Vehicle Review: 2018 Hyundai Elantra Limited - Rain, Disneyland, Dole Whip Flights and Pi(e) Day

Time for another vehicle review and this time it is the 2018 Hyundai Elantra Limited! This was one of my favorite vehicles to review last year and the 2018 version is nearly identical to the 2017 version.

It was a rare rainy day here in Southern California and the 2018 Hyundai Elantra Limited handled masterfully in the wet conditions. The vehicle I reviewed had the Ultimate Package added to it and gave a wide variety of safety features to the Limited including tire pressure monitoring, vehicle stability management, electronic stability control, traction control, anti-lock braking, brake assist, blind-spot detection with rear cross-traffic alert, a rearview camera, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian crossing, smart cruise control, lane keep assist, automatic high beam assist and HID headlights with dynamic bending light.

And what better place to drive in the rain than to Hula Girl Shave Ice in Huntington Beach to try this beauty, the dole whip flight! They currently only offer it on the weekends and you have to ask for it since it is not on the menu! The dole whip flavors shown here are not always going to be on the menu so you never know what you are going to get. But as seen here, going from left to right you have strawberry and dole whip, strawberry dole whip, pineapple dole whip, orange dole whip and citrus swirl which is orange dole whip and vanilla soft serve! You get all of this for only $10! Such a deal and totally delicious! Oh, bring a friend because this is way too much for one person to finish!


The next day it was time to hop back into the driver's seat and head to Disneyland! You can take a 360 degree look around in the vehicle interior and see just how roomy it is! The Ultimate Package on the 2018 Hyundai Elantra Limited gives you a navigation system with an 8-inch touchscreen, Infinity Premium Audio with eight speakers and a subwoofer, power sunroof, leather seats with heated front and rear seats, driver's seat memory and Blue Link.

Another early morning when you are the first one in the Disneyland parking lot! Love coming early to get a great parking and to get into the park at rope drop!

Vehicle Review: 2018 Hyundai Sonata Limited - Titanic, a Wedding and a Food Adventure!

Hi everyone! It's Jason from Sasaki Time and it is time for another vehicle review! This time it is for the 2018 Hyundai Sonata Limited! The 2018 version has received a significant refresh. The lines were changed to give the Sonata a more family vehicle vibe.

There are large LED headlights and taillights, the headlights have dynamic bending light technology to light your way as the roads curve to help you to see around the bend, LED daytime running lights, large 17-inch alloy wheels, and heated side mirrors with turn signal indicators.

Time to hop into the driver's seat and meet a friend to see the 20th Anniversary re-release of Titanic.

Hard to believe that it has been 20 years since the movie Titanic hit theaters. For the 20th Anniversary release, Titanic was mastered for Dolby's premiere Dolby Cinema Theater. This is by far my favorite way to see a movie. Dolby partnered with AMC and has created the perfect way to watch a movie. The theater is a equipped with a floor to ceiling and wall to wall screen, a perfectly blacked out theater, Dolby Atmos speakers, a Dolby vision projector that produces the inkiest blacks, and perfectly aligned stadium seats that are angled at the edges to still provide the best view of the screen.

Watching Titanic in Dolby Cinema was like watching this movie for the very first time. The colors were sharp and breathtaking and you can feel the roar of the engines and feeling the rush of the flooding waters gave a bigger sense of urgency to get out of the ship. A truly amazing experience and hope that Dolby partners with more filmmakers to bring older films to this format for limit releases.



Take a 360 degree look at the interior. As you can see there is a lot of leg room for both the front and the rear passengers. There are power front seats with integrated memory seat for the driver's seat, heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel and a power tilt and slide sunroof.

Mighty Mug Review: The Mug That Won't Spill!

Have you heard of Mighty Mug and their claim? They claim that this is the mug that will not fall over. Imagine typing away on your laptop and you reach over to grab something and then you knock over your coffee! The coffee spills on your laptop and goodbye laptop! But, if you had your coffee in a Mighty Mug, you would knock the Mighty Mug and it wouldn't tip over! Check out my video below and see if their claim holds true!



If you are now a believer in Mighty Mug like I am here is a link to purchase one for your very own and plus it helps me as well!

Amazon: Mighty Mug

Disclaimer: Thank you to Mighty Mug for the free samples! The review is strictly my own opinion!

Review of Black Cow Vodka - made from Pure Milk!

My first review package for the year arrived in the form of a bottle of Black Cow Vodka that was sent to me by Bounty Hunter Rare Wine & Spirits. Bounty Hunter has over 20 years of experience with tracking down the best wines in the business and that includes spirits. Currently, Bounty Hunter is the only place in the United States to get Black Cow Vodka.

Black Cow Vodka is the world's only Pure Milk Vodka made entirely of milk in West Dorset in England. I had no idea that vodka could be made from milk and the end result is a very strong yet smooth vodka. Watch my reaction to my first tasting in the video below.



To learn more about Black Cow Vodka, please check out their site:

Black Cow Vodka

To learn more about Bounty Hunter Rare Wine & Spirits, please check out their site:

Bounty Hunter Wine & Spirits

Vehicle Review: 2016 Mazda CX-9 Signature Edition

It's Jason from Sasaki Time and it is time for another vehicle review! This time it is the 2016 Mazda CX-9 Signature Edition! I took the gorgeous and stylish Mazda CX-9 on a trip to Northern California and some food adventures! Excited? Well, here we go!

Time to load up the luggage, a duffel bag and some snacks into the Mazda CX-9 Signature and hit the open road.

This is not your average soccer mom SUV. Powering this CX-9 is a turbocharged SkyActiv 2.5-Liter engine with four-cylinders. I averaged about 28 miles per gallon on the highway. Going up and over the Grapevine on my way to Sacramento was a breeze. It didn't even feel like the engine was working hard at all. The Sport version starts at $31,520 but the Signature edition that I tested with the real Napa leather, hand-carved Japanese rosewood interior, aluminum accents, a premium Bose audio system, solid technological and safety features is worth every penny of its $45,000 price tag.

The CX-9 Signature edition is a head turner. The long, sloping hood with that distinctly Mazda grill and smooth lines along the body and roofline make this one of the best looking SUVs on the market. I love the large 20-inch alloy wheels, heated mirrors, keyless entry, rain-sensing sensors and the power liftgate.

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Inside, the CX-9 Signature edition has a number of unique interior touches.  You get Napa leather, heated front power seats, real wood accents, even knee padding on the sides of the center console. The cabin is very comfortable as well as very quiet. You get two USB ports in the front and  a fantastic Bose audio system.

The interior continues with a well thought out dash layout. Gauges and controls are easy to read and to use. A central controller on the console helps you navigate the large infotainment display. You also get a Heads-up Display (HUD) with all the critical information floating right below my direct line of sight. Not only can I easily see my speed but all of my navigation information and even safety information such as blind-side monitoring. There are quite a few safety features as well including cross traffic alerts with backup sensors, variable cruise control, lane keep assistance, emergency braking and three rows of side curtain airbags. 

Now driving six hours to Northern California meant a few food adventures with my parents.

The first food adventure takes us to the Jackson Casino for this amazing dish of lobster claws for only $10. A delicious ginger black bean sauce and 10 lobster claws make this one of the best seafood dishes ever.

And no trip home would be complete without some spam musubi from my mom. As some of you know, my folks are from Hawaii and spam is the local favorite.

Back down in Southern California, I went to Cross Roast Eatery in Anaheim. They are trying to become the Asian Chipotle. You pick one of several Asian proteins such as the roast pork belly and roast duck that I chose for my dish above. You then pick the base, which I selected ginger rice, but you could pick ramen, or tacos or a baguette for instance. Then you get to pick your toppings and your sauce. An amazing experience and one I will go back to for sure. 

Halfsies is a new donut shop in Tustin. Here they specialize in amazing toppings for your donut. You get to customize your donut. The one on the right is dipped in maple glaze, then topped with granny smith apples and strawberries, cinnamon toast crunch, whipped cream, a nutella drizzle and finished with a sprinkling of cinnamon. The one on the left is dipped in a chocolate glaze, cocoa krispies, cookie crisp, the Grinch ice cream, a toasted marshmallow and a chocolate drizzle. Both of my creations were amazing!

So, after these food adventures, it was time to finish my week of driving the amazing Mazda CX-9 Signature edition. From the stunning good looks to the power of the turbocharged engine, the Mazda CX-9 is a winner. Add quality craftsmanship, a comfortable cabin layout and a bevy of safety options, the CX-9 deserves to be on your list of the top family SUV list this year.

Discovery Cube OC: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Secrets of The Sewer Oct 1 - Jan 16

Last night I was invited to check out the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle: Secrets of the Sewer Exhibit at the Discovery Cube OC! I grew up as a huge fan of the heroes in a half-shell and brought along a couple of friends to join in on the fun! We were given ninja masks and quickly went to check out the exhibit!

Not only is Leonardo the leader of the turtles but he is also my favorite turtle! He is my favorite because he always tries to do the right thing!

The exhibit features a ton of hand-on, interactive areas to put your teamwork and problem-solving skills to the test!

Review: Disney's Zootopia - Rivals the Best Storytelling of Wall-e and Inside Out

Over the last several years, the team at The Walt Disney Animation Studios has shown that it is now moving ahead of pretty much every studio that makes animated films including it's own family member, the Pixar Animation Studios. While Pixar has had great success with messages of the environment with Wall-e and with the understanding of how your emotions all work together in Inside Out, Disney brings us the message of identity and race with Zootopia.

Zootopia is set in a world very much like our own that is completely inhabited by animals. Both prey and predator work, live and play together in harmony. With Zootopia, Disney returns to an old favorite, an animated film with talking animals!

We meet Judy Hopps, a bunny who has dreams beyond her families carrot farm in Bunny Borough. She wants to be the first bunny police officer but her parents are fearful of her living her dreams and try to encourage her to stay home and work on the farm.

As a child she tries to help out her friends who being bullied by a large fox. In the end Judy gets beat up by the fox but still ends up helping her friends. This convinces Judy that she was meant to make a difference as a police officer. And as the years go by she finally realizes her dream and moves to the big city of Zootopia. Her parents are still fearful of their daughters safety and Judy ends up with some fox repellent.

Once in Zootopia Judy get a case to find a missing otter. Along the way she meets a fox named Nick Wilde. Here the topic of race begins to unfold. The first mention is when Judy arrives at the Zootopia police station. A fellow officer tells Judy that she is so cute and Judy corrects that officer and lets him know that cute is their word and not to used by other animals. The second is when Judy discusses that when some predators in Zootopia have reverted to become savages because it's in their DNA. This takes us on a journey into stereotypes and the harm that it causes to others. I have hopes that this will lead to discuss between parents and their children.

Zootopia raises questions that we should all be able to talk about. It shows that Disney isn't afraid to bring up sensitive issues. The question isn't why an animated film is bringing these issues up but how can we educate those around us, especially children with these issues to discuss them and learn from them.

Another solid film from the Walt Disney Animation Studios. Disney continues to push the boundaries of what makes a great animated film and teaches us lessons that maybe we are all too afraid to discuss in a conventional manner. Disney tells a deep, emotional story that can be understood on every age level.

Zootopia opens in theaters in the U.S. on March 4th.

Gotta Bandage - TXTpressions Bandages Review and Giveaway!

With or without kids, one lesson that most people learn is that you can never have enough bandages. The awesome people at Gotta Bandage sent me a set of their bandages to review.

They sent me their fun TXTpressions bandages with fun text phrases such as SMH, LOL and other expressions. These bandages are perfect for your tween or teen! Not only are they fun looking bandages but they are have an absorbent non-stick pad for gentle removal. Plus, they come in other designs such as Boo Boo Monsters and Xtreme bandages. You can view all of the products on their website.

Connect with Gotta Bandage: Website, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook.

And enter to win a fantastic prize pack including:
(2) TxTpressions Combo boxes 
(1) mini bandages tin 
(1) Flip 'n' Fan (cute foldable & collapsible handheld frisbee fan 


 

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Holiday Gift Guide for The Smoker in Your Life from Famous Smoke Shop

The great folks at Famous Smoke Shop have some great Holiday Gift ideas for the smoker in your life! Here are some great ideas:

First up is this fantastic Smoker's Dream Gift Set that includes a premium 12 cigar variety set, a Jet Line New York Black Torch Lighter, a Double Blade Cutter and a Capri Glass Top Black Oak Humidor!

Click the link below to purchase this fine set!

SMOKER'S DREAM GIFT SET

If you know someone in need of a new cigar cutter, then look no further than this top of the line Xikar X11 Cigar Cutter! This is a super sharp cutter and comes with a lifetime warranty from Xikar!

Click the link below to buy the last cigar cutter you will ever need:

XIKAR XI1 ALUMINUM TITANIUM CIGAR CUTTER

If you know someone who has just taken up the art of cigar smoking then this Capri Humidor is the perfect for the beginner! This affordable box is made of dark mahogany and holds 25 to 50 cigars (depending on size).

Click the link below for this great humidor for new smokers:

CAPRI HUMIDOR

Last but not least is this awesome Vertigo Inferno Black Matte Lighter! It has an awesome triple flame torch and is wind resistant!

Click the link below to purchase this fantastic triple lighter:

VERTIGO INFERNO BLACK MATTE LIGHTER

SmartGames Butterflies and IQ Blox - Perfect Games for Your Kids to Increase Problem Solving Skills and More!

Are you looking for games for your kids but want games that are not only fun but actually help them improve their critical thinking and problem solving skills? Well look no further than these two great games from SmartGames! Check out Butterflies and IQ Blox!

Butterflies is a tile game that is recommended for kids 6 and up. You move the tiles around to match up the butterflies. Seems easy enough but can you get through all 48 challenges? There is a booklet included with the game that shows you how to set up each challenge.

The game is totally portable as it comes with a lid that snaps on to the game board. This way you can keep all the tiles together and makes it perfect for taking on the road!

The second game is IQ Blox. This one is also recommended for ages 6 and up. There are 120 challenges with this game! There is a booklet to show you how to set up all the challenges. The goal is to fit the color pieces around the white "U" shaped pieces. Sounds easy? Trust me it's not as easy as it seems! A great game for even adults such as myself!

As with Butterflies, IQ Blox is totally portable and perfect for a trip!

SmartGames has these and lots of other great games to increase your child's critical thinking, logic and problem solving skills! They are totally affordable and portable!

To learn more check out their site: SmartGames USA

*Thanks to SmartGames for sponsoring this review*

Sasaki Time at BubbleFest 2015 at the Discovery Cube OC!

Hard to believe that another year has come and gone and it is once again time for Bubblefest at the Discovery Cube OC!

This is the first year that the awesome Mega Bubblefest Laser Show is located in the amazing new expansion space!

This sign greets you to a variety of activities that are all outdoors!

Here I am showing off my graceful skills inside the inflatable ball sitting on water! I never knew that had inflatable balls for adults! This is something I am going to do every year from now on! Kids shouldn't have all the fun!

Ever been inside a bubble before? My friend Carla, Kristen and I put the team to the test as they had never put three adults in a bubble before!

Here I am back outside and putting my bubble skills to the test! I think I passed!

Inside the state-of-the-art theater that is host to the Mega Bubblefest Laser Show!

This is the show that I look forward to each and every year!

Deni Yang is the Bubble Man and will astound you with the things he can do with bubbles!

The show is not to be missed! Let's look at some of the highlights!

Smoked filled bubbles are really cool to watch in the air.

Blowing smoke rings right at the audience!

Creating enormous bubbles!

The sheer joy of a gazillion bubbles!

The laser show has been greatly expanded this year and to great effect!

Deni is amazing!

Remember to check out the Mega Bubblefest Laser Show! It is an experience you will never forget!

It was a pleasure to meet the Bubble Man himself!

Bubblefest runs until April 12th! It continues to be one of my favorite events of the year and the Mega Bubblefest Laser Show in its new theater takes this show to a whole different level! A great day to spend with the kids and arrive early if you want to be able to try out all the activities!

To learn more check out the link below:

http://www.discoverycube.org/oc/exhibits/bubblefest/