Happy Birthday Carolyn!
On August 8, 1998, we celebrated a birthday dinner to remember. The photo below was taken just outside Mi Piace, a vibrant Italian restaurant located on Colorado Boulevard in Old Town Pasadena. That night was warm and full of life, like the city itself.
Dinner at Mi Piace
Mi Piace was (and still is) a local favorite, known for its contemporary Italian menu, bustling ambiance, and delicious pastries. The sign behind us read, “Welcome to Mi Piace / Featuring Pasadena Baking Co.” — a nod to the in-house bakery that added European charm to every dessert and espresso served.
That evening, we celebrated Carolyn's birthday with her best friends. It was the first time I'd met them.
Cancun & Love at First Sight
Carolyn and I both had vacationed in Cancun for the Memorial Day Weekend, but we didn't meet there. She was there with her aunt; I went with my buddy A.J. We first saw each other on the flight back from Cancun to Los Angeles. These two guys behind AJ and me were rather loud. When I turned around, I saw that they were trying to get Carolyn's attention who was a few rows behind them. So I got up to go the bathroom, not because I had to use it -- so she and I could get a good look at each other. As I got back to my seat, I thought I'll make my move as we deplane.
But as we disembarked a full plane, there was no chance. Ok, I'll catch her at baggage claim. As A.J. and I got in line, a long line in a very crowded LAX, I kept looking around for her. I couldn't see her in the sea of people who couldn't wait to get their luggage and get into Los Angeles traffic to get home.
All of a sudden, a female voice asked A.J., "Could you help us with our luggage?" I turned and saw an Asian lady who was older than us. Then I looked at the tall, beautiful lady next to her -- she found me! We were on the same wavelength. LOL.
As A.J. and Carolyn's aunt got our luggage, Carolyn and I introduced ourselves, and exchanged numbers. I had one more day in SoCal before I would return to the Bay Area. We both promised to hook up.
The next day, we had drinks at a karaoke bar, and that started a whirlwind summer of flying back-and-forth to SoCal. She would invite me to her home (which she shared with her parents and siblings) to have a typical Vietnamese dinner with her family. I rolled fresh Vietnamese spring rolls with her parents, and of course got interviewed by them. The dinner table was fully covered with newspapers.
But the highlight of the family dinner was the Vietnamese dessert similar to the Filipino Halo-Halo is called Chè Ba Màu (pronounced "cheh bah mow"). It translates to "three-color dessert" and is known for its layers of various sweet ingredients, crushed ice, and coconut milk. YUMM. I was in heaven.
Carolyn would fly up with her coworker/best friend to attend my sister's firstborn's baptism in San Francisco later in August. We were serious. So serious, I signed up for a Mandarin class in City College of San Francisco which I had planned to attend after work in Downtown SF.
Ultimately, her parents were against my not being Chinese... and Carolyn broke it off with me. C'est la vie.
Happy Birthday, Always
As we revisit this day, decades later, we remember not just the event, but the spirit of it. Happy Birthday to you Carolyn — tomorrow, and every August 8 that follows.
@pinoybuilt #happybirthday Carolyn 🎂🎉 #mipiace #Pasadena #august8 #California
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Labels: birthday, 1998, pasadena, california, oldtown, dinner, memories, heritage, family, love, restaurant, celebration, august 8, fil-am, losangeles, throwback, smile, photos, streetscene, storytelling
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