Day 3: Pechanga and gambling like the Asian I am.

In customary fashion, I spent day 3 at Pechanga Casino and Resort in Temecula with my aunt. When I still lived in CA, we made it a tradition to go to the casino at least once every couple months for a little gambling and some gourmet dining.

We left for Pechanga around 11:30AM and stopped in the Lake Elsinore area on I-15 South to have a short lunch at Carl's Jr. This was the first time I had eaten at this place in nearly 2.5 years and it was definitely a treat. For the Ohioans out there, Carl's Jr. owns the Hardee's chain in the Midwest. Now don't be fooled, that watered-down Hardee's menu is nothing compared to the selection (and taste) of the original Carl's Jr.

Carl's Jr. and In-N-Out are two fast food chains that were founded in Southern California.

Hardee's, please take note of the selection - there actually is one.

Fried zucchini! Long time no eat!

We reached Pechanga around 2PM. After a slow start on a few dud machines, I won $100 off a nickel multi-play poker machine in about an hour of play time. For dinner, we dined at Kelsey's and I had a big juicy prime rib steak with a side of sauteed mushrooms and mashed potatoes. Might as well enjoy it now; it'll be slim pickings when I return to Ohio!

Despite leaving Temecula in rush-hour traffic, we still made it home in less than two hours. Pechanga is one of the closest Vegas-quality casino to anyone in the LA, Orange, Riverside, and San Diego counties. If I had some extra time, a return to Las Vegas would've been pretty cool too. Of course that'll call for another adventure.