Welcome to Lotus Rainier
Anthony Bourdain made us reach beyond our biases
Anthony Bourdain on Pier 57 in New York in 2015. Alex Welsh / The New York Times / Redux Pictures The Oprah Winfrey Show on Channel 7, KABC was the last television show I developed an attachment for, which lasted 25 years. On her shows, she had a way of looking at her...
Finding Peace this Father’s Day
PEACE is not the product of terror or fear. Peace is not the silence of cemeteries. Peace is not the silent result of violent repression. Peace is the generous, tranquil contribution of all to the good of all. Peace is dynamism. Peace is generosity. It is right and it...
The fruits of great love at Purple Yam Brooklyn and Malate
Cooking is like the fruit of a great love: a strong and slightly egotistical love on the part of the men, altruistic and sensitive on the part of the women. Be it one or the other, it is always present, demanding its share of gratitude and recognition. Isn’t this...
No Make Up, Just Lighting
Cover Photo by Enrique B. de la Cruz [Editor’s Note: A version of this column was previously published in June 2012] Bryce National Park in Southern Utah is known for its red rock spires and amphitheaters of columns. It is described by the Paiute Indians as...
A young Fil-Am survivor’s journey toward progressive leadership
Dear Mama, I remembered that Saturday morning in late August in 2015 when I first told you that I was sexually assaulted. I remembered sitting on the couch and I couldn’t look at you, dad, or Andrew in the eye. It felt like the entire room froze, and no one ever...
Imagining America’s soft power: Inspired by David Henry Hwang’s musical
Source: Soft Power Press Kit: Center Theater Group I have emphasized the importance of face-to-face experience of the stranger as we form and nurture democratic habits of the heart. While experience can change the way we look at the world, the converse is also true:...
Imagining America’s Soft Power: Inspired by David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tesori’s Musical Play
“I have emphasized the importance of face-to-face experience with the stranger as we form and nurture democratic habits of the heart. While experience can change the way we look at the world, the converse is also true: the way we look at the world can...
A Joyful Harvest
Apo is thrilled with her snacks: #raspberries #homegrownavocado #cheeseomelette #organicmilk. She showed me what she just harvested, a ripe #strawberry from the #strawberryplants she planted with her #lolo. @ Los Angeles, California
A Blooming Gift
My children gave the white orchid to me, on the left, for Mother's Day 2017. It bloomed again this 2018, around Mother's day. Miracle? Green thumb? Or strong ESP? The trio of orchid blooms on the right was an anniversary gift from hubby in Jan. 2018. It stays in...