It was everything I did not know I was looking for, I had found there in California. What had started as an impromptu vacation with only just a one way ticket purchased three days prior to leaving, turned into one of the greatest experiences during my young adult life. Between the misty mornings of San Francisco, the sounds of polyurethane scraping against the skate parks at Venice Beach, the perfect temperature water along the gold glimmering beaches in San Diego, the flavors of all the amazing eats throughout this whole state, the beautiful sunsets from anywhere you are, there was no reason to be upset here in the Golden State. San Francisco, California was the first city in America that my father experienced while my mother and sister were still back in the Philippines. I guess a portion of what made this trip so great for me was I felt as if I was able to get a glimpse of what my father experienced back in the mid 1980s, I got to experience the start of his American Dream, the dream that is a reality for me and a lot of other American born Filipinos here in America. Meeting all the older generation people who said “Oh, you must be Steve’s son!” felt as if I was discovering another portion of my life for the first time. And yes, that's me, Steve's Son. Its amazing how love has no barriers and no distance too far can ever come in between. Meeting extended family and family friends was surely a highlight of this trip. The hospitality and love I felt during this trip will always be remembered even as I sit here on the opposite coast typing this whole blurb out. Theres a lot on this trip I captured as well as a lot that I did not, and in all honesty some of best moments during my stay here in California was not captured on film simply cause I made sure to really enjoy all those moments while they were happening. To everyone in California, I just want to say thank you for making my time a memorable one. When the winters are cold and harsh here in New York, I’ll always think of the setting sun along the Pacific coast. I guess the well known 90s song by Tony Bennett “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” has a real new meaning to me after this summer.
[Special Thanks to the Randy/Bay Area Barbers over at Cut To Contrast & AndrewDoesHair for having me at their hair demo/workshop. Special Thanks to John P. Photography for the press pass and having me second shoot at the Industry Dance Awards in Hollywood, California. Special Thanks to Christian Alexander for having me shoot content for his upcoming music throughout Los Angeles. Special thanks to everyone who sat at all the tables and broke bread with me and ate some of the best food I've had in a while, I love food, and I love you all.]
