When you pick health insurance through work in the US, HMO plans are usually much cheaper than PPO plans. That’s why a lot of people end up on the basic, cheapest HMO plan their company offers. I’m one of them. The problem shows up the moment you actually get hurt or sick. Try to book
How I See a Doctor Fast at Urgent Care with HMO Insurance (Go 1 Hour Before Closing) Read More »
I’m heading to Korea this time. I figured I might need to drive at least a little while I’m there, so I decided to get an International Driving Permit ahead of time, and honestly, it was so simple it caught me a bit off guard. In case it helps anyone who needs one, here’s how
Getting an International Driving Permit in the U.S.: $20 and 10 Minutes at AAA Read More »
Hi, this is OC Papa. A few days ago I rebooted my Mac, and afterward it got so slow I could barely run a single program. So I opened Activity Monitor and checked for myself what the problem was. Today I’m sharing what I found, especially how to lighten the load with Spotlight settings. What
How to Lighten Spotlight Indexing When Your Mac Gets Slow (Indexing Was the Culprit) Read More »
Pumpkin patches aren’t around all year, right? They pop up for a little while from late October to early November and then disappear, so by the time you finally decide to go, they’re often already booked up or the season is over. Last year I missed one because I was too late, so this year
Pumpkin Patch Season Is Short, So I Rounded Them Up Early: OC & LA List Read More »
It’s September. If you’re asking whether September counts as fall in Southern California, honestly, it’s still hot. This is a place where people wear short sleeves even in October. But for some reason, once September hits, I start feeling the pressure. I feel like I should make at least one fall memory for the kids
Tanaka Farms Pumpkin Patch 2026: An Orange County Fall Outing Guide Read More »
Disney California Adventure Park (DCA), right next to Disneyland Park, is a place a lot of people skip, thinking “Do we really need to go there too?” Honestly, I thought the same at first. But once you actually go in, it’s a completely different park. Living in OC, I’ve been several times, and every time
Orange County’s Hidden Gem: The Complete Guide to Disney California Adventure Park Read More »
Dessert Review: Porto’s Hidden Gem, the Dulce de Leche Cake Roll and Its Rich Caramel Temptation Today I want to introduce a life-changing cake I brought home from Porto’s, a bakery I absolutely love: the Dulce De Leche Cake Roll. When people think of Porto’s, cheese rolls or potato balls usually come to mind first,
Does the Samsung Galaxy phone you’ve been using for years not feel as snappy as it used to? Sometimes even after a factory reset it still stutters or the battery seems to drain fast, and it’s frustrating. But don’t worry! Just like fine-tuning a car, you can optimize your Galaxy phone’s software settings to get
In California, you can request a newborn’s birth certificate at the state level or at the county level. It’s called a Vital Record or Birth Certificate, and you can apply at the designated state or county offices, or online. Just know that the online route includes a step where you have to get a document
How to Request a Newborn’s Birth Certificate in California Read More »
We came to Hawaii on vacation. The Big Island feels even closer to nature than the rest of Hawaii. There are relatively few people, and compared to the other islands it’s said to be beautiful but quiet. Hawaii is famous for Kona coffee, one of the world’s top three coffees. Today we stopped by a
Heavenly Hawaiian Coffee Farm on Hawaii’s Big Island Read More »
Our water heater had been leaking a little for a while, so I finally decided to replace the tank. I bought one at Home Depot for $738: 40 gallons, 6-year warranty, natural gas, no self-cleaning feature. It was seriously heavy. I barely got it into my RAV4 with the seats folded down, and I think
Replacing a Water Heater Yourself in the U.S. (DIY) Read More »
Disneyland is the big landmark of Orange County, but there’s also Knott’s Berry Farm. It’s a theme park everyone in Southern California knows, and since it’s in Buena Park, where a lot of Korean Americans live, most Korean families around here have probably been at least once or twice. If you have young kids, you
Knott’s Berry Farm in California: A Year of Unlimited Food with All Season Dining Read More »
I was driving with the kids in the back when someone rear-ended me, just a small fender bender. In the moment I was so startled I almost yelled, but when I looked, it was minor: the license plate screws had just been pushed slightly into my bumper. I did think about climbing out holding the
I Got Into a Car Accident in America… Lessons I Learned About Insurance Read More »
Living in America, you end up fixing most things yourself. After ten-plus years of raising kids and running a household, you slowly get better at things like mowing the front lawn, hanging curtains, and fixing leaky faucets. One thing leads to another and you end up doing a bit of electrical work now and then,
A Quick Primer on Electricity Read More »
We go through a ton of batteries. Probably everyone does, every single day. As the kids grow up, there are game controllers, RC cars, and these days even some LEGO sets that need batteries. I used to just buy a few dozen at a time at Costco, but I really started to feel like we
A Quick Primer on Batteries Read More »
Our family loves Polapo (a Korean slushy ice pop). The original flavor is grape, but the peach one is really good too. I used to love ice cream with milk in it, but as I’ve gotten older I find myself reaching more for clean, dairy-free icy treats like Polapo. Anyway, today’s Life Tip: Polapo is
A Bowl of Homemade Shaved Ice on a Hot Day (Peach Polapo Style) Read More »
This time I’m introducing Evergreen Park, a park and playground in Cypress, right near the big streets Moody and Carmenita. The moment the kids get to the park, they spot the playground equipment and get ready to run. Off in the distance you can see full basketball courts, and there are benches and restrooms too.
Cypress Evergreen Park – Park & Playground Read More »
Looking for a kid-friendly spot in Orange County? Let me introduce Rosen Park, a small park and playground in Cypress, just south of Buena Park. On a hot summer Sunday afternoon, with bored kids in tow, we headed out looking for somewhere with a bit of shade and not too many people. There’s a decent
Rosen/Acacia Park – A Quiet Little Park & Playground in Cypress Read More »
