Bonding in New York

35,000 feet high between New York and Long Beach cities –that is where this is being written. We are now flying back to the Long Beach airport after taking off from the John F. Kennedy airport on our way back to Irvine City (where I spent the night before leaving for New York) and then to Riverside City, my usual halfway home every time I come to this country. Home there is the place of my cousin Allan Gomez and his wife, Lourdes. But this will only be a sort of stopover, because tomorrow (Wednesday here) we will be driving to Las Vegas for some “Unfinished Business.”

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We, my sister-in-law Nena (wife of Pros) took off from JFK at 3:55 p.m. and the flight is supposed to take five hours and 30 minutes, but our expected time of arrival in Long Beach is 7:05 p.m. Frankly, I don’t try to figure out the time differences anymore. Anyway it’s very true that time just flies when you are in the company of your loved ones who take care of you and pamper you all the time!

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As soon as we landed in NY last Friday, my cousin Danny Corral and his wife Meya wanted to sprint us off to their lovely home in Somerset, New Jersey. They not only wanted to take Nena and me, but also Nena’s daughter Peachy, her husband Gino Tadiar and their adorable 3-year-old daughter Annika. We all begged off, wanting to rest a bit, and not having met Annika yet who was already half asleep. But next day, Danny came to fetch us all and we spent the weekend in New Jersey. He and Meya treated us to a wonderful dinner at McCormick which is located at the NJ Mall, an impressive place that reminds you of Rockwell in Manila. Oh, the steaks were mouth-watering but alas, my B.P. had climbed up a bit after all the feasting, so I had to call a pass. But Danny, to console me, ordered for me the most expensive fish dish on the menu which was a swordfish. HadI been the one paying for it, it would have gone like a sword through my wallet!

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Sunday we heard the 12 noon mass at the St. Matthews Church which I know Danny had helped so much to renovate. The parish priest gave a very good homily that had the entire congregation listening intently. I  mourned for the inane homilies we sometimes have to endure back home. After mass I met another nephew, Hugo Villanueva with his son Yogi, who are also parishioners.

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The Corrals again took us to another of their favorite eateries, the Hongkong Garden, which has a success story typical of those of many immigrant families. The owner, who runs the place hands-on with his wife and children, looked happy when Danny teased him that he will be mentioned in the DAILY STAR.

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Ah, but we had to hunt far and wide for our dinner! After finally locating by phone another niece, Cherry Pink, daughter of my brother Cesar and his wife, Cecilia, we had to search up and down for her place. She finally had todrive up to the highway to fetch me. The children of Cherry Pink and Ricky (Lizares) are now grown up – Rachelle has finished college and now work at Puma, Mikey who went to Naval school and had been sent to Iraq, is now married, and their youngest, handsome Richie, is now in junior high school. It was a wonderful and sentimental reunion for the Corrals, Leonardias, Tadiars and Lizares.

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Back in New York, Monday’s priority was the St. Patrick Cathedral which I never miss when I come here so that it has become quite familiar and I can locate the niches of my favorite saints easily. Next wasSaksFifth Avenue where we pretended to be viewing the spring collection which, of course, all cost a leg and a half. Naturally,Rockefeller Centerwas not to be bypassed, but it was difficult to keep Annika off the ice skating rink. Thanks to the cellphone, Danny located usagain and said Darryl was treating us to dinner. Do we ever refuse such invitations? But Darryl was getting off work quite late, as Danny took us on more than an hour’s tour of New York City’s landmarks and latest wonders. There was some déjà vu in this, because it was also Danny who toured me and my sister Perla during our very first visit to New York years and years ago.

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Oh My! Darryl’s treat was at this Italian place at Soho called Giorgione’s which obviously is frequented by celebrities. The food is outstanding even if I had to stick to harmless stuff and first had to sniff at the wonderful smell of their choices. Anyway, we saw Yoko Ono and her date eating there too and when she saw me staring at her (in surprise that her face is not as stark-looking as in photos), she smiled and nodded at me that sort of made up for the missed steaks and bypassed wines.

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At this point, we are not yet half-way through our flight, so I will probably send my column from Nevada where I hope to meet my kababayans who are going there, too.*

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