this goodbye thing

Last Saturday night I took my mom to the airport and though I kept it together at the departure gate, I pretty much started crying bawling as soon as I got back to my car. It was definitely harder than I thought. And now my mornings are so quiet without the sound of her doing things in the kitchen.

That's the thing about my mom, she is a doer. Without saying anything, she gets things done. One day I came home for lunch and learned that she had already cooked for the day, ironed and mended some of my clothes, cleaned the entire apartment, and went to church. How does she do it?

Other things I miss about her. How she is so perceptive and seem to know what I need before I even say them. How she wants to have music on all the time. The careful way she fixes her hair, how she believes that there is no such thing as an ugly woman, only a lazy one, and that appearance does matter even if people say otherwise.

I feel bad that I give her a hard time about praying the rosary or start getting impatient when she wants to look around for the best shopping deals and compare prices from one store to another. We often have different opinions on things but at the end of the day, I can proudly say that we really do respect each other and the things that we've accomplished.

And oh, did I say anything about thrift shopping? Because that's definitely one of the best parts with having her around, going to thrift/second-hand stores, putting together outfits and getting dressed up for no reason at all. That, and well, goofing around inside photo booths at Japantown.

Ma, thank you for coming to visit and for everything that you do for me/us. I think of you every time I make coffee in the morning and when I drive up and down Dolores Street. And I laugh when I remember our marathon drama-watching nights, how we *tried* to sing along to this song on our road trip down the coast. Bogoshipda. xoxo.

first day of summer

Right this second, I want to get macarons in all colors from Paulette and spend the rest of my afternoon sitting by the water, re-reading my new hardbound copy of Jane Eyre.

What is your idea of a perfect summer day?

Inspired by this dress from Family Affairs, photo via Mori Girl

postcards from the coast, part 1

Pescadero State Beach

Girl Running by Pigeon Point Lighthouse

Blue Waters at Monterey Bay

The Shops at Carmel-by-the-Sea

light and shadows

We are on the road, just pictures for now. Have an awesome weekend!

around the city: union square, chinatown, north beach

When my mom and dad came to visit me for first time, I was still a struggling grad student who didn't have a car and was renting a room in a somewhat seedy neighborhood in Los Angeles. I felt really bad that they had to sleep on a mattress on the floor and we had to depend on relatives and friends to drive us around. Its different this time, I live in a completely walkable city with easy access to public transportation and I also have a place of my own. I don't think my mom cares either way, but still it makes me happy to share the city that I love with her.

Speaking of love, here's my mom with one of the heart installations in Union Square. The hearts are inspired by Tony Bennett's 'I Left my Heart in San Francisco' song and can be found all over the city.

My mom loved the cable cars and wanted to get on this double-decker tourist bus, to which I immediately said no. Did I tell you how I feel about these buses? Let's just say that every time I see one I wanted to rescue those tourists and take them around the city with me.

We did hop on a cable car to Chinatown, paid 6 bucks for take-out dimsum and walked all the way to North Beach for coffee and dessert. My mom thinks I'm crazy for spending so much money on coffee. I think I'm crazy for drinking so much coffee, period.

We found this painted wall in a North Beach alley and laughed at how it matched my outfit. Of course, we had to take a picture.

That's it for now. Hope you are all well. xoxo.

she brought the sunshine with her

My mom got in late Wednesday night and already she is in love with San Francisco. I told her that its not always this sunny here and that it actually gets cold and foggy during the summer but she doesn't believe me. I wouldn't either, if I were in her shoes, for the weather is so gorgeous these days and the city looks as picture-perfect as can be. Here she is in Sausalito with the city skyline in the background -- isn't she lovely?

P.S. My mom and I will take a road trip down south along the Pacific coast so posting may be sporadic in the next couple of days.

P.P.S. I hope its also sunny where you are.

in search for that white dress

This is it. I saw this picture over at The Sartorialist and realized that this girl from Milan is wearing the white summer dress of my dreams.

I also found some styling inspiration from my favorite fashion bloggers. The lovely Rhiannon styled hers with a vintage floral vest.

Alix wore her white dress with a pale pink blazer and black ankle boots - so sweet and edgy at the same time. I think this is perfect for our chilly San Francisco summers.

Now I just need to find a dress similar to the ones above. Any ideas? It has to be light and wrinkle-free (because I hate ironing, ha!).

(Photos by The Sartorialist, Liebemarlene Vintage, The Cherry Blossom Girl)