Land of Entrapment: Our New Mexican Adventure

This post is 3 years late but I blame a global pandemic on why I didn’t feel like writing about my February 2020 trip. Back then I didn’t want to think about anything remotely related to travel, isolation orders in full effect. We made it home to Canada right before the borders closed and quarantine began. Unfortunately we were only able to visit Northern New Mexico since we only had a week. I already can’t wait to visit the southern part.

The state’s nickname is the “Land of Enchantment” but the joke is that it should really be “Entrapment” because once you visit, you understand why this place would make you want to stay permanently (like Georgia O’Keefe, Julia Roberts and George R.R. Martin).

Before I get into the trip highlights, I have to admit that New Mexico had never been high on my travel wish list. In fact, if it weren’t for my husband’s ties to the state, I never would’ve gone. His mom’s family can trace their roots all the way back to before New Mexico became a part of the US, when it was part of, well, Mexico. It seemed fitting that we go for our 10-year anniversary trip.

We flew from Toronto to Albuquerque and the first sight that greets you from the airport are the Sandia Mountains. They’re just hypnotizing to look at. You already feel like you’ve entered a magical place. Then we rented the most obnoxious red pickup truck ever. Apparently it’s a must since we were driving to Taos and Santa Fe.

Since my husband’s family on his mom’s side is from here, we visited the cemetery where his grandma is buried. I was blown away by the absolutely gorgeous backdrop of the Sandia Mountains the ancestors have in their final resting place. After paying our respects, we hit the road and watched as desert landscape turned into snowy scenery. Only in New Mexico can you go from sand to snow in a few hours.

Highly recommend taking the High Road to Taos. The scenic byway is breathtaking. You don’t even need to get out of your car to get a glimpse of amazing views. But you actually should plan to get out if only to see the historic churches and visit the tiny villages along the way.

After taking in all that history, we arrived at our accommodations in Taos: Hotel Luna Mystica, a vintage trailer hotel and campground right on the Mesa. You NEED to stay here. The trailers are all fully renovated and contain everything you’d need to have a lovely stay (full-size bed, kitchenette, common area, shower and bathroom). I’d love to come back to take over the entire place with family and friends.

After our stay in Taos, we started to make our way to Santa Fe but not before stopping at Ojo Caliente Resort Spa. Their hot mineral springs are one of the oldest natural health resorts in the country and the only hot springs in the world with four different sulfur-free, healing mineral waters. It was so relaxing to soak in the thermal baths surrounded by amazing vistas. Helpful tip: drink lots of water. I didn’t drink nearly enough and coupled with the high altitude, I ended up briefly passing out later in the day. But in my defence, I was very relaxed when it happened.

After I regained consciousness, we continued our drive and arrived in Santa Fe. We stayed in Hotel Santa Fe, the only Native American-owned hotel there. Now, I’m unsure of the lived reality of Native Americans in New Mexico but from an outside observer, Indigenous art and culture are displayed prominently everywhere you go, from overpass bridges to statues in front of churches to entire museums. We should all take a page out of their book and find ways to feature the indigenous communities on whose land we are on. We visited the Museum of Contemporary Native Arts in Santa Fe and based on the impressive installations, the future of Native American art is very bright.

When it comes to art in general, Santa Fe is the city for artists of all mediums. The entire city itself is an art piece and it’s pretty walkable. Our hotel conveniently offered a shuttle to drive you downtown and back again. We took full advantage and spent our days exploring the town square, colourful streets, many artisan shops, restaurants and yes, churches and museums.

A few days weren’t enough to get our fill so we definitely plan on coming back. It snowed while we were there, and it wasn’t just a light dusting either but it did make for a pretty ristra, an arrangement of drying chile peppers. This brings me to an essential topic to discuss when it comes to New Mexico: the Hatch chile. “Red or green?” is the “official state question,” and one you’ll get when you visit and order food. It refers to the color of your chile preference, even though it’s the same chile, just harvested at various stages. My husband is a red fan and I’m partial to green myself but why choose when you can get “Christmas”, aka both. Whenever you eat out, you can’t go wrong ordering anything smothered in either sauce. Just do me a favour and eat as many green chile cheeseburgers as your trip allows.

Our last stop in our New Mexican adventure was Meow Wolf. To describe it as a museum or an interactive art exhibit would be selling it short. It is an experience that you absolutely must have. Words won’t do it justice so I won’t even try. Pictures can show you glimpses but you really have to go in-person.

I could wax poetry about New Mexico for days, a lot of authors have, and this is just with me visiting three towns. I can’t wait to explore even more of this beautiful place. I have a feeling it will eventually end up trapping me and not letting go.

Honeymooning in the Philippines

I count myself lucky that one of the most popular honeymoon destinations in the world just so happens to be the country I’m from. It seems like a no-brainer that for our honeymoon we’d choose the Philippines but we actually considered going back to Europe or other Asian countries like Japan or Singapore. I’ll admit I was the one who needed convincing since I grew up in the Philippines and thought we should go someplace new. I’m very grateful we did end up going to my birth country because it was an unforgettable experience that balanced family time with alone time.

One thing to note is with the Philippines being an archipelago of seven thousand plus islands, there is no shortage of picturesque destinations to choose from. For the first part of our honeymoon, that choice was made for us since my mother’s side of the family was having a reunion in Palawan.

Specifically, we went to Coron and it is the most beautiful place I’ve ever been to in the world. They take nature preservation very seriously (no plastic allowed on any of the island hopping tours) so you get pristine white sand beaches, crystal clear turquoise waters and cotton candy pink sunsets. If paradise could exist on earth, it probably would be Coron.

We went snorkelling and island hopping, we swam in several lagoons and beaches as well as swimming pools. I’m thankful that my husband’s first trip to the Philippines started out being surrounded by 20 members of my loud, funny and generous Filipino family. We ate all our meals together, needed a big van to take us everywhere and even all got sick together, it was the ultimate family reunion.

After Palawan, I also got to spend time with my dad and his side of the family. We went to the cutest bed and breakfast in Tagaytay, a popular holiday town near Manila. I say “near” but with traffic, it can take almost 3 hours to get there. But it was the perfect corner for relaxing and recharging after being constantly on the go in Coron.

I also wanted Keith to experience Metro Manila so we spent a few more days there. Our base was the Shangri-La in Bonifacio Global City (BGC). We had the best time exploring all the shops and restaurants around.

Finally it was time for the second half of our honeymoon, this time just the two of us. We chose Panglao, Bohol as the island we’d go to and we stayed in Amorita Resort.

From the warm hospitality to the eco-friendly products to the complimentary sunset cocktails, we highly recommend Amorita to anyone going to Bohol. The service was impeccable and the amenities were lovely. We couldn’t have chosen a better honeymoon hotel.

There’s also a lot to see outside of the resort and we went on a guided tour of Bohol by car. The major sites are close to one another so we only needed a day to see them all. If you’re pressed for time, the two must-sees are the Chocolate Hills and the tarsiers. But make sure you go to the Corella Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary and not the other more touristy one (Loboc Conservation) that doesn’t actually respect the specific needs of this endangered species.

After we explored Bohol, the rest of our stay was spent enjoying each other’s company in our villa with private pool, lounging in the resort’s two infinity pools, getting massages in their spa and indulging in amazing meals from their Spanish tapas restaurant.

We were super sad to leave this heavenly resort and our only consolation was telling ourselves that we would eventually be back someday…back to Amorita and definitely back to the Philippines.

What Happens in Vegas…

As 2019 comes to an end, I’ve been looking back at my year and realizing just how much I’ve travelled. I covered San Francisco but hesitated to write about my trip to Vegas because of the saying in this post’s title. I’ve since come to the conclusion that it was just too great of a trip not to share. Please note though that I’m strictly sticking to the scenic highlights and deliberately omitting all the juicy anecdotes.

When people say Vegas is the premier bachelorette party destination, this cannot be more true. As soon as you land, you will see crowns, sashes, matching shirts and accessories to distinguish the bachelorette posses from the other kinds of tourists that come to Sin City. We were no different and we embraced it wholeheartedly.

Without further ado, here are the must-hit milestones of a successful Vegas bachelorette party:

1. Visit the Grand Canyon

While Vegas is actually not at all close to this natural marvel, you absolutely need to go. There is nothing like seeing the canyon in person. Check this off your bucket list. Just make sure you don’t party too hard the night before you’ve planned to hike the canyon and that you double check that everyone is accounted for prior to leaving for the 10-hour round trip drive.

2. Explore the Strip

Even if you have no interest in gambling, there is an insane amount of things to see in Vegas. You can leave your hotel, walk the Strip on one side and have a completely different experience on the way back to your hotel walking on that same side. You don’t even need to spend money, you can just check out all of the hotels’ elaborate decor or watch the fountain and lights shows that change every day.

Even if you spend a month there, you will not run out of activities. Case in point: in the hotel we were staying at, they had an Avengers Exhibition that was right up my nerdy alley.

3. Catch a show (or two or three)

I cannot reiterate this point enough: Vegas has something for everyone and that also applies to shows. From the Cirque to Céline, there is a show for you so plan to watch at least one or one per night if you really want to take full advantage. Another thing to keep in mind is that even though you may already have seen a certain artist perform on tour in your hometown, their Vegas show will be completely different because it’s Vegas, baby! Everything needs to be bigger and better. We went to Aussie Heat (mandatory for a bachelorette), Opium (super fun and creative) and were lucky enough to be at the Backstreet Boys’ last show during their residency (dream come true for our teenage selves).

4. Splurge on food

As a foodie, Vegas was fabulous. Their restaurants are over the top and the food is actually good. Two standouts are Tao, with an entrance that has bathtubs filled with flower petals and candles, and Brunch at The Bellagio, with their bottomless mimosas accompanied by a perfect view of the fountains. Don’t worry though, we balanced out the bougie by going to Denny’s for breakfast.

5. Party like a rock star

As a female tourist in Vegas, you can’t walk two feet without a promoter inviting you to a party, promising booze, booths and boys. Lucky for us, we had all that covered via the bride’s highly connected sister-in-law. She took our Vegas partying to the next level. I’m talking limo ride, a night with the Chainsmokers at XS and a day with David Guetta at Encore’s Pool Party complete with line by-pass and no cover. Even without the hookups, you can still party just as hard but you might need to wait in line more.

I have a lot more stories and inside jokes from this trip but what I am really taking away is that we celebrated a wonderful bride and I got to know and bonded with a great group of girls. It’s a shame we all live so far away from each other but we will always have Vegas 2019.

Krypto, our Superdog

Being a pet parent means getting thousands of good days with your pet and then having that one horrible day. Unfortunately our bad day came on June 24th. How fitting that it was on a Monday.

We had a senior dog, so it wasn’t as if we thought he would live forever. Although to be honest, I didn’t even want to entertain the notion that we would ever lose him. I would talk to my husband about Krypto as if he would outlive us and he would look at me worriedly, dreading the time my delusion would be proven wrong.

It has to be said that Krypto’s time with us was bookended by me crying. Of course, I cried (so much) the day we had to let him go but I also cried the day we got him. I should clarify that actually, Keith got him without telling me. I arrived home from work one day and heard a dog barking. I thought he was dog-sitting but then he told me that he saw an ad on Kijiji and knew that was our dog. I burst into tears out of anger at him for going behind my back, out of worry if we were actually ready for a dog and out of being overwhelmed since I had always wanted a dog my entire life. So there I was, sitting on our couch crying, when Krypto hops up right beside me and lays his head on my lap. And that’s when I knew that Keith was right. He was our dog.

Don’t get me wrong, it was far from sunshine and rainbows with Krypto. As with most rescue dogs, we don’t really know what happened to him before we got him so he did display some aggressive behaviour at times. His way of greeting other dogs was to try and hump them immediately which doesn’t go over well. In fact, he made a life-long nemesis in the boxer from our apartment building who had a bad back that he greeted in this manner. Plus he shed A LOT. He shed to the point that we eventually gave up fighting it and just had to accept that fur would be a permanent part of our decor.

Mostly though, he was very sweet, especially with me. His foster family told Keith that Krypto was more fond of men so he got super excited and thought they would be best friends. But right after we got him, Keith had to leave for a long weekend to go to a comic convention. During those 4 days, Krypto and I bonded and when Keith returned, he immediately sensed that he was now the odd man out in this relationship.

As cliché as this sounds, it’s the simple truth: Krypto saved us as much or even more than we saved him. We discovered parts of our neighbourhood that we didn’t even know existed during walks with him. He was the therapy dog we needed for my anxiety and depression and Keith’s bi-polar disorder. He even helped improve our relationship. He would bark whenever we fought too loudly and forced us to talk it out instead.

There are so many memories that go through my mind when I think of him, mostly food-related, like one winter when he somehow found a frozen Egg McMuffin in the snow and had it in his mouth vertically, propping it open like a hockey puck or the time I made scones, left the parchment paper hanging off the edge of the counter and he waited until we were out of the room to pull on it, stole a scone from the floor and rushed away to eat it. Too many to mention and somehow words are not enough to truly convey how he impacted us.

He was 8 when we got him so he was about to turn 12 in August. Like I mentioned, he was a senior dog but he definitely displayed puppy-like tendencies with his new lease on life. He mostly slept during the day and saved up his energy for when I got home from work and the weekends. He was part of our routine and became part of our family.

We were a trio and now that he’s gone, we feel very much lost. We thought we had more time with him. He got extremely sick super quickly and his body couldn’t fight the infection off. When it came down to making that awful decision, I took one look at him and knew we had to say goodbye. As hard as it was, we had to be there every step of the way. I was not prepared with how much this hurts. The grieving continues and I don’t think this hurt ever really goes away. But hopefully, with time, it will lessen.

Krypto gave us 1,413 love-filled days. And yes, even if his last day was the worst day, I’m still counting it. All the way until the end, and even now, we can still feel his love for us.

To Krypto, our beloved Superdog, thank you for everything. We’ll always love you!

Golden Gate Gals Trip

I’ve been wanting to post for awhile now but life just gets in the way. I swear I’ll post about our wedding but for now, I need to share my most recent trip to San Francisco. It was my first time in the west coast and now I totally get why California calls to people. Two of my closest girlfriends go on annual trips together and they thankfully let me crash this year’s.

Work had been super busy after the wedding and my anxiety turned into full-blown depression to the point where my body was tired all the time. I was mentally checked out, moody and irritated. This vacation couldn’t have come at a better time. It snapped me out of the state I was in. I felt energized during and when I got back.

It was an amazing trip, made even more memorable by seeing my aunt, uncle and youngest cousin. They live in San Mateo and they were generous enough to take us around to the best places. There’s nothing like discovering a new city with the help of locals.

Without further ado, here are my top 10 recommendations for your first trip to San Francisco:

1. It might seem counterintuitive but the first thing we did was get out of the city to go to Napa! I don’t even like wine however I apparently enjoy wine tastings and visiting the vineyards.

2. Hug a tree! It’s really worth planning a trip to Muir Woods. You’re immediately transported to another world and there are different trails depending on whether you’re just walking for an hour or longer.

3. Take in the whole city from Twin Peaks. If you really wanna see the city by the bay from a cool vantage point then make the drive to the second tallest peak in the city (after Mt. Davidson).

4. Taste the rainbow in The Castro neighbourhood. You definitely won’t be able to miss its rainbow flags. In addition to all the restaurants, bars and shops, there’s also reminders everywhere that celebrate the queer community.

5. Speaking of The Castro, while you’re in the area, do brunch right and eat the best bacon in the city. Much of our trip revolved around food and breakfast being the most important meal of the day was no exception. I highly recommend trying the millionaire’s bacon from Kitchen Story.

6. Spend some time in Ghirardelli Square. There’s more than just chocolate here with tons of restaurants, unique shops and fun activities to do such as an indoor mini golf course!

7. Swoon over all the Victorian houses. I’ve honestly never seen prettier houses in my life. Everywhere you turn, there’s another colourful house you can’t afford. We saw The Painted Ladies and they sure are gorgeous but if you can’t make your way to them, just literally look at any of the other beautiful houses on almost every corner.

8. Stop by Union Square to witness the hustle and bustle of downtown San Francisco. Lots of shopping to be had plus there’s a long line for the cable cars. I suggest skipping that and just getting the best boba from Boba Guys.

9. Sample some of the best sushi you’ll ever have. Most likely due to its proximity to Japan and the sizeable Japanese population that lives there (we went to Japantown), but man the sushi in San Fran is next level good. Plus the ramen is super yummy too!

10. Go watch the sea lions at Pier 39. Ok, so that might only take ten minutes of your day but the rest of it you can spend exploring all around Fisherman’s Wharf. You can eat chowder out of a bread bowl from Boudin or buy souvenirs from the local shops. There’s also a pretty sweet view of Alcatraz. It’s just a great way to spend a sunny day.

Notable mentions: We also went to Lombard Street, Palace of Fine Arts and of course, the Golden Gate Bridge.

From Anxiety to Yoga: Thoughts on work-life balance, self-care & therapy

It has been months since I have written anything but now is a good a time as any for a little update. A lot has happened in the past few months: I started a new position at work, I was a bridesmaid for a close friend’s destination wedding, I lost my paternal grandmother and had to fly to the Philippines for her funeral and wedding planning went from 0 to 100 (real quick). The wedding has now come and gone. Fall is here and with the changing of the seasons comes a time for reflection.

Ever since I switched positions at work in March, my anxiety has been at an all-time high. Overwhelmed, nervous to the point of tears and exhausted, I dreaded every Monday and lived for the weekends. It wasn’t like my workload was too much for me to handle. My bosses kept telling me what a good job I was doing, but day in and day out, I was just down on myself. At certain moments in my life, I’ve experienced this and it’s always during periods of transition. My parents’ divorce, when we first came to Canada and I had to learn French, when I switched majors in university, when I graduated and couldn’t find a job for months…and now, those same feelings had returned.

Little things would just paralyze me. Like if I’m running late and I know I’m going to miss the subway that comes to my station at a certain time and that is for some reason always emptier than all the others, I would just sit in my kitchen in tears thinking the whole day was ruined. On Sunday afternoons, my mood would start to turn and I would become depressed and make myself sick with worry sometimes to the point of actually calling in sick the next day just to avoid going to work. But then that would make things worse because not only did I waste a sick day, but I also just put myself behind at work. I would snap at Keith and be irritable. Sometimes the anxiety would turn into numbness or extreme anger.

This continued on for a few months, until finally Keith suggested I seek professional help. It was not the first time he’s told me to talk to someone. Admittedly, I was wary of counselling. It had negative connotations in my mind, which in hindsight is absolutely unfounded and ridiculous. There was also the fact that I had always been better writing down how I felt than talking about it.  But I knew I couldn’t go on hating waking up in the morning. So I told my family doctor how I was feeling, this time being brutally honest, because last time I downplayed just how bad it was and she referred me to a social worker.

At first, I was super skeptical about the cognitive behavioural therapy complete with matching workbook to accompany my journey, but I kept at it. My social worker made me realize what exactly was going on in with my thoughts, emotions and how that was affecting my behaviour. She gave me ways to improve my mental health and tips on how to handle my anxiety attacks. Most importantly, she taught me not to be too hard on myself during setbacks and that this was not a perfect trajectory. There will always be waves and it will never just be calm seas ahead but that the trick is to work on not letting the waves become tsunamis.

I tried to keep a bullet journal which worked for a few months and was useful for tracking my mood, but fell by the wayside since I couldn’t keep up the daily routine of writing in it. I still have it as an option if ever I need to use it again. It also helps that I have a dog, since he forces me to go outside and walk. He cuddles me when I’m feeling down. I can never resist the chance to mention my dog.

I discovered yoga. I know, I know, it sounds so basic. But cliche or not, it works for me. The mindful meditation part helps my mind from spiralling out into anxious thoughts and the deliberate physical actions give me energy. As an added bonus, since I suffer from inexplicable, occasional vertigo attacks, yoga has also improved my balance so I get less of them. I even completed my first 30 days of yoga challenge.

Keith has been very supportive throughout this whole time. He came with me to pick up a yoga mat and some cute outfits. He actively listens whenever I share with him what my realizations from my sessions with my social worker. He understands completely what I’m going through since he has bi-polar disorder. I am so grateful I have a loving husband (it’s still weird to say that) to go through this with.

It’ll always be a work in progress, but I am happy to report that my anxiety has been more manageable that it has ever been. It’s funny because work has only increased in volume and complexity and I’m staying later than ever these days, except now, after having gone to therapy, completing my workbook and practicing yoga, I have the tools to cope with my mood. Instead of feeling defeated, I feel confident that I can handle whatever comes my way. I also make sure to take the time for myself not only during the weekends but weeknights too, whether it be with a nice meal, after-work drinks, a good book or even just a face mask.

There are still difficult days, like last night, I was so tired from finishing work late, I’m battling a cold and I had a party to go to, it was just a lot, so I started crying on the streetcar. Tears were streaming down my face uncontrollably, but instead of being embarrassed, letting it consume me to the point that I would turn back, go home and feel depressed the entire weekend, I just let myself cry. I let myself feel sad and exhausted, leaning on Keith’s shoulder for support, reflecting, working through my thoughts, using what I had learned. Then when our stop neared, I took a deep breath like they teach you in yoga classes, wiped my tears away and had a great night with my friends.

The Best Christmas Gift I’ve Ever Received

Since Christmas is only a few weeks away, I thought I would write about the best Christmas gift I have ever received: Hamilton tickets! Last year, my boyfriend surprised me with tickets to the amazing musical in Chicago. Here’s my recap/review with as few Hamilton inside references as possible.

Our love affair with Hamilton started when we saw Lin-Manuel Miranda perform the opening number at the 2016 Grammys. I was mostly watching for Kendrick Lamar. Keith hates award shows so he was tuned out. Then they cut to the Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York and from the very first beat, we were captivated. Keith downloaded and listened to the album on Spotify the following week and tried to get me to listen as well, but I was being my usual stubborn self whenever he would recommend things. Finally, during a particularly boring subway ride, I relented and agreed to listen to “My Shot”, which was super impressive, but it wasn’t until “The Schuyler Sisters” that I fell head over heels.

There have been so many articles that have showered well-deserved praise over the lyrics, the music, the characters, the story, the set design, the choreography, the cast, so I don’t have to do all that here. I simply want to share my experience seeing Hamilton live in the CIBC Theatre formerly the PrivateBank Theatre in Chicago.

We live in Toronto, Canada, so New York and Chicago were the two obvious choices to see Hamilton. According to Keith, Hamilton NYC tickets were still even more impossible to get so he decided on trying his luck with Chicago. He scored tickets but then had to exchange them when I booked my trip to the Philippines for my maternal grandparents’ 50^th wedding anniversary. We decided to make a trip out of it as well since I had never been to Chicago, plus I had family there. A week before we were supposed to go, my dad called from the Philippines with bad news. My paternal grandfather had just passed away. Luckily I was able to work it all out, make it home in time for the funeral and back in time for Chicago.

I remember feeling so hyped but also a bit nervous as we made our way to the room where it happens. I had listened to the cast recording so many times and I have stalked the original Broadway cast on social media and I built it up so much in my head that there was just no way it could ever deliver, right? I am happy to report that it met and even surpassed my highest expectations. Hamilton on stage is a masterpiece. Before I get into the specifics, I’ll start with general thoughts for those of you who know next to nothing about the musical.

I fully believe that Hamilton is a musical for everyone and how lucky are we to be alive right now. It’s for people who love musicals and those who can’t stand them. It’s for fans of hip-hop and history. It’s for the ones that can afford the hefty price tag and the ones that win the Hamilton lottery for two tickets at $10 each. The songs are catchy, the lyrics are clever and the story will suck you in and refuse to let go until the inevitable standing ovation. Most importantly, it’s a musical that reflects America’s diversity. Representation matters and by casting Hamilton with actors of colour, a powerful message is being sent. As I write this, the West End production just had its premiere and I am ecstatic that two out of the three Schuyler sisters are Filipino! Plus the fact that women play such a big part in the story is the cherry on top.

Going back to the Chicago production we saw, the cast was phenomenal. Every single one of them sang and acted their asses off. Miguel Cervantes was a great Hamilton, so sure of himself as the actual Hamilton most likely was. Our Burr was Gregory Treco and he absolutely slayed it. He commanded the stage every time he was on. King George was too funny. Since a few actors play two characters, it’s natural to compare their performances. Chris De’Sean Lee was a good Lafayette but a better Jefferson. The Sisters were awesome and my favourite was definitely Aubin Wise as Peggy/Maria.

As for the theatre, we found it super convenient to get to and it’s very pretty. We were sitting in the mezzanine – right circle, row J, seat 320 and 322. Even though we weren’t that close to the stage, we loved our seats because it allowed us to see the full genius of the choreography. I need to see it again because I’m sure I missed things.

For souvenirs, I had to get a Schuyler Sisters shirt and Keith got one with the Chicago flag on it, even though he’s from St. Louis and he hates the Cubs. That’s how much he enjoyed Hamilton Chicago.

Now I wouldn’t go so far as to recommend mortgaging your house to get tickets, but definitely if you have the chance to see any production of Hamilton, do not throw away your shot. I will forever be grateful to have had the opportunity to see it live and we’re already on the waiting list for when Hamilton comes to Toronto.

For more about our Chicago trip and my recommendations, check out my post on the Windy City.

Our Whirlwind Trip to the Windy City

Alternative title to this post: How to Spend 1 ½ days in Chicago

I suppose I should begin with our main reason for going to the Windy City in September 2017: Hamilton. Yes, my friends, the best future husband ever gifted me with the golden ticket last Christmas. While I found it hard to wait nearly a year for the show, it must’ve been much harder on Keith who had to endure me constantly counting down or saying, “I don’t care about (insert whatever we were discussing here). I only care about making it to Hamilton, after which, I can die happy”. Keep in mind, we’re getting married in 2018.

A lot of my focus had been on the musical and rightly so but we were also going to one of the more popular destinations in North America. As amazing as Hamilton was (my review will be up in a separate post), I was blown away by Chicago. Pun very much intended.

Accommodation

I must give a shout-out to our amazing hosts, my uncle, Eric, his wife, Noel, and their effervescent daughter, Sophia. I highly recommend having relatives in Chicago, it makes travelling there so much more convenient and fun. We stayed over at their lovely home on North Lake Shore Drive, just a 10 minute walk to Wrigley and a 10 minute bus ride from Magnificent Mile. It was such a nice neighbourhood, we had a hard time leaving it to explore the rest of the city, or just in general, when it was time to go home.

For those of you who do not have relatives in Chicago, check out Airbnb. The hotel prices for the dates we were there were way too expensive.

​Getting Around

Now Torontonians or Chicagoans might gripe about their respective public transit systems, but let me tell you, after having had to endure the horrific traffic and abysmal state of public transportation in Manila, Philippines, twice this year, you guys have no idea how good you’ve got it. Sure there are delays, but the mere fact that you can get to your destination via bus or subway in less than an hour is a blessing, trust me.

We flew in to Midway Airport from Billy Bishop using Porter Airlines. As soon as we landed, we took full advantage of Chicago’s “L” trains and buses by purchasing a day pass using the machines at Midland station. With that, you can go pretty much anywhere you need to. I loved when the trains passed next to the buildings downtown. I’ve never seen anything like it.

Attractions

Since we were only in Chicago for such a short time, we had to maximize our sightseeing. After clearing customs, we took the Orange line straight to the Loop so we can go on an Architecture Boat Tour of the city. I highly recommend Chicago’s First Lady because it’s the only cruise partnered with the Chicago Architecture Foundation. Our docent was so funny and knowledgeable, it was the perfect introduction to this beautiful city and its rich history. I’ve heard great things about the other cruises as well, but we really loved the tour that focuses on the architecture, the why, where and how things were built. We also were able to walk the Riverfront, which I would advice people to do either before or after your tour.

We did the Magnificent Mile a couple of times by bus since the route going to my uncle’s took us through there. It’s worth seeing and you’d really enjoy it if you loved to shop, but we were saving all our money for Hamilton swag.

The second day, we woke up and walked to Wrigley Field. Despite being a Cardinals fan, even Keith had to agree how awesome it was that the park is very much just part of the neighbourhood. Plus the Starbucks across it had to be the coolest one we’ve ever been to.

The afternoon was devoted to Millenium Park and the Art Institute. We definitely did not have time to explore the park enough but I think we covered all the major works in the museum. Highlights include Seurat’s A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of the Grande Jatte, Chagall’s American Windows, and the Chicago Stock Exchange Trading Room. Do not miss the Thorne Miniature Rooms.

Then it was time for the main event: Hamilton at the Privatebank Theatre. Well worth the trip!

Obviously there are a lot more sights to see but those are what I would recommend for a short trip.

Food Recommendations

The best restaurant in Chicago was definitely my uncle’s kitchen. Him and his wife made us amazing food during our stay. But again, if you don’t have relatives that can serve you delicious free food, then here are some places you can try: For deep dish pizza, we had Lou Malnati’s which my aunt says locals prefer. Although our friend, Julissa, who is a local says she likes Giordano’s. Julissa also took us to Latinicity, an awesome food hall serving everything from $2 tacos on Tuesday to Peruvian Lomo Saltado. Worth a visit. If you’re ever near Wrigley, there’s a Mexican restaurant that we ate at after seeing Hamilton with incredible tacos al pastor, El Burrito Mexicano.

Souvenirs

Three words: Chicago Mix Popcorn

Final Thoughts

We loved our time in Chicago so much, even though it was barely two days, that we started looking at properties there. It was very much the US counterpart to Toronto in my opinion. I had never thought about moving to the States until Chicago. I can’t wait to visit again!

Our Proposal Story

When people ask for our proposal story, I always feel a little weird about telling it. Not only because I have repeatedly told Keith throughout our relationship that I didn’t want a proposal or a ring, but also because I want to counter-ask “How much time do you have?” I mean I can tell you the story of how a couple months ago, we both decided that it was time for us to upgrade from our civil union/common-law status to marriage. Since his family was coming for Christmas to meet my mom, it was the perfect time to tell them the happy news. We were going to have dinner at the hotel where his family was staying at, but after having a less-than-satisfactory Christmas meal there, we decided to just have a low-key night at the pub across our apartment where we go for half-price wings every other Tuesday. It just so happened to be Tuesday that night and the server who had been with us since we started our wing nights was working. He overheard the news so he brought over a complimentary bottle of bubbly to celebrate the occasion. Our families were super supportive and they were getting along so splendidly that I hated having to break up the conversation to go to work the next day. Keith and I could not have asked for a better night.

But then it became even more special when Keith’s mother brought over his grandmother’s engagement ring in case Keith had wanted to give it to me. I feel very honoured that she would even consider me family enough to let me wear her mother’s ring. So on New Year’s Eve, Keith ordered sushi from our favourite sushi place and picked out a great bottle of champagne with a label that matched my Tiffany blue kitchen.

We had a lovely dinner and sat down to watch An Affair to Remember, which was not only one of the first movies we had watched together, but also starred Deborah Kerr. Keith’s grandfather met the actress when he was a shoe salesman in Hollywood, the same grandfather who had bought the engagement ring for his grandmother. I left the room after the movie and when I came back Keith was on his knees, frantically looking under the couch claiming he “lost it”. My concern and irritation quickly turned to relief and joy when it turned out that obviously he had the ring all along. For all my reservations about the one-sidedness of proposals and absurd cost of engagement rings, I could not help but say “Yes, of course!” when faced with the love of my life on one knee asking me to stay committed forever. Then we drank more champagne, ate macarons which he remembered to get since I love them and watched the countdown.

That’s the short version of our proposal story. The truth is that Keith and I have actually been proposing to each other for the past seven years. He proposed to me the first night we met, at a viewing of How I Met Your Mother’s 100^th episode, when he made a Tim Gunn reference that only I got. I proposed to him a month later when I asked him if we could define our relationship status before I left for spring break. We proposed to each other when we entered into a civil union one year after dating then moved in together. He proposed to me by picking up the slack when I had just graduated and couldn’t find a job for months. I proposed to him when I told him it was his turn to pursue his dream career and my turn to take care of the bills. He proposed to me when he adopted a rescue dog without my knowledge. I proposed to him by accepting to keep said rescue dog and it’s been one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. We propose to each other every time we support one another, make up after fights, forgive each other’s mistakes and celebrate one another’s accomplishments. And I am so glad we will get to keep proposing to each other until the wedding (whenever that will be) and  that we will continue to do so long after.

A Filipino Foodie’s Review of Filipino Food

Ever since I made the move from Quebec to Ontario, I have been on the lookout for Filipino restaurants. There are more options here in Toronto than in my home province and I am super grateful since I crave Filipino food at least once a week. I live at Yonge and Lawrence so my go-to has been Casa Manila. They serve the classics family-style in huge portions and I’m never disappointed. However, I have been wanting to try Lamesa for years and when they opened their sister restaurant, Lasa by Lamesa, I added that to the list too. Lo and behold, this past week all the stars aligned and I was able to hit both restaurants and satisfy my craving…at least until next week.

Lasa by Lamesa serves traditional Filipino dishes in a casual setting. The restaurant is styled like a bright, colourful cafeteria and the reason I know this, despite never actually having eaten in there, is because my friends and I tried to come for dinner once but it was full and we were forced to go to Sea Witch next door (probably the best fish and chips in the city, highly recommend!). Fast forward to this past Saturday, we were celebrating our close friend Greg’s birthday and he just so happened to live in Forest Hill, a few blocks away from Lasa. So before we TTC-ed it to his aparment, I placed our dinner order on Foodora. We arrived on his doorstep at the exact same time as the delivery guy so I could not have planned it better. Lasa’s menu is easy to understand even if you have zero experience with Filipino food because they break it down into categories (Fried, Grilled, Stews, and Vegetables) with a description for each dish.

We had pancit (noodles), chicken adobo (stew made with vinegar, soy sauce and garlic), lumpia (spring rolls) and lechon kawali (deep fried pork belly), plus garlic rice, of course. Lesson number one of Filipino cuisine is you always need to have rice. The portions were more than enough for three people and they nailed the taste of each dish. The pancit was citrusy with crisp vegetables. The adobo was so flavourful. The lumpia and lechon were good but not as great as the first two dishes. The lumpia lost a little of its crispiness due to being in a container and my only gripe about the pork belly was that it needed sauce. We drizzled some of the adobo sauce over it and that made it better. All in all, it turned out to be a great takeout experience that I would definitely do again.

My second Filipino food experience this week happened on Wednesday when my girlfriends and I went to Lamesa in Queen West to catch up over dinner. From the first sip of their Lolo Cool J cocktail, I knew we were in for an amazing meal. Lamesa does a modern take on Filipino cuisine, which basically means they take a typical Filipino dish and update it. Please do not come here expecting traditional. If you want that, go to Lasa. That being said, I was looking forward to their interpretation of dishes that were very familiar to me. The following is a detailed description and review of each course we had at Lamesa but if you just want the highlights, skip to the end.

They were offering a tasting menu of $40 that night, not sure if that’s a special on Wednesdays but regardless we took full advantage. We immediately knew we made the right choice after devouring the amuse-bouche of Kinilaw (Filipino ceviche): pieces of albacore tuna with coconut, guacamole, calamansi (kinda like a small lime but sweeter), chili on a shrimp chip. It was fresh and bright with a kick from the chili and satisfying crunch from the chip. Kinilaw usually doesn’t have avocado in it, but the pairing of the guacamole with coconut worked so well.

The first appetizer was their take on arroz caldo (Filipino congee): it was made with butternut squash, ginger, miso, had a poached egg in the middle and charred brussel sprouts on top. They told us to break the egg and mix it in with the rest, which we did. Now this was a standout dish. I never in a million years would’ve thought to put butternut squash in arroz caldo, which usually uses just standard chicken broth. The squash gave it beautiful colour and depth. My friends who have limited experience with Filipino food loved it. The second appetizer was lumpia (spring rolls): stuffed with house corned brisket, Swiss cheese and cabbage with mustard and banana ketchup as dipping sauces. I was looking forward to this because I love corned beef (normally lumpia is filled with ground beef) but it didn’t impress me as much as the arroz caldo did. I really liked that they provided mustard not just ketchup but I couldn’t taste the Swiss cheese.

Now onto the main courses: the first of which was the national dish of the Philippines, adobo. Their version: seared chicken thigh with a soy vinegar jus, confit garlic and chimichurri drizzled on top. Absolutely enjoyed this, it reminded me of a fancier version of the classic chicken adobo served at Lasa. Both used chicken thighs which I prefer. The jus was a more concentrated version of the traditional adobo sauce but I really liked the crispy skin achieved by the searing and the clever addition of the chimichurri. This was accompanied by a vegetable dish of broccolini in a sauce of bagoong (fermented shrimp paste which sounds weird but don’t knock it until you try it), raisin, garlic, peanut and chili. The combination of those ingredients resulted in a sauce that can only be described as umami. Garlic rice accompanied these two dishes.

The second main course that took a little more time to make it to our table, providing us with a well-needed break from eating, was their take on Bicol Express (stew in coconut milk): pork shoulder in a spicy coconut jus on coconut polenta with poblano and jalapeno. The second vegetable dish was ginataan (which literally means “done with coconut milk”): house made squash bread topped with coconut ranch, cauliflower with sambal and fennel. Both of these dishes had similar flavour profiles: coconut and spice. It was a good thing all three of us enjoyed coconut. Being the carnivore that I am, I liked the pork shoulder more. The others preferred the vegetable dish, especially the spicy, crispy cauliflower which was the surprise highlight. Jasmine rice accompanied these last two dishes.

By the time dessert was served, we were full but more than willing to make room for their ube leche flan: purple yam custard with calamansi gel topped with puffed rice. I was skeptical when I read this on the menu but it was deliciously executed. Leche flan is the Filipino version of crème caramel. Similar to what they did with the arroz caldo, the addition of the purple yam made it prettier and more interesting flavour-wise. The sour calamansi balances out the sweetness and my friend who didn’t like it at first bite quickly realized it was only because she didn’t eat the gel with it.

I could not have asked for a better dining experience at Lamesa. While there are definite standouts on their menu (the kinilaw, the arroz caldo, the adobo and the ginataan), all the courses we were served from their tasting menu were very creative and a delicious take on Filipino classics. I didn’t know it was possible to transform the dishes I fell in love with as a child into fancier, more modern fare. Filipino food deserves its place on the more high-end spectrum of the culinary world and I for one am super grateful that Lamesa is leading the way. I can’t wait to come back and try their Kamayan (no utensils) option on Sundays. 

Verdict: If you have never tried Filipino food before, I would suggest going to Lasa first so you can experience the authentic Filipino staples then visit Lamesa to be blown away by the inventive flavours they dish out. If you do try Lamesa, I recommend making a reservation because it’s a small space and they had to turn people away when we went. Happy eating!