Family Time in Rancho Mirage

Rancho Mirage is in the Palm Springs area of California. It’s my only brother John’s city. My sister-in-law Marichi and yaya Tata we’re cooking a Filipino fiesta, complete with bellychon to celebrate my nephew Jonathan’s birthday. So mom and pop, my sister Nikko and I drove two hours to the desert. Dropped by the Cabazon outlets where it was super hot.

I was seeing my brother’s gorgeous home for the first time. His old house was also at Rancho Mirage. That was where I spent brief vacations twice, once with the kids and another with the husband.

Food was so good, especially the kare-kare with ox tail and lechon (inspired by their brother-in-law Oliver’s recipe). And the piña colada cake they got from Tony Bahama was pure paradise. Jonathan and I blew a red velvet cake. Talk about making another wish.

The gathering was beautiful though brief. Family photos have become so rare, like it took decades before another good ones.