I'm eating half a box of chocolate covered macadamia nuts. I was with Sheeva and Nicole yesterday night and we were sitting around in Sheeva's apartment in between Pacific and Laurel Heights. I parked myself across Locust Street and stepped to my right to pick up a Tall Soy Latte' at the corner Starbucks. I still dont have a laptop case so I carried my imac in my big red bag that looks like a hippie's sack. It's funny what comes out of a bag. The tissues, ba-on 'ed food, gum, compact mirrors, lipsticks, lipglosses, travel mascara, wallets, cash, cell phones, sunglasses, paper, pens, keys, digital camera, money for the bar, card just in case, listerine strips, Marlboro menthol lights, little purse, cardigan or some clothing, and random receipt paper we have in there? At that moment in time, my big red bag was carrying a pink scarf from Persia and a fitted blazer from MNG that I borrowed from Sheeva the night before. I also brought over a house gift of a 2001 wine bottle of Merlot that added to my load. Keys, cell phone, Wrigley gum, my mac laptop, a little bag of fries from KFC I was snacking on, my black leather H&M checkbook wallet, and random cash and cards everywhere but inside the wallet. Dont you hate it when your purse gets like that? 

Sheeva, Nicole, and I sprawled ourselves out on the bed, iMacs out and heads perched down while we skimmed through emails, myspace, facebook, and looked up once in awhile to share something a friend had messaged. After, Sheeva had just come back from Europe the week before and she drove me into stories about Paris, Roma, Milan, Germany, and Belgium. She told me how she had met her friends from the Philippines there and how they had such a great time away together. Then Nicole had told me about her trip to Hawaii the weekend before. A getaway trip to relax because spring semester was done. Then it was my turn to tell them what the city has to offer them. Both being new to San Francisco, even more, the United States, I've become the city girl they go to to see where to relax and party. 

You know, it's kind of great to have a whole set of different friends. Not the same crowd all the time, but I like being associated to one. I'm glad Sheeva's in San Francisco and she knows this is where she belongs. And I'm glad I've gotten to meet Nicole. Nicole is also my cousin Bianca's best friend in the Philippines, so family is family. I feel like I have another girlfriend to look out for now. But I've made closer friends as well.

We dished over guys and dilemmas and work and school. They told me how they miss the Philippines and usually I'm not one to say that to because I'm pretty ignorant when it comes to that country. But I understand. Its not easy living in a different country and having a different lifestyle. There's no ya-yas around or chauffer drivers or papparazzi following them here. And from this, they explained living here feels more like a vacation if anything. We all exchanged advice on boys, friends, and school. We argued when's the next time we should shop together and what we've been dying to do. Nicole talked about her sorority and her parties and Sheeva told us about the frisbee season that was starting soon and how nervous she was. I showed them the show and what I've been up too. We catalog shopped Urban Outfitters for Sheeva's trip to China for the frisbee tournament. We turned on Safari and found more dresses online. We gushed over the new designs and helped restrain one another from buying everything on the site. She decided on a black one and I got another flowy white piece to add to my collection. We hiccuped and took turns playing our music on our iTunes. So much music I've never heard of! But then again, that's what they said to me when I played mine. Before I left that night, Nicole had given me a box of Hawaiian Host chocolate covered macadamia nuts. She told me that she'd been listening to me tell them how I missed Hawaii and how I wanted to go back and visit our "apo"  (its Nicole's apo now too bc shes part of the family) and how I wish I could travel again like them and need extra passport spaces provided because the booklet is full. But #1. I'm not a star in the Philippines like they are. (only here to a certain extent ;)) #2. I cant just leave whenever I want. I have too much going around and for me here. #3. I feel like my schedule has been booked 2 years in advance sometimes. and #4. I dont think I even know what a vacation is. 

But I know I'm going to start traveling soon and see the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Pi architecture, the Rome coliseums, real gondolas, and the southern wine country of France one day. Those dark chocolate covered macadamia nuts are my favorite chocolates in the world. A small affection of friendship like a box of chocolates can make someone appreciate so much of one another. A bottle of red wine and family girl talk with cousins makes the feeling even better. I love these wind downs. And when I get them with my cousins, I take full advantage of my time with my anaks. 

www.hawaiianhost.com

www.apple.com

www.urbanoutffiters.com

There was this documentary on VH1 Soul about conflict diamonds called Rock Docs: Bling'd: Blood, Diamonds, and Hip Hop. Sometimes we forget what's going around in the rest of the world and we get too caught up in our own selfish lives. I was watching CNN this morning and after the segment on the democratic race where Hilary tried to pesuade America her view on a gas tax (something about saving truckers 2 billion dollars which can go to groceries and something about the hidden medical tax we pay for uninsured) and filming the reaction of Obama sticking out for his wife when she was attacked on a video on you tube about her stature and capability if in the White House, CNN went on with new footage of the survivors of the Earthquake in China, a follow up of the children who were effected from the cyclone in Myanmar and the US' best efforts to send aid their way. 

It sparked a reminder to write this blog on the conflict diamonds of Sierra Leone and how theres so much to work on in this world. I watched the documentary with Aries, Erika, and Kristine Friday night while we made more buttons for the Distortion 2 Static booth in the Asian Heritage Festival. I used to be a journalism major at SFState and I remember learning how much the media had so much to expose us too. My professors would go over examples over examples of how one newscaster would try so much to get a story across, but as soon as the media had something better to catch the viewers eye, such as celebrity gossip and what American icon is screwing up and why, (the latter I feel is still important) the stories of the mass of the world goes down. 

We've all heard of the conflict diamonds. Most recently held fame for one month or two by the movie Blood Diaminds and Kanye's effort in raising attention with his lyrically held controversial self, one month or two and the subject felt like it was a taboo. Was there no more information to gain from it? Did we feed into the media and get tired of the subject and leap to the opportunity to hear Perez Hilton instead of our true news reporters? Or did we just forget?

I'm guilty of the third. 

Flat out. I'm a busy girl. Period.

I have work. full time. I have class. full time. I'm in an Industry. holding 2 positions in it. I have a huge family and they are my All the Time. I have a dope set of friends. (i dont consider the latter 3 a job, just the first 2) Basically, I'm on my shit. On a grind and a state of mind not a lot of people can stay hustlin with. I surround myself with people who are like me to keep me sane. Im focused. And in this case, here's the negative side.

I'm so focused sometimes that I forget about the bigger picture and my bigger community. And by bigger community I mean the rest of the world. Is it a rude awakening if I say to you so much is happening and we don't pay attention? Because if it's rude or not, I just said it. Im trying to get through to us, that's all. In all our fighting for that six figure job, that new handbag, are you going to this and that, that new ride, and who's winning the playoffs (and trust. I'm one of your biggest NBA fans so I cringed when I typed that in)- thats how hard I'm being on myself, we need to do the three finger snap snap snap and wake up.

I'm always talking about giving my time to charities, and building one in the future which WILL happen, I promise you. But in the meantime, how about me and you be more with it and pay attention to the world. Because poor conditions in sweatshops, workers who bend in the sun to find a gem for you, and children with abnormal conditions because of starvation is so not cool. Peace out. For real.

www.cnn.com

Roc Docs: Bling'd: Blood, Diamonds, and Hip Hop

Asian Heritage Street Festival

and the one article that irks me most:

the kids eating mud cookies in Haiti

It felt like being in SoCal again. The bay breeze stayed for the most part silent yesterday, as friends and I spent the end of our lazy day at Pac Bell Park. Some now call it AT&T, others like playing trivia and testing everyone they know what it was first called (SBC Park), but to me, it will always be known as Pac Bell. (just like Candlestick will always be Candlestick, never Monster or 3Com) Located by the bay and sitting on 13 acres, the massive park can hold about 41500 die hard Giants fans. 

It felt warmsome as Jimson, Linda, Aries, and I walked to King Street and towards the ball park. Hellos started our way and hi's followed as we made our way through the crowd. We must have stopped every 5 feet to greet another friend, someone we havent seen in awhile, or in Jimson and Aries' case, a fan. We shook numerous hands, met new people as friends of friends, and promised get togethers left and right to friends weve lost in touch with when we bumped into them. How are you's echoed through our speeches as we walked tried to walk through the orange and black crowd to get our tshirts on the third level and cell phones rang of where are yous began to more friends already in the stadium. And it was only the 3rd inning. 

Thats the thing about San Francisco. It's a big but small city. Everyone knows each other. And if an event goes down, the community comes through. We were celebrating Filipino Heritage Day while the Giants entertained us against a game with the Houston Astros. I'm very blessed to be part of a society who is culturally aware of our differences and prides itself in representing it. I am blessed to be part of a city where one can be open with another about ones culture and the recipient yearns to learn more about it. It is an HONOR to belong to somewhere where we are not culturally divided and we respect each others differences and prides oneself it in. I'm one of the lucky ones to have friends so diverse as they are and so involved in the city and so much driven as well. I represent a mass people, who live different lives, intertwine them with others, and stand culturally aware without the prejudices you'd see elsewhere. It is an honor to represent San Francisco.

http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/sf/ballpark/index.jsp

My mother always taught me to be Beautiful. I can easily finger the back buttons of a dress into an orderly manner without a struggle. I was told to brush my hair 50 strokes on each side every day to keep it healthy. I was lectured repeatedly to mind my manners, chin up, back straight, hands folded, legs crossed, hair done in a do, when we were in company of a family friend or relative. I hardly had any toys growing up. She encouraged reading. So I indulged myself in books and writing. (I believe she did this in part because my dad was always after us to learn sports) I was reminded that education was the most important thing for me and my future and that if I wanted to be anyone I desired, education would lead me there. So the more I poured myself over books. Then she would remind me to not forget to be beautiful. I would be reading a novel in my hand, immensely deep into the other world it presented to me. I would be lounging on my four poster bed, curtains open, with just me and my book. So many times she would walk in with a new product she had bought just to show me and to see if I liked it. They say I am the epitome of my mother.

When I was little, after school, she sent me to cotillion classes. Cheerleading. Then it was the American Conservatory Theater, Young Conservatory, where I remained. I took up assisting instructors and where I was taught by mentors how to make my love of writing and the arts beautiful. My extra curricular activities were first criticized by her before I was allowed to do them. After class, she would pick me up and sometimes we would go window shopping. But window shopping always turned into buying something. I would wait in front of the dressing rooms at Maloufs in Burlingame while she "needed" another designer suit, or The Grocery Store or Susans because she didn't have enough black in her wardrobe for the season. She would find the most amazing pieces of clothing for up to 70% off.

She surrounded me with high end restaurants, black tie fundraisers of San Francisco and the bay area, 4 star hotels, designers with names I had difficulty pronouncing, urged me to travel the world just like she had, to never let my studies falter, and introduced me to cosmetics as a tool used to enhance beauty not something to cover it up. 

So today, we found ourselves in the Macy's at Union Square. A must see stop by, Macy's Union Square, San Francisco stands as the 4th largest department store in the world right after Harrods of Europe. The new Chanel line, Aqualumiere Gloss, had just recently launched earlier this month and she had made up her mind to select what she desired from that collection. (as well as anything else that had caught her eye) We played with her shades of pinks and oranges and reds while I beckoned her away from those three and into some peaches or neutrals... which didn't last long before she went back to her favorites. After that. Then it was Barneys. Then it was Saks. Then it would've been Nordstrom before my sister and I attacked her to go back to Macy's so we could have dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. 

A regular city spot, of course the night was packed full of mothers. We took a booth next to the window almost automatically putting the menus down, already knowing what to order. My party enjoyed cocktails while I sipped on hot black tea. (I have some studying to do tonight) We talked about the buildings of the city and which ones we haven't gone in in awhile, which ones we've worked in, and whats still around. We exchanged what was going on in our lives, encouraging and teasing one another. My mother conversed with us in Tagalog in the way only her class can do. It doesn't sound broken or choppy or ugly. When she talks in the language, it sounds exquisite, a dialect where I can see it is known as a romance language. Talking with her hands and over exaggerrating a story, she takes advantage of the days when the attention is on her. That beautiful language rolling off her tongue, yearning for me to learn my culture's native way of words. We ended the night with one slice of cheesecake between the 5 of us, being too full to order even 2. And of course, with a cup of the Cheesecake Factory Coffee.

I rode back home with my mother and daddy while Micheal Buble played into our ears. Everything positive about me is the effect in some way of my mother. My mentality to be independent, my stubbornness to never settle for less, and my hard driven skill that leads to aggressiveness, I believe comes from her lessons in some way. I was raised to be a lady. Not to just act like a lady. I know my fashion sense, because yes, I was raised to believe that appearance is important. I know to never stop learning. In this time, I read my books usually cuddled against the side of a couch, with a long sweatshirt on, coffee in hand, hair brushed 50 times on each side, and legs crossed sideways while I lounge. She still comes in and shows me her new material things or what she heard today, and I listen and enjoy the company for a bit before she starts pushing me to get back to studying. I am molded into what I am, because of that woman. She's raised me to be beautiful. In all the love and sacrifice shes given, she's raised me beautifully. 

Happy mothers day, Mommy. 

www.act-sf.org

www.maloufs.com

www.macys.com

www.chanel.com

www.thecheesecakefactory.com

I'm walking down the street of Bush and its late in the evening. I had just finished having dinner for my sister's birthday on Beldin Place, A hidden alleyway in the Financial District lined with restaurants and bars with tables closely twined together and hostesses in all black beckoning you to enjoy a wonderful evening in their company. Our reservations were set for B-44, a Barcelona devoted white table cloth beauty decored' in a rouge dim red gave off an ambiance that would satisfy the overwhelmed individual's thoughts of getting away. Specializing in unforgettable paellas and sipping on a 2004 Bodegas El Coto, the red wine warmed a family conversation that has been well past due. Minus one sister, we laughed and joked and caught up with each other as we ignored our cotillion polished manners and reached over and to the side to dabble over other plates of Arroz Negra, Paella B-44, Arroz a Blanc, a simple yet juicy baked chicken over mushrooms, and two different types of steaks, carefully watching one another to make sure the sleevesof our buttoned up peacoats didnt touch the saucy side of a ceramic dish. We dwelled over cafe and creme brule and a type of mini churro lady finger sticks with powdered sugar with a dipping dark chocolate sauce until we found ourselves scraping the sides of the saucer to get the lasting effect. 

After that, we walked together through the alley. As a family. 

And shortly after that, we said good bye to one another and separated ways suggesting next week we should do it again while Monica declared she was going to pick the next restaurant suggesting a favorite of hers next to the TransAmerica building. We all were excited about the idea, but knowingly, its very hard to gather all of us up for another outing.

I am 1 of an estimated 700,000 something people who call San Francisco their home. Realistically, I must be one in a million of people, counting those unaccounted for and such, who call San Francisco their home. I live a city life. Its a fast paced life full of more than one place to be at at a certain time. I am part of a city that prides itself in culture, prides itself in being an artisan, and boastful of individuals who all have something unique in their barrier. Everyday, I walk this fast paced wonderland, goals in my head, to do lists begging for attention, errands to run, and always a destination to be. We walk with our heads up, straight ahead, strong held and witted. And no wonder, there is always something on our mind. We flood the sidewalks with our soy lattes and teas in our recycled paper cups. We dress in layers and top it off with a stellar peacoat to brush passed tourists. We come with hairstyles that compliment us when the bay winds blow in and purses and briefcases full of our magic tricks. We walk fast. Everyone has an elegance to their walk. I do my catwalk with a sassy sway, a little bounce thats only for effect and I finish in heels. 

I lead a life of a city girl. Always busy. Very cultured. Open minded. Independant. Full of motivation. Self directed. Image conscious. Business mattered. Doing ten things at once. A true socialite of the city. 

Welcome inside my world. 

Jacqueline-Rochelle

www.b44sf.com