Bang Bang

I finally had a chance to stop by Bang Bang last week.

Can't believe it's taken me this long, 

considering this place has been making national news and all... (yes, I consider Bravo to be national news).

Either way, 

I came, I ate, and I took the very necessary pictures in the Ryan Gosling bathroom stall. 

Yes, you read that correctly - a whole stall, turned into a shrine for my boyfriend, Ryan. 

Quite the inspiration for my own home remodel, but I digress. 

I didn't expect anything less than fabulous from a collaboration between Mauricio Couturier (architect/designer/owner of Little Italy’s El Camino) and Johnny Shockey (co-founder of LED Presents and Voyeur). 

I personally haven't been to Tokyo (yet..), 

but I can tell you that as soon as I walked up the "subway" staircase to enter Bang Bang, 

I felt transported to another continent.

The vibe is simply awesome. 

The food is delish too - the ingredients are all fresh,

and don't even get me started on the cocktails. 

The place serves BOWLS full of alcoholic concoctions. 

Make sure you stop by during happy hour to enjoy them for half off!

Bang Bang

526 Market St.

Gaslamp, San Diego

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Oh Chiang Mai... you've forever captured my heart. 

Perhaps our favorite destination of our latest international trip,

this enchanting city of Northern Thailand is truly a cultural darling. 

Way more mellow than the hustling and bustling Bangkok,

Chiang Mai offers the perfect combination of metropolis and relaxation. 

On any given day you can find yourself riding elephants, playing with tigers, chatting with monks or racing around the tiny streets on a scooter. 

Although we were able to see majority of the city in one day,

thanks to our very efficient (and cheap!) tuk tuk driver,

I wish we had more time to spend in this part of the country... it's just so beautiful!

We kicked off our day with a visit to Tiger Kingdom,

a total tourist trap, but come on... how could we pass up an opportunity to cuddle with these kitties?

Oh no biggie... just taking a quick power nap..

How gorgeous are these creatures? I must have taken hundreds of photos, because I simply couldn't believe this moment was real. 

BABIES!!

After a few hours of hanging with the tigers,

our driver asked if we wanted to spend some time with monkeys too.

Ummmm.... is that a serious question?

YES!

Meeting Sam... it was love at first sight!

Family photo... LOL!

Hanging with Sam and his buddies for a few hours was awesome. 

It didn't cease to amaze us how incredibly intelligent these mammals are. 

You should have seen some of the tricks that these guys had up their sleeves!

Riding bikes, giving kisses, lifting weights and so much more. 

So fun. 

From there we made our way up the mountain towards Wat Phra That Doi Suthep,

truly the most stunning temple we've seen during our trip. 

According to legend, the site was chosen by an honoured Buddha relic mounted on the back of a white elephant.

The animal wandered until it passed away on Doi Suthep, 

making this the relic's new home. 

To get to the temple, one must climb a long flight of steps lined by ceramic-tailed naga.

As you can imagine, the views from the top are breathtaking!

 It was a jam-packed yet amazing day. 

We were so fortunate to come "home" to our villa at the Khum Phaya Resort & Spa. 

God how I miss that jacuzzi tub!

I highly recommend this hotel if you're looking for a place to stay in Chiang Mai. 

Lucky Bastard Saloon

A few nights ago I was invited to attend the grand opening celebration of Lucky Bastard Saloon,

the newest bar located right in the middle of downtown San Diego. 

The ladies and I had a great time hanging out, cocktails in hand.

I definitely see myself coming back here for an adult beverage or two- 

this place seems like it would be perfect during football season. 

Flatscreen TVs cover every open space on the wall, the drinks are strong, and the food was delish!

Upstairs offers some entertainment options, including free pool, beer pong and shuffleboard.

Oh and fellas, 

in case you're hoping to get lucky, 

I'd say that the employee dress code is a good indication of how your night might turn out....

if you know what I mean. 

Lucky Bastard Saloon

840 Fifth Ave. 

Downtown, San Diego