So, I recently came back from a family vacation in Canada. The main reason for our visit was my cousin Roxane's cotillion. For those of you that don't know what a cotillion is, it's a big celebration for a girl's 18th birthday. It's a pretty big deal for Filipinos and if you must compare it to something, you can say it's comparable to a Quince.
Wednesday
A. Cynthia, U. Edward, Cameron, Colin, my mom, my dad, and I flew out of SFO at about 830am. The flight was only about 2.5 hours long so we landed in Canada before noon (their time, 1 hour ahead). U. Felix & A. Linda and A. RoseMarie and U. Jr came in two vans to pick us up and the festivities began from there. We traveled to a chinese restaurant and all had a big lunch there. Waiting for us was Roxy, Cecily, Aaron, and A. Rose. The "kids" were at one table while the "adults" were at another. We chatted it up as we tried to figure out what we were going to do after lunch. During lunch, U. Jr and U. Felix went to go pick up Monica and U. Onofre, so we waited for them to join us again and after they finished eating we went to our "home" for the weekend, A. RoseMarie's house.
The "kids" got changed, Monica and I got into more comfortable clothes and the rest of the kids got ready to have fun at the water park. U. Albert dropped us off at the mall, and the kids went to the water park as Monica and I started on our journey of West Edmonton Mall, the BIGGEST MALL IN THE WORLD. At least, it used to be, I don't know if that title still holds true. But, it has a waterpark with gigantic waterslides, an amusement park, an iceskating rink, casino, theater...lots and lots of stuff.
When U. Albert picked us up, he brought us to White Ave to get some "bubble tea"...tapioca or boba to us. We got to see where most of the night life is over there, but didn't get to indulge. It's ok though, we had so much to do and family time is much more worth it.
THURSDAY
Thursday morning...oooohhhhh I finally got to sleep in, so sleep in I did! Well, I did as much as I could, the adults were choppin it up and laughing and making so much noise upstairs it was hard to fully fall back asleep. I should have brought some running clothes and shoes b/c I would've used that time to get a run in. It was nice and HOTT, great running weather. Oh well!
So we all got ready and headed to the mall again! Totally fine b/c this time we got to hit up all the spots we missed. Trust me there is no way you can venture this whole mall in just 2 hours. While we were there, Jackie and A. Raquel arrived, so they met us at the mall and joined us in our journey. =)
After the mall, we went to A. Linda & U Felix's to have lunch/dinner and from there we went to Capital X/K Days. It's a carnival/fair that they have every year for 2 weeks when the Indy Race comes to town. They have several entertainment acts and in one tent was the talent competetion. My cousin, Davy was the entertainment while the judges tallied up the scores. He sang a couple of songs with his guitarists and we were all there to cheer him on.
When we got home, A. Rose, Roxy and I planned out the beading of her dress and got every single on of the beads down and in place. We folded all the programs and called it a night.
FRIDAY
Only one day away! Rehersal day. I woke up to voices of the "adults" once again and I knew it was all day reherasal for the entourage, so I got up and decided to sneak into the garage for a peak. Got a little peak, and took a shower and got ready. The entourage was still practicing, so I went outside and had the entourage do the whole routine. They took a break, ate, and we all (the entourage and me) went to the hotel for more practice including dress rehersal. Turns out, I actually took charge of most of the practice...only at Roxy's request, of course, and I was glad to be there to help. The routine looked sooo much cleaner than what it looked like in the garage earlier that day, and I was happy to help be a part of that.
After rehersal, we got the room prepped. Chair covers, check. Programs, check. Favors, check...check, check, and check. Then it was off to U. Roger's. We had dinner there and of course dabbled in some drinking and it wouldn't be a filipino get together w/o the kareoke.
Some of us headed home early, Jackie, A. Rose, Monica, Cecily, and me snuck into Roxy's car and waited for her. Aaron, Colin and Cameron were surprised to see that there was no room for them. HAHAHAA! You had to be there! They caught a ride with U. Ben anyway.
SATURADAY
WOO HOO! Today's the day! So we get up and get ready to get to the hotel. Hectic, hectic, hectic...everyone's grabbing stuff from everywhere. Finally we get into the van. We are about to hit the freeway and A. RoseMarie, decides to detour and stop at Tom Horton's. LMAO!!! You should've heard us yelling in the van..."WHAT ARE YOU DOING? GET THE COFFEE TOMORROW!" HAHAHAHA! It was too late we were in the drive through line and there was already someone behind us. A. RoseMarie decides to get out of the van and go inside to line up, so A. Cynthia takes the wheel and we wait in the car b/c there is NO CHANGING A. RoseMarie's mind.
Finally, we get on the road and we make it to the hotel. We all get our rooms and start getting ready. In the middle of doing my hair, I also do Cecily's hair, Monica's hair, and Roxy's make up (turned out spectacular by the way, I was pretty impressed with myself). I finally get my hair and makeup done so I walk around and see what else needs to be done. I get to tie some loose ends so I can be ready...oh yeah I forgot to mention, I am the MC (master of ceremonies) for the evening!
The night goes well, and I'm more than happy to be there to help and even happier to be a part of Roxy's special day.
This vacation was GREAT! More than I could've asked for...Family Fun is always the best.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Sunday, July 5, 2009
my weekend events
so you all already know how my thrusday night went. GREAT! i love how inspiring music can be and how much joy it can bring. the weekend continued on with CREAM OF BEAT! i've been wanting to go this weekend's cream of beat, but didn't have anyone to go with. i hit up my girl sony, and i had a date. woo hoo! so we along with her cousin and her cousin's friend went. the night was EVERYTHING I WANTED IT TO BE. i haven't danced that much in FOREVER. hit after hit after hit. it was sooo hot in there i could have lost at least 5 lbs, but the music kept me on the dance floor. besides the few times i went outside to cool down/dry off (gross i know, but it was soo good and such a rarity to have good music like that) i was on the dance floor. sony...thank you thank you thank you for coming with me and driving. and thank you to all the dj's that made all my worries disappear for the night. i appreciate what you do as artists and am and always have been amazed at how much you can make or break a mood. needless to say my mood was great and my spirits high!
SATURDAY HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!
so saturday we went over to uncle jr's house for a family bbq. i've been watching my portions, but i definitely PIGGED OUT! it's ok we were all with family and the food was irresistible. i swear i always travel back to the food when ever we have parties like that. so the cousins chatted away, and then darrin, jackie, and i traveled upstairs to the bathroom. we had our own little conversation in there. lmao! the bathroom was soooo small i ended up standing in the shower. and then knock knock, nikko comes to join us. so then now me and jackie are standing in the shower, darrin is sitting on the toilet, and nikko standing in front of him. omg we are such a random family. but you had to be in there b/c it was sooooooooo freaking hilarious. i can't stop laughing as i type this.
ok off to the fireworks. so as a family we all go outside to watch some illegal fireworks. oh we had some safe n sane ones for the kids. and actually they were pretty nice. very good quality and very pretty for legal ones. so they are launching some illegals and needless to say they are all very pretty. and then they are looking for some kind of stand for this rocket. you should have seen all the uncles playing. i envisioned that this is what they were like in their heyday. like it was reminiscent in their childhood. the smiles and sneaky motions were sooo childlike, it was hilarious. so some how they decide to use the the jack for the car, they place the rocket in the handle and use the handle for a post. all of a sudden, all i hear are screams and the all the uncles running at us sheilding us from i don't know what. and then i see it, the rocket was a dud, it doesn't launch and it blows up right where they left it. i turn around to see that everyone has lined up in the garage, like a firedrill on a cruise. no one was hurt, and the air was filled with non stop laughter. we caught all the sound on camera, it was hilarious!
then it was off to big bang at 111 minna. jackie, darrin, keeks, and i indulged in some drinks and dancing. i had a great time dancing to shorkut's set. i have to say he never let's me down. there are very few dj's that can keep me on the dance floor non-stop b/c somehow regular dj's tend to throw in some whack mainstream song that just turns my mood. but i can truely say, he is one of the VERY FEW that keeps me there all night (all weekend in this case, he was at cream of beat too). and for that i thank you!
great weekend with family and friends...i have to say without any of you, life just wouldn't be! LOVE YOU!
SATURDAY HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!
so saturday we went over to uncle jr's house for a family bbq. i've been watching my portions, but i definitely PIGGED OUT! it's ok we were all with family and the food was irresistible. i swear i always travel back to the food when ever we have parties like that. so the cousins chatted away, and then darrin, jackie, and i traveled upstairs to the bathroom. we had our own little conversation in there. lmao! the bathroom was soooo small i ended up standing in the shower. and then knock knock, nikko comes to join us. so then now me and jackie are standing in the shower, darrin is sitting on the toilet, and nikko standing in front of him. omg we are such a random family. but you had to be in there b/c it was sooooooooo freaking hilarious. i can't stop laughing as i type this.
ok off to the fireworks. so as a family we all go outside to watch some illegal fireworks. oh we had some safe n sane ones for the kids. and actually they were pretty nice. very good quality and very pretty for legal ones. so they are launching some illegals and needless to say they are all very pretty. and then they are looking for some kind of stand for this rocket. you should have seen all the uncles playing. i envisioned that this is what they were like in their heyday. like it was reminiscent in their childhood. the smiles and sneaky motions were sooo childlike, it was hilarious. so some how they decide to use the the jack for the car, they place the rocket in the handle and use the handle for a post. all of a sudden, all i hear are screams and the all the uncles running at us sheilding us from i don't know what. and then i see it, the rocket was a dud, it doesn't launch and it blows up right where they left it. i turn around to see that everyone has lined up in the garage, like a firedrill on a cruise. no one was hurt, and the air was filled with non stop laughter. we caught all the sound on camera, it was hilarious!
then it was off to big bang at 111 minna. jackie, darrin, keeks, and i indulged in some drinks and dancing. i had a great time dancing to shorkut's set. i have to say he never let's me down. there are very few dj's that can keep me on the dance floor non-stop b/c somehow regular dj's tend to throw in some whack mainstream song that just turns my mood. but i can truely say, he is one of the VERY FEW that keeps me there all night (all weekend in this case, he was at cream of beat too). and for that i thank you!
great weekend with family and friends...i have to say without any of you, life just wouldn't be! LOVE YOU!
Friday, July 3, 2009
my first and long awaited experience at yoshi's
where do i begin? i have so many emotions and so much inspiration running through me right now, i don't even know where to start. i'll just start with getting off of work b/c really that's when picking up the pieces of my lost soul really begins. when the daily routine is done and i am left with finding myself again and the searching doesn't cease. thank lord i have my friends and family to fall back on. the ones that can somehow bring me back to home base. and slowly but surely i am finding my way. i actually reconnected with some old friends, and one of them made a comment to me that really hit home. i don't even remember what exactly was said, but i do remember how it made me feel. and like i told him, it may have been just words between friends to you, but you made me remember a part of me that i somehow forgot.
ok seeee i told you, soooo many emotions running through me, that i don't know which conversation to start. lol. enough with the tangent, on with my night.
so my night began with cooking sinigang for my family and gizelle. my mom announced the night before that she was making sinigang, i volunteered to make it. so i did, and gizelle came over to eat. sorry i couldn't stay girl, i already had plans. then juv and i were off to dinner. always a good time with a REALLY close friend. we caught up and then it was off to meet with tiffany and priscilla.
i was really excited, i've been wanting and waiting to go to yoshi's to take in a good jazz show. being a music minor, i got study a little about the genre and immediately was drawn to it, but it was such a short part of the course, that i didn't get to fully indulge. well last night was what i was waiting for. the performances from BAYONICS, BIG BROOKLYN RED, and JAGUAR WRIGHT had me in a trance, had me dancing in my seat, my mind wondering in the art and found a connection to my soul. yes all of the above!
bayonics were great. big brooklyn red was awesome. JAGUAR WRIGHT was sooooo freaking AMAZING!!!! she's definitely on my must see list every time she's by me.
i find myself attracted to artists (of any form) that just let it all hang out. that are sooo moved by their own pieces that it moves me. the improvisation, the passion, the soul are what always takes me to a place in my mind that i feel sooo connected with them and the art that nothing around me matters. i swear in my past life i must have been some sort of performer, i love watching and critiquing dance, mostly professional forms. do i dance? no. but i find it funny that i feel like i have a trained eye. i can see where they need to point their toes (probably b/c of cheer), and where the technique needs to have a little more umph, and where the applause is worthy. i love all types of music, as long as the artist can take me to that place in my mind, either with the words, the quality of their voice, or simply a melody or beat of the background music. spoken word! oh how i love the feeling it brings. ok ok i can go on and on about the art i like. i think you can see where i'm going with the "i think i was a performer in my last lifetime."
tiffany! thank you thank you thank you for showing me a great night and making me feel like i've found a missing part to my soul.
ok seeee i told you, soooo many emotions running through me, that i don't know which conversation to start. lol. enough with the tangent, on with my night.
so my night began with cooking sinigang for my family and gizelle. my mom announced the night before that she was making sinigang, i volunteered to make it. so i did, and gizelle came over to eat. sorry i couldn't stay girl, i already had plans. then juv and i were off to dinner. always a good time with a REALLY close friend. we caught up and then it was off to meet with tiffany and priscilla.
i was really excited, i've been wanting and waiting to go to yoshi's to take in a good jazz show. being a music minor, i got study a little about the genre and immediately was drawn to it, but it was such a short part of the course, that i didn't get to fully indulge. well last night was what i was waiting for. the performances from BAYONICS, BIG BROOKLYN RED, and JAGUAR WRIGHT had me in a trance, had me dancing in my seat, my mind wondering in the art and found a connection to my soul. yes all of the above!
bayonics were great. big brooklyn red was awesome. JAGUAR WRIGHT was sooooo freaking AMAZING!!!! she's definitely on my must see list every time she's by me.
i find myself attracted to artists (of any form) that just let it all hang out. that are sooo moved by their own pieces that it moves me. the improvisation, the passion, the soul are what always takes me to a place in my mind that i feel sooo connected with them and the art that nothing around me matters. i swear in my past life i must have been some sort of performer, i love watching and critiquing dance, mostly professional forms. do i dance? no. but i find it funny that i feel like i have a trained eye. i can see where they need to point their toes (probably b/c of cheer), and where the technique needs to have a little more umph, and where the applause is worthy. i love all types of music, as long as the artist can take me to that place in my mind, either with the words, the quality of their voice, or simply a melody or beat of the background music. spoken word! oh how i love the feeling it brings. ok ok i can go on and on about the art i like. i think you can see where i'm going with the "i think i was a performer in my last lifetime."
tiffany! thank you thank you thank you for showing me a great night and making me feel like i've found a missing part to my soul.
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