I cannot let my LA vacation pass without shopping at Ross and Marshalls! A trip to these discount department stores is worth it, especially if you’re looking for new items to purchase. The first ever item I bought in Marshalls is a Ralph Lauren button down shirt from two years ago (around $25) and I’ve been using it until now. From Ross, I still have my Ralph Lauren backpack which I bought in Guam last December.

My agenda in checking out these stores was to get some small stuff I need and items I can share with my friends after my trip to the US. Each item here is only less than $7 (before sales tax). Without further ado, here are my 5 purchases from Ross and Marshalls.

"I hopped off the plane at LAX with a dream and my cardigan," sings Miley Cyrus. The song kept replaying inside my head during our 15-hour flight.

When it comes to traveling to the United States, if you’re a Filipino and you have relatives living in America, there’s a big fat chance you’ll be spending quite some time in California. In our case, it’s Los Angeles.

What makes this vacation different from when you visit other countries is that you don’t need to worry about itinerary - your relatives mostly do that for you. And if you surpassed the two-hour long queue at the immigration in LAX (and the interrogation of why you’re in the Land of the Free and if you’re bringing in chicharon or balut), congratulations – you’ve finally come to America.

San Francisco, SF, The City, The Golden City - whatever you might want to call it, San Francisco is an absolute must-see destination when you’re in California. From the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, to splendid Victorian houses, and street art, there are many things to see around the area and most of them are free.

Coming from LA, we took the 6-hour drive to see what SF has in store for first-time visitors like me. While LA shines and dazzles like a Hollywood movie, I feel like The City has an eclectic mix of art, history, and upscale urbanism all-in-one. So if you only have three days to spare, check-out these 11 places and tourist attractions when you’re in San Francisco.