Why is a raven like a writing desk?

I celebrated my 21st birthday with a tea party, and I picked the hottest day of the year to have it.



Thanks to some very cool DIY projects I found, we created a vibrant wonderland for all my guests.  




Luckily, I made some handmade fans made from recycled paper to keep everyone cool from the SoCal heat. 

As well as a homemade chalkboard and backdrop for all my beautiful guests to share their birthday messages and take photos!  And some had some great and hilarious messages... 



 



 



In accordance to the tea party theme, I was sure to include some easy instructions with some inspiration from Alice herself. 


  

But the yummiest dessert was this personally made red velvet cake by one of my coolest girlfriends, (previously blogged) Danica! Trust me, it was as delicious as it is adorable.  

 

Three of my closest girlfriends even stood and gave a birthday speech and toast, which was the best surprise.



So merci, gracias, samalat... thank you-- to all my lovely friends for celebrating my birthday with me, as well as your toy donations to give to St. Jude's Children's Hospital. It is one of my favorite parts of my birthday-- to have such incredible generous friends and sending those toys to the children who need them the most.   

living my life like its golden

After nearly having a heart attack driving through Hollywood, Neeru and I made to the free Jill Scott concert for the Jimmy Kimmel show. We stood shoulder-to-shoulder in the crowd for about an hour and half, but it wasn't so bad since we made friends with the people around us and worked out our calf muscles. 

One gentleman even gave us tips on how to make our legs cramp less, making reference to how horses stand, bending one leg to release pressure... not sure if this was a fact, but all of us around began shifting our weight-- whatever made it easier to stand.

Finally, Jimmy Kimmel and Jill Scott came out and gave her incredible performance. She performed six songs, and the energy coming from our side of the stage was contagious. Neeru and I also got really lucky with how close we were to the stage-- if they were seats, we would be in the third row.

What I love about Jill Scott is that her songs are so empowering and uplifting. 

The song lines say it all:

• "I can 'fend on my own, I'm magnificent." 
• "Let's take a long walk around the park after dark/ Find a spot for us to spark."
• "Living my life like it's golden, it really matters to me."  

So fluid. So comfortable. So. In her skin.

I could hear the men behind me wishing they were her microphone. 

A woman with that kind of heat has that effect. 

Artful

Three words: So. Worth. It.

I was a bit skeptical about going to the new Tim Burton exhibit at LACMA, mostly because it was $20 a ticket-- not exactly a student friendly price, when many other art exhibits are often free. BUT with this exhibit being highly anticipated and unique (in many ways), it was worth finding out if it was worth it.

And it most definitely was.

No one is allowed to take photos inside, so I only have photos from the start and finish of our artful journey, but trust me-- the images inside that gallery stuck. 

Neither of us is the biggest Tim Burton fanatic, but after viewing his endless amount of work in the exhibit, I am convinced this man is a genius. The way he combines his artistic talent with hilarious and terrifying wit is so unique. 

There were countless drawings ripped out of drawing books and framed. The coolest ones were his drawings on napkins and hotel notepads the most-- it's evident that he just could not let the inspiration escape and had to jot it down.

Poems, paintings, videos, metal robotic structures, figurines, even costumes from all his movies like Batman, the claw from Edward Scissorhands and a timeline of how Jack Skellington came to be. Room after room. 

After a walk through the Tim Burton exhibit, Thomas and I played around in some of the other galleries. 

I LOVE installation art. It's probably my favorite genre of art. It's cool and impressive what artists come up with with the materials they use. 

Another reason I love installation art is because I can typically get closer to it, as opposed to a drawing put behind a glass box. Being physically close to the art is an experience all its own, but there were a couple laughable times when we got a bit too close to the art and were scolded at by the watch women. 

Just as we left, we walked out just in time for an 8:00pm sunset. It seems I keep getting reminded of why I love sunny California.

Glowing

Good reunions are the best thing. Danica and I share a similar maturity level and seem to have the same philosophy when life gets interesting: To find the lessons in the messes. 

I met Danica a few years back, and we connected immediately. Fast forward to constantly conflicting schedules and the most excited reactions when we accidentally bump into each other, and we decided it was time for a solid catch-up session. 

One (of many) things I love about this girl is that we learn so much for each other. Although I don't see her often, the times that I do, I notice a growth, a change within her. Like she's becoming more of herself every time I see her. It's affirming to be in her company-- knowing I'm friends with people who are deeply involved with becoming the best version of themselves.

Go

I'm a planner, but there's nothing like a spontaneous drive to Santa Monica! Adrian, who is pretty much my little brother, came over and unexpectedly tossed around the idea of taking a drive to the pier.

We had delicious waffles, where they are served more like crepes, since you can get savory (meaty/salty) waffles and sweet waffles! Both of us indulged in sweet ones and used our sugar rush to head over to Malibu. While we were driving, Adrian decided to just stop off the side of the road for us to get off and look at the scenery. This caught me off guard, and for a moment I forgot how different my ading (little brother in Tagalog) is from most guys his age. Despite his crazy schedule, scientific, logic-loving mind, he's incredibly sentimental and knows when to stop and appreciate what's in front of him.
After all the weight lifted off my shoulders since the semester ending, sitting on the rocks and looking over the ocean was just the relaxation I needed. I also couldn't help but think how much I love California and if I could ever leave it...

All photos taken by Adrian 

Thomas and I went to an arts and crafts festival just outside of town. I LOVE rummaging through little markets like this one. We found the coolest handmade knick-knacks, and I even took home an hourglass necklace. 

One thing about me, however, is that I am not an impulse buyer. Thomas laughed at how many business cards I took home in ratio to what I bought-- about 12:1. 

My shopping philosophy is that I need to be in love with it for me to buy it right there on the spot. I'm the kind of girl that does not like to have a lot of material things-- less clutter, in general. So, when I do buy something like jewelry, a book, purse, hat, etc, I look for these: 

1. symbolic meaning 

2. long-term need 

or 

3. an unbeatable deal

In the case of my hourglass necklace, it was symbolic, and I instantly fell in love with it. Call out the English major in me, but an hourglass is LOADED with symbolism. For me, it's the concept of Time. It's so neutral-- it's not a friend or an enemy. It does it's own thing. Time can't tell if you want it to faster or slower; it just goes. 

Something drew me to the hourglass and made me think about how I'm spending my Time-- right now, in my 20s. Will I look back 30 years from now and think, "Damn, I really lived in my youth." Or have I measured out my life in garden spoons?

What a beach.

Rara's the kind of friend who could disappear from my life for a good year or two-- but instantly reconnect with the moment we get together. Every time I meet up with this girl, it's like we pick up exactly where we left off. 

And this time, it was an impromptu visit to the beach that set off the laughs, nostalgia, and interesting encounters over the past year. 

"We don't get a trophy in the end; we do this for our love of the Pilipino culture."

+ Live musicians playing traditional Pilipino instruments. 

+ Dances ranging from rural to tribal to hip hop. 

+ A story about the traditional Pilipino recipes that kept a family together. 

Of all my identities, there's nothing that compares to my pride in being a Filipina- American, who actively celebrates and continues to learn more about this beautiful culture and rich history. 

Pilipino Culture Night, also known as PCN, is an annual night of performing traditional Pilipino dances alongside a play depicting a story, often about life as a Filipino/Filipino- American.

Let me tell you... PCN is no joke. 

Despite the months of lengthy rehearsals, cold nights practicing outdoors, and the rising appeal of easy and greasy fast food every other day (not to mention the numerous injuries for many of the dancers...)

... it's nothing compared to the pride that comes in paying homage to our families and teaching this generation about the stories that nourish and influence our culture. 

Why do I love Disneyland so much more as a grown-up?

 ... because I can eat all the sweet treats my big grown- up heart desires! Dole Pineapple Whip and a frozen lemonade were the perfect sweet treats on the warmest day of spring!

AND! Being the big, bad grown-ups that we are, Thomas and I made sure to hit up the new Toy Story ride (where I effortlessly pummeled his score) :) and see the World of Color water show!