A party that they all deserved!

It’s not everyday that a mother gets to plan an important party for her children.  I mean this one has to happen. How often does it happen that you have a kid that graduates High School, a kid that graduates Junior High and a daughter that turns into a teenager?  All in one week? Whew!

Yes, you can say that again!  This week has been so busy with preparations. It has to be a party that would cater to all the needs of these three important kids.  All of them deserve this effort that I am making to celebrate a milestone in their life. I am lucky that my family and friends are all contributing to this event. Family is driving from the Bay Area with trays of food. Friends are volunteering to help in set up and even my kids’ friends are bringing food. Most importantly, co-workers are showing their support in giving me time off.

Can we get any luckier?  I am thankful for that. I don’t take that for granted. When you are showered with blessings like that, you just don’t let that go by unappreciated. So to all my family and friends, Thank you in advance!

But now, I have to get back to work.  There’s menu to plan, decorations to design and invitations to send. Then next week, there’s more work. But it is all worth it!

Till next time, my friends!!!!

Happiness is contagious

Yes, Happiness is contagious. Someone close to my heart said that to me one morning. And I believe him. Everyone deserves to be happy. We should  wish everybody their happiness, even the ones that wronged you. Dwelling on the past just gives you stress. Life is too short. Cherish every opportunity to be happy. And when you're happy, smile at the person next to you. Who knows, it might be just what they need to brighten their day.

I am at a point in my life that nothing else matters other than my family, my love one, and a job that I really love. Everything that happened to me (good or bad) in the past has taught me to be a stronger person. I wake up everyday with a smile and say to myself, I am truly lucky.

So, if you feel lucky, smile!

Till next time my friends....

They grow up so fast!

She always just hangs in her room, keeping everybody out, especially her brothers, but sometimes that includes me. She reads a lot of books and spends a lot of time with her collection of body lotions and OPI nail polish. You should see her go crazy at Bath and Body Shop or Ulta. I have never been worried about her. She graduated Grade School with an Award of Excellence (only 16 of them out of the whole graduating class). She had a 4.0 GPA the entire Grade 6. She is adjusting well to Junior High averaging 3.8 GPA.

I can’t deny it, she is growing up so fast, that I wish she was still this young little girl that everyone teases for having those big cheeks. Being a teenager, she is at that age that would rather hang out with her friends that hang out with her mom. Puberty!

So I am very happy that this Spring Vacation, the boys will be busy at my cousin’s house, obviously playing Xbox 360 Elite all day. That means it will be just me and her at our Cesar’s Palace Hotel room for 3 days. It’s my time to catch up with what’s new, without any interruption by the two goofballs we call TJ and Jeremy.

On our first evening, we had an informal dinner at the Cypress Street Marketplace. Without a doubt, I knew she was going for the burger joint. I know her too well. I on the other hand just had a Philadelphia Roll, and she also knew that’s what I was going for, something Japanese. What was touching was that she knew that I didn’t want to spend a lot of time eating that night, as I was tired from the drive to Vegas. 

On our first morning, we took a walk inside the isolated Forum Shops (pre-opening). It’s sort of our exercise for the day. Our legs getting the stretch it needed, and our eyes feasting on the goodies we can see on the window. Then as if our minds were talking to each other, we both said, “Breakfast at Jean Philippe’s”. What a treat! When we got there, I knew she was going for the Crepe, of course with Nutella. Very French!! 

For lunch, to my surprise, she insisted that we invite the boys, as she knows it will be in a Restaurant that I was excited about. Being a Bobby Flay fan, I made sure that eating at the Mesa Grill was in our itinerary. She said, everyone should be a part of this special lunch. How thoughtful! Both of us shared our entrée’s as it complemented each other. After lunch, while the boys drove all around Vegas, we both just sat at the poolside, each reading our favorite books. We spent the time together in peace. Enjoying the sun.

The next day was filled with a lot of walking and sightseeing. She chose to go on the Eiffel Tower ride, as she was very impressed by the design of the Paris Hotel. We also had Pinks Hotdogs (to my surprise didn’t have any long line). She wanted to see the Bellagio Fountain show from the ground, to compare it with how she saw it from the Eiffel Tower viewing deck. She is very observant, I noticed. Not a bad trait, I thought. She was very much happy that the day went well, and said she wants to go back to the room now and enjoy the view from our hotel room window. Little did she know, I was much happier for having the pleasure of spending it with her. That’s a rarity these days.

So for you moms out there, take advantage of the time that your daughters are young. Someday, you will wish that they are still the babies that you used to hug (or allow you to hug them in public, LOL!). They grow up so fast. 

‘till next time my friends.

I'm back!!!! Well, almost!

I can't believe how long it has been since my last post. I even had to remember what my password is to get in here. My friends have been wondering what happened to me. For starters, I had to get healthy for a medical procedure that was re-scheduled due to my blood pressure shooting up hours before the procedure. What can I say, it's not everyday that someone will inject something in my spine and be expected not to move. I wasn't even allowed to go out during Valentine's day so my cold doesn't get worst a few days before the procedure. My Anesthesiologist said the last time, I can't even be coughing nor sniffling, because that can cause a sudden movement on my part. Geez!! At least now, I believe in the saying "Better late than never" because my guy really made up for it. Although we celebrated with a "dinner in bed" and amazing gifts (a pair of 1 Karat each Princess cut diamond earring, and Cruise tickets to Carnival Cruise to Puerto Vallarta/Cabo/Mazatlan in August) a week late, it was all worth it. He didn't even mind that I was in my jammies, LOL!

But at least  the pain is almost gone now. I am on my way to recovery. I went back to work two weeks ago. They have been very understanding that I need to take it easy. They evaluated my desk and made sure it was ergonomic. I am always forced to take a break. I am lucky to work with good people. They said I can take much time as I want, relative to PT and doctor's follow up visits.

So in a few weeks, you will hear more about me. There will be more restaurants to visit. There will be more shopping to do. There will be more random posts here......just because....

So till next time my friends.

Need to make some changes

I have been slowly adapting to my situation. I have to get use to the idea that kids are so independent that I can’t rely on them to always come with me whenever I want them to. Well, with the exception of TJ as he always want to be able to drive my MDX. I guess he wants to get used to it knowing he is getting it this summer. He can’t wait to get rid of his pick up truck. But with TJ in school for the most part of the day, I need to be able to do my errands by myself, if at all possible.

This morning, I had to pick up medications needed for the surgery next week. I also had to drop off microchip information for Cotton because City of Elk Grove neglected to ask for it when they visited last December. I don’t want to pay a citation. The drive was nice. I know I can drive up to about 5 – 6 miles. It was a relief to finally gain back my independence. TJ have been insisting on driving me everywhere because of my situation. With my medications now down to something manageable, i.e. enough for pain relief for an hour or two and not making me super drowsy, I am able to do some minor things on my own.

I also have to make sure that I am eating at a regular pace. Medication without food is bad. I am loosing weight even though I have been home for more than a month. My regular shipment of clothes, the latest one was absolutely adoring, a "Silk Tie Sleeve Chemise",  from my favorite store had to be exchanged, as I am down to Extra Small. Does anyone need some clothes from White House Black Market (sized small)? This alarmed my mother as she also has the same contact (a fashion consultant from a Bay area branch that knows our style and size and sends me an item from their latest catalogue) and the weight loss information was obviously passed on. Hmmmmmm. Maybe she saw the shipping manifest, I don’t know. I guess she has the right to know as she pays for the clothes (part of an allowance for both siblings) and shipping cost. But I do wonder why they still bother sending me clothes as I haven’t been out lately because of my sickness, so the clothes keep on pilling up. But my mom said, that’s the least of her concerns. She is worried about me, if I am eating enough. My simple answer was, “Yes, and you can count on your spy (TJ) to tell you also if I am not. But thank you for the February shipment.”  LOL! 

  

So today, As I do my errands, I had to stop by Kintaro Sushi to eat at exactly noon. I have always been a Mikuni Fan, but this restaurant happens to be one of my clients and it is the closest to where I was at that moment. I guess it’s also to clear my conscience. I needed to eat. So, I ordered a Bay Scallop roll and a glass of water. It was so good, but just enough. I know when TJ gets home, I would be happy to tell him that I did good.

With a lot of people caring for me and expressing concerns about me, all I need to do is be strong for my surgery next week. Like, not moving during the procedure. Yikes! I can do this!!!!  But let’s not forget the most important thing, I am happy, just the way things are in my life.

‘Till next time my friends.

A kid steps up to the plate...

As a single mom, I couldn’t be any happier about how my kids grew up, most especially TJ. Sometimes, when the situation calls for it, a kid can step up to the plate. There were several occasions where TJ has shown me that. He has grown into a mature man faster than any son of a single mom. Sometimes, I wonder if that was bad.

You know how I first knew that it was good for us? In June 2000, when he was only 8, somehow, due to an oversight by the lawyers of my then employer Young & Rubicam Advertising, we got stranded in Vancouver, Canada with only one day’s worth of clothes. Jeremy was only 4 years old and Katrina was only 2. We took a flight from San Francisco to my aunt in Seattle and took a train to Vancouver with the intention of returning that same day, for the purpose of crossing the border officially as a J-1 visa holder. To our surprise, we were told my border officials that we had to present that document to an Embassy and stamp our Passports. So we had to check in to a hotel that afternoon, and hope that it would be an easy task for us the next day. I was quite worried that my kids would be frazzled with all the taxi cab ride, the last minute shopping for pajamas, toiletries, and next day clothes and finding the closest hotel to the embassy. What amazed me was that without me coaching him, he told his siblings, “Please be quite, Jeremy and Katrina, I think mom, is already getting stressed. We need to make her relax.” I was so touched, I actually ended up crying (tears of joy) and hugging him. He might not remember this, but when I decided to just skip Seattle and fly from Vancouver to San Francisco, due to all this mix-up, he told me to take a nap during the flight and that he would take care of his sibblings.

TJ was very resilient with all the changes in our lives. Our move to California from Toronto was the start of it. He adapted well to having Michael as a step father for five years, and never once has shown any disrespect or animosity towards him during the divorce. He also paid attention more to the bright side with our move to Elk Grove, even though he was going to loose a ton of friends in Fremont. At 17 years old, he took charge of all the moving, electronics and computer set up of all four bedrooms and renovations. It took us four months to settle in to the house with renovations and all and every weekend he would have a project to complete. Renovation workers (his father’s employees), delivery guys, landscapers would come and go and I didn’t even have to check up on them. He says he has it all under control.

To my surprise last year, he took an interest into cooking. Not a lot of teenagers would have that kind of interest. I got a little inside information from his brother that it was because TJ plans to get into a Culinary School because his girlfriend (then) wants to be a pastry chef. Hmmmmm. Okay!!!

When I couldn’t be home on time, he would send me a text message if I wanted him to start preparing (that includes rinsing and dicing) the ingredients for the meal for the evening, so I only have to do the actual cooking when I get home. He also took on the responsibility of grocery shopping lately, now that he has his own truck. I would transfer money to his account during the day and he would grocery shop based on the meal that I have planned for the week and he also knows the staple food that we need to get. Lately, he would not only ask me what he needs to prepare for the meal, but he would take on to himself in cooking the actual dish by simply remembering what I did previously. If there would be a little uncertainty, he would just send me a text message to clarify. How many 18 year old kids know how to cook Beef Stew, Adobo, Roasted Chicken, Korean Glass Noodle, and so many more? I am simply amazed!

Don’t get him wrong, don’t think he has nothing better to do or he has no friends at all to hangout with. There would be times when all 7 to 15 of his “well behaved” friends would be in my family room playing games or watching dvd’s. I know all of them, and they all come from decent families. All of them call me “Mom”. When TJ told them I would not be having a birthday party for him last December, they (25 of them) came over, complete with about 15 pizza boxes and 10 2-litter sodas, and movies. They just love him. And I love them, too. Maybe my son is just unique.

As a single mom, I couldn’t be any prouder of how he has matured. There was one time when I asked him if being the eldest child of a one-parent family was too much pressure for him. His immediate response was, “No, it taught me to be a better man and I know it will come in handy in the future.” I had to turn my face away for a second to hide my tears. It’s a realization that I didn’t do bad at all. I really didn’t.

And even as I am writing this post, I can’t help but be teary-eyed. What can I say? I am happy.
“Till next time my friends.

They make me smile, too!

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. Well, these two cuties are definitely our family’s best friends. Cotton and Candy have never been a handful. It's always a delight to have them around. They adapted well to the move from the Bay area to the Sacramento Valley like us. They have been making our lives brighter for the past 3 years.

I wonder what they are looking at.

Cotton (we sometimes call him Bobo)

Cotton, a Bichon Frise, was flown in all the way from South Dakota. When I saw his picture on line, oh those cute eyes, I knew I had to buy him. The minute I picked him up from San Jose Airport he bonded with me like I was his mommy. He lay on my lap, while I was driving, all the way home. The kids were ecstatic when they saw this white fluffy puppy (hence the name, Cotton), in my arms when they got home from school one day. He is now 3 ½ years old and still very loving to all of us. He also been receptive to the new addition (the feisty little one) two months after he came to our lives . You can tell that the kids love him so much because when we needed to pay 500 dollars for x-rays at a Vet because he was crying of pain, the kids promised to eat Mac & Cheese for a whole month so that we can figure out what was wrong with him and make him better.

Candy (the feisty one)

Candy, yes she is the feisty one, is a Maltipoo. She was bought from a breeder in Hayward and was a gift from my mom to Katrina when she got on the honor roll on her first 2nd grade report card. Although Candy's purchase was out of timing, 4 days before a Thanksgiving trip to Hawaii, she was very much welcomed as soon as she was brought home. In fact the kids didn't even want to go on the trip anymore.  We also almost lost her, as the day before the trip, she came down with Giardia. We were lucky that my husband then was not coming with us because of a Database project that was supposed to be launched that week. He ended up taking care of her and  staying with her more than the project that he was managing. She is one tough cookie. After 3 days of being hospitalized, she was back to her cute and bubbly self when we got back from our trip.

They are usually more active than this!

These two dogs have been helpful to me now that I have been staying home sick. They cheer me up, cuddle with me in bed (Candy has the say where Cotton lays down, lol!) and accompany me when I need to get out of bed. They have been sensitive to my condition that they actually wait for the kids to get home from school before wanting to go out and do their business. Smart, huh? In turn, I try to squeeze in some Animal Planet shows on TV for their enjoyment. In reality, just being there when I needed to see those puppy eyes is enough for me. I can’t imagine a day without them. They are family. That’s why when people ask me how many kids I have, I actually say I have 5 wonderful kids. And THEY ALL make me smile!!!!!  The greatest gift a mom can ever have...

'Till next time my friends!!

A reunion to remember!!!!

I am sure some of my classmates are waiting for this post. I do apologize for this being late, I have a lot of things to do…..Not!!!! Seriously, the delay is due to me making sure I can do justice in documenting this remarkable event.

I needed to make sure the right pictures were selected. But, people, there were 14 cameras flashing, so I had to preview all of those to make sure that all 14 beauties are captured. Inspite of my current conditions, with the help of my bestfriend, Tylenol #3, it was an afternoon worth remembering. We laughed, we cried (well, mostly Caroline), we ate and we drank (non-alcoholic drinks, please, you wouldn’t find any pictures of us here hugging the seat inside a restroom, lol! I have seen enough pictures of those on line in the past few days!) As you can see all 14 of us aged gracefully.

And who can forget about the venue? Intramuros was the right choice. Kudos to the one who suggested that. Was it Myda or Myla? Not only were we able to reminisce about our high school days, the ambiance made us feel as if we were back home. Oh, how we miss it!!! The Owner/Manager Barry Picazo was so gracious. He gave us a tour of the entire place. The food was absolutely superb. We ordered Lumpianitas, Beef Ribs Nilaga, Kare-Kare, Crispy Binagoongan over Grilled Eggplant, Sizzling Pork Sisig and Pinakbet. But the dessert simply outstaged the Main Dishes. The presentation looked like it was up for judgement on Iron Chef. We had, Buko Con Seta, Tres Marias and Barako Crème Brulee. Oh my goodness….all to die for!!!! Don't you agree?















At the end of the day, we went on our own way, thinking, we did the right decision of getting together. It made us even more proud to be a Maryknoller!!!!.

Till next time my friends!!!

On a Mission!

Now why on earth would I be up at 6:45 a.m. on a non-working day? That's what my boyfriend asked me as well, as he squints while looking at his watch and stares at me in a baffled way, then as if on a mission to go back to sleep again, tucks his head under the duvet.

Well, I am on a mission, too. Don't get me wrong, this will only take 10 minutes. Because, as he said, it's a holiday, and I would rather sleep in!

You see, the medication that I took before going to bed last night wore out. Rather than be cranky like Dr. Gregory House without his meds, when both of us wake up later in the morning, I would rather excuse myself now and painstakenly have my favorite bowl of cereal so that I can to take my medication. That's right, you heard me right, this Vicodin can be nasty to your stomach when you take it without any food. Don't get me wrong, I love Honey Bunches of Oats with Pecan, but I would rather be sleeping in now and probably be dreaming of a Carribean vacation. But what can I do, it's the only temporary solution to my condition. There is light at the end of the tunnel, and I will soon see that tunnel next week when I am presented with my options by my Doctor. In the mean time, breakfast at an odd time on a day off is the only way to go.

And now that my mission is accomplished, thanks to god sent Vicodin, I can now go back to sleep, under that warm down duvet, and yes, cuddling that same guy who gave me that baffled look 10 minutes ago, obviously now asleep again, with a smile on his face.

Till next time my friends!

I love my life!!!!!!

Can I survive this?

I know an hour in a restaurant, let me re-phrase that, hole in a wall, isn’t that bad. But if you have
“Cervical Radiculitis” like me, that’s a big deal. What?
“Cervi…WHAT?
LOL! Relax, it has nothing to do with my child bearing capabilities. I’ve never had a problem with that and never will. It has something to do with irregular curvature of my spine (neck area) and my scoliosis. I’ve had it since I was 15 or so. It probably got worst with all those years as a ballerina and a modern jazz choreographer in high school and college dance group. But rehashing the past is not what this particular blog is all about. I am smiling in my picture, so obviously, we are not talking about a dreadful past. Work with me people, I never look back!

It’s about this hole in a wall. It’s the only one that I would risk going there on a night that I am supposed to be in bed. Now, now, now, I haven’t broken any law, or disregarded any doctor’s orders, and I am certainly entitled to it, since I have been in bed for a week already. I need a break! AND I need fresh air!!!

Thai Chili … … …. Does that say it all? Remember my blog before this? I said, “it’s all about the spices!” These people know their spices. From the minute you enter this “hole”, you know your palette will have a good time with the aroma coming out of the kitchen. All I can remember from past visits is that particular dish that comes with plantain bananas. But maybe I will try something else this time. A 20 minute wait was all worth it. As soon as I opened the menu, it all came back to me, you won’t be able to make up your mind, because they all look so good. We settled on Ginger Tilapia with vegetables, mushroom, and of course, plantain banana (okay, I lied, what can I say I have been craving for it), Barbeque Combo (steak and chicken breast) with Satay sauce, and Pad Thai with chicken and shrimp. The server asked us, “steamed rice or Thai fried rice?” I had to think. I am sure with all these festival of flavors, a plain Jane steamed rice will suffice.

And we were right!!!!! There were enough spices in this meal that really kicked it up a notch, as Mr. Lagase would say. As we dive into it, I quickly glanced at my watch. I have been sitting on my chair for 30 minutes now. I know, I know, I only have half an hour left before I start screaming of pain. So, I said, let’s get cracking here, guys!!!! From one dish to another, it’s heaven. The Satay sauce was just right. Not very “peanut-y”, if that’s even a word, I guess not. The tilapia was very crispy, amidst the vegetables and the sauce. The Pad Thai was not soggy at all. I was even motivated to order fried bananas with Mango ice cream. I tell you, it was the encore to an ultimate meal. No wonder there is never an empty table at this hole in a wall. They are rakin’ it!!!

As if on timer, at about an hour and six minutes into this heaven, the pain started to come back with a vengeance!!! So that’s the signal….. I need my bed…. But not without swearing that THAI CHILI will always be my “hole in a wall” in this side of town. AND YES, I DID SURVIVE IT!!! Isn't it Obvious?
Till next time, my friends!

Melt in your mouth!!!!!

As all cooks on food network say, it's all about the seasoning. In this case, salt, pepper, and butter. Thanks to these three ingredients, and of course USDA Prime steaks, our meal at Ruth's Chris Steak House, was one to remember.

But of course, it is not just the food. First class service from the host, the beverage server, the main server, to the Maitre' D was indeed perfect. The cozy atmosphere and romantic lighting also helped. That's why I am already apologizing now that there will be no picture in this blog as I was embarrassed to take out my camera then. But I took the liberty of grabbing a picture from their website, which is funny because, the shot was like it was taken from my seat. Neat!!!!!!



When we sat down, we can tell that it will be worth my dinner date’s money. Everyone was so attentive. We were seated on a table that was next to a door leading to an outdoor dinning. When a staff member came in through that door making last minute clean up outside, and our server saw my look of concern on the possible traffic alongside our table, he immediately excused himself. In about 20 seconds, the Maitre' D came back, locked the entrance, apologized and assured us that there will be no more staff going through that door and that they will use an alternate entrance. Now how awesome was that!

What also impressed me was that it was romantically quiet that you can actually hear your dinner companion talk. Nowadays, you can hand pick restaurants that has actual atmosphere conducive to romantic dates. Servers also don't just interrupt your conversation. Outstanding manners! The menu was simple but detailed. Our waiter also took pride in explaining how their steaks are cooked. As soon as I heard him say that they season their steaks while cooking them, all I can think of was, “holy moly, when is it coming?”.

I picked the Ruth's Classic-Fall/Winter Menu, simply because it is already a 3 course meal that was just right for my appetite. The starter that I was eyeing on was appropriate for the reason my friend and I were having dinner. It reminded us of our trip to New Orleans, 7 years ago. Oh boy, when that Louisiana seafood gumbo arrived and I took my first taste, it was so heavenly tasty. My 8 oz steak was just melt in your mouth, not to mention, to die for. Perfecto! It went very well with my green beans with mushroom and garlic side dish. And my dessert, A Dessert Duo pairing of a homemade Carrot Cake and a Chocolate Cup filled with Chocolate Mousse, was so beautiful to eat. Although the starter and dessert were absolutely divine, the main star in this show was truly the steak. It was a true definition of melt in your mouth.

It was indeed a lovely evening. It drowned my fatigue from Christmas shopping the whole day before that meal, not to mention my salivation for the new Louis Vuitton purse that I had a glimpse on at the store window before heading to the restaurant just outside the mall doors or that Burberry Trench coat that I tried on two hours earlier. I was fully energized after that meal that I was ready to shop again. Oh, but the mall is already closed. Well, there is always tomorrow. Three weeks after that experience, my friend and I are still talking about it. Rarely do you come across restaurants that make a lasting impression, a good one, that is. ‘til next time, my friends … … …