Giving Thanks in Cali

I'm in California with my parents and my sister Cori for Thanksgiving.  Most of my time has been in Pleasanton in the San Francisco Bay Area at my mom's house.  As usual, it's been all about cooking and eating over here, barely one meal finished while we are planning the next one. Then on Wednesday, Cori and I jetted off to Los Angeles to hang out with our father and his side of the family. 

It was a wonderful day, starting with breakfast at the Filipino fast food place "Jollibee," then hanging out with our auntie Emma eating chicken empanadas and persimmons picked fresh from her tree. 

Later we visited our Auntie Susan's cosmetic products lab Benchmark, an impressive small laboratory that creates the formulas for some of the most high-end cosmetics on the market.

Finally, dad and Cori and I did a pleasant trip around Newport Beach, Balboa Island and Fashion Island before Cori and I jumped on a flight back to the Bay Area.

Right now Cori is about to start roasting the turkey, I'm prepping the vegetables for roasting, and mom is just chilling out.  In the afternoon, we're headed to my cousin Zan's place to celebrate with my extended family in Hercules. 

So nice being home.