The best discount coupon site in the US - Groupon

There are many discount coupon sites & i-phone applications, but none of them offers really steep discount, until I discovered Groupon. Most of the discount starts from 50% off. How great!


Go to www.groupon.com, input your email and select your city, and you will be informed daily of the discount at your city. 


Let's see what's been around in Seattle recently. 

Groupon covers only 70+ cities right now. Don't be discouraged if you don't see your city on the list. Reach out for Groupon, maybe your city will be added to the list next month! 

One thing I REALLY like about the US is ...

... its ICE CREAM. They are rich and creamy, coming out in different sizes and various flavors. Haagen Dazs is a common brand you can find at most of the grocery shops here. In China, one pint bucket of Haagen Dazs is usually sold for 75 yuan ($12), but my dear friends in China, it's sold at $3 here in Seattle.  Wahoo, I can eat ice cream for all three meals a day. But Haagen Dazs isn't my favorite brand here. The ones I like the most are:

Brand              Flavors

Dreyer's          Dulce De Leche, Cookie Dough, Caramel Delight

Starbucks        Caramel Macchiato

Ben & Jerry's  Triple Camamel Chunk

You probably have realized that I'm a big fan of caramel. Oh yay, I am! If you haven't had the flavors above, you gotta try them. It's all right to intake some calories once a while.  Ice creams make you smiley and happy. Believe me!

Visa Free Countries for Chinese Passport Holders

It's such a hassle to travel overseas if you are a Chinese passport holder like me. But there are actually a few countries that do not require a visa even for the Chinese. The list of visa free countries is as below:

1. ANDORRA. But we have a little problem here. It is a small country with no international airport. Thus, you need to enter the country from Spain or France. However, it is hard to get the European Schengen Visa to France and Spain.
 

2. ARUBA. Not only Chinese citizens but also other tourists from the world enjoy the privilege except people from Bengali and Afghanistan. In addition, you have to bear in mind that you are only allowed to stay in the country for 14 days.

3. BENIN. Chinese citizens are allowed to stay in that country for 3 months with valid passports.

4. COOK ISLANDS. Chinese citizens can stay there for 31 days. However, there is no direct airline to that country. If you want to go there, you had better have a plan first. My suggestion is to go through Manila.

5. DOMINICA (not Dominican Republic). You can stay there with your round trip ticket.

6. MALDIVES. Get your visa upon arrival with no money. You can extend your stay but you need to submit your application to the emigrant bureau at least 3 days in advance. To extend your stay, you have to pay MVR750 and you are allowed to stay there for 90 days at most.

7. MAURITUS. You can stay there for 15 days with your valid passport.

8. MICRONESIA. You can get your visa after arrival and stay there for 30 days.

9. NEPAL. It is the same as MALDIVES. You can get your visa after arrival with no pay and are allowed to stay there for 30 days.

10. SAMOA. You can stay there for 60 days. Your visa will be issued after your arrival.

11. SEYCHELLES. You can stay there for 30 days and your visa will be issued after your arrival. However, there are some requirements: Hotel Reservation Form, round trip air ticket and at least 150 dollars expense per day.

12. SOLOMON ISLANDS. You can stay there for 3 months and the VISITORS PERMIT is issued when you arrive. 

13. SRI LANKA. You can stay there for 30 days.

14. SYRIA. The visa on arrival is for free. For traveling purpose, you have to book individual or group travel through Syrian travel agencies in advance.

15. TURKS& CAICOS ISLANDS. You can stay there for 30 days without visa. To be honest, I don’t know where it is.

16. TUVALU. After arrival, you can get the tourist visa and stay there for one month.

17. VANUATU. You can enter that country without visa. The officer in the emigrant bureau has their say on how long you can stay in their country.

18. EGYPT. Actually, Egypt has severe requirements on visa. However, if you enter Egypt from Sham El Sheik, Tabu or Sant Katherine on Sinai Pen. and make sure that you won’t go anywhere out of Sinai Pen., you can stay there for 14 days.

19. RUSSIA, only for group travelers. I went to Russia this way in 2006, and it was visa free. 

But if you are a US Permanent Resident like me, you are entitled to travel to the additional countries below visa free. You just need to present your Permanent Resident Card and your Chinese Passport at the port of entry.

1. Canada

2. Mexico

3. Bahamas

4. Jamaica

5. Eastern Caribbean States

If you are curious about which passport is most useful to travel with. Continue to read. I found a list of the ranking and the number of countries the passport holder can travel to without a visa.

1. Finland 130
1. Denmark 130
1. United States 130

2. Ireland 129
2. Sweden 129
2. Germany 129

3. United Kingdom 128
3. Italy 128
3. France 128
3. Japan 128

4. Spain 127
4. Norway 127
4. Switzerland 127
4. Belgium 127

5. Netherlands 126

6. Luxembourg 125
6. Austria 125
6. Canada 125
6. New Zealand 125

7. Portugal 123

8. Singapore 122

9. Malaysia 120
9. Iceland 120
9. Greece 120
9. Australia 120

10. Liechtenstein 116

11. Korea, Republic of 115
13. Hong Kong 110
14. Chile 109
18. Israel 104
19. Hungary 101
19. Argentina 101
20. Brazil 99

21. Mexico 98
28. Croatia 84

34. Romania 73
37. South Africa 65
40. St. Kitts & Nevis 62

46. Dominica 52
46. Turkey 52

55. Taiwan 42
62. United Arab Emirates 35
62. Russian Federation 35
64. Serbia and Montenegro 32
65. Saudi Arabia 31
67. Thailand 29

71. India 25
71. Bosnia and Herzegowina 25
72. Egypt 24
75. Jordan 21
78. China 18
78. Korea, Dem People's Republic 18
79. Pakistan 17

81. Iraq 15
82. Iran 14
83. Afghanistan 12

Sad to know the mobility of the Chinese is as limited as that of the North Koreans :)

Unexpected US experiences #1

I was carded at a bar tonight! Despite my effort of showing the bartender an e-copy of my ID on my i-phone and showing my hubby's ID and our wedding rings, I still didn't get my beer. What a bummer!

We were at this nice tap house, which has a collection of 160 beers from all over the world. I wanted to try their beer sampler - 6 different beers. Instead, I got a lemonade. Ugh...

Tonight I learned: When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Bring your ID with you because you will be carded when buying alcohol at a bar or at a grocery shop.

Spring fun in Seattle

I can finally smell spring in the air here. Time to pull out my hiking shoes, bring my carema and head out. Here are my top 10 picks of things to do in and around Seattle:

1. Skagit Valley Tulip Festival
April 1 through April 30

Tulips are not just for Holland. We have lots here in Seattle. You can find them in residents' yards, by the streets, in front of the grocery shops...For 25 years and counting now Mount Vernon, WA has celebrated the sprouting of their colorful tulip fields. The tulips are available for viewing every April in Skagit county. Be sure to take your camera and wear your rain boots as the fields can be muddy.



2. Passport to Woodinville
April 17&18
 
The Passport to Woodinville is for wine enthusiasts. They start selling tickets in February each year for their popular wine country tour season. This special event happens every April and is very popular with Seattle area locals. It's one of the only days in the year that all participating wineries in Woodinville are open at the same time.
 
3. A weekend trip to Port Townsent, or Port Angeles, or Whidbey Island
Anytime in the Spring
 
The islands in Pudget Sound are just amazing. A weekend escape can be truly relaxing for your body and soul. Each island has its own communities and lots of activities.
 
4. Seattle Maritime Festival
May 6-8
 
The Seattle Maritime Festival takes place each May on the Seattle waterfront. Check out the world’s biggest tugboat races, experience the Waterfront Chowder Cook-Off, go on free harbor tours, see a boat building competition, watch a sea-air rescue demonstration. There are kid’s events featuring Stories of the Sea, survival suit races and a container ship full of family fun.
 
5. Seattle International Children Festival
May 11-15
 
The Seattle International Children's Festival is a performing arts festival for all ages and is hosted each year the week after Mother's Day at Seattle Center. The festival features professional adult companies from around the world performing "globalicious" music, circus, theater, puppetry and more.




6. University District Street Fair
May 16-17
 
The University District StreetFair dates back to the late 1960s. It’s popular, attracting more than 50,000 people and nearly 400 craft and food booths. The StreetFair is an energetic and exciting celebration of arts and crafts, community, music and food. It includes two music stages, a special children's area, a live theatre stage and a medley of street performers. The StreetFair is a free event.
 
7. Seattle Cheese Festival
May 16-17
 
Cheese lovers flock to The Seattle Cheese Festival each year. The annual event is for the general public and the foodservice industry to taste, celebrate and better understand artisanal cheese made locally and around the world. The spring festival takes place at Pike Place Market along the cobbled streets between Pine and Virginia.
 
8. Golf Day at one of hundreds of Seattle public and private golf courses
Anyday in Spring
 
Seattle Golf Guide offers a comprehensive review of Seattle golf courses and also discount if you book your tee time online.
 
9. Kayaking and chow down at Agua Verde
Anyday sunny
 
On the Portage Bay down from UW, you can rent a double Kayak and explore, Portage Bay, the Arboretum, Lake Washington or Lake Union. Sunset hours are the best time to do it!
 
10. Hit a trail in the form of walking, running, hiking or biking
Anyday you feel like to
 
Seattle Trails and Parks offers a list of trails you can select from.
 
Enjoy your Springlicious time.
 
 

Tiger Woods' new Nike commercial

Today is the grand return of Tiger Woods. I still remember back in Nov. last year, we watched Tiger Woods last second golf championship back in Shanghai China. It was so amazing to watch many top players swing their clubs right in front of you. 

It's been 4 months since he left the arena infamously. Now that he is back, his biggest sponsor Nike wasted no time and released a new commericial of Tiger, featuring him staring solumnly at the camera, while his late dad - Earl Woods does all the talking:

"Tiger, I am more prone to be inquisitive, to promote discussion. I want to find out what your thinking was. I want to find out what your feelings are. And did you learn anything?"

Click below for the profound new commericial.

Tiger's New Commercial

But my all time favorite one is still Nike's Tiger is Back - The Party is Over. You will love this hilarious commercial of Tiger. Enjoy.

Tiger is back. The party is over

Jiayou, Laohu!

Bye - Wisdom Teeth

Little did I know, but only three weeks into my life in the US, I've already paid 20 US Dollars for 2 DVDs. I miss the DVD shop three blocks away from our apartment in Shanghai, selling DVDs for 1 dollar each. Little did I plan, but all four of my wisdom teeth were pulled out yesterday, because the US dentist didn't like to see them there. The first thing he noticed about my teeth is "You have a lot of teeth in your mouth". Just like that, my poor wisdom teeth, after serving me for 15 years, are gloriously retired, leaving me two swollen cheeks and a constant thought of "when can I eat steak?" One exciting thing is the tooth fairy did come last night, took my teeth, and left me with 4 spanking new dollars. Wahoo, although we all know who the tooth fairy is :) 

Here is a picture of me after the wisdom teeth being pulled out. Not a great picture, but you to see my brave smile :)