OBB Weekly - 1-22-19
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." - Martin Luther King Jr.
Every time you turn on the news, do you feel it's often depressing by the terrible things that people do? Or even reading your social media feed, why do the good people you call friends fall victim to unexplainable acts? Does it make you angry? Sad? Motivated?
Our current President wants to exclude and divide, while I have been raised to believe that America loves and accepts all. My parents are immigrants, as majority of us are or are descendants of one. Had they not immigrated and taken advantage of the land of opportunity, I wouldn't be writing with the same perspective today. With yesterday being Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday and Oakland-native Kamala Harris announcing her running for President in 2020, it is time to fight back and make changes with love.
Heading quickly into the month of love and Valentine's Day cards and candy already stocked on shelves at your local supermarket, here are some things that have embraced change that people love.
Sadly, I have a friend and fellow blogger that I have not yet met IRL (in real life) that was scared when President Trump was elected. He lives in the South and it seemed the white supremacists came out full force. Threatening and rallying pamphlets and flyers were distributed and I feared for him. You must have seen the crazy, multiple videos on social media of open acts of racism recorded in public places! How about the recording of a mother not wanting her child to play with another kid at the public park because of the color of her skin. I have seen many videos of verbal altercations between shoppers at a grocery store and orders to 'go back to their country.' I recall one even taken place in Daly City, the city where this 100% Filipina was born. That's US territory, FYI. This Pinay visited the South last summer and I was pleased.
Not to say there isn't still work to do, a lot has changed since the days of slavery. It made me feel extremely uncomfortable to walk the grounds and see the slave quarters were, then take a tour of the grand Boone Hall Plantation. I was with my 12-year-old nephew and he is half Filipino and half white. Though a sad place to be and he is now immersed in the South as a resident of North Carolina, I hope he can see that times have changed for the better and he supports further progress. We also toured Charleston, South Carolina and had a spontaneous trip to Savannah, Georgia. Besides good food, that Southern Hospitality is very real. For an area and people with so many scars, it's astounding at the level of warmth and welcome we received. I am a big fan. We didn't get to visit Atlanta but after all, tomorrow is another day.
Do you travel to places specifically for its historical significance?
Did you have a physical or emotional reaction when you did?
If so, what was that like?
"What should we do? Where should we go?" This was a constant question from hotel guests at the Argonaut Hotel in San Francisco to me as a Concierge. My response was a rapid fire of questions to help me narrow down an endless number of options. I would sometimes go into describing the different neighborhoods and what to expect. Rebuilding after the 1906 earthquake and again from the 1989 earthquake, the city has gone thru some changes. Long before the tech companies built bullet-shaped (or however you interpret it) buildings downtown, the Summer of Love in 1967 brought young folks from all over the world. I would always suggest the SF Love Tours for an intimate city tour in a VW Love Bus. It's a groovy experience. I would definitely mention to guests of the Haight & Ashbury. Some hippies had political agendas and were against the Vietnam War, some hippies came for the music and art and/or both. But it was about love. That love was brought back to their cities, states, countries and invoked change. San Francisco and the Bay Area is definitely a city where change can start. Thank you Oakland's own, Kamala Harris.
What city have you been to that embraces its history but was nothing like you imagined before arriving?
What kind of cultures or traditions have you brought back home with you?
There is nothing like same-sex marriage that goes hand-in-hand with change and love. Am I right? Or am I right? As a Wedding Planner, and one that has yet to work with an LGBTQ couple, I am in love with the amount of fierce support and persistence for it to be legal. Permanently. Having a total fear of commitment, it was so hot and cold for a minute but thankfully, California now offers same-sex marriages since June 28, 2013.
Were you always pro same-sex marriage?
If not, what made you change your mind?
"You have a good appetite!" says my Papa Bear on my most recent visit to Maui for the Hawai'i Food and Wine Festival. I was trying not to take that as "Oh, Sweetheart, you're getting fat." My Lola on the other hand would say it without hesitation and a smile. What can I say? I love to eat. And I love to eat well. But I also need to change my eating habits if I am going to see major changes during this bodybuilding.com #BBComChallengeSeries fitness challenge. I am on my 9th month of doing #MeatlessMondays and I even tried going vegan two days a week for two months. I decided to stop the vegan efforts as I was going thru the sickness of my Bevo, my Boston Terrier. He actually ended up passing away the following day and I wouldn't have been able to go thru the stress of thinking about what I can and cannot consume (if anything) as I was just trying to keep it together emotionally. You can change what you put in your body for the love of your body, then it's crazy how the love and loss for your long-time companion and heartbreak can make you avoid food entirely. Just remember to love what you do, know that change is inevitable and possible and know that beignet isn't going to eat itself. Plus, it's not as tasty the next day. Seize the beignet!
What diet changes have you made this new year to help love yourself more?
Been to Cafe du Monde in New Orleans?
Did you go twice in one trip? Guilty.
I'm still thinking about those beignets. Aren't you? I am also still thinking about how much I am going to love the list of accomplishments from 2019. I have my list of goals for 2019 published, I am back to hitting the gym or being active at least six days a week post-half marathon, I have a plan to eat better (less the beignets), I have revived my Stella & Dot business and am working with my coach and I have to do my part to get some changes made in next election. Along the way, I am hoping to make this motivation contagious. It does make me even more motivated when friends tell me that I have inspired them. Thank you, Girls!
Inspired? Looking to meet other like-minded women? I am picking up my Women Wednesday events but it has to be in the Palo Alto area as my day job is now located there. Join us on Wednesday, January 31st at 7:30 PM at NOLA Restaurant. Contact me if you'd like to join! Limited seating available. Not hosted.
Every time you turn on the news, do you feel it's often depressing by the terrible things that people do? Or even reading your social media feed, why do the good people you call friends fall victim to unexplainable acts? Does it make you angry? Sad? Motivated?
Our current President wants to exclude and divide, while I have been raised to believe that America loves and accepts all. My parents are immigrants, as majority of us are or are descendants of one. Had they not immigrated and taken advantage of the land of opportunity, I wouldn't be writing with the same perspective today. With yesterday being Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday and Oakland-native Kamala Harris announcing her running for President in 2020, it is time to fight back and make changes with love.
Heading quickly into the month of love and Valentine's Day cards and candy already stocked on shelves at your local supermarket, here are some things that have embraced change that people love.
 |
| Share the Love - Stella & Dot |
TRAVEL
Sadly, I have a friend and fellow blogger that I have not yet met IRL (in real life) that was scared when President Trump was elected. He lives in the South and it seemed the white supremacists came out full force. Threatening and rallying pamphlets and flyers were distributed and I feared for him. You must have seen the crazy, multiple videos on social media of open acts of racism recorded in public places! How about the recording of a mother not wanting her child to play with another kid at the public park because of the color of her skin. I have seen many videos of verbal altercations between shoppers at a grocery store and orders to 'go back to their country.' I recall one even taken place in Daly City, the city where this 100% Filipina was born. That's US territory, FYI. This Pinay visited the South last summer and I was pleased.
Not to say there isn't still work to do, a lot has changed since the days of slavery. It made me feel extremely uncomfortable to walk the grounds and see the slave quarters were, then take a tour of the grand Boone Hall Plantation. I was with my 12-year-old nephew and he is half Filipino and half white. Though a sad place to be and he is now immersed in the South as a resident of North Carolina, I hope he can see that times have changed for the better and he supports further progress. We also toured Charleston, South Carolina and had a spontaneous trip to Savannah, Georgia. Besides good food, that Southern Hospitality is very real. For an area and people with so many scars, it's astounding at the level of warmth and welcome we received. I am a big fan. We didn't get to visit Atlanta but after all, tomorrow is another day.
Do you travel to places specifically for its historical significance?
Did you have a physical or emotional reaction when you did?
If so, what was that like?
CONCIERGE
"What should we do? Where should we go?" This was a constant question from hotel guests at the Argonaut Hotel in San Francisco to me as a Concierge. My response was a rapid fire of questions to help me narrow down an endless number of options. I would sometimes go into describing the different neighborhoods and what to expect. Rebuilding after the 1906 earthquake and again from the 1989 earthquake, the city has gone thru some changes. Long before the tech companies built bullet-shaped (or however you interpret it) buildings downtown, the Summer of Love in 1967 brought young folks from all over the world. I would always suggest the SF Love Tours for an intimate city tour in a VW Love Bus. It's a groovy experience. I would definitely mention to guests of the Haight & Ashbury. Some hippies had political agendas and were against the Vietnam War, some hippies came for the music and art and/or both. But it was about love. That love was brought back to their cities, states, countries and invoked change. San Francisco and the Bay Area is definitely a city where change can start. Thank you Oakland's own, Kamala Harris.
What city have you been to that embraces its history but was nothing like you imagined before arriving?
What kind of cultures or traditions have you brought back home with you?
EVENT PLANNER
There is nothing like same-sex marriage that goes hand-in-hand with change and love. Am I right? Or am I right? As a Wedding Planner, and one that has yet to work with an LGBTQ couple, I am in love with the amount of fierce support and persistence for it to be legal. Permanently. Having a total fear of commitment, it was so hot and cold for a minute but thankfully, California now offers same-sex marriages since June 28, 2013.
Were you always pro same-sex marriage?
If not, what made you change your mind?
FOOD
"You have a good appetite!" says my Papa Bear on my most recent visit to Maui for the Hawai'i Food and Wine Festival. I was trying not to take that as "Oh, Sweetheart, you're getting fat." My Lola on the other hand would say it without hesitation and a smile. What can I say? I love to eat. And I love to eat well. But I also need to change my eating habits if I am going to see major changes during this bodybuilding.com #BBComChallengeSeries fitness challenge. I am on my 9th month of doing #MeatlessMondays and I even tried going vegan two days a week for two months. I decided to stop the vegan efforts as I was going thru the sickness of my Bevo, my Boston Terrier. He actually ended up passing away the following day and I wouldn't have been able to go thru the stress of thinking about what I can and cannot consume (if anything) as I was just trying to keep it together emotionally. You can change what you put in your body for the love of your body, then it's crazy how the love and loss for your long-time companion and heartbreak can make you avoid food entirely. Just remember to love what you do, know that change is inevitable and possible and know that beignet isn't going to eat itself. Plus, it's not as tasty the next day. Seize the beignet!
 |
| Parish Café, Healdsburg, California |
 |
| The Blue Mermaid, San Francisco, California |
 |
| Greens Restaurant, San Francisco, California |
 |
Been to Cafe du Monde in New Orleans?
Did you go twice in one trip? Guilty.
MOTIVATION
I'm still thinking about those beignets. Aren't you? I am also still thinking about how much I am going to love the list of accomplishments from 2019. I have my list of goals for 2019 published, I am back to hitting the gym or being active at least six days a week post-half marathon, I have a plan to eat better (less the beignets), I have revived my Stella & Dot business and am working with my coach and I have to do my part to get some changes made in next election. Along the way, I am hoping to make this motivation contagious. It does make me even more motivated when friends tell me that I have inspired them. Thank you, Girls!
Inspired? Looking to meet other like-minded women? I am picking up my Women Wednesday events but it has to be in the Palo Alto area as my day job is now located there. Join us on Wednesday, January 31st at 7:30 PM at NOLA Restaurant. Contact me if you'd like to join! Limited seating available. Not hosted.
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Instagram - @onebusybeeent - @bappletree - @werehungrytoo - @bevotheboston
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