Waiting

This is it! I'm at airport, waiting to board my plane back to California.

I just cried saying goodbye to Diana =( It was the same way I cried the day before she moved into the dorms for college; the same way she cried when she helped me move into my dorm room; the same way we always end up crying when we know we have to be far away from each other for a long time. I pulled myself together so I wouldn't look like a sad loner here at the boarding gate...

I know I didn't post many pictures or have many posts of what we've been up to, but it involves the same things it always does with us two: laughing a lot, listening to slow jams, eating chocolate, talking about life and weddings, and laughing some more. Rinse and repeat. Oh, and added to that, hanging out at the beach. We also went hiking one day. I didn't tell them, but I felt like passing out.

I'm in no state to write anything comprehensive, but it just feels like everything has been a fun dream. Unreal! I just know that I've been beyond blessed along this whole trip.

Boarding soon! Here goes.

A night in review

For all of you who missed my Hawaiian bday bash (which is everyone except Diana, Diana's friend Karen, Ana, and my brother Jonas...), re-live this moment with me:

This post is just going to turn into a Yelp review of the places we went.

(1) Pearl Ultra Lounge (Not to be confused with Pearl Night Club in Downtown San Jose.)

* Rating: 4.5 stars

* Comments: Go to this place! Awesome happy hour with $5 signature cocktails and $5 appetizers. Excellent ambiance and presentation of food and drinks. Feels like a really posh place, but then you realize everyone's just spending $5... Totally worth it! We had the calamari, stuffed mushrooms, and ahi poke-- all were delicious. The Pearl Bellini was also very tasty. Plus, they had live music and performed R. Kelly's "Step in the Name of Love." Don't mind the older crowd trying to re-live their 20s. Just keep drinking... Minus .5 of a star because the super skinny waitress seemed like she was angry at the world. 

(2) Mai Tai Bar. (Not to be confused with Mai Tai's in Downtown Long Beach.)

* Rating: 4 stars.

* Comments: Fun, popular, relaxed, local bar. Are guys extra nice here? All I had to say was, "It's my birthday!" and we had another pitcher of free beer coming our way... No one really dances besides Ana's friend (see random guy below). Haha!

Songs were played from an iPod, no mixing skills whatsoever. These are not complaints though, because the music choices were good and they never played that annoying Kesha song that's on the radio every 30 seconds. Plus, the iPod jams were intermixed with sessions from a live band playing fun Hawaiian beats. And the last song of the night was "Dance Tonight" by Lucy Pearl, thanks to Ana's special request. I recommend checking this place out.

(3) Zippy's

* Rating: 2 stars

* Comments: Maybe 2 stars is rough... There was nothing wrong with our food or service, but it's really just not necessary to go here unless it's the only place open. Average fast food joint with the Hawaiian twist of plate lunches and mac salad.

All in all, fun night! Thank you Diana for always planning the best birthdays and giving the best gifts, including my birthday outfit and your friendship since 1997 =) Love you!

25 on my 25th

Good morning sunshines!

I'm totally swooping on this idea from Jeannie's bday blog post. Nonetheless, here are 25 things that I am thankful for on my 25th birthday:

1. My health. For some reason, among all my blessings in life, this is one of the things that first come to mind to be really thankful for. My everyday life is made way simpler than I often realize because I am not allergic to shellfish, pollen, or pet dander, nor do I have to wear glasses, nor do I have any more complicated conditions. I will do all that I can to stay fit and healthy forever as a tribute to my gratitude for good health.
   
2. Comfy peep-toe flats! Thank you for sparing my precious feet from pain while still managing to look cute.
   
3. Corporate America. Are you confused? Didn’t Lara quit her 9-5 so she could do volunteer work and travel? Absolutely, I did. But how could I not show some love for the job that provided with me enough so that I could stop working and instead study Yoga, travel to several countries, and spend my bday in Hawaii with my best friend without ever a worry about finances? I absolutely couldn’t be more thankful for this.
   
4. Trader Joe’s and all it's deliciously healthy treats.
   
5. Target. We all know I could putter around this store forever!
   
6. Non-profit organizations and their big-hearted founders. Forever my inspirations. Thank you for helping me by allowing me to help others. You’ve changed my life, and the lives of so many others.
   Justice Now
   Asian American Recovery Services
   Isara Charity Foundation
   Full Life Counseling & Training Center
   
7. Yoga. You may or may not understand this and I may sound like a hippie, but I’ve never been more aware of myself or my potential.
   
   
   
8. All the people I’ve met in random parts of the world. Some of you annoyed the heck out of me. Some of you I became great friends with. A lot of you, I don’t remember your names or may have never even learned them. Nonetheless, the worldly perspectives I’ve gained from you regarding life, love, and politics are priceless, and lessons that could not have been learned by staying in one place.
   
9. Sappy movies that make me cry, including Click and Bride Wars.
   
10. Gracie baby! This bundle of sunshine and flowers makes me happy to the point of actually understanding how my Mom can love her little girl as much as she does.
    
    
    
11. Hella good pizza. Self-explanatory.
    
12. Big sunglasses. So I can inconspicuously stare at…
    
13. Hot guys. Haha! When do I get to meet these 2?
    
    
    
14. Gmail, and lotsa other Google creations, like Google Chrome and Picasa. Thank you for organizing my online life in an intuitive, efficient, and cute manner.
    
15. Planes, trains, buses, cars, and boats that took me safely to wherever I was going.
    
16. Musicians, artists, dancers, singers, writers, poets… creative people who share their art and talent as they should.
    
17. UC Berkeley. Never was I more proud than the day I was able to walk across the stage at the Greek Theatre and receive my diploma. Thank you for allowing me to spend formative years as a young adult in the presence of brilliant minds and a liberal environment that would forever shape my future endeavors. Go Bears!
    
    
    
18. The best family in the world. Anyone who knows any member of my family can vouch that I was grown with love. I love you all for always supporting me. And partying with me ;)
    
    
    
    
    
    
19. My Shu Uemura eyelash curler! It's simply the best!
    
20. The treadmill. Sure, I never truly enjoyed running. But I must give a shout out to the machine that helped me burn booty and allowed me to spend 30 minutes daydreaming about my future.
    
21. People that don’t hate their jobs. You know, friendly grocers, employees that ask, “How are you?” and listen to the answer. Thank you for genuine smiles and for not being mean =)
    
22. Sea, sand, and sunsets all over the world.
    
    
    
23.  Amazingly beautiful girlfriends. Real, true friends are gems and I’m so lucky to have such a shiny collection. These girls are intelligent and fun and also super hot! Despite us sometimes being separated by time and distance, all doing our own things with jobs or school, we all know how lucky we are to have each other.
    
    
    
    
    
24. My parents. Because I came through them, although I am not theirs. Thank you for providing for me in a way that can only be explained as selfless love.
    
    
    
25. God’s obvious presence in my life =)

This list could go on and on. I had to stop myself, really. I'm thankful for everything! What better way to celebrate today than to remind myself that life is beautiful.

I still feel so young and know I am blessed with everything the future has in store for me. Thank you for all the birthday love and wishes. We'll celebrate the next time I see you!

Busy

Hi, you've reached Lara. Sorry I can't get to my blog right now, I'm having too much fun in Hawaii with my sister since 6th grade. Leave a message and I'll get back to ya!

2/14

My Valentine's Day celebration consisted of: girlfriends, chick flicks, too much chocolate and enough wine to make me sleepy! Happy V-Day, my loves.

Packing

My Auntie Lilly knows the true meaning of "shop till you drop." Seriously. Since we got back from Cebu, the past 2 days have been full of food, shopping, and then falling asleep in the car on the way back.

I started packing today, since we're leaving for Hawaii tomorrow. We've been abroad for almost 5 months, but it's gone by too fast and doesn't even feel like it's been very long at all.

My time spent in the Philippines has been unbelievably quick. It seems to me like I was in Japan longer than I've been in the Philippines, although I've spent more than twice as much time here than in Japan.

I'm glad that I got to spend a lot of time with my family here, and that Ana and I went on our own adventure to Cebu. I hope to be back here soon. It's always so much fun!

Tomorrow, we finally head back to the U.S... So weird! I really am sad because it means this trip is getting closer to its final days. But I know that Hawaii with Diana will be a blasty-blast and totally unforgettable.

Salamat, Pilipinas. Aloha, Hawaii!!

Slowing down

Yesterday was a very long day, with our all-day tour of Bohol and all... So it was nice that today we got to chill and relax at Vista Del Mar Resort =)

Ahh... Doesn't that just look relaxing!? We paid to use the pool and ordered lunch. Our dishes were pretty sucky, but we were entertained nonetheless because there happened to be an event going on at the resort at the same time we were there. It was an event for Japanese sponsors of Cebuano kids, a chance for the sponsors to meet the kids, and for both groups to show their appreciation for each other. I found myself crying yet again while the kids sang and performed for their sponsors. It was such a treat to watch!

It was pouring rain when we sat down for lunch, but the sun finally broke through shortly after we finished. We hopped into the pool and soaked up some rays. I took an extra long shower afterwards and felt really clean and relaxed, which was nice after all the business and bustle of our previous days. I feel like our trip to Cebu has given us such a range of experiences... From kinda scary at some points, to enjoying nature, to being stuck in the city bustle, to feeling pampered and relaxed... All of it was felt in these past few days!

It's been quite a ride and I can't believe we're leaving so soon!!!

Bohol adventures

At 5:45AM, we were already on a ferry departing from Cebu to the nearby island of Bohol. Somehow, I wasn't tired and we were excited for our sightseeing tour. It was bittersweet too. This was going to be one of our last little adventurous trips.

When we got to Bohol, we had to take a bus to Carmen, where our tour would begin. A couple of years ago Josh went to the Philippines and he got me this small, woven plate. The plate had a divider to separate rice and ulam. I used it to hold candles by my bed. It said "Philippine Rural Life" with a picture of a farmer riding on a carabao in the rice fields. When I had a yard sale before my trip, Josh saw this plate for sale, held it up and said, "Thanks, Lara." Hahaha! No one bought it either... Anyway, my point is, I thought of the scene depicted on this plate while staring out of the doorway (there was no door) on the bus we rode to Carmen. The greenery was so lush and pretty. People were tending to their land. I could have rode on that bus and stared out the window forever.

We found our tour guide, Bob and started on our way to Chocolate Hills. Dude. We are so lucky. Bob was such a nice tour guide and he was even funny! Our day was jam-packed with several different stops and sights to see on the island.

1. Chocolate Hills

2. Natural spring (forgot name...) But the water originates from this cave. We drank the fresh water too!

3. Magsaysay Park, where we fed monkeys.

4. Butterfly Sanctuary

5. Man-made Forest

6. The Hanging Bridge. Scary!

7. My favorite... lunch on a floating restaurant. It was so pretty and fun that I actually cried.

8. Visited the tarsiers. Cute little monkeys!!!

9. Clarin Ancestral House. The oldest house on Bohol.

10. Visited Prony the Python! (Yes, this is a real snake!)

11. The Blood Compact, where the Spanish and Boholanos made a pact of friendship.

12. Hagdanan Cave

13. Our final stop and resting point...

It was a long day touring around Bohol, but we got to see so many places and enjoy so much beauty! My face was dirty from riding on the motorcycle all day. My butt was also sore. We wolfed down some pizza at the mall after we finally got back around 8PM. This was definitely one of my favorite trips. We are so lucky that Marc + Shane referred us to our guide and this tour!!!