Carmen CK x California

Chapter I

The child in me; Disneyland

Remember those dreams when you were a little girl? The times where you would beg and kill to sneak a ride on Aladdin's magic carpet just to make princess Jasmine insanely jealous? No? Sorry if I'm the only one with twisted childhood dreams.

Well, I finally got to live my Disney dream... at the cost of 187 dollars. My post-Disnyeland verdict? "I'm too old for this shit". Please excuse my French. The idea of a tangible land filled built upon the magic of stories and ideas you've held so significantly once upon a time is very tempting, and much more compelling than the actual form itself. But if you don't mind waiting in line after line after line, enduring whiny kids and distressed parents, then it's worth a shot! Let me share some wisdom with you while we're at it: 

1. Abuse the heck out of the "fast past". It lets you skip the queue (most of it, at least) which therefore reduces the risk of you pulling all your hair out. 

2. Bring your own source of hydration. You'll either find yourself hunting for a water fountain till you're utterly convinced that it's just a myth or deciding if you should forgive yourself for paying 3 dollars for water. 

Chapter II

Mellower days in Monterey 

After 48 hours of Disney, it's time to cleanse the system. The journey from Anaheim to Monterey was  deliberating, but we still managed to harvest a tiny speck of joy from our full day of travel. For those who has never taken a sleeper train ride, I highly recommend it just for kicks. It really was an experience like no other. 

I would describe Monterey as a shabby chic yet charming town. It was beautiful in its own form of peasantry. There really wasn't anything adrenaline-pumping to do there, but most will come for the scenic view and of course, rich seafood! 

Fresh fish tacos (top); 

the-holy-grail-best calamari I have ever tasted in my life-- and I've had a fair share of them (bottom)

Chapter III 

San Francisco; bidding goodbyes 

Final stop: SF. Being in a sizable city as such brings a sense of familiarity. I'd like to think that my day-to-day practice of maneuvering in Chicago factored in this case. But deep down, I know, surer than anything, that my heart belonged to a majestic city. 

San Francisco, you've been amazing.  

No adventure is complete without great company. And I am thankful to have weaved these memories with an old friend. 

xx
Carmen

Letter to My Teenage Self

The big two O.

Yes, despite my own disbelief, I have finally turned twenty. Though intrinsically, I highly doubt that my present capabilities would equip me to survive the cannibalizing world of the unknown, sometimes being referred to as adulthood. But then again, I might be wrong; just like how I am, indeed, wrong about most things in life.

And as I ponder about the future and reminisce on the past, all the little bits and pieces that crafted the first two decades of my life started to pounce back into mind. Through the mental evaluation on all the moments of joy/pain/love/hate, I decided I have so much acquired wisdom I'd like to share with the gullible, dubious and frivolous old me. So hey, why not do so in the way I find most accustomed to?

(Letter to my teenage self) 

Dear Carmen,

Granted, at this point in your life, you'd start to doubt the "big" decisions you've made. And more often than not, you'd linger in the midst of "doubting" than actually "doing", investing all your time and energy on avoiding a conceivable mistake. My advice? Don't. I say this because (1) you ended up making some darn good decisions in your life, (2) some mistakes are inevitable and (3) some mistakes need to be made. You will laugh, cry and sometimes wander through these bleak moments, but it doesn't matter because you will survive.

Understand that some people are meant to be in your life forever and some are just passers-by. The onlookers' visits are transitory, though unfortunate but true. Some will serve to teach you a lesson (or be a pain in your ass) and others will gift you the experience of a lifetime. So cherish those who have showed you kindness and forgive the ones who brought you pain. Because you must remember, the ultimatum is that all this is just temporary.

Finally, don't hate what you see in the mirror. Spoiler alert: You're not going to grow 3 inches taller, be 20 pounds lighter or have Blake-Lively-worthy hair (in fact, there comes a time when you held you breath and chopped off your long locks. But that's a story for another time). Don't fret, because beyond obsessing over the unattainable, you'll be blessed with great adventures, meet the loveliest people and learn to accept that your spiritual being, achievements or acuity of mind have the least to do with the way you look or the number on a scale.

Know that, all and all, you'll be okay.

Wait, I take that back. You'll be

happy.

Sincerely,
Me