Back in February when we saw Joe Romero perform his Anti-Valentine’s Day stand-up routine, he mentioned that I could come along to any of his weddings to second shoot for him. I thought it was a generous offer, especially since it would help in learning hands on the time it takes to get all the necessary shots – ceremony, family shots – while balancing out the photojournalistic style. So this past Saturday, I was able to accompany Joe to Leticia and Daniel’s wedding. Even though I was a stranger, Leticia welcomed me as she was getting ready for her big day. Her hair and make-up were getting the final touches before she stepped into her fluttering, layered wedding dress. It was a breathtaking moment before the hustle of jumping into the limosine to head to Our Lady of Soledad where Daniel, standing at the back of the church, awaited his bride.
Despite not understanding the ceremony (conducted all in Spanish), you could still feel the beauty of the music, singing, and feel the words that were addressed to Leticia and Daniel. The idea of commitment, love, and mutual understanding was clear and the joy and happiness were evident in each set of parents’ eyes. When the ceremony ended, there were plenty of hugs, kisses, and congratulations. Shortly after, the wedding party headed over to Pasadena for photos and portraits before the celebration continued at the Rococo Room.
Joe, thank you so much again for letting me second shoot at Leticia and Daniel’s wedding. It was a wonderful learning experience and I hope to work with you again very soon! Leticia and Danny, congratulations again and I wish the two of you a lifetime of happiness!
I loved the vibrant colors of the wedding along with the recurring image of the bride and groom pictured below.
Loved, loved, loved the bright yellows and blues!
A tourist attraction that has been on our list is the Heritage Square Museum. From the 110 freeway, you can see a few eclectic looking houses, especially one painted different colors. It catches your attention and after one of Taro’s friends visited it and told us about it, we were intrigued to find out more in person. So on a hot, Saturday day, that is where we went. We were probably crazy to go on a warm afternoon, especially since part of the tour is outdoors. However, despite it being old, Victorian houses, it was relatively cool inside the preserved houses and during the hour long tour, we learned about the early settlement and development of Southern California. What I found really interesting was seeing how different classes lived; we were able to view an upper class home, a middle class home, and a lower class home. Each had different features, ranging from private, hidden staircases reserved for servants, different flooring to indicate wealth, and fixtures, even down to the hinges. In addition, there was an Octagon House that despite its shape, seemed relatively normal from the inside (minus the room with multiple doors). I loved how I was taken to a different era just by stepping into these houses. I felt like I was in Mr. Rochester’s house with crazy Bertha locked away upstairs (That is what I get for teaching Jane Eyre for so many years!).
If you get the chance, I would recommend visiting the Heritage Square Museum just to learn a little more about the city/county we live in. It is a fascinating place, especially with the tour guides dressed up in costume!
I cannot believe my baby brother turned 28. 28 years old. I remember the day he was born – my first memory that I can recall – and now he is a 28 year old man. In my eyes, he is still the sometimes silent, goofy donkey laughing kid who played with Ninja Turtles and rocked to Offspring. Ninja Turtles and Offspring might not be in the picture anymore, but the always reliable brother is there. So, to celebrate his birthday, we all went to Manna, an all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ. Minus announcing his birthday to the staff – if you let them know, they spray the birthday boy/girl with a bottle of champagne and I thought it was too cruel to do that to my own brother – we ate…and ate…and ate. There were all the side dishes – pickled turnip, noodles, kimchi, etc. – and piles and piles of meat – beef and pork bolgogi, short ribs, chicken, and beef brisket. With my dad and Taro cooking, there wasn’t a shortage of meat. It was the perfect birthday dinner with bottles of Hite and soju for everyone to enjoy.
Happy birthday again, Brother! Taro and I heart you!
There is a joke for the card that we made for my brother from Peanut. The last couple of times my brother came to feed Peanut while we were gone, Peanut hissed at him. My brother decided to say, “Bye, asshole” when he left the house. We thought it was appropriate that Peanut made a card for him calling him the same name…along with giving him concert tickets.
We found it humorous when my mom drank soju:
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