It’s been a while..

This summer has been filled with such beauty, and busy-ness that I found myself continually being reminded to do what I love most: to write.

Just simply write.

And, to capture every moment; calcifying each one in writing.

Part of the busy-ness included a quick trip down to beautiful Juneau. The Primadonna wanted to attend a dance intensive at Juneau ballet academy. She’s never been to Juneau, and in my previous job, I travelled there every now and then.

We decided that we could use the trip for a bit of mom and daughter time.  I also have family in Juneau. My youngest sister, and her family made Juneau their home.

The Primadonna made Juneau her home for three weeks, and there she learned from amazing instructors-Sasha Radetsky and Ethan Stiefel from Center Stage fame, and Stella Abrera from American Ballet Theatre, Elizabeth Murphy from Pacific Northwest Ballet, and Genevieve Carson from L.A. Contemporary Company, to name a few. Stella Abrera is Filipino-American, and I sincerely believe in the importance to see a role model who shares the same cultural background as she does.

I can see why many Alaskans are Juneau proud. It really is beautiful there. The greenery is lush, and the air has a cleanliness crisp to it. The Prima and I visited a few foodie places, and relished on every moment. I even drove to downtown Juneau, and we didn’t care that it was lightly drizzling as we walked exploring all the little stores. As I write this, I can hear my sister tell me, “make sure you have tons of anti-bacterial spray when you go downtown—some tourist brought in the measles.” Thank you Mae for always being a reminder of practicality. I did have several travel bottles of hand sanitizer with me.

The Rookery Café

The Rookery Café is located in downtown Juneau. The Prima and I had some time to kill before checking in at the hotel, and we arrived just in time for lunch. The Rookery is in a very cozy location. You can almost see how folks pop in straight from the rain or the drizzle outside to have a cup of cappuccino, and eat a few of their specialties. On our first lunch in Juneau, we ate some soup and a fried chicken sandwich. It was so marvelous that we came back on another day for breakfast.

Zerelda’s Café

I was speechless at the divine Zerelda’s Café. Located on the Glacier highway, the Prima, and I were in-love with their simple, but indulgent, menu. They offered pho, and moco loco for breakfast! To satisfy a sweet tooth, they had a bountiful of pastries. You have to order a pastry to balance the savory from the pho, and the moco loco.

Our in-love relationship with Zerelda’s inspired us to return for lunch on another day as well.

Downtown Juneau

I realized that even though I travelled to Juneau for business several years, I never took the moment to visit downtown. How horrible was that when I think about it? For one to visit a place–not even take a moment to breathe in its beauty—but, just be all about business. Horrific.

The prima and I along with numerous bottles of hand sanitizer took a day or two to look around downtown Juneau. We looked around shops, and some eats. We had coffee and grilled cheese at the Heritage Coffee Roasting Company, and dinner with family at the Hangar.

Family

I love my siblings. All four of them. I sincerely believe that in this life, I intended to be the eldest of the five of us. I also believe that love for one’s siblings is right up there next to love for one’s child. I am practical when it comes to understanding that at one point in my siblings’ lives, or perhaps more than at one point, they hated my guts. But, I completely also understand that such truth comes with being the bossy eldest child. Here’s what I’ve learned about being the eldest:

You worry for your sisters and brother like you would your own children—this will never stop.

You will always be there to accept them for who they are—no matter if you agree with them or not.

You will give them their space, and you will learn to never judge.

But, they will always have a memory of you being a complete judgmental asshole.

You become more understanding as you grow older, and your love for them continues to evolve throughout your life.

You will love them to the very core until the end of your days.

Here’s what I’ve also learned about being the eldest:

One of the best roles in life is being an aunt to their children, and having even more love that you didn’t think your heart could hold.

 

Heading home on my own…