A Look Back at 2016
2016 was another year of good times with family and friends. The year began with the San Diego gang bringing in the new year at
Casa de Poblete in Las Vegas. The Torres and Bobis families drove up for a mini vacation and on New Years Eve the Cui
and Dabu families joined in to bring in the new year with the gang. Celebrations continued throughout the year as Carole celebrated
her birthday this year with a Venetian Hotel staycation. Nico celebrated his 24th birthday with family and friends at Lucille's BBQ while for
Kiana's 21st birthday the family threw her a surprise birthday party with a few close friends. Papa Rollie and Mama Pearlie
celebrated their 52nd anniversary with the family at Peohe's Chart House Restaurant in Coronado while Neveah celebrated her
11th birthday with a painting party in the backyard of Casa de Poblete. Ron and Carole celebrated their 26th anniversary with a
staycation at the Mandalay Bay Resort.
Family trips continued in 2016 with frequent trips throughout the year to San Diego and Las Vegas. Other this year's staycations
at the Venetian and Mandalay Bay, the family also had their annual staycation at Lake Las Vegas. A couple day trips also took place
in 2016 such as driving out to Death Valley, California to check out the wildflowers,
exploring the Valley of Fire and the Lost City
of Southern Nevada, hiking up Angel's Landing at Zion National Park in Utah,
and a snow trip up to Mount Charleston. Carole took a
weekend trip to Florida this year to visit her family but the big family trip this year was to Toronto, Canada for Henry and Boisi's
wedding. While in Canada they were able to do some sightseeing and got to visit Ripley's Aquarium of Canada, Casa Loma Castle,
and Niagara Falls.
Other family hour activities or events the family did this year was watching Cirque du Soliel's Mystere, Mariah Carey in concert, the Pentatonics
concert with Us the Duo, Rod Stewart, Band of Magicians, and Criss Angel's Mindfreak. The family didn't make it out to their annual
Padres Baseball game at Petco Park or Chargers Football game at Qualcomm Stadium. Mainly because both teams had terrible seasons this
year. However the family did make it out to watch the Los Angeles Lakers play a playoff game in Las Vegas as the have in past years.
This year the Lakers played the Sacramento Kings at the new T-Mobile Arena. The family also participated in the annual Making Strides
Against Breast Cancer 5K Walk again as Team Poblete also had others join them this year.
A few family milestones to take note of include Carole reaching her 10th year being employed with DelMar Gardens Nursing Home and was
given a 32" LCD flat screen television for her years of service. Although Ron has actually worked 11 years for the City of Henderson,
he received his 10 year pin this year. (His first year was in a temporary fulltime position and didn't count for actual years of
service as a permanent fulltime employee.) For Nico, aside from also working at the City of Henderson as a Visual Communications Assistant, his
sideline business Active Motion Media has taken him to various cities throughout the United States filming different wedding and events.
(Another milestone for Nico was this year he had welcomed a very special person into his life.) Kiana's cosmetology career continues to grow
as this year she's left her assistant position at the Liquid Salon to become a fulltime stylist at the Vent Blotique. Within this year she
moved again to take on a hair stylist/make up artist position at the Look Style Society salon where she currently works. For Nevaeh, although
she's too young to work yet or start her career she was able to spend a day with Dad at the City of Henderson on "Take Our Sons and Daughters
to Work Day". Just like her siblings did in the past years, this year was Nevaeh's very first year attending and learned alot about city government.
Scroll down to read more about all these past events and activities in the blog entries below. We're not sure what 2017 has in store but
we hope and pray it will be fun and successful for the whole family and for everyone reading this blog. From our family to yours, "Happy New Year"
and may you have a blessed year in 2017.
Posted on January 3, 2017 |
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Snow Day at Mount Charleston
With the cold weather this Winter that Las Vegas had been experiencing, there was definitely snow up in the local mountains
surrounding the Las Vegas valley. since everyone was off for the day, the family decided to head up to Mount Charleston to spend
the day playing in the snow for the last day of the year 2016. So the family got in their Volkswagen Routain van while Nico and
Julie drove her car since they brought her dog Simba with them. The trip up to Mount Charleston was about a 30 minute drive from
the city. There were alot of other visitors at Mount Charleston on that day as everyone also had the same idea to have a snow day.
The challenge was finding a spot to park which they did over by a campsite on the road that takes you from the Mount Charleston
Resort over to the Lee Canyon side of the mountain.
With their thick jackets and boots on they trekked up the hillside where they found a spot which had fresh untouched snow. Even
Julie's dog Simba had his own snow jacket on. It was definitely cold up in the mountains but that didn't stop the family from
throwing snowballs. sliding down the hill and building a snow man. After spending some time in the snow, the family drove back
down the mountain and decided to warm up by getting some Saimin and Oxtail Soup at Aloha Kitchen.
Check out all the photos or watch
the video montage of the family's day in the snow.
Posted on January 3, 2017 |
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Ron and Carole's Anniversary at Mandalay Bay
Another Las Vegas hotel resort has been checked off Carole's List as it's her goal to stay at each hotel on the Las Vegas Strip.
Since Ron and Carole were celebrating their 26th wedding anniversary, they decided to celebrate locally and booked a room at the
Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. They had never stayed there before and it was a perfect location as they also booked to see
the Criss Angel show that was next door at the Luxor Hotel which they haven't seen as well. They made reservations for
the Elite King room which was a little larger than the standard room as it provided more living space. It too was a perfect
decision to reserve that room as they had no other plans but to stay there for some rest and relaxation. Their room ended up
being on the 18th floor and the extra living space provided a great view of the Las Vegas Strip and the airport with the mountains
in the background that surrounded the Las Vegas Valley.
Before heading out to the show on the night of their stay, they decided to have dinner at the Bayside Buffet which was inside the
Mandalay Bay Resort. The Bayside Buffet was one of their go to buffets for crab legs and shrimp which is served every night of the
week but yet does not cost as much as the other high end buffets that serve seafood such as the Bachannal Buffet at Caesars Palace,
Wicked Spoon at the Cosmopolitan or the Buffet at Aria. After dinner they strolled through Mandalay Place which was the
walkway bridge from Mandalay Bay to the Luxor Hotel that has a few restaurants and plenty of shops. As they arrived at the Luxor
they proceeded to the Criss Angel theater. As they entered they saw a collection of his custom motorcycles and masks and outfits
that were on display. The Criss Angle show was the only Cirque du Soliel show on the Las Vegas Strip that Ron and Carole haven't
watched. The all-new Mindfreak Live show replaced the former Criss Angel - Believe show which was more Cirque than magic.
This new show was definitely more magic and was based on his television show. After the show they returned back to the Mandalay
Bay to relax and enjoy the lights of the Las Vegas Strip.
The rest of their stay was enjoyable as they walked around the resort and people watched when they weren't relaxing in their room.
For lunch they enjoyed a nice Mexican meal at Borders Grill as they dined out on the patio which offered them a nice scenic pool
view of the hotel and Mandalay Beach. Click
here to see all the photos or watch
the video montage of their Mandalay Bay staycation.
Posted on December 9, 2016 |
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Nevaeh's 11th Birthday Painting Party
For Nevaeh's 11th birthday, she wanted to have a Painting
Party in the backyard with a few of her friends. She
had a similar party on her 8th birthday (See 2013
blog entry "Nevaeh's Backyard Birthday Party".) where
her and her friends spent the afternoon doing arts and
crafts. For this year's party, Ron and Carole commissioned
former Art Institute Students/Graphic Design Graduates
and family friends Matt and Lisette to help instruct
the kids on how to paint just like they do at one of
those adult painting classes. So before the painting
sessions began, Nevaeh and her friends had lunch first
while the tables were being set up with paint trays,
brushes, canvases and all the other painting materials
that these young Picasos were to use.
After Nevaeh and her friends finished eating, they were
all excited to so some painting and each took a seat
at the tables. Their first painting project was to paint
and customize their own goodie bags. Then their painting
instructors Matt and Lisette gave them a choice to paint
either Disney animated movie characters Baymax from
Big Hero 6 or Dory from Finding Nemo. The girls chose
Dory while the boys and the other younger artists painted
whatever they wanted and created their own masterpieces
without instructions. So Matt and Lisette started painting
step by step as the girls followed, each one adding
their own style to their paintings.
After the painting session, Nevaeh and her friends were
busy taking photo booth pictures in front of her 11th
birthday background complete with props and all. Then
it was time to cut her birthday cake and sing the "Happy
Birthday" song. Afterwards the Birthday Girl and her
friends went inside to the family game room where they
gathered to watch her open her birthday gifts. Click
here to see all the photos from Nevaeh's 11th Birthday
Painting Party or watch
the video montage to see all the fun and all the
artists masterpieces.
Posted on November 11, 2016 |
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Nevaeh's 11th Birthday Photo Booth Pics
What's a Poblete party or event without having the traditional
event backdrop to take photos in front of? Check
out all the photo booth pictures from Nevaeh's 11th
Birthday (See blog entry above.) or watch
the video clip on YouTube of all the fun and wacky
photos.
Posted on November 11, 2016 |
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52nd Wedding Anniversary Dinner at Peohe's
This year marked Papa Rollie and Mama Pearlie's 52nd
Wedding Anniversary. To celebrate the family had
dinner at Peohe's Chart House Restaurant in Coronado.
Ron, Carole and the girls drove down for the weekend
from Las Vegas while Nico wasn't able to make it down as
he and Julie were on a trip up in the San Francisco Bay
area. Dinner reservations were made for 6PM and the
family was seated at a table by the window which provided
them beautiful twilight views of Coronado Ferry Landing,
San Diego Bay and the city skyline in the background.
The theme at Peohes was tropical yet elegent with a
menu of island-inspired seafood dishes and Polynesian
cuisine. Peohe's was selected and spotlighted on "Rachel
Ray's Tasty Travels" TV show from The Food Network and
is nestled on the water's edge at the Coronado Ferry
Landing. For dinner the celebrants, Mama Pearlie ordered
the Coconut Cruchy Shrimp while Papa Rollie ordered
his usual favorite Prime Rib. Kiana also had the Prime
Rib while Richelle ordered the Atlantic Salmon Nicoise
and Patrick the Roasted Airline Chicken Breast. Nevaeh
ordered her usual Chicken Fingers and Fries while Ron
and Carole shared a Pupu Platter for two. For dessert
the waiter had brought out two slices of ice cream cake
which was drizzled with chocolate and macadamia nuts
and had a lit candle for each slice. Throughout dinner
there was alot of story telling, reminicing and laughter.
After dinner the family decided to take a stroll along
the waters of San Diego Bay and the Coronado Ferry Landing.
Check
out the photos from dinner or watch
the video montage of this intimate celebration and
the breathtaking views of San Diego Bay and the city
skyline of downtown San Diego. Happy 52nd Wedding Anniversary
Papa Rollie and Mama Pearlie!
Posted on October 25, 2016 |
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2016 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5K Walk
It's the month of October and Team Poblete was at it
again as they participated in this year's Making Strides
Against Breast Cancer 5K Walk. This was the 5th year
straight Team Poblete has participated in this walk
(as well as other 5K walks) to bring awareness for the
cause and to also walk in memory of Carole's sister
Timi who had lost her battle with breast cancer 3 years
ago. This year Team Poblete was joined by the TEHO Ladies,
Christine Mari, Anna Cui and Lannie Valdecantos from
Eagle Broadcasting Corporation Las Vegas Bureau's online
talk show "To Each Her Own". Not only did they join
the team on the walk but also broadcasted a segment
of their show on location via Facebook Live on Eagle
News Live which featured Team Poblete. (Click
here to watch the video of the Facebook live feature.
Facebook login required.)
The weather was perfect on the Sunday morning of the
walk which started and finished at the Red Rock Casino
Resort Las Vegas. Before the start of the walk, all
the participants stretched and warmed up and gathered
at the starting line. When the signal to start sounded
off, the 3.1 mile course began from the parking lot
of the Red Rock Casino and through the streets of the
Downtown Summerlin Shopping Center. Thousands of participants
walked the course, some who consisted of breast cancer
survivors, some who were currently fighting the disease
and the rest who were there to support and bring awareness
to fighting breast cancer. Team Poblete reached the
finish line a little less than an hour and a half and
were met by family friend Junen Diaz and her daughter
Mia. They had joined Team Poblete in past breast cancer
walks but wasn't able to make it in time to join the
walk this year but came out for support.
It's always a great feeling to donate or volunteer your
time for a worthy cause. As the family's religious beliefs
remind them, they should always take the time out of
their busy schedules to not only spend time together
but also spend their time doing good for the community.
"Whenever you possibly can, do good to those who need
it." -Proverbs 3:27 TEV. Click
here to see all the photos from this year's Breast
Cancer 5K Walk or watch
the video montage of this special day. A special
"Thank You" to the TEHO Ladies from EBC Las Vegas Bureau
for taking the time to join Team Poblete this year.
And for anyone else who could not join the walk this
year but would still like to support the cause, donations
can still be made on our Team
Poblete webpage.
Posted on October 20, 2016 |
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Lakers vs. Kings 2015 Preseason Game at the T-Mobile Arena Las Vegas
As in past years, the Los Angeles Lakers would play
one of their preseason games in Las Vegas. The last
two years the family watched them play at the MGM Grand
Garden Arena. Years prior they've watched them play
at the arena at UNLV's Thomas and Mack. This year the
Lakers were scheduled play two playoff games in Las
Vegas. The first game against the Sacramento Kings and
the second game against the Golden State Warriors. Both
games were scheduled to be played at the new T-Mobile
Arena that had just finished construction on the Las
Vegas Strip and had opened to the general public this
year. Because of their schedules, the family wasn't
able to watch the second game against the Warriors who
were the defending NBA Champions of last season. However
they were able to watch the first scheduled game against
the Kings which Ron was able to get tickets for. It
was also good timing as the kid's cousin Marcel and
Whitney were in town visiting and were able to join
the family for a night of NBA Basketball.
When they got to their seats the players were already
on the court warming up. This was the first NBA game
to be played at the T-Mobile Arena. This was also the
first season for former Lakers player Luke Walton to
be head coach of this all-new Lakers team, a team who
no longer had the great Kobe Bryant on the floor as
his NBA career came to an end last year when he retired
from the game. The Lakers starting lineup were Ingram,
Clarkson, Calderón, Nance Jr., Jianlian and Young. As
the game started the Lakers seem to be behind for most
of the game as the Kings lead at the end of the 1st
quarter 30 to 25, 2nd quarter 62 to 44 and at the end
of the 3rd quarter 82 to 80. The final score at the
end of the game was Kings 116 and Lakers 104. Although
it was only a preseason game it was a disappointing
lost for Lakers Fans but a great night for Las Vegas
Fans to have the opportunity to watch two NBA teams
go head to head. Check
out all the photos from this night of NBA action
or watch
the video montage on YouTube of all the Lakers and
Kings game highlights.
Posted on October 20, 2016 |
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Visit to Niagara Falls
Before leaving Ontario Canada, the family trip would
not be complete without visiting North America's natural
wonder, Niagara Falls. It was about an hour and a half
drive from downtown Toronto to the falls where the family
met up with the Nery, Cui, and Tejada families. Niagara
Falls is the collective name for three waterfalls that
straddle the international border between Canada and
the United States, between the province of Ontario and
the state of New York. They form the southern end of
the Niagara Gorge. From largest to smallest, the three
waterfalls are the Horseshoe Falls, the American Falls
and the Bridal Veil Falls. The Horseshoe Falls lie mostly
on the Canadian side and the American Falls entirely
on the American side, separated by Goat Island. The
smaller Bridal Veil Falls are also on the American side,
separated from the other waterfalls by Luna Island.
After strolling along Niagara Falls and Queen Victoria
Park taking photos and enjoying the breathtaking beauty
of the falls, some of them decided to walk over to the
United States side by crossing over Niagara Gorge on
the Rainbow Bridge. The Rainbow Bridge connects the
tourist districts of Niagara Falls, Ontario and Niagara
Falls, New York. With passports in hand they were surprised
to find out they had to pay a toll of 50 cents to go
through the turnstiles to the United States. (What ever
happened to the phrase "It's a free country?")
They walked half way to the middle of the bridge to
the marker that marked the international border of the
United States and Canada and took photos from that vantage
point of the majestic falls with both the province of
Ontario and the state of New York in the background.
Niagara Falls Park offered many attractions like a zip
line and boat tours but after all the walking they did,
the gang decided they wanted to eat and do some souvenir
shopping. So they walked up to Clifton Hill which is
the most famous street in Niagara Falls. The street
contains a number of gift shops, wax museums, haunted
houses, video arcades, restaurants, hotels and themed
attractions. Prominent attractions on the street include
the Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum and 4D Moving
Theater, the Guinness World Records Museum, the Niagara
SkyWheel Ferris wheel, and the nearby Louis Tussaud's
Waxworks. Out of the many restaurants and eateries that
Clifton Hill had to offer, the gang decided to eat at
The Works which was a gourmet burger bistro that served
unique hamburgers made from 100% Canadian beef as well
as other sandwiches, salads, and of course poutine.
After their hamburger meal, the gang continued sightseeing
and souvenir shopping along Clifton Hill as well as
as returning back to the falls to take one last look
before heading back to downtown Toronto. Click
here to see all the photos or watch
the video montage of the family's exploration at
Niagara Falls.
Posted on September 3, 2016 | Read
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Casa Loma Castle
While still in Canada, the family got to visit yet another
Toronto tourist destination as they visited the majestic
castle named Casa Loma. Casa Loma (Spanish for Hill
House) is a Gothic Revival style house and gardens in
midtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, that is now a museum
and landmark. It was built as a residence for financier
Sir Henry Mill Pellatt who is notable for his role in
bringing hydro-electricity to Toronto, Ontario, for
the first time. He was also a soldier serving as Major-General
with the Canadian Armed Forces. He joined the Regiment
as a Rifleman and rose through the ranks to become the
Commanding Officer. He was knighted for his dedication
to the Regiment. Pellatt later served as the Honorary
Colonel and was promoted Major-General upon retirement.
Casa Loma was constructed from 1911 to 1914. The architect was E. J. Lennox, who designed several other city landmarks. The house cost about $3.5 million
and took 300 workers three years to build. Due to the start of World War I, construction was halted. At 98 rooms covering 64,700 square feet, it was the
largest private residence in Canada. Notable amenities included an elevator, an oven large enough to cook an ox, two vertical passages for pipe organs,
a central vacuum, two secret passages in Pellatt's ground-floor office, a pool, and three bowling alleys in the basement.
Casa Loma is a popular venue to hold wedding ceremonies
and rites. Due to its unique architectural character
in Toronto, Casa Loma has also been a popular filming
location for movies and television. It has served as
a location for movies such as X-Men, Strange Brew, Chicago,
The Tuxedo, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Warehouse 13,
Twitches Too, and The Pacifier. Comic books and children's
novels that have used it include the Scott Pilgrim series
and Eric Wilson's murder mystery, The Lost Treasure
of Casa Loma. It was also temporarily transformed into
Hogwarts for the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly
Hallows. Check
out some of the photos of the spectacular grounds
of Toronto's premier historic landmark and the estate
gardens or watch
the YouTube video montage of the family's explorations
through this majestic castle.
Posted on September 2, 2016 | Read
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Ripley's Aquarium of Canada
As part of the Toronto City Pass, the Ripley's Aquarium
of Canada was another attraction the family visited.
After taking in the views from up above at the CN Tower
(See blog entry below), the family and friends headed
over to Ripley's Aquarium which was right next from
the CN Tower in downtown Toronto. Originally planned
in 2004 to be built in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Ripley's
Aquarium relocated to downtown Toronto and was open
to the public in 2013. It is one of three aquariums
owned and operated by Ripley Entertainment.
The aquarium features several aquatic exhibits including a walk-through tank. The aquarium has 5.7 million litres (1.5 million gallons) of marine and
freshwater habitats from across the world. The exhibits hold 13,500 exotic sea and freshwater specimens from more than 450 species. The aquarium holds
5.7 million litres (1.5 million gallons) of water and shows marine and freshwater habitats from around the world. The aquarium is organized into nine
galleries: Canadian Waters, Rainbow Reef, Dangerous Lagoon, Discovery Centre, The Gallery, Ray Bay, Planet Jellies, Life Support Systems and the
Shoreline Gallery.
Click here to see all the photos of this amazing aquarium which is home to 16,000 animals or watch the video montage on YouTube.
Ripley's Aqurium is definitely an attraction not to miss when visiting Toronto.
Posted on September 1, 2016
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Toronto Canada Vacation 2016
This year's big family vacation was held in the city of Toronto in the province of Ontario which is in east-central Canada.
This trip was planned around good friends Henry and Boisi's wedding which was to be held there in Canada. Since Nico was asked to
film the couple's special day and Kiana and Ron were both in the entourage, it was decided to just make it this year's family
vacation destination. So after months of planning, securing passports, purchasing tickets and reserving hotel accomodations and
transportation, the family along with Crystal Joy who was also part of the wedding entourage departed on a direct red eye flight
on West Jet Airlines from Las Vegas McCarran Airport to Toronto Pearson International Airport.
When they arrived in Canada, they met up with Henry and a couple of other friends for breakfast at Zet's Restaurant which was right
by the airport. Afterwards they checked in at Residence Inn Toronto Airport which was to be their home for the next few days. Once
they were all settled in with their accomodations and it was time to plan on their sightseeing plans. To experience all the best
that Toronto had to offer, they decided to purchase the Toronto City Pass which for one price of $60.00 total which included
admission to the CN Tower, Casa Loma, Royal Ontario Museum, Ripley's Aquarium of Canada, Toronto Zoo or Ontario Science Centre.
Their first sightseeing venture was to explore downtown Toronto which is a commercial, distribution, financial and economic centre,
and third largest financial centre in North America. Toronto is also the largest city in Canada and the capital of Ontario. To
get the best views of all the tall buildings and skyscrapers, they decided to view them from up above on the observation deck of the
1,815.4 ft concrete communications and observation tower. The CN Tower is the world's 7th tallest free-standing structure.
It is the third tallest tower in the world and remains the tallest free-standing structure in the Western Hemisphere. In 1995,
the CN Tower was declared one of the modern Seven Wonders of the World by the American Society of Civil Engineers. One of six
high-speed glass-fronted elevators speed up to the 1,136 ft. lookout in a mere 58 seconds. Once at the observation level you can
look straight down from the world famous Glass Floor or take in the stunning views on the outdoor terrace at 1,122 ft.
When they got back down below they continued their
sightseeing by strolling around the streets of downtown,
visiting Rogers Centre which was the home of the Toronto
Blue Jays, grabbing at bite to eat ordering some Poutine
which is a Canadian dish made with French fries and
cheese curds topped with a light brown gravy and other
dishes from street food vendors and stopping at one
of the many Tim Hortons which is a cafe chain based
in Canada, known for its coffee and doughnuts. Check
out the photos of their downtown Toronto excursion
or watch the video montage
on YouTube.
Posted on August 31, 2016 | Read
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Annual Lake Las Vegas Summer Staycation
As in past years since Ron, Carole and the kids relocated
to Las Vegas from San Diego, summers would not be complete
without their annual staycation weekend stay out at
Lake Las Vegas. Every summer when the kids would usually
spend their summer breaks off from school and head to
their hometown of San Diego to spend time with family
and friends, Ron and Carole would make reservations
at one of the hotels out at this lake resort rather
than taking a staycation on the Las Vegas Strip. Because
living out in the desert where it is dry and hot, the
sight of water such as the lake at Lake Las Vegas is
such a refreshing feeling and it is truly an oasis out
there in the middle of the desert.
This year Ron and Carole checked in at the Montelago
Village Resort and stayed in a one bedroom suite at
the Veira which is the hotel adjacent to the village.
They love staying here as the suites offer a full kitchen
so they can bring and prepare their own food during
their stay. This year with the opening of the new Seasons
Market right in the resort's village, they didn't have
to bring alot of groceries since the market was just
walking distance from the hotel. After picking up a
few things at the market they hung out by the pool most
of the afternoon until that evening. Since it was a
Saturday night and the village offered free live music
by the lake, they were able to hear the band playing
from the pool. Later that night, Nico and Kiana came
out to join them for dinner. Being older now, the two
no longer spend their summers down in San Diego unlike
Nevaeh because they are both now working adults. Julie
and her mom Lisa also came out to join the family for
dinner and they all went to Sonrisa Grill Restaurant
to enjoy some fine Mexican cuisine. Towards the end
of dinner, the waiter brought out a plate of churros
for dessert with a lit candle to surprise Ka Lisa for
her birthday. After dinner they all strolled around
the village and by the lake.
The next day before checking out, Ron and Carole took
a morning stroll by the lake and got coffee at the Seasons
Market. They also requested for a late check out so
that they could continue to get more rest and relaxation
while they were there. As they checked out, they were
surprised to find out that the Aston Hotel and Resorts
who managed the Montelago Village Resort was pulling
out at the end of summer and will no longer operate
the hotel. The desk clerk was not sure whether another
company will take over or if the suites will be sold
as condos. If the suites do go up for sale, Ron and
Carole would definitely be interested as Lake Las Vegas
is one community where they would someday like to retire.
Only time will tell. Click
here to see all the photos from this summer's Lake
Las Vegas staycation or watch
the video montage on YouTube.
Posted on July 16, 2016 | Read
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Hiking Angels Landing at Zion National Park
It's been years since the family visited Zion National Park in Utah. After taking about going back for awhile now, it was decided
to stop taking about it and actually do it. So Ron, Carole, Crystal, Nico, Julie and her Mom Lisa set out at 3AM on
a Saturday morning to drive up to Zion National Park to hike up to the top of Angels Landing which is a 1,488-foot tall rock
formation. Located in the southwest part of Utah, Zion National Park encompasses some of the most scenic canyon country in the
United States. Zion is know for its slot canyons, towers and monoliths, rivers and waterfalls.
After a 3-hour drive from Las Vegas, they finally arrived at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center in Springdale, Utah where
they were to park and catch a shuttle that would take them to The Grotto Trailhead stop to Angels Landing. But before boarding
the shuttle they first ate a light breakfast and packed their backpacks with sandwiches, snacks and drinks for the day's hike.
It was a beautiful sunny morning and the temperatures were in the mid to high 80s. From The Grotto Trailhead
they crossed over a foot bridge that went over on the Virgin River where the trail to Angels Landing started.
The length of the hike is a 5 miles round trip and this strenuous hike takes about 4 to 5 hours to complete. They proceeded
on the West Rim Trail along the floor on the canyon and along the Virgin River to the base of Angels Landing. Then they
proceeded up the first set of switchbacks that climbed the canyon wall that lead them to Refrigerator Canyon which was pleasantly
cool and very scenic. Then the trail continued to climb with another series of switchbacks called Walter's Wiggles. These 21 switchbacks
are very tight and gain elevation rapidly. At the top of Walter's Wiggles, you are lead to the top of the ridge at Scouts Lookout
which offers amazing views.
The group stopped here for lunch and waited there for Nico and Julie who bravely tackled the last
half mile of the trail which follows the narrow steep ridge to the summit. An anchor support chain is embedded in the rock along this
part of the trail for safety as one would drop down 1,400 feet to the canyon floor if not careful. (Since 2004, six people have died
falling from the cliffs on this route.) It took awhile for Nico and Julie to make it up and back as there were so many
people on that part of the trail but they successfully reached the top and got to see for themselves the spectacular views the summit
had to offer. The descent down the trail from Angels Landing was a much easier hike although the temperature on the way down was now
in the low to mid 90s. But there was a reward at the end of the trail as you are able to cool down by the river that flowed through Zion Canyon. Check out all the photos or watch the video montage on YouTube of this epic hiking trip. The family will definitely come
back as there are more trails at Zion National Park to conquer.
Posted on July 1, 2016 | Read
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Nico's 24th and Kiana's 21st Birthday
The months of May and June are usually celebration months at the Poblete household as Ron's birthday falls on May 4th, Nico's
on May 23rd and Kiana's on June 4th. This year the family had no big celebration plans. Unlike last year when Ron celebrated his
milestone 50th birthday with a party at Casa de Poblete during the Pacquaio vs Mayweather fight, this year the kids surprised
him the day after his birthday with a birthday cake and late lunch/early dinner at home with a few of the other extended family kids.
For Nico's 24th birthday, all he wanted to do was to celebrate over dinner with the family and a few close friends. He chose
Lucille's Smokehouse Barbeque restaurant at The District at Green Valley Ranch to have his birthday dinner. Aside from the family,
those who also joined to celebrate with him were Julie, Kyle, Mayette and her kids Jonah and Gabby. To feed the whole family,
the Chicken & Rib Platter was ordered which included 3 whole chickens, 3 racks of ribs, and endless biscuits with apple butter
and muddy waters (half iced tea half lemonade) to go around.
For Kiana's 21st birthday, after making a comment that she's always the one planning and giving surprise parties for everyone,
the family took that as a hint that she wanted to be surprised. So Kyle asked her to go shopping with him at Target on the night before her
birthday so that the family could prepare the house and run out to get the food for her late night birthday party surprise.
A few close family friends were invited to join the celebration and arrived right after their choir practice
and waited for her to come home from shopping. The surprise was a success and the party started with a light dinner that consisted of
edumame, miso soup and trays of sushi and spam musubi. At the stroke of midnight Kiana blew out the candles on her small birthday
cake and then everyone gathered around to watch her open her gifts. The surprise came as all the gifts she opened were either
cheap gag gifts or items that were taken from her room and gift wrapped. Click here to see all the
photos from Kiana's as well as Nico's birthday celebrations or watch the watch the video montage of both their
birthdays on YouTube.
Posted on June 15, 2016 | Read
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Nevaeh's Spends a Day at Work with Dad
Just like her older brother and sister participated in when they were growing up, Nevaeh attended her first Take Our Sons and Daughters
to Work Day event where employees are encouraged to take their children between the ages of 8 through 18 years old to work
with them for a day. The event is designed to motivate children in achieving their desired goals for the future and for them
to experience and see what their parents do in the workplace. Since Ron as well as Nevaeh's brother Nico both work for the
City of Henderson, Nevaeh got to see first hand what happens down at City Hall. Nevaeh started off her day at the Department
of Information Technology where Ron is the Webmaster for the department and watched her Dad updating and maintaining the City's website.
Throughout the day other departments sponsored different events for the kids to
attend that were very educational. Nevaeh attended a presentation given by the City Clerks Office where the kids did a mock
Council Meeting in the Council Chambers. During the meeting both the Police and Fire Departments gave presentations about their
departments. Afterwards she attended an Emergency Management and Safety presentation given by the Emergency Management Division
where she learned about safety in the home and even learned how to put out a fire with a fire extinguisher. The rest of the day
she got to visit the City Manager and Mayors Office an got to sit at Mayor Andy Hafen's desk. While she was up there she also
visited her brother Nico's office at the Public Information Office where he works as a Visual Communications Assistant. Although
Nico was off that day, that didn't stop Nevaeh from raiding his office, tagging his white board and playing in front of the green
screen and photo backdrop. Nevaeh didn't stay the entire 10 hour day of her Dad's work schedule as her Mom came to pick her up early.
But before leaving Nevaeh did get the chance to stop by the Police Department and got to meet a few of the officers and dogs
from the K-9 Unit.
Check out all the photos from Nevaeh's day at City Hall or watch the video montage on YouTube. All in all Nevaeh had a great time
participating in her very first Take Our Sons and Daugthers to Work Day event and is looking forward to attending again next year!
Posted on May 6, 2016 | Read
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Exploring Valley of Fire and the Lost City
Since it was the first day of Spring, what better way then to spend it outdoors. After taking a
day trip out the Death Vally National Park earlier in the month to see the desert wildflowers (See blog entry "Day Trip to the Wildflowers" below.),
Ron and Carole decided to take advantage of the nice Spring weather and take another day trip to
enjoy being outdoors before the hot temperatures of Summer come. And since Nevaeh was studying about the history of Native American tribes in Nevada,
Ron and Carole took her on a little exploration out to Valley of Fire State Park and to the Lost City
Museum in Overton, Nevada which was about over an hour drive north of Las Vegas in Moapa Valley.
It was in this valley and at the Pueblo Grande de Nevada archaeological sites at the Lost City Museum
where actual dwellings and artifacts of the Pueblo Indians were found and are on display.
When they arrived at Valley of Fire, there is no wonder why it is actually called Valley of Fire because
of all the flaming bright red sandstone landscape all around. The aww-inspiring rock formations were
formed from great shifting sand dunes during the age of the dinosaurs more than 150 million years ago.
Valley of Fire is also Nevada's first state park and offers not only beautiful scenic views but also
areas for hiking, picnicking and camping. The Visitors Center located in the center of the park provides
exhibits on the geology, prehistory, and history of the park and is open daily. After exploring and
climbing a few of the rock formations, Ron, Carole and Nevaeh got a little hungry. Since they had packed
some food for the day, they decided to pull over by the Seven Sisters rock formations which were a group
of 7 tall red boulders that provided some shaded areas for picnicking.
After having lunch they got back in the car and headed to the town of Overton where the Lost City
Museum was located. Formerly known as the Boulder Dam Park Museum, it was built in 1935 and is used to
exhibit artifacts from the Pueblo Grande de Nevada archaelogical sites. The museum is located
on an actual prehistoric site of the Puebloan Indians. The people of the Basketmaker Period of 500 B.C.
to 750 A.D. are considered to be the very first Pueblo Indians and were the first inhabitants in this area.
The museum has displays depicting the excavations of the sites, artifacts unearthed during the excavations,
an excavated pithouse and reconstruction of the Puebloan houses where these Native Americans dwelled.
Click here to see al the photos from this exploration or watch the video montage on YouTube. Since Nevaeh was studying about this era in school and has a big project due when she returns from her
Spring Break, it was great for her to actually see all the artifacts and dwellings which willl help her
with her school project and appreciate even more what she is learning.
Posted on March 23, 2016 | Read
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Day Trip to the Wildflowers
Death Valley National Park is known to be the hottest and driest place in North America. The average annual rainfall is 2 inches per year and,
sometimes, it gets no rain at all. Every spring, a few wildflowers bloom before it gets scorching hot but once a decade, the hottest place on
Earth encounters a rare "super bloom" of wildflowers. This year due to El Niño weather patterns and heavy October rainfall, an abundance of
wildflowers blossomed for the first time since 2005. This was something Ron and Carole wanted to see for themselves and they decided to take
a day trip out there while the flowers were at full bloom because they heard the flowers will wither in the next few weeks as the temperatures start
to rise. On this particular Sunday morning when they had planned to go, the weather forecasted wind and rain but they decided to go anyway.
Nico and Kiana had other plans and did not go so Ron and Carole took Nevaeh with them. It was a 2 hour drive out to Death Valley National Park from
Las Vegas and as the weatherman predicted, it was windy and it did rain on the way there. However as they got closer to Death Valley they noticed
blue skys with a few clouds ahead.
When they arrived at Death Valley National Park, the sun was out and there was no sign of rain anywhere. However it was a bit windy. Before heading
to see the wildflowers they decided to drive up to Dantes View which was a a viewpoint terrace on the north side of Coffin Peak, along the crest of
the Black Mountains, overlooking Death Valley. Directly below were the panoramic views of the salt flats down at Badwater Basin which was their next
stop. (Note for Star Wars Fans: Dante's View was also used as a filming location for the 1977 film Star Wars as the characters overlook
the fictional Tatooine spaceport of Mos Eisley.) As they left Dantes View they got back on Highway 190 and drove towards Furnace Creek and
turned left on Badwater Road to the salt flats of Badwater Basin which was what they saw from up above. Badwater Basin is the lowest point in
North America, with an elevation of 282 ft (86 m) below sea level. In fact, one can see how much below sea level they are as they look back at the
mountain side behind them at the sign indicating where sea level is. The salt flats in Badwater Basin cover nearly 200 square miles and are among the
 largest protected salt flats in the world. After walking around on the salt flats for awhile, they got back in the car and proceeded down
Badwater Road in search for the wildflowers. As they drove down passing some spectacular rock formations along the way, they started seeing some
wildflowers along the sides of the road. However it took several more miles before they reached the areas of the valley where the abundance of
flowers could be seen along entire hillsides and vast areas of the valley floor. It was definitely a sight to see and well worth the drive out there.
Check out all the photos from this day trip out to Death Valley National Park or
watch the video montage on YouTube. Despite the name Death Valley,
there is definitely life out there in the desert and much more beautiful landmarks to see. This will not be the family's last time to visit.
Posted on March 14, 2016 | Read
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Carole's Venetian Birthday
For the past few years now, Carole has spent her birthdays with a mini staycation on the Las Vegas Strip. It's a goal of her's to stay overnight at each of the
luxury resort hotels on the Strip and so far in the past years on her birthday (as well as during her and Ron's wedding anniversaries) they have stayed at the
Aria, Cosmopolitan, Vdara, Mandarin Oriental, Luxor, Excalibur, Orleans, New York New York, Monte Carlo, Planet Hollywood, Paris, The Linq (formerly Imperial Palace),
Harrahs, Trump, Circus Circus, and the Stratosphere. One hotel that was still needed to check off the list was the Venetian which is where she stayed for this year's
birthday. Although the kids couldn't stay overnight because it was a school/work day the next day, they accompanied Ron and Carole as they checked in and spent the
rest of the day at the resort to celebrate with their Mom. After hanging out in their lavish hotel suite, the family decided to take a stroll around at the
Grand Canal Shoppes. With it's Venetian themed architecture complete with water canals, bridges and the painted sky above, it felt as if you were strolling outdoors
along the alleys and small squares of Venice, Italy. Ron took Carole and Nevaeh on a gondola ride but because it only sat four people, Nico and Kiana opted out from
joining them. As they floated away down the canal, the gondolier sang the "Happy Birthday" song in Italian. After the gondola ride and strolling around the shoppes,
the family decided to have Carole's birthday dinner at the Grand Lux Cafe where after dinner they brought out a dessert with a candle and sang "Happy Birthday" to
her, this time in English.
As the night ended, the kids went back home to get ready for the next day while Carole and Ron continued to enjoy the architecture and decor of the themed hotel,
strolling around the shoppes and outdoors at the Venetian as well as at the adjoining sister hotel Pallazo. The next day they decided to have breakfast at
world-renowned chef Thomas Keller's French Parisian-style bistro Bouchon. It was a warm and elegant dining room with views of the beautiful garden and pool.
After breakfast they continued to stroll around, especially outdoors since the weather was so nice. They also got to visit family friends Mariel who worked at the
Bouchon Bakery and also Allison who also worked for the hotel. The rest of the day was spent relaxing until later that night when Ron took Carole to see
Mariah Carey's concert show at Caesars Palace. Her residency show was at The Colossium and called "Mariah #1 to Inifinity". The production features all 18 of her
timeless and No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 together in one concert. Hits spanning nearly two decades that she performed were everything from her ballads like
“Vision Of Love,” “Love Takes Time,” “I Don’t Wanna Cry” and “My All” to her R&B hits like “Fantasy,” “Honey” and “We Belong Together,” among many others.
Overall it was a great show and production and Mariah can still hit those high notes.
Click here to see all the photos or watch the
video montage on YouTube from Carole's Birthday at the Venetian and also from Mariah Carey's show. Happy Birthday Carole!
Posted on February 25, 2016
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Bringing in the New Year 2016 at Casa de Poblete
This year to celebrate the new year, the gang from San
Diego all wanted to go to Las Vegas to bring in 2016
and made reservation plans months before. And as the
months passed by, anticipation kept building and the
excitement of getting together finally happened as the
Torres and Bobis families arrived on New Years Eve.
Unfortunately due to Papa Rollie's health situation
and recent hospitalization, he, Mama Pearlie and Richelle
changed their plans last minute to join the festivities.
It was best for him to get his rest and recuperate but
despite them not joining, the celebration went on as
planned. Since accomodations were now available at Casa
de Poblete, the Torres Family cancelled their original
hotel reservations and stayed at the house and the Bobis
Family stayed at the Grandview at Las Vegas Resort by
the South Point Hotel which was only just down the street.
The gang all arrived by lunchtime which was perfect
timing as Ron had just finished making his homemade
chili. Raising Canes Chicken Fingers was also ordered
for the kids. The rest of the afternoon was spent hanging
out in the backyard around the firepit, playing arcade
games and table tennis in the family game room and napping
while the turkey and ham was roasting in the oven for
that night's last feast for 2015.
Around 9PM the rest of the guests who were invited started
to arrive. First was Kyle who brought along his mother
and sister, then the Dabu and Cui families arrived.
After all the food was layed out on the kitchen island,
a prayer for the food and for the year and upcoming
year was conducted. Then with Ron and Junior carving
up the turkey and ham, the eating festivities began.
The rest of the night before midnight was spend eating,
playing games most especially the Pie Face game and
catching up with one another since the party was more
of a reunion since everyone invited was originally from
San Diego. Minutes prior to midnight, noise makers were
passed around and everyone gathered around the television
in the family game 
room for the countdown. Once the clock struck 12 o'clock
midnight, Happy New Year hugs and kisses filled the
room as everyone watched the fireworks go off on the
Las Vegas Strip on TV. Soon after the kids all went
to the backyard to light up sparklers and had their
own fireworks show. The celebration ended with playing
the White Elephant Gift Exchange game and a group toast
with sparkling cider to toast the 2016. Check
out all the photos from the New Year festivities
or watch
the video montage on YouTube. Happy New Year 2016
to all from everyone at Casa de Poblete!
Posted on January 16, 2016
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