Carmina is traveling to the United States to spend time with her family. My dad planned a family gathering for Mother's Day at their favorite Pinoy restaurant . Since reservations aren’t possible, we arrived an hour early to ensure we could get a table for twelve before everyone else showed up. As my dad approached Isla Grand , the branch we visited in Pleasant Hills, California , the host at the door said they could prepare a table for twelve at five o'clock. Later, the server called my dad's name and guided us to our table. The place was bustling with people enjoying meals and celebrating Mother's Day. On our first visit to Isla Grand, I was captivated by the décor, noticing many native items that gave the place a fancy yet authentic Filipino feel. They usually have a live band, but unfortunately, there was no entertainment the night we went. My family had spoken highly of Isla Grand and encouraged us to try the Filipino dishes we’ve been missing from back home. Lech...
Carmina was able to find her best friend who was missing during the pandemic. Carmina had texted her high school friend on her temporary mobile phone given by her uncle. Carmina had texted her friend saying she was in town and if she wanted to see her, she can text back on her temporary number. Her best friend responded and greeted her with a welcome back asking when Carmina was free to see each other. Carmina texted back giving her best friend dates she can picked that was available in my calendar. Sometimes unannounced our friends who are close to us disappear from social media. Carmina sees her friends come and go when they feel it is the right time, they come back to your life all over again. Carmina was able to spend time with her best friend since high school at Crab Cove where we did our own exploring places where nature is involved. If you would like to read my article about Crab Cove in Alameda here is the link provided by clicking the location. Oth...