Meet the Fockers
It's been two years, I think, since my parents visited me in L.A. They'd never seen my place in Santa Monica, the neighborhood I've haunted for the last year and a half, my bars, my restaurants and coffeeshops.
We managed to squeeze most of my life into the weekend -- the apartment, the office, Max's in Glendale, Disney Concert Hall, and Lily, who is the best sport you could ever ask for, and was adored by my whole family.
I don't have one ounce of resentment toward my parents -- I love them without reservation. So, the fact that I only see them three or four times a year kind of sucks, frankly. When I do see them, there's always a surplus of things to do and see, and never enough time.
Besides my aunt's sixtieth birthday festivities (pictures and blogging to come), for example, this weekend also included Lily's friend Linh's engagement party (similar to the kind of parties my family throws, but with a Vietnamese flava); a visit to my grandparents' graves at Forest Lawn; the Juilliard String Quartet; and halo-halo.
At any rate, it was nice to have them be a part of my daily life again, if even just for a few hours. I wish I could get them to move out here, but California real estate is what it is (hella expensive).
Lily endured a reception line in Sherman Oaks, grilling from my Titas and Titos at lunch on Sunday, and the off-color humor of one of my favorite uncles. I don't know how she made it through with that smile on her face that wipes away every last shred of cynicism in my body, but she did.
And Mom and Dad were thrilled with her! I could tell, because my mom gave me the "Don't you dare screw this up!" look after we dropped her off.
Peace, kaibigan ko. Sleep well and dream of deep-fried pig's feet, peanut sauce and noodles.
We managed to squeeze most of my life into the weekend -- the apartment, the office, Max's in Glendale, Disney Concert Hall, and Lily, who is the best sport you could ever ask for, and was adored by my whole family.
I don't have one ounce of resentment toward my parents -- I love them without reservation. So, the fact that I only see them three or four times a year kind of sucks, frankly. When I do see them, there's always a surplus of things to do and see, and never enough time.
Besides my aunt's sixtieth birthday festivities (pictures and blogging to come), for example, this weekend also included Lily's friend Linh's engagement party (similar to the kind of parties my family throws, but with a Vietnamese flava); a visit to my grandparents' graves at Forest Lawn; the Juilliard String Quartet; and halo-halo.
At any rate, it was nice to have them be a part of my daily life again, if even just for a few hours. I wish I could get them to move out here, but California real estate is what it is (hella expensive).
Lily endured a reception line in Sherman Oaks, grilling from my Titas and Titos at lunch on Sunday, and the off-color humor of one of my favorite uncles. I don't know how she made it through with that smile on her face that wipes away every last shred of cynicism in my body, but she did.
And Mom and Dad were thrilled with her! I could tell, because my mom gave me the "Don't you dare screw this up!" look after we dropped her off.
Peace, kaibigan ko. Sleep well and dream of deep-fried pig's feet, peanut sauce and noodles.