Love Chic

Francis Libiran for Myth men’s button-down, Chemistry dress, Schu brogues. Second outfit for the Myth menswear challenge. Hype this on Lookbook here and vote for our outfits on our joint Chictopia here.

We had a meeting with some wonderful folks yesterday for an upcoming project. They requested that we come in our usual complementary outfits but without being too dressy, so they could take photos for their pitch.  

I wore this men’s button-down over a sleeveless Chemistry dress. It was too long, so I left the last three buttons undone, tied the bottom of the shirt into a knot and tucked in the knot upward.

Good thing the sleeves weren’t too long for my arms and could pass off as stylishly oversized, like a loose Korean top. Except of course with crisp details on the cuff, collar and pocket.

This pair of brogues is beginning to be one of my favorites. Just change the socks or wear it without and your outfit’s “vibe” instantly changes. 

Francis Libiran for Myth button-down, Chemistry harem pants, Call It Spring boots. Hype this on Lookbook here.

I seldom find harem pants that fit me right because I have weird proportions. When the upper part fits just right, the lower part is too tight. Or vice versa.This pair is one of the prototypes which I had designed for Chemistry. 

I got a couple of questions from male readers about what shoes to wear with harem pants. I’m thinking boots or other kinds of chunky statement shoes would be your best bet, as ordinary-looking sneakers might “drown” in the rather loud attitude that harem pants give off. I just don’t know if that makes any sense to anyone else… Haha.

I love that this button-down has all these details that stand out. From afar, it even looks as if I’m wearing a skinny tie. Plus, check out the double collars. If only more menswear pieces had Francis Libiran’s attention to the little details.

We thought “manning up” would be an appropriate title for tonight, not only because of the menswear element in this outfit post, but because of what’s currently going on in our lives. Lately, we’ve been rethinking and reassessing a lot of our major decisions the past few months. There are steps we have been afraid to take, fears we have been hesitant to overcome, hesitations we have been allowing to get the better of us.
   
Maybe it has something to do with being in your mid-20s? That feeling of not being quite sure what you’re doing with your life, whether or not any of the things you do still make you as happy and fulfilled as they used to, and a nagging uncertainty that causes you to feel inadequate when you happen to compare yourself with people your age who seem to have come so far. This upcoming project is one of those things that we hope would help us get out of this current rut, something to take our minds off the shallow things and empower us to, well, man up. Already, we’re beginning to feel a change. We can’t wait for the better things to start coming. 

Rex Clothing shirt, Terranova khaki pants, Skechers boots, SM Accessories aviator shades and bracelets, Fidelity “Captain America’s shield” ring and “Iron man” pendant. Hype this on Lookbook here.

Had my hair bleached again. I’ve always liked to try different things and experiment with my hair. I missed being blonde, all the more after seeing Chris Evans in The Avengers. I wanted to do a blog entry inspired by Captain America. Maybe next time with enough workout, I could be as buff and fit as he is. But for now, his blonde hair and shield are all I can replicate.

My sister Janine who owns the blog and online store Fidelity made these clay accessories by hand. Awesome right? You can have anything you want made to order by contacting her on Tumblr, Twitter or Facebook.

As for this shirt, it’s one of the pieces from the summer collection of Rex Clothing. What I like most about their shirts is that not only do they have that homey, comfortable feel when you wear them, the graphic designs are also stylish enough to be worn with minimal layering or accessorizing.
  
Want to have your own Rex Clothing shirt? Here’s something even better: You have the chance to own all the pieces of their summer collection by joining their giveaway.

Click here for more details.

Doing a Captain America pose which I found on the internet. Tee hee! :))
  
-Seph

Today’s outfits: his for pull-outs and gym, hers for a couple of client calls. Photos by Richard Romero and post-processing by Love Chic.

Memo cardigan, Topman shirt, Bench jeans, Sperry topsiders, Chemistry camera pendant, SM Accessories eyeglasses and bag. Hype this on Lookbook here.

Memo dress, Chemistry men’s blazer, Asian Vogue pumps, SM Accessories bangles. Hype this on Lookbook here.
   
We are now on Chictopia too :) Go to our ChicBlog here.

The last of eight layouts we shot for Call It Spring  last February (i.e. when the temperature still permitted the wearing of socks, closed shoes and long garments). We went for a nature-inspired palette: blue, white, brown and floral.

CPS Chaps top, flea market chiffon skirt, Aldo socks, Call It Spring wedges, SM Accessories belt. It’s the same style of shoes I wore in this layout except in a different color. Hype this on Lookbook here.

Barette and men’s eyeglasses from SM Accessories. Red bangs, black roots and blonde tips. Ayayay. Clearly, the ombré hair needs retouching.

Metal with petal. Connector ring and studded clutch from SM Accessories. With just a rose ring and a beige bag, this look would be too sweet and feminine for my style. I like how all the hardware adds toughness to the whole look.

F&X collared long-sleeved shirt, Bench jeans, Dickies socks, Call It Spring shoes. Hype this on Lookbook here.

Eyeglasses from SM Accessories. I just love wearing these even if my eyesight is thankfully healthy. Just like shoes, wearing eyeglasses seems to make even a small difference to an outfit.

One of my favorites from Call It Spring. I like to fold the cuffs down to show the colored socks. When they’re pulled up, the boots look different without the fluffy white trimming. It’s a versatile pair of sneakers-slash-boots.

Happy Sunday, everyone! If you haven’t joined our Etude House and Mandaue Foam giveaways, now would be a good time to. Click on the links to find out how.

Matchy in mismatched outfits, a tribute to the equally kooky weather we’ve been having. There are just days that have you sweating buckets and taking the heat, and days when you’re all wet and washed up.
  
When you think about it, that’s basically how you could describe life’s not-so-pleasant moments too, eh? Which is why rain or shine, we try our best to keep a sunny disposition and just go with whatever’s thrown our way.

CPS Chaps top and skirt, SM Department Store socks, SM Accessories ring, Call It Spring feather hairclip, and clutch with feather. Hype this on Lookbook here.

This feather hairclip is so pretty, but the way my hair is naturally messy like that, I’m thinking it would probably stand out better on straight hair. Still, I’m a sucker for feather accessories and I just love this.

When it comes to accessories, I like to work with a certain subtle theme. Sort of like an inside joke with myself. In this case, a ring leaf because my bag is green.

Gold shoes are quite hard to pull off for a casual look, simply because gold is associated with glamour. But when it’s a pair of flats in a simple enough design that’s comfy to walk around in, gold makes for fun footwear.

CPS Chaps shirt, Celio polo and shorts, Aldo socks, Call It Spring sneakers. Hype this on Lookbook here.

I haven’t been out of the country much, just Bangkok and Hong Kong. Hawaii is just one of the places I would like to see when I get the chance. It must be great to try out surfing and other water sports there.

When I’m not going crazy for boots or brightly colored shoes, I’m gawking at crisp white sneakers. There’s just something about statement shoes that I get a kick out of. Perhaps because it’s one of those things that can totally change a look—like if I wore flip-flops with this outfit instead. It would look too at-home, wouldn’t it?
  
Speaking of being at-home, we’ve got a nice giveaway for homebodies out there who would love to sit back, put their feet up and enjoy a nice book or DVD. If you have been missing out on the fun, click here to join!

Landlocked lovers making do with the nearest body of water around. Shot at the pool area of the condo we bought together.

CPS Chaps floral-print maxi dress, Call It Spring wedges and headband, SM Accessories bangle. Hype this on Lookbook here.

This pair of Call It Spring wedges look amazing, notwithstanding my un-pedicured footsies. The color is right between my two favorite shades of red, corral and watermelon. I can’t think of any season I wouldn’t wear this, but the wooden element makes it perfect for the summer.

Celio button-down and shorts, Call It Spring shoes, SM Accessories belt. Hype this on Lookbook here.

I’ve always loved shoes in red shades because it doesn’t require a lot of effort to stand out when you’re wearing them. These are one of my favorite. They’re breezy, comfy and perfect for strolling around. The only limitation is I don’t think I’ll be able to wear them when it’s rainy, but for sunny days, they’re the best.

Hope you’re having a wonderful summer, wherever you may be at right now!

Tonight’s date outfits. The chic yellow cardigan on Seph and the beige button-down on Shai are from Memo. The clothing brand is more popularly known for their crisp corporate attires and smart casual finds, but with a little bit of tweaking, the items in Memo are actually stylish enough to be worn with other pieces to create whatever look you fancy. Check out their summer collection on their Facebook and Twitter.

Memo cardigan, Forever 21 shirt, Herbench (yes, it’s my mom’s) jeans, Call It Spring boots, and SM Accessories bag, necklace and glasses. Hype this on Lookbook here.

Shai got me these contact lenses from an online shop called Japanese Candy and I thought they’d look great with these uber-cool transparent glasses from SM.

Three things my wardrobe always has: cardigans, V-neck shirts and metal necklaces.

The beads are a gift, while I got the Timex from SM’s Privado luxury accessories sale for cheap.

MSense is a brand under SM Accessories that has unique bags for guys that you can’t find just anywhere. If you’re into man-purses like me, you should check this brand out.

I always check out Call It Spring in Greenbelt. I saw these new arrivals on one of my visits and I just knew I had to have them.

Memo collared button-down, Love Chic x Chemistry shorts, Puma socks, Schu brogues, Anne Klein bag, and SM Accessories headband, necklace and rings. Hype this on Lookbook here.

Beauty notes. Face: Etude House Baby Skin base, Revlon Photoready Airbrush and Powder, Mary Kay sheer mineral pressed powder, Etude House Lovely Cookie blush in #3 Orange. Lips: Majolica Majorca Honey Pump Gloss Neo. Eyes: The Face Shop eyebrow filler, Nichido liquid eyeliner and eyelash curler, Maybelline Volum’ Express Cat Eyes mascara, Benefit Decked Out Dandelion eyeshadow palette, and Bambi Sesame Gray 15mm contact lenses from Japanese Candy. The ones I got for Seph are Bambi Chocolate 15mm. Unlike him with a perfect vision, I’m severely nearsighted, so prescription contact lenses are a necessity. Glad there’s a stylish way to deal with it!

We received a question on Dear Love Chic about how to wear necklaces with collared tops. I’d like to believe there are no rules to how you should wear accessories with certain pieces of clothing, but personally, I prefer statement necklaces like these multi-tiered chains from SM, worn under the collar instead of over it.

Continuing the chain reaction with this burst-of-sunshine yellow Anne Klein purse. I love the color, plus the chain strap could be pulled longer to make it into a shoulder bag.

When I saw these rings at SM, I thought of bubble gum and butter balls. Yum!

How gorgeous are these blue and white brogues from Schu? In lieu of the usually flat, usually neutral-colored and usually laced-up styles, this pretty pair is a breath of fresh air. Slipping it on (and keeping it on) is no problem—it’s as comfy as your comfiest pair of flats. Get Schu updates via their Facebook, Twitter, blog and online shop.

Goofing around after today’s quick shoot. Follow us on Instagram @sephcham and @shailagarde for more Love Chic silliness. Have a great Friday (the 13th) night, everyone!

Clouds are one of the most beautiful everyday things we see yet seldom take a look at. With our busy schedules, we’re always looking at the road ahead of us: things we have to do, places we have to go, people we have to interact with. But if we’d look up every so often, we’d find these cottony, feathery wisps of white so hard to ignore. 

We saw these while driving to work this afternoon and just had to pull over quickly to take a few Instagram photos. We returned to the daily grind with a goofy smile on our faces, talking about how as kids, we thought you could touch the clouds when you ride on an airplane.

We may not be able to touch the sky but we sure can wear them. A simple look for a sweltering summer day: CPS Chaps shirt, F&X shorts, Call It Spring shoes, Timex watch and SM Accessories glasses. Hype this on Lookbook here.

I like that these shoes are made of fabric which makes them comfy and cool enough for summer, but doesn’t get scrunchy or slouchy which can be a hassle when walking. The interesting texture also makes it stand out despite having a simple neutral color.

Gray and white embellishments reminiscent of Cirrus nimbus clouds (or so we say, hehe). Kashieca top, CPS Chaps skirt, Call It Spring sandals and clutch, SM Accessories headband, glasses and bangle. Hype this on Lookbook here.

I seldom wear sandals because they’re either too flat (having a tall boyfriend has its inconveniences) or too strappy (I’m a brisk walker and straps end up hurting my feet or snapping after a while). But these aren’t just sturdy enough; they also have cute kitten heels! Perfect shade of brown for the summer too.
   
What about you? What mundane things do you find breathtaking? If you haven’t stopped and smelled the proverbial roses in a long while, this season would be the best time to. Beauty can be found in the simplest of things—all we have to do is look. :)

Tangerine pumps and gray sneakers from Call It Spring. This is one of the photos we shot for a collaboration to launch their Spring/Summer collection, published in the Philippine Star last month. This is also on Style Bible’s “Here Is The Love” feature.

F&X sweater, Bench jeans, Kissaholic bag, SM Accessories glasses, Timex watch. Hype this on Lookbook here.

Seph: As always, I opted to wear something colorful. Summer is a great time (and for some guys, the only time) to be brave with colors when dressing up. Personally, I like doing it year-round because it makes it easier to appreciate the details on what you’re wearing.

F&X “PS I Love You” shirt, The Ramp skirt, SM Accessories ring, SM Department Store socks, Kissaholic bag. Hype this on Lookbook here.

Shai: Three awesome things about this shirt: the worn, crumply look and feel, the cutesy graffiti print and my favorite color—turquoise! Threw in the tangerine shoes and the pink bag for mismatched colorplay.
  
The weather was still pretty cool when we shot these outfits, but imagine wearing them outdoors these days when the summer heat just gets too much! Don’t you just wish we had a cooler climate in the Philippines?

Hype this outfit on Lookbook here. We were recently invited by Converse Philippines to do a collaboration along with fellow bloggers David Guison, Lissa Kahayon, Lexi Gancayco, Cheyser Pedregosa, Paul Jatayna, Paul Chuapoco and Aisa Ipac who pitched Love Chic. I had to go solo as Shai was in the US at the time.

Photos by Richard Romero. The bloggers simply had to take photos of ourselves wearing the latest from Converse, to be made into life-sized standees for the Converse Asia Crown event. The pose had to be with feet apart because all our photos were supposed to be put together side by side.

It was a gathering of skate enthusiasts competing to be the first Philippine Skate Ambassador, as well as a showcase of the Converse Spring/Summer 2012 collection.

The event was held at the Mindanao open parking lot in Trinoma last March 31. We arrived at the scene just as everything was being set up.

The stage being set for the performances of Paraluman, Gracenote and 6Cyclemind during the awards night.

Tadaaa! Shai is wearing the shirt I was wearing on the standee.

My little sister Janine came along for a photo with her Kuya.

The Spring/Summer collection featured pops of color and a fun rocker vibe. But while we were checking out the rest of the displays, heavy rain started pouring. So much for summer!

We actually had to stand on the platforms where the mannequins were, because the floor was slightly flooded. But of course, the show must go on. So as soon as the sun came out again, the skate competition began.

For a more detailed report of the event, click on My Life On Board’s coverage. Thanks Converse Philippines for having us!

The iconic “Welcome” sign that’s on a bazillion fridge magnets and shirts and coffee mugs. Every year, millions of people flock to the sin city for a taste of its rich and decadent culture, to indulge whatever pleasures they fancy, or just watch others do so. I belong to the third group, being the type  whose idea of a night out is driving to the nearest Starbucks for a midnight snack and going back home for a movie marathon. Which is why Las Vegas is so interesting for me—it’s not just one establishment but a whole city dedicated to giving its transient inhabitants the time of their life.

It was a four-hour drive from Longbeach, but with snow-capped mountains, feathery clouds on cyan skies and postcard-perfect rest areas such as these, who would mind? I didn’t.

Certainly not when this castle was where we pulled up: The Excalibur hotel. I felt like I should’ve dressed more princess-like!

GAP dress, Anne Klein purse, Kohl’s boots and SM Accessories sunglasses. My cousin lent me her jacket but I forget where she got it because it’s a Something & Something brand that I can barely spell or pronounce properly. Heh. Hype this on Lookbook here!

The weather that day was the most bipolar I’ve witnessed so far: it was cold enough that you’d need to layer up even at midday, but the sun was prickly hot yet not enough to make you sweat… Something to do with being in the dessert perhaps? In any case, it messed with my head and a severe migraine attack came on so my parents and I retreated to our room as soon as we finished taking these photos.

When the sun (and my migraine) took leave, we trooped back outside for a stroll. My parents have been in Vegas before, so it was really more so I can see the sights. Here are some of them—I wish I could post more photos but they’re mostly of food (follow @shailagarde on Instagram if you’re into this), crazy people on the street (musicians, comedians and beggars trying to outperform each other), designer boutiques in hotels (personal interior design pegs for our apartment) and images of not-so-unadulterated content, being that it’s Las Vegas. Anyway—the sights.

Walking along the Strip felt like walking through a life-size diorama of landmarks.

New York: “Brooklyn Bridge” and “Lady Liberty”

There’s also this huge roller coaster in New York New York that was responsible for intermittent bouts of loud screaming around the Las Vegas Strip. The lowest part of the multi-loop track is still a few storeys above ground.

Seph would’ve loved to see this in person.

Paris: “Eiffel Tower” and “Arc de Triomphe”

The Roman-inspired Caesars Palace, where Celine Dion regularly performs

MGM Grand, which Filipinos know mainly for two things: that roaring lion that opens for various films and TV shows, and Manny Pacquiao.

View from the 38th floor of my cousin’s room at the Vdara, a luxury hotel a few blocks away from the strip. They had a corner suite with windows from where you could see literally all of Las Vegas.

The Bellagio’s Holland-themed interiors for spring. The hotel has a conservatory and botanical gardens, and they change these displays five times a year.

The dancing fountain at the Bellagio, swaying to Sinatra’s “Fly Me To The Moon.” My parents instilled in me a profound love for Frankie and his type of music as early as when I was in grade school, so we were singing along to this one. “Fly me to the moon, let me sing among those stars. Let me see what spring is like in Jupiter and Mars…”
  
If you ask me, having been able to see what spring is like on this side of the Earth already feels like flying to the moon. :)

It was my first time to see these trees in person! Cherry blossoms are called sakura in Japanese and I didn’t expect to see them in Sacramento (which prompted me to make a Sakura-mento joke that I shall spare you from). I thought I’d dress up in their honor.

Hype this look (and be my fan, hehe) on Lookbook here.

My cousins were saying our trip to Sacramento was perfect timing—a few days earlier or later and we would’ve missed the cherry blossoms.

As with my San Diego, Long Beach and San Francisco photo diaries, I won’t be able to share the entirety of my travel photos without inundating everyone’s feeds but here’s another set from one of the many places we visited: the state capitol.

The Church of the Blessed Sacrament, a walking distance from the capitol. It’s where the city got its name from.

The Sacramento Capitol, built in the image of the Washington State Capitol. In the interest of full disclosure, let me admit that I wasn’t aware that the capital of California was in fact not Los Angeles,but Sacramento. Let me know if you didn’t know either—let’s be embarrassing together! Haha!

We went on a guided tour that day but 477 fully-captioned photos with encyclopedic information about California would be overkill. Instead, trivia.

The dome is gilded with goldleaf—gold that has been melted and hammered and molded for decorative purposes. Unlike painted gold, goldleaf doesn’t need to be polished or repainted, and shines like new for decades and decades.

The Senate or Upper House, and State Assembly or Lower House. Apparently, this form of government was influenced by the British government’s House of Lords (for the noble and upper class) and House of Commons (for regular folks like you and me).

Governor Brown’s office. When Arnold Schwarzenegger was governor, the capitol was always full of tourists hoping to get a glimpse of the Terminator at work. He did leave a remembrance for all visitors, though.

Meet Bacteria Bear. Arnold got him in an auction for a huge amount of money and brought him to the office because he was one of the state symbols. But when it was time to leave, he left the bear here because it was too heavy. The bear got its name from all the kids visiting the capitol kissing it and smearing it with snot. And yes, my mom’s hand is in Bacteria Bear’s mouth.

We had great fun and it wouldn’t have been possible without my family. It’s my birthday on the 20th, but they’ve made me feel like my birthday all the days I was in Sacramento :)

The day we spent at the bay area of San Francisco was a blur. I’ve always longed to see one of the most picturesque cities I’ve ever explored through books, and there it was, every scene (as well as the chilly weather) leaving me breathless.

What I wore. Again, I raided my aunt’s barely-used wardrobe that morning for something to wear, as most of the clothes I brought turned out to be too spring/summer for the still very fall/winter temperatures of San Francisco. If you’ve been reading this blog long enough, you may recognize the SM Accessories hat, Forever 21 boots, and Seph’s scarf from Baguio. Hype this on Lookbook here.

Our lovely relatives in Sacramento who took care of us as soon as we arrived from Longbeach. They cooked hearty Filipino meals, treated us out to sumptuous lunches and dinners, and showed us around. Here are just a few of the beautiful things we got to see.

Crossed the bridge when we got there

Tulips and other beautiful flowers abloom

Pier 39, where all the shops, restaurants and attractions (such as these sunbathing seals) are, as seen from the Blue & Gold bay cruise ferry

Fellow passengers marveling at the skyline

Sailing near Alcatraz Island

While no longer a prison for the most cold-blooded and sophisticated criminals in the country, Alcatraz emanates an eerie glow, a shadow of its dark history by which one can’t help but be haunted.

Albatrosses flying low around our ferry, as if guiding us on our way

Every hour is magic hour

Sailing under the most famous suspension bridge in the world

Spanning 4,200 feet, with each cable 7,650 feet long, 36 and 3/8 inches in diameter and containing 27,572 wires within, the total wire used was 80,000 miles long and the weight along with the suspenders and accessories is 24,500 tons. I may forget these numbers soon, but the magnificence of how the Golden Gate Bridge was built will remain.

   
Next: Sacramento

Indeed and how. After a week in San Diego, we drove to Long Beach to stay with our relatives on my dad’s side. With all the touring and family bonding, it’s taken me a week to properly go through hundreds of photos and sort them out per city, let alone choose just enough photos to share on the blog without turning it into a highschool-project diary or a jetsetter-wannabe journal (neither of which is an entirely bad thing mind you, except that it’s not what we do here). So here we go, Long Beach highlights!

My outfit for the sunny yet chilly weather here: SM Department Store top, The Ramp skirt, Topshop tights, grey Keds, necklace from Bangkok, knitted cardigan from my aunt’s closet and SM Accessories shades. Hype this on Lookbook here! This was taken at noon, as you can probably guess from the shadow. But even with the sun high up, it was cold enough to make me regret not wearing pants instead. 

Digging the worn-out, lived-in look of this cardigan though. I actually just got it from my aunt’s closet here, and she told me she was the one who sewed on those sequins and beads. Pretty neat.

My trusty Keds, one of only three shoes I bought for this month-long trip, because bringing an entire shoe collection along on a trip abroad is just a tad too glamorous (read: tedious) for this here gung-ho blogger. 

One of the places we dropped by was the shoreline village, a combination of a tourist spot, park, food court, port area, and quaint small-town recreation center.  

This ship is the RMS Queen Mary, a former ocean liner that sailed in the Atlantic from the ’30s to the ’60s. It’s now a tourist attraction featuring a number of restaurants, a museum, and a hotel. How awesome must it be to be staying in a hotel next to the Scorpion, that Soviet B-427 submarine pictured above. 

Nautical nonsense: Papa as Captain Jack Sbarro and Mama as hipster-pirate Ariel

Another place I enjoyed seeing was my cousin Santiago’s newly bought house in an affluent area in Longbeach. Took this shot from across the street for a general idea of how it looks from the opposite side.

This side. Although the neighbor’s house is much bigger (as you can see by that car), it’s Santiago’s house I’m so inspired by because of its backstory. My cousin’s parents weren’t well off, hailing from a small town called Dueñas in Iloilo. There were no inheritances, no privileged lifestyles, no trust funds to “cheat” with. Through sheer hard work and strong family values, they were able to raise my cousins into goal-driven, humble and successful individuals who were able to pursue and achieve their dreams. One of Santiago’s was to be able to afford a house in this area someday (let’s just say one house here could buy you thirty houses in Manila) and now he has!

His lovely and kind wife Belinda, an interior designer and dedicated mom to handsome boy Elijah and precocious baby Hunter. Santiago works as a CPA for a gas company, while Belinda’s been staying at home for a few months now taking care of the children and attending to the ongoing house renovations.

The den.

The dining area leading to the huge kitchen.

The stair carpeting is still covered in plastic, and official house guard Angel makes sure it stays that way until construction is completed. 

The kitchen’s corner booth. I took photos of every room in every floor, but from just these, one can imagine how beautiful it’s going to look when it all finally comes together.

Took too many photos of Elijah because he’s just so kind and adorable, not just for a toddler but for a guy of any age. And that says a lot, because I’m not like Seph who finds all children adorable. I love it when a kid is so smart you don’t have to simplify your words or do baby talk, and yet so nice they defy the phrase “toddler tantrums.”

This trip feels like child’s play, and it keeps getting better. Not only because it’s my first time outside Asia, or because of all the tourist attractions we get to see—millions of people get to experience those each day, and you can Google photos of those things any second you want to see them. For me, it’s being able to spend time with family, discover things about them on a deeper level and appreciate their stories better. So it wasn’t just word play: by the sea or on land, fun is a sure thing here in Long Beach!
   
Next: San Francisco