Big Apple, bigger memories

A family trip to New York becomes a delicious celebration of love, food, and togetherness

- SANDY DAZA

Nothing beats family time. To me, these are priceless. I have experienced the best of times of all sorts as a resident here and abroad. And I have come to the conclusion that nothing beats spending time with your loved ones.

As a family, we’ve traveled to Fukuoka, Japan where I wanted my family to experience the joy that eating superb Japanese food brings. We rented a tiny Airbnb in the outskirts of Fukuoka and stayed there for about 10 days. Every morning I would cook breakfast from ingredients I got from FamilyMart. Another trip we did was to San Francisco two years ago—also so memorable.

This year, my son, Chef Turo, got married in New York to my pretty, kind, tall, and hardworking daughterin-law, Patricia Medina. My entire immediate family was there. Super fun and memorable. Except for the walking that the city is known for, everything was perfect. We got an Airbnb just a few blocks from Central Park, where we did picnics, experienced their corny zoo, or just sat and ate food from whatever deli. My grandson, Danel, was also there, and that made it more unforgettable. The love one gives their grandchild can only be described by experience. I have become more childish than he is.