they were given white "Win As One" towels which came in handy for this day which the Chargers dubbed "White Hot Sunday".
This Sunday was hot indeed as it was a very sunny day and the temperatures were in the high 80s, even hotter down on the field.
Since they arrived to the stadium early the were able to see all the players up close because their seats were down in Field Level
right behind the goal post. After the pre-game warm ups there was a small ceremony honoring the late #55 Junior Seau who was inducted
into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year. With his parents and children present on the field, a short speech from his daughter
Sydney was given and a new Pro Football Hall of Fame banner was dropped with #55 added to it along with the other numbers of past
Hall of Fame Chargers.
After the introduction of the teams and the singing of the Star Spangle Banner, it was time for the kickoff with the Chargers receiving
the ball. The Chargers first drive came out empty but the Lions were able to get on the board first with a touchdown leading
7 to 3 in the first quarter. The Lions scored two more touchdowns in the second quarter with the Chargers only scoring one touchdown
which brought the game to 21 to 10 with the Lions leading at half time. After getting out of the hot sun during half time and grabbing
a burger, it was all Chargers football scoring a field goal and a touchdown in the third quarter and the Lions scoring none. The
Chargers scored yet another touchdown at the beginning for the fourth quarter but failed to score on a 2 point conversion attempt.
They did however score another touchdown bring them ahead and ultimately winning the game despite the Lions scoring their last final
touchdown. Final score was 33 to 21.
Check out all the game day photos from this home season opener game or watch the video montage on YouTube. What a great way
to start the season with a win! Let's hope the rest of the season is just as great and hopefully it will end with a chance to
head to the Super Bowl and become Super Bowl Champions.
Posted on September 18, 2015 | Read
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Padres and Dodgers at Petco Park
A few months ago Ron, Nico and friend Henry took a road trip to Los Angeles Dodger Stadium to watch the Dodgers host
the San Diego Padres. (See blog entry "Road Trip to Dodger Stadium" below.) It's been a long time rivalry between
Ron and Nico and Dodger Fan Henry and it wasn't until a few months ago that they finally went to see the two teams play.
The outcome was great for the Padres as they beat the Dodgers at their own home field 11 to 3. But the season was not
over yet and the Dodgers were to play the Padres again, this time at San Diego's Petco Park. It was Henry's turn to
see if the Dodgers would win on the Padres home turf.
So Ron, Nico, Henry and also Alex drove down to San Diego from Las Vegas. Since they arrived early, before heading to the
ballpark they had lunch at Ron's favorite hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant Las Cuartro Milpas for lunch and also drove
around Coronado by the beach. As 4PM rolled around they headed for Petco Park for a pre-arranged tour of the ballpark.
The behind-the-scenes guided tour bought them to see the Exclusive Premium Lounges and Private Luxury Suites, The Press Box,
The Historic Western Metal Supply Co.Building, Palm Court Plaza and more. The only areas that are usually part of the tour
but was off limits due to the pre-game warm ups were the Bullpen, Dugouts, and on the Warning Track along the field.
However they did get the chance to see all the players up close while they were warming up.
Before the game started they made their way up to their seats which were in the Upper Infield section along the 3rd base
baseline. It was a nice evening at the park as the weather was just perfect. Ron's old childhood friend Vince arrived and
also joined the group for a night of Major League Baseball. The Padres were in the lead scoring 2 to 1 in the first inning
and then leading 3 to 2 in the third inning. During the fourth inning the guys decided to grab a bite to eat and continued
watching the game at Hodad's which was a famous San Diego Burger Joint which also had a location inside Petco Park. While
they were there the Dodgers tied the score 3 to 3 in the fifth inning. When the guys returned to their seats during the
sixth inning, the Dodgers pulled ahead scoring five runs bringing the score to 8 to 3. The Padres were able to score another
point in the bottom of the eigth inning but that's all they were able to do. The Dodgers won the game 8 to 4 and this time
around Henry got his sweet revenge.
Click here to see all the photos from this night out at Petco Park or watch the video montage of all the baseball fun. Despite the
Padres lost it's always good times at the ballpark with good friends. Go Padres!
Posted on September 10, 2015 | Read
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2015 Billboard Music Awards and Summer Concerts
As the family started the year off with music watching the final show of Justin Timberlake's
20/20 Experience World Tour (see blog entry "Bringing in the New Year 2015 with Justin Timberlake"
below.), they continued enjoying their love for music throughout the year and into the Summer months.
So every chance they get they would try to see their favorite music performers perform live. This
year they were able to get tickets to the Billboard Music Awards and Ron, Carole, Nico and Nevaeh attended.
(Kiana unfortunately didn't go because she was out of town in San Diego.) Because it was an awards show,
they got to see one just one but many musician perform and many film and TV stars. This year's Billboard Music Awards
which were held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena were hosted by Ludacris and Chrissy Teigen. Many other stars were their to
present the nominees and awards and there were performances by Taylor Swift, Britney Spears and Iggy Azalea,
Empire's Jussie Smollett, Estelle and Yazz, Fall Out Boy featuring Wiz Khalifa, Tori Kelly, Little Big Town and Faith Hill,
Nicki Minaj, Ed Sheeran, Nick Jonas, Meghan Trainor & John Legend, Kelly Clarkson, Van Halen, Hozier, Kanye West,
and many more.
And if just watching all those performances at the Billboard Music Awards wasn't enough, there was plenty more
concert going during the Summer as well as the family got to see even more music groups and singers.
Ron and Carole got to see Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds who they have seen in the past. A Babyface concert is always
great to see. They also attended the Super Freestyle Explosion 80's Flashback concert at the Orleans Arena which
featured many music groups from the 80's which they use to listen to like Stevie B, Expose, Taylor Dane,
Lisa Lisa, The Cover Girls, Freestyle, Debbie Deb, Trenere, Nu Shooz, and JJ Fad. Another group they
were able to see from back in the day was New Edition who held their concert down at the Star of the
Desert Arena down at Primm. Since they had extra tickets, Carole invited some old high school friends
who were in town visiting. New Edition gave a good show performing all their group and solo hits.
Unfortunately Bobby Brown was not on this tour.
The last concert for the summer they family got to see was Ariana Grande's The Honeymoon Tour. Originally
only Kiana was going to attend because she had purchased tickets early with her friends. But when Nevaeh who
spent all summer down in San Diego found out she already bought tickets, she was alittle disappointed because
Ariana Grande was one of her favorites. But that disappointment turned into joy as Ron who was able to get
tickets for the rest of the family and surprised Nevaeh the day before the concert. The Nickodeon television star
turned Pop star gave a really great show singing and dancing to all her hit songs.
Check out all the photos and also the the video montage on YouTube from this year's Billboard Music Awards show and
summer concert going. Listen to all your favorite groups and songs on the radio, iPods, and MP3 players is always
great but to see and hear them all live is always the best!
Posted on August 31, 2015 | Read
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Road Trip to Dodger Stadium
For years since Ron, Carole and the kids moved to Las Vegas from San Diego, the one thing
they missed was going to an occasional Padres baseball game at Petco Park. Win or lose it
was always fun being at the ballpark and cheering for the home team. But since moving to
Las Vegas almost 10 years ago where there is no professional Major League baseball team,
the family stilled stayed true to their home team the Padres and continued to be the
loyal fans they have always been. Then they met and became friends with Henry Nery who
was a Los Angeles Dodger fan. For baseball fans, especially in Southern California, the
Padres-Dodgers rivalry has been going on for years. Likewise the love hate friendship these
last few years between Henry and Nico and Ron has been going on ever since they met.
Throughout these past years of bickering over their rivalry, they have always talked
about going to a Padres vs. Dodgers game together but have never done so until now.
Since they all three celebrated their birthdays in the month of May, they decided to finally
check the schedule and saw that the Padres were to be play the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium
in that month of May. So they arranged their own schedules and purchased tickets to watch the
game. The day of the game which happened to be on a Sunday, they left early that morning for
a one day road trip down to Los Angeles to visit one of the oldest ballparks (third oldest
in Major League Baseball after Fenway Park in Boston and Wrigley Field in Chicago) which
has hosted the Los Angeles Dodgers since 1962. The seats they purchased were in the Loge
Level in Section 137 right by third base.
This was the last game of a three game series where the Dodgers won the first two games.
The Padres needed the win in order not to be swept. It was James Shields pitching for the
Padres and Carlos Frias for the Dodgers. In the first inning Justin Upton hit a grand slam
home run putting the Padres in the lead 4 to 0 right at the very start of the game. In
the second inning the Padres scored another four points and yet another point in the third
inning bringing the score to 9 to 0. It was at this point where Henry, Nico and Ron decided
to take a break from the game and grab some ballpark food. Before the start of the game
they all shared a huge order of carne asada nacho that was served in a LA Dodgers helmet.
Then to satisfy their appetite, Henry and Nico both got Dodger Dogs and garlic fries while
Ron tried their Extreme Loaded Dog that was wrapped in bacon and topped with grilled onions
and peppers.
As they returned to their seats to enjoy their ballpark eats and the rest of the game,
the Padres scored yet another point in the fifth inning bringing the score to 10 to 0.
During the Seventh Inning Stretch, actor/comedian George Lopez was shown on the big jumbo
screen and they looked around the stadium and spotted him seating not to far from them
behind homeplate. Afterwards the Dodgers finally got on the board by scoring three points at the
end of the seventh inning but the Padres increased their lead by scoring another point in
the eighth. At the end of the game the Padres prevailed beating the Dodgers 11 to 3.
Click here to see all the photo from the game or watch the video montage on YouTube.
It was a great drive home for Padres fans Nico and Ron with the win over the Dodgers. But unfortunately
for Dodger Fan Henry, it was not quite as great. However to whole day and road trip was a
blast and they can't wait to take another one. The next one will have to be at Petco Park,
the home of the San Diego Padres. Go Padres!
Posted on June 28, 2015 | Read
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Lake Las Vegas Family Vacation/Staycation/Honeymoon
In past years either during the Summer or during New Years Eve, the family has spent
many staycations and family gatherings out at Lake Las Vegas. This year since
Carole's sister Ellen and her new husband Danny decided they wanted to spend some
time in Las Vegas after their wedding down in San Diego (Click here to see the
video montages of both their wedding and reception.), Ron and Carole decided
to treat them to some rest and relaxation at the Montelago Village Resort out at
Lake Las Vegas. Days prior to checking in, they did get the chance to experience
sightseeing, shopping and dining around town but the stay out at Lake Las Vegas
was going to be a big contrast from the busy and crazy atmosphere of the Strip.
Since Carole's sister Julie and her son Jerald was also in town, Ron was able to book
a 2-bedroom 2-Bath Lake View Suite at the Luna di Lusso rooms on the other side of
the Montelago Village that would accomodate all of them. The suite also included a full
kitchen so prior to checking in, Carole, Ellen and Julie went grocery shopping for food
they were to bring for their stay. Ron got off work early and as soon as he got home,
everyone was all packed and ready to go. So they all drove out to Lake Las Vegas which
was about a 20 minute drive from Casa de Poblete. It was their first time visiting
the resort and once they arrived it was a big surprise to them as the scenery had
changed, especially once they saw the views of the lake. They never realized such a
beautiful oasis existed out here in the dry desert lands of Las Vegas.
As soon as they checked into their lake view suite, they unpacked and stocked the
refrigerator with the food and drinks that they brought and relaxed and kicked back
on the suite's patio which offered fantastic views of the lake and the surrounding
mountains. Then towards the evening they decided to take scroll by the lake where they
saw some big hungry catfish swimming along the rocks and also walked through the
different shops in the village. As dinner time rolled around, they decided to dine
at one of the village's restaurants called Sonrisa Grill. It was a nice restaurant
that offered great Mexican dishes and great views of the village
and the lake. After dinner they returned back to their suite and kicked back again
out on the patio enjoying the evening air and moon lit lake view until it was time to
retire for the evening.
The next morning they woke up to a beautiful sunrise as the sun glistened upon the
lake. Ron and Carole woke up early to drop Nevaeh who stayed the night off at school
while Ellen and Julie cooked breakfast. Once Ron and Carole arrived back, they all
sat down and had breakfast together in the suite and afterwards relaxed once again
on the patio enjoying the beautiful views. That morning would happen to be an eventful
one as a 5.4 magnitude eathquake 24 miles southwest of Caliente, Nevada just north of
Las Vegas was felt by them at the resort. Joking with the newlyweds that they thought
it was them shaking the ground, they immediately turned on the news on TV which
confirmed it was indeed an earthquake. Before they checked out for the day, they went
back and took a stroll around the village and the lake once again before heading back
to San Diego and ending their time vacationing in Las Vegas.
Check out all the photos from this vacation/staycation/honeymoon watch the video
montage on YouTube of this fun and relaxing time at the Montelago Village at
Lake Las Vegas.
Posted on June 19, 2015
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Her name is Beyonce
Let's dispel all rumors now. No Ron hasn't left his wife Carole but there is someone new in my life. She's of German descent, a bit mature yet very sexy.
She kind of has an erotic and sultry name that fits her wild side but he likes to call her Beyonce because she is black and beautiful and has all the right curves
in all the right places. And although Carole knows about her, she too likes to be in her presence. Because when the three of them are together, it's as if we are
having a Ménage a Trois.
It has always been one of Ron's goals to some day own one of his favorite cars, a Porsche Boxter by the time he turned 50. And since he turned 50 this year,
it was now or never to accomplish that goal. Not wanting and definitely not being able to afford a brand new Porsche, Ron had been searching for months for a
used Boxster that was in great shape. Not able to find one locally in Las Vegas that he was interested in, his search extended outside the area to Palm Desert,
California where he was able to find an immaculate black 2001 Porsche 986 Boxster Sport Touring Package Edition. With the car being in very excellent condition
and priced even lower than what it should have been sold for, Ron decided that the search was over and finally purchased the car he had been longing to get.
Although the Porsche will not be an everyday car, Ron plans to take it on casual weekend drive, date nights with Carole or on out of town trips. Although you
might think this was his dream car, actually an RV (Recreational Vehicle) or Motorhome is his ultimate dream car which is his next goal to have. In the meantime,
his Porsche Boxter (AKA Beyonce) will be enjoyed until then.
Click here to see some of the photos of Ron's Porsche Boxter or watch the 15 second teaser video on YouTube.
Posted on May 15, 2015
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Ron's Fight of the Century Birthday Party
The Fight of the Century between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao had finally come. And since it was on
the weekend of Ron's Big 5-0 Birthday, the family invited friends and family to Casa de Poblete to come
celebrate Ron's birthday and to watch the big fight. The party started at 6PM with the undercard fights and
some arcade fun in game room and foosball out in the backyard, Made to order Mexican street tacos fed all the guests
which was catered by Taquizas Jalisco who had set up a table spread of various salsas and beans and rice along with
a large flat top grill in the backyard. Andrea was the Taco Girl for the evening cooked and prepared the tacos from
the choices of pork carnitas, chicken and carne asada.
As more guests arrived, it was a reunion of sorts as some out of town guests from Southern California and as far as
Minneapolis, Minnesota and also Canada joined the party. As the sun started to set and the last undercard fight was
about to finish, it was time to set up the two large video projector screens to watch the main event. The 100 inch
video screen in the family game room was brought down for those who wanted to watch indoors while the 12 foot high
inflatable video screen was set up in the backyard for those who wanted to watch outdoors. As everyone pulled up
their chairs and picked their viewing spots, the video projectors were turned on just in time for the singing of
the national anthems and the introduction of the fighters. Then both fighters came out of their dressing rooms and
entered the arena to the ring. The excitement at Casa de Poblete was just as electifying as the excitement at the
MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Once the bell rang for the first round, it was non-stop screaming and yelling as all the guests were rooting for
their favorite fighter. Although the majority of the guests were Pacquiao fans, their were a small few who
were rooting for Mayweather. Half way through the fight the rounds seemed to be even but the final rounds of the fight
seemed to be less exciting as Mayweather who is more of a defensive fight was basically fighting on the defense as
Pacquiao who seem to show more offense didn't seem to be as on the attack as expected. After 12 rounds the fight
came down to a decision with as Mayweather winning by unanimous decision outboxing the Pacquiao. But of course
with such a big fight, controversy continued on to who actually won the fight as some saw it as an even draw or
had scored Pacquiao slightly ahead. Controversy also continued after the fight as it was made known that Pacquiao
had an injured shoulder and was not 100%. Whatever the case may be, Mayweather came out victorious and despite
the Pacquiao lost, it was still a great evening spending time and watching the fight with family and friends
celebrating Ron's Big 5-0 Birthday.
Check out all the photos from that night or watch the YouTube video montage from Fight Night at Casa de Poblete.
And for everyone that came, a big "Thank You" to you all for attending Ron's Fight of the Century Birthday Party!
Posted on May 11, 2015
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Mayweather - Pacquiao Weigh-In Event
Like every Pacquiao fight in Las Vegas in the past few years, it has always been a tradition for Ron, Nico
and their fight fan friends to attend the Weigh-In event the day prior to the fight. But this boxing
match was supposedly not to be just any ordinary fight but the fight of the century as the long awaited
match between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao was finally going to take place. Not only was this
match to be the fight of the century but it was also going to be the biggest payday in sports history. Ticket
prices ranged between $1,000 and $4,000 per seat. Pay-per-view cost for this fight nearly doubled to $95 compared to
the usual $50 per event. And even the Weigh-In Event which is usually free to the public cost $10 per seat.
But despite the $10 cost, Ron along with friends Rheybert and JR fell in line early at the box office
the week prior to secure their group's tickets. They were able to get 40 tickets total.
On the day of the weigh-in, instead of lining up early to get a spot inside the arena like they did for previous
weigh-in events, the gang already had assigned seats and some took the opportunity to head out to the MGM Grand
early for a buffet brunch before the doors to the Grand Garden Arena opened at 12 noon. As soon as they opened,
the large crowd piled inside the arena where hip hop rapper Doug E. Fresh (AKA the Human Beat Box) was on stage
as Master of Ceremonies hyping up the crowd accompanied by a DJ who was spinning and scratching to records on the
turntables. Rapper Flo Rida also entertained the crowd by performing a few of his hits accompanied by some background
dancers. The whole arena was open for the weigh-in event and luckily for the gang, the seats in the section that
were previously purchased was blocked by the television crew's setup and new tickets to another section much closer
were exchanged. From these new seats, the gang had a better chance of getting air time as television crews from around
the world filmed them chanting away. They also got the chance to see all the celebrities up close that would pass by
on the arena floor.
Once 3PM rolled around, it was time to go live on television as the both fighters were introduced and paraded
down the arena floor to the stage. The first to come was Pacquiao followed by Mayweather. As they took to the scale
Pacquiao weighed in at 145 lbs. and Mayweather weighed in at 146 lbs. for the fight that will unify their three
welterwight world titles and determine the No. 1 fighter of the era.
Click here to see all the photos or watch the
video montage on YouTube of all the excitement at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. After the fighters weighed-in they then came face-to-face for a long staredown as the
electricity of the moment surged through the crowd of fans. Let's hope the same electricity happens during the
actual fight.
Posted on May 8, 2015
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Exploring Ensenada, Mexico
After departing Long Beach, California the night before
for Ron's 50th Birthday Kick Off (See blog entry "Ron's 50th Birthday Kick Off on a Carnival Cruise" belo.), the Carnival Cruise Ship Imagination finally
arrived at Puerto Ensenada (Port of Ensenada) the next
morning. After breakfast the "#RON50 Gang" disembarked
for their day of sightseeing around town. With everyone
wearing light blue #RON50 t-shirts that the gang surprised
Ron with the night before during an impromptu surprise
birthday party in their state room, the gang walked
from the the cruise ship to the main gate of the cruise
terminal where their friend Horacio was waiting with
a sign that read #RON50. The family met Horacio during
Carole's 50th Birthday Cruise (See
2014 blog entry "Turista en Ensenada, Mexico") and
also took them on a walking tour throughout downtown
Ensenada last year. This year Richelle made arrangements
with Horacio to take the gang around town and along
with his Dad Miguel, they took the gang around in a
12 passenger van to different tourist spots.
The first stop on their tour was atop the hillside that offered panoramic views from Trinidad Peak. From there they were able
to see the entire city and Ensenada Bay and the Pacific Ocean. Afterwards they stopped by the Ensenada Regional History Museum
which displayed the culture and history of Baja California and where some of its objects are older than 8000 years. The building
itself was the oldest building in Ensenada which in 1886 was a military headquarters that served as the Ensenada jail until 1986.
Afterwards their next stop was the Riviera Cultural Center which is one of Ensenada's social venues whose architecture dates from
the 1930s. It was originally a hotel and casino until 1935 that was visited by famous people like American professional boxer
Jack Dempsey, Mexican film and theater actresses Dolores del Rio, and Lupe Velez, and American actor Johnny Weismuller
best known for playing Tarzan in the films of the 1930s and 1940s. The Riviera is also known as the place of birth of the Margarita
cocktail. The Riviera also became the headquarters of the military during World War II and was restored in 1979 and became a civic
and cultural community center in 1980.
After a few hours of sightseeing and souvenir shopping,
Horacio took the gang to lunch at La Guerrerense seafood
cart which was a famous street food cart located on
the corner of 1st Street and Alvarado. The food cart
that's been featured on television food shows and visited
by many celebrity personalities serves tostadas with
chopped cerviche, crab salad, and other fish and seafood.
They also serve a spicy seafood cocktail which consist
of raw clams, shrimp, oysters and octopus that was a
favorite of customers who visited the cart. After lunch
it was back to more souvenir shopping for some while
the others hung out at La Dolce Vita which was an Italian
Cafe to take advantage of the free Wifi to check email
and social media. Then it was back to board the ship
before it set sail to head back to sea. Check
out all the photos from this day of exploring Ensenada
or watch the video montage
on YouTube. A very special "Muchas Gracias" our
amigos Horacio and his Dad Miguel for the gracious hospitality
and for being great tour guides.
Posted on April 20, 2015
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Ron's 50th Birthday Kick Off on a Carnival Cruise
On May 4, 2015 Ron turns half a century. And just like
Carole's 50th Birthday last year (See
2014 blog entry "All Aboard the Carnival Cruise Ship
Imagination"), Ron decided to treat his family and
best of friends to a 3-day cruise to Mexico to kick
off his big 5-0 birthday celebration a month early.
Papa Rollie who hasn't been out to sea in 30 years since
he retired from the Navy and Mama Pearlie who until
now was always afraid to take a cruise because of sea
sickness accepted the invitation to come along. Ron's
sister Richelle who went on the cruise last year was
also included and best friends Junior and Daisy Torres
and Elmer and Marites Bobis also accepted the invitation.
Since the Poblete kids Nico, Kiana, and Nevaeh had their
cruise experience last year and the Torres and Bobis
kids were on Spring Break and were able to stay with
family, it was an all-adult cruise for the gang and
also the first-ever cruise for everyone, except for
Ron and Carole who have sailed 3 times and Richelle
who sailed twice before.
The Carnival Cruise Ship Imagination was set to sail
on a Thursday for Ensenada, Mexico. Ron and Carole drove
down to Long Beach from Las Vegas that morning after
Carole got off from work while Papa Rollie, Mama Pearlie
and Richelle met them at the cruise ship terminal so
they can board together. The Torres and Bobis couples
shortly followed and everyone got together for a late
lunch up on the Lido Deck and walked around the ship
before heading to their staterooms. After getting dressed
for their formal dinner and after attending the mandatory
safety briefing for all passengers, the ship departed
from Long Beach Harbor out to sea for the gang's first
dinner service took place. Since the ship had already
set sail, dinner offered a view of the sun setting over
the Pacific Ocean. After dinner the rest of Day 1 was
spent roaming around the ship, listening to live music
on the Promenade Deck, and watching a comedy show at
the Xanadu Aft Lounge.
On Day 2 of the cruise, the ship arrived in Ensenada,
Mexico and the gang disembarked after having breakfast.
(See blog entry "Exploring Ensenada, Mexico" above.)
After returning from a day of sightseeing and shopping
around town, it was time to relax a bit before dinner
which on this night was designated as "Elegant Night"
where passengers were asked to dress a bit more formal.
This was also the night lobster and shrimp was served
to everyone. After dinner and since everyone was dressed
up, the rest of the evening was spent taking pictures
at the photo booths that were set up throughout the
ship. The gang also took the opportunity to watch both
shows that were playing in the Dynasty Lounge where
they watched both playlist productions of "Divas" which
was a show performed to music by famous female singers
like Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey and "Epic Rock"
which singers and dancers performed to famous rock hits
from the 70's and 80's.
Day 3 was designated as "Fun Day at Sea!" as the ship
had no port of calls except to return to Long Beach
the next day. For those who woke up early, the morning
was spent taking a brisk morning walk on the jogging
track and also visiting the gym. Once everyone was up
they all set out to have a formal brunch in the Pride
Dining Room. It was a nice change from eating breakfast
at the buffet on the Lido Deck as menu items included
steak (filet mignon) and eggs and other fancy breakfast
items. After brunch the women went on a shopping spree
at the different shops on board and took advantage of
all the sales and raffle drawings while the men relaxed
in the ship's Library enjoying the ocean view while
taking to Papa Rollie about his old Navy days out at
sea. They also played some intense games of Chinese
Checkers. Later that afternoon everyone met up at the
Piano Bar for afternoon Tea Time and were served tea,
pasteries and finger sandwiches. Afterwards some retired
to their state rooms to rest before dinner while the
others watched an afternoon game show that went on in
the Dynasty Lounge. It was the last night of formal
dinner service with their awesome  Filipino
server Eduardo and his crew who on this last night served
the gang a special Filipino Sinigang dish made exclusively
for them. This last night ended with moonlight walks
around the ship's decks, bean bag toss games outside
on the Lido Deck and having their last hang out drinking
coffee and eating grilled ham and cheese sandwiches
outside at the back of the ship which they called "Our
Spot" where they ended every night of the cruise before
going to bed. Then is was back to reality as the ship
arrived back in Long Beach the next morning. Click
here to see all the photos from this 3-day Carnival
Cruise or watch
the video montage on YouTube of all the fun. It
was a great way for Ron to kick off his 50th birthday
celebrating with his parents, sister and best friends
and another enjoyable milestone moment to remember for
years to come.
Posted on April 20, 2015 | Read
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The Art Institute of Las Vegas Graduate Portfolio
Show
After 3 long years Nico's last day as a student at The
Art Institute of Las Vegas finally came to a close as
he finished the Digital Filmmaking and Video Production
program at the school. The final thing left to do was
to present his video and film projects and productions
at The Art Institute of Las Vegas Graduate Portfolio
Show which was held at the runway area of the Fashion
Show Mall on the Las Vegas Strip. The show was put together
by the school for students to showcase their work to
the general public and for their chance to meet with
industry professionals for potential employment opportunities.
The different programs of the school were showcased
in the areas of culinary, fashion design, photography,
graphic design, web design, audio production, and digital
filmmaking and video production which was Nico's major
and will receive his Bachelor of Science degree in that
field.
On the morning of the show the students arrived as early
as 8:00am to set up their individual booths which consisted
of a cloth covered 6 foot table. Nico arrived alittle
late as the rest of the film and video students were
just about done setting up their tables. With the help
of his Dad Ron and friends Kyle and Crisfin, they were
able to finish setting up his booth just in time for
the pre-judging by the school's faculty. Aside from
the table set up of his brochures, business cards, production
binders and computer and television set up that was
to play his demo reels and actual video productions,
Nico took his presentation a step further and created
a Hollywood movie premiere themed booth adding a red
curtain backdrop with uplighting and hung mocked movie
posters of his video and film projects. To also add
to the Hollywood theme, tall director chairs were placed
between the backdrop and the table and a red runway
in front of his table to give guests the red 
carpet treatment. (Click
here to view a timelapse video of the set up on YouTube.)
After the set up of all the booths were finish, it was
time for the faculty to go around and view each student's
booth and judge them on their work and presentation.
At the end of the judging the scores were tallied and
the presentation of the "Best In Show" blue ribbons
were awarded for each category. For the Digital Filmmaking
and Video Production category, the blue ribbon was awarded
to no other than Nico Poblete himself.
After the awarding ceremony it was time for the industry professionals to meet and interview all the students. An hour
later the show was open to the general public, students, family and friends. Nico drew in a large crowd as a lot of
family and friends stopped by to give him their support. He also drew a large crowd from the general public as well
who were attracted by his booth and wanted to see his work. It was a proud moment for the family, not only that he won
"Best In Show" and graduates with his Bachelor of Science degree but also because of his hard work these past years
accomplishing his goals and starting his career. Currently Nico works part time with the City of Henderson as a
Visual Communications Assistant and is also a partner/owner of a media company called Active Motion Media producing
video productions for special events, music videos, and corporate videos. Check out all the photos from Nico's Portfolio Show or
watch the YouTube video montage of the event. A big thank you to all who
came out and supported and congratulations Nico and much more success to you in the future with your career in
filmmaking and video production.
(Note: Stand by for Nico's actual Graduation Ceremony
with the rest of the Class of 2015 coming this September.)
Posted on March 31, 2015 | Read
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Carole's Bellagio Birthday
The Bellagio Las Vegas was where Carole celebrated her birthday this year. Although plans to stay over
night at the hotel did not happen due to the family's busy schedule that weekend, her birthday evening was spent
on a date night with Ron sightseeing, dining and watching a show at the luxury hotel and casino. Inspired by the
Lake Como town of Bellagio, Italy, Bellagio is famed for its elegance. The hotel houses the famous Fountain of Bellagio
which is a large dancing water fountain synchronized to music and also where Carole's birthday celebration began.
It was a beautiful evening outside as they enjoyed the fountain shows and the sights and sounds of the Las Vegas Strip.
Afterwards they walked inside the Bellagio and visited the Chinese New Year Exhibit at the Conservatory & Botanical
Gardens. This year's theme was the Year of the Goat. To honor the Goat, the centerpiece of the Conservatory is a
14-foot-tall grassy mountain. A family of five animated goats stands proudly on the mountaintop, turning their heads
to observe the gardens below. After strolling through the Botanical Garden and since it was also the celebration of
the Chinese New Year, they decided to dine at the Noodles Restaurant inside the Bellagio and had some Chinese food.
After dinner they proceeded to the Cirque du Soleil "O" Theater to pick up their tickets for the show. Having watched
all the other Cirque du Soleil shows on the Strip except Chris Angel and "O", it was Carole's wish to finally watch "O"
whose name is pronounced the same way as "eau", the French word for "water". Before entering the main theater,
displayed in the lobby was the exhibit of the Art of Richard McDonald. Ron and Carole walked through the gallery that
featured over 100 bronze sculptures including twenty heroic sized works along with original drawings, paintings and
limited edition prints by the artist. After admiring all the art work they proceeded to their seats in the magnificent
"O" theatre which was reminiscent of a European opera house. The actual show takes place in, around and above
a 1.5-million-US-gallon pool of water and features water acts such as synchronized swimming as well as aerial and
ground acts. Like all the other Cirque du Soleil shows, "O" was as amazing and spectacular.
Click here to see all the photos from Carole's Birthday Celebration at the Bellagio or
watch the video montage on
YouTube. After this Bellagio Birthday Date, the rest of the weekend was spent celebrating with the kids having a
dinner celebration at Famous Dave's Barbeque and a family outing watching another show, MJ Live - Michael Jackson
Tribute Concert at the Rio Hotel.
Posted on February 27, 2015
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Visiting The Mob Museum
The 14th of February marked the 3rd Anniversary of the opening of The Mob Museum which was also
the 86th year anniversary of the infamous St. Valentine's Day massacre in Chicago in 1929.
To commemorate these events, The Mob Museum which is officially the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement and is housed in an old historic federal
building in downtown Las Vegas offered free admission for all Nevada state residents and
2-for-1 admission for non-residents. Ron, Carole and the girls took advantage of this offer
and spent most of the day there learning about the roots and evolution of organized crime
in America, as well as the justice system's efforts and innovations in the fight against
the Mob.
We've all watched or heard of those old gangster movies such as The Untouchables,
Good Fellas, Bugsy, and Casino which were all based on true stories and characters
from the Prohibition era of the 1920's. Gangsters such as Al Capone, Charlie "Lucky"
Luciano, and Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegal who were heads of organized crimes were racketeering
in areas such as bootlegging, extortion and money laundering. By the 1950's the
Mob or Mafia had become the preeminent organized-crime network in the United States
involved in a range of underworld activities from loan-sharking to prostitution and gambling,
while also infiltrating labor unions. Over the next few decades the Mafia expanded
its criminal empire and becoming, by the 1970s, a major player in international
narcotics trafficking.
The Mob Museum provided exhibits such as "The Legacy
of the Mob" and how they were brought down, "Notable
names in Mob History" and "Mob Busters",
"Organized Crime Around the World", "Memories
and Myth of the Mob", and "Sin City"
which was an in-depth look at Las Vegas which became
a playground for American organized crime in the 1950's.
Actual artifacts were also on display such as the actual
brick wall where those men died from the St. Valentine's
Day Massacre and the actual Tommy guns (Thompson submachine
guns) that were used during that massacre and other
famous crime events. If you haven't visited The Mob
Museum, check
out the photos for a sneak peak of the museum or
watch
the YouTube video of Ron, Carole, Kiana and Nevaeh's
Mob Museum experience. The museum is open daily from 10am to 7pm. and located at 300 Stewart Avenue in downtown Las Vegas.
Posted on February 19, 2015
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Belated New Year 2015 at the Vdara Hotel
It's better late than never! This year the Poblete Family
was not able to be together for the holidays and for
New Years Eve. So since everyone was in Las Vegas for
the viewing and funeral of Baby Kal (See blog entry
"In Loving Memory...Gone Too Soon" below.), it was decided
last minute to get together and bring in the New Year
2015 a week and a half later. It was extra special because
cousins Gary and Lannie from Chicago were also in town
and were able to join in on the family's festivities.
But instead of celebrating at Casa de Poblete, the family
decided to check in at the Vdara Hotel on the Las Vegas
Strip. Through the connections the family had with both
Nico and Kyle being employed at the resort, the family
was able to get the 2 bedroom Hospitality Suite on the
42nd floor. It was rumored that singer, songwriter,
and actress Fergie who is also the female vocalist for
the hip hop group The Black Eyed Peas had once stayed
in that very same room which Kyle and Nico confirmed
was true. Jokes went on throughout the night with everyone saying "Fergie sat here. Fergie stood here. Fergie looked outside this window."
Prior to checking in for their 2 nights stay, everyone
was tasked in the days prior to buy a $15-20 wrapped
gift for the White Elephant Gift Exchange that was planned
for that evening. And since the suite had a full kitchen,
Mama Pearlie prepared food to bring to the hotel for
the celebration while Ron passed by Raising Canes Chicken
Fingers and ordered the big tailgate order of their
famous chicken fingers, french fries, Texas toast, coleslaw
and their tangy Cane's Sauce. Once all the food was
spread out, it was time to eat as everyone was hungry.
Even the hotel's bellhop Chris who had brought up everyone's
luggage and was also a friend of Nico and Kyle stuck
around and joined in on the family's feast. And how
can anyone resist as Mama Pearlie always accomodates
and feeds everyone, especially friends of the family.
After dinner and some unwinding while enjoying the views
of the Las Vegas Strip, it was time for the White Elephant
Gift Exchange. Since there were 12 gifts total, Richelle
had placed 12 numbers in a cup and had everyone to pick
a number to determine in what order they will take turns
selecting a gift. Kiana ended up being the first one
to pick while Patrick was the last one to pick. One
by one everyone got their chance to select a gift but
the rules set at the beginning was that an added steal
round was to take place after the first round of selecting
which made it even more fun. Afterwards it was close
to the midnight hour and bottles of sparkling apple
cider were open and everyone got their chance to say
a toast for the New Year. The rest of the celebration
hours were spent bonding with one another in their pajamas
before going to bed. Click
here to see all the photos from this belated New
Years 2015 celebration or watch
the video montage on YouTube. Happy New Year to
all and we wish everyone a successful and prosperous
new year!
Posted on January 23, 2015
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Bringing in the New Year 2015 with Justin Timberlake
This year the family's actual New Years celebration
didn't start off that great (See blog entry "In Loving
Memory...Gone Too Soon" below.) but what a way to start
the year with the family's first concert of the year
as they got the opportunity to see the final show of
Justin Timberlake's 20/20 Experience World Tour which
came to a close at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las
Vegas on Janauary 2nd. It was also an opportunity to
be part of history as the concert was being filmed by
acclaimed Oscar Award-Winning director/filmmaker/producer
Jonathan Demme. Ron and Carole were able to get 8 tickets
for the final concert show and took the kids along with
their extended kids Kyle, Gladys and Mariel.
Although their seats were at the other end of the arena
from the stage, the view was good enough and the acoustics
were loud enough as Justin performed with his big-band
orchestra called the Tennessee Kids which includes guitarists,
dancers, background singers, drummers, bassists, keyboardists,
a percussionist and a saxophonist. JT and the band performed
a 30 song set with hit songs from his current 20/20
Experience album and hits from his previously released
albums. After a short 15 minute break halfway through
the show, the concert started up again with a spectacular
laser light show that filled the arena. Then the front
part of the stage started to elevate and started to
make it's way over the entire floor section of the arena
and stopped all the way to the other end giving the
family and those seated around them a true 20/20 experience
as Justing performed part of the show right in front
of them. Check
out some of the photos or watch the video montage on YouTube of this family's
20/20 Experience with Justin Timberlake. Also stand
by for the release of the concert movie that was filmed
on this night which will hopefully be released on DVD
or shown on television sometime soon.
Posted on January 16, 2015
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In Loving Memory...Gone Too Soon
It's hard to start this year's first blog entry for
2015 with Happy New Year when the year started with
such unhappy news. It was around 4PM on New Years Eve
when the family first got news of the tragic death of
a close family friend Elson Gabrintina. Kiana saw an
Instagram post that Elson's cousin posted and in disbelief
called and texted everyone down in San Diego where Elson
is orignially from. (Elson was in the Philippines these
past years studying in the ministry.) No one replied
back right away but then she called Elson's cousin Lester
who lives in Las Vegas and he confirmed that the tragic
news was indeed true. Soon after calls started to come
in from those Kiana tried to reach earlier who were
at the time all attending the midweek worship service
at church. Elson along with 3 others BEM students had
left the New Years Celebration at the Philippine Arena
when they had pulled over on the North Luzon Expressway
because their car overheated. While the driver of the
car went to get assistance and water for the car, both
Elson and second victim Justin Soriano were struck and
killed by a drunk driver in a SUV. The fourth victim
who was also with them was also stuck but survived the
accident.
New Years Eve as well as New Years Day was not much
of a celebration as the family mourned over the passing
of their dear close friend who growing up was one of
Nico's best friends and was like an older brother to
him. There are so many memories of Elson throughout
the years and in fact the family was on stand by as
Elson had always said that once he finds his partner
in life that the family will have to come to the wedding
in the Philippines as Elson had planned for Nico to
be one of his groomsmen and Ron and Carole were to be
his Ninong and Ninang (Godparents). Rest in Peace Elson.
Thank you for being the kids older brother or as Nevaeh
would call you their "Kuya Awesome".
As if the passing of Elson wasn't enough, a few days
later on the Sunday morning of January 4th, the family
received tragic news once again. This time it was news
of the passing of Kal Logan Catapat (5 month baby boy
of cousins Jay and Honeylette) who was in the hospital
the past few days prior due to catching a respiratory
virus and pnemonia. As Ron, Carole and the kids were
there at the hospital just five month earlier to welcome
Kal to the world when he was born, it was so heartbreaking
to be back at the hospital again to be with him after
his passing. But they were also there to give support
to cousins Jay and Honeylette and stayed with them throughout
the day. The entire family including Papa Rollie, Mama
Pearlie and Richelle took the time to come up to Las
Vegas to give their support throughout Kal's viewing
and funeral. Such a tragic lost, more so that we will
not get the opportunity to see him grow up. But at least
we do have memories of playing and holding him whenever
we got to see him or during family get-togethers. (See
photos with Kal from last year's 2014 blog
entries.) Rest in Peace Kal until we can hold you again
in Heaven.
This blog post was created in memory of both Elson
and Kal who will never be forgotten. We will never know
why Elson and Kal have gone too soon but their passing
is a great reminder that life is truly short and we
should cherish every moment. And as the popular quote
goes..."Life is too short to wake up in the morning
with regrets. So love the people who treat you right.
Forgive ones who don't and believe that everything happens
for a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes
your life, let it. Nobody said life would be easy, they
just promised it would be worth it."
Posted on January 14, 2015
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