My Cousins in LA

Upon visiting my relatives in Los Angeles last August, we told them that we are planning to get married in May 2015. Of course they were excited. They are my second cousins whom by the age different from us, act like our titas. So what will happen if you tell your female relatives you are getting married and also ask them to show them around a possible romantic place like the Urban Lights in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art?

Impromptu Prenup pics!

Hahaha. There are more pictures but I look terrible on most of them. Thanks to this blog for the Photoshop tutorial

Rita's Ice Custard Happiness

After going around LA then eating at a Korean Barbecue, my cousins brought us for some refreshments. It was summer, it has to be cold. They brought us to a place which was something new to us: a frozen custard place. It was like shaved ice but like better. Shaved ice is just well, ice then soe stupid toppings for the flavor. This is nothing fancy and it is not that sweet. I got the rootbeer with vanilla custard. It was like I was about to make a rootbeer float but I left the rootbeer in the freezer, so I crushed the frozen rootbeer. 

It was a good experience. I actually thought that maybe someday Rita's or even the idea of the Italian Ice would come to the Philippines. I was a bit late. I looked it up today and there is actually a Rita's Italian Ice Philippines. I am not yet sure if I would visit the place in Greenhills. It may ruin the the memories. Just like that IHOP place in UP Town Center did.

Amazing Aloha

Matagal ko nang sinukuang kumain sa Jollibee. Napipilitan lang ako kumain dito pag nasa probinsya. Napakawalang-kwenta ng serbisyong fastfood nila kumpara sa ibang kainan. Lalo sa Eastwood. Kahit naman sa ibang sangay nila bulok din. May mga epic na post din sa Facebook akong nabasa tungkol naman sa sangay nila sa Makro Cainta. Olats talaga. Sinubukan ko kainin yung malaling burger steak nila, kaya naman. ilang oras lang muli na akong nagutom. Yung iba nilang pagkain parang ma-vetsin sa panlasa ko. Kapag nasa Amerika, natatawa na lang ako pag may nagsasabing namimiss nila ang Jollibee, e wala naman sinabi lasa ng Jollibee sa In-n-Out. 

Throwback. Jollibee San Francisco, New Year's Day 2009

Pero nung 2009, natuwa rin kaming makakita at kumain sa Jollibee sa San Francisco. Nagsulat pa ako tungkol sa pagkain namin dati sa Multiply. Mayroon din branch sa West Covina pero hindi kami kumain doon. May mas Pinoy pang makakainan kaya pass kami.

Uy may Jollibee!

Nitong huling pagpunta namin sa  Los Angeles, galing kami ng The Grove nang namataan namin yung Jollibee habang lulan pa ng bus. Malapit na rin naman pala sa bababan namin, Vermont-Beverly. Tumawid kami. Plano naming magpapicture lang sana para ipakita sa  mga nasa Texas na namimiss ang Jollibee. 

Tumuloy na rin kami kasi si Jazmin bibili daw ng burger na pasalubong. Kapag umorder kami, mas maiinggit sila haha.

Naalala ko ang Amazing Aloha sa labas lang ng Pilipinas available. Bumili ako. Ito yung burger na may slice ng pinya. Nag-come back ito dati sa Pilipinas, gusto ko sana subukan kaso ayaw ko naman kumain sa Jollibee. Ito na ang pagkakataon.

Meron sila ng umiilaw at nanginginig na bagay. Senyales na handa na ang order sa counter

Maganda yung presyo, saktong limang dolyar kaya hindi na kailngan maglabas ng barya. paano kaya sa ibang state na may Jollibee rin? ganun din kaya ang presyo kung may mababa ang buwis? 

Huli kong kain ng Amazing Aloha 90's pa. Nawala na lang sa menu. Gusto ko lang malaman ano na ulit lasa nito. Yung patty, so-so. Naging iba lang dahil dun sa pinya sa burger. Ok lang naman at nakaranas ulit kumain sa Jollibee.

My Vacation in California

Starbucks You are Here Mugs

After that black hat gig in Las Vegas, my manager allowed me to stay for a 5 days in California.  I really missed that place. My cousin asked me where I would like to go when I go there I said the beach, Costco and Universal Studios. I was not able to see the beach but I was able to do things I also missed. When Kuya Bon picked me up at Van Nuys Fly away we ate at In ‘n Out. I really miss the burger and fries; I was able to eat frozen yogurt. The yogurt in a nearby mall was 45 cents per ounce. I remember the price before at Yogurtland was cheaper; I saw Hollister but the price was still above the $10 range; I was able to go to my bank to withdraw some money I could take home; Manuel took me to play billiards and basketball. I missed playing basketball; I was able to buy new shoes and two backpacks;  I was able to watch TFC; I saw Ate Josie’s yellow hippie convertible Volkswagen beetle. Awesome! 

We did not go to Universal Studios but I went to some place better: Six Flags Magic Mountain. Hahaha. I never thought I would go there because before when people go there before I didn’t go because of the tickets price. This time I went there for free. Manuel and Jazmine work there and they are allowed to go there for free and have a guest for free too. Our lunch was also discounted because employees there get 15% discount too. I was able to score a minion stuff toy from one of the games. We were able to try three rides: Full Throttle, Viper and Batman because the lines are really long. Two hours for that batman ride.
 

My relatives in California are gracious. They took care of me really well. They are second degree cousins but I am still close to them. They love my mother and idolize her for what she accomplished in raising her children. They know how much she suffered just to send us to school. Ate Josie got teary eyed talking to my mother on Skype and during our conversations about her. I was lucky enough to study in Marikina to be familiar to them. The kids were still toddlers when I studied there in the late 90's. Now Manuel is 20 and Jazmine is 18. I last saw them in 2004 with our trip to Ilocos. I last saw Ate Josie when I went to the store around 5 in the morning after a Christmas party in 2007. 

When I was done with all my shopping they even helped me out with packing my things. I had a lot of stuff. Things from Las Vegas, Costco stuff, some toys and shoes. Kuya Bon bought thid balikbayan box which I would check in. They have a weighing scale so getting the weight right per baggage is balanced. To get me to the airport, Ate Marita hired this airport shuttle service because they cannot drive me since they all have work. No worries for me. I was just happy I was well taken care of. I could not ask for more.

I went home with all of this

So yeah, California was fun. Las Vegas and LA was great because of my Marikina connections. I really wish I could come back soon. They want me to bring my mother there also which of course is difficult. There are still other rides I have to try in Six Flags and places I have to go to in Las Vegas.