Because I’m a beach bum at heart, I keep a spare bikini, tank top, shorts and flip-flops in my trunk at all times. This emergency kit has helped to ensure that my depletion of vitamin D is non-existent. Now that there's no need for this kit, I wish I was back in southern California where I recently spent two weekends (during which time I complained that it was too hot and too sunny…I’m very temperature sensitive).
The first weekend I almost got killed on my way to a reggae boat cruise birthday bash. Note to self: The birthday girl should NEVER be the one in the driver’s seat.A crazy-Asian-stressed-out-female-driver behind the wheel is a big fat NO NO!
Minh-Ha, I understand that you needed to get on that boat, but honking your way through red lights at 70 miles per hour across busy intersections is only fun when you’re extremely drunk, which we weren’t yet. If the Long Beach fire department had been looking for a new recruit to drive their truck though, I’m sure you would have been their top choice. Calling people repetitively and screaming into your cell phone, “STALL the boat! STALL the boat!” was effective, yet life-threatening.
Yes, we made it, and yes, we rocked out to reggae, and yes, I was relieved that my mom didn’t have to learn of my death by reading the headline: Four Girls Die en route to Reggae Boat Cruise.The next morning Lissette and I crashed our first Vietnamexican wedding. Minhlan’s (Minhlan and Minh-Ha are sisters, so don’t mix up the Minh’s) best friend Kim’s wedding whom we had never met before, to be exact. Minh-Ha drove again, and we were late again. I was worried for Minh-Ha as a committee of three Vietnamese elders surrounded her after the ceremony. They were concerned that the direction of her bangs was not in accordance with the natural flow of her hair. The consensus of the elders was that if swept to the opposite side, it would be much more aesthetically pleasing for all. Shortly after, Minh-Ha said, “At my wedding, Minhlan’s sole job is to keep our parents away from me.”
Kim is Vietnamese and her new husband German is Mexican, so of course, the reception was held at a Chinese restaurant. A rarity for sure, a fiery Mexican woman who could speak and sing in fluent Vietnamese was the highlight of the reception, which also included a blaring Mexican band and a Vietnamese dancer dressed in traditional garb.
As I’d heard, everyone leaves right after the cake-cutting portion of the party at Vietnamese weddings, and this reception was no exception. With the first slice of the cake, all 200 guests wiped the lobster from their chins and left immediately. Minh-Ha managed to smuggle a slice and Lissette and I figured we’d try for a whole take out box since the entire cake had been deserted (minus two slices). The restaurant staff refused our request and so we tied them all up and took the cake hostage.
The second weekend I drove nine hours straight, from 9:30pm to 6:30am, to get to Carlsbad, just north of San Diego. That’s including the stop at Osha for Thai take-out to eat in the car, the hour I drove in the wrong direction, and the hour it took me to get back on track. Occasionally Lissette and Minhlan would wake up and ask me if I was awake. No, I wasn’t sleepdriving, except for the last half hour.
We finally arrived at Lynda and Alan’s new condo. (Another Vietnamese wedding in May! Couple, I am currently considering your request for me to be your wedding photographer. Just remember that I don’t really know what the hell I’m doing and that these photos need to last you a lifetime.) I got two hours of sleep before I had to wake up to spend over three hours at a spiritualist camp. I won’t reveal whose ideal that was, but I will reveal some of what I learned about my future after handing over 20 dollars for a 15-minute session: I have a great year ahead of me! I will be romantically involved with someone by Thanksgiving! I will eventually get married and have two kids! Etc. Etc. Etc! I could write a whole entry going off on this…but I’m too tired…so too bad!
Two of my crew were not satisfied with their first readings and so they each chose a second psychic to see (which is not recommended, perhaps because all of the psychics are spread out on the same lawn and feel betrayed if you flee to another, but they knew that’s what would happen, right?).
We then crashed at Encinitas Beach where Minhlan chased after the ice cream man in the parking lot for a Rocket Pop - the most physical activity she’s done in the past six months. Alan grilled up some delicious Korean BBQ back at the condo and then we met up with Ian for a beer at a bar…and that sums up half of the weekend, I’m getting really tired now. With my last burst of energy, all I have to say is that if you are ever in Mission Bay, you have to stop at a beachfront restaurant called World Famous. The baked nut-encrusted Brie with mango chutney is one of the best things I’ve ever had, especially when taken to-go, to eat right on the beach, with good friends, with a balmy breeze.
So San Francisco, lose the gloom or else I’m moving to SoCal!Photo 1: View from the Reggae Boat Cruise - Fishermen in Long Beach (photo by Aubrey)
Photo 2: Minh-Ha and Jona-fun at the birthday post-party (photo by Lissette?)
Photo 3: Minhlan holding Kim’s wedding dress train at the house ceremony (photo by Lissette)
Photo 4: Me in Alan’s highlighter yellow/green-colored ’79 BMW 2002 – it has a panoramic view. Love it. Want it. Now. He keeps his company car, a Chrysler Crossfire, parked on the street while his baby rests in the garage (photo by Alan)
Photo 5: Our hosts at the coast – Lynda and Alan (photo by Aubrey)
Photo 6: Minhlan and Lissette - Minhlan listens to Depeche Mode’s “Personal Jesus” a little too often...reach out (photo by Aubrey)
Photo 7: Sunset from Alan and Lynda’s patio (photo by Aubrey)
2 comments:
You, doing wedding photography? Anyway, this Alan dude looks kinda like me in sunglasses.
I'm multi-talented like that. No, seriously, they're so laid back about the whole wedding thing that they asked a complete amateur to take some of the most important pictures of their new life together.
Anyways, it's more like you look kinda like this Alan dude when wearing sunglasses...on a good day : o
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