Between you and me, this is what I personally consider to be the highlight of our California vacation. Our reunion with J. J as in Jollibee. Hush, don’t tell my relatives! I don’t want to hurt their feelings. Nyahahaha!
Honestly, I wouldn’t have thought about Jollibee had Meeya not reminded me. When I told her during one of our chat sessions that Hubby, Abby and I were going to California her immediate reply was, “Makakakain ka na sa Jollibee!” Right there and then, my eyes were opened. Hahaha! What an epiphany Thank you, Mee!
And so, I requested my aunt to please take us there anytime during our 7-day stay (not counting the day of arrival and departure). Being the perfect hosts, my aunt and uncle took us to Jollibee straight from the airport. My heart practically jumped out of my chest in excitement and anticipation. Promise! :)
My uncle, Tito Ed, was amused that I was taking pictures of Jollibee. Tempting as it was, I didn’t tell him about the wonderful world of blogging. I had to have my chicken joy already. Hee hee.
2-dollar weekday treats? Not bad. I would have paid $5. But that’s just home-sick l’il ‘ol me. :P
Well, well, well! Hello J! Long time no see! ;)
Abby and her 14-month old couin, Maddie…
Abby had a one-piece chicken joy kiddie meal. I love the pail! Too bad we forgot to bring it back home to Texas. It would have made a very nice…tabo. ;)
I’ve already decided what to order long before we left Texas: chicken joy and palabok. This is my aunt’s, one-piece chicken joy and palabok meal. Are you kidding? It wouldn’t have been enough for me…
Now this is more like it. Both Hubby and I had a 2-piece chicken joy with lots of gravy. Forget the mashed potato. Forget the biscuit. Forget the coleslaw. Hello rice! Hahaha! The rice serving, by the way, was as big as a hamburger bun. Huge!
Aga, is that you? :D Hubby was happy to finally have fried chicken with rice. Fried chicken without rice is just not the same. You know what I mean.
Charlene! You’re here, too! Nyahahaha!
And since I didn’t have pancit the day before, which was my birthday, Hubby and I shared an order of palabok. Yummeeee! ;) I didn’t mind that it was already cold by the time we were done with our chicken. I would have eaten this frozen! :P
I managed to take a group pic with my aunt and uncle before I started eating. My cousins came too with their families. By then, I was too engrossed with my food to take pics.
Abby played with the famous bee, too! Hee hee.
Eating at Jollibee was a surreal experience. For one and for once, we were surrounded by Filipinos! It felt weird to hear everyone around me speaking Tagalog. That is next to impossible here in Texas. Here, I’m always caught by surprise whenever my “Tagalog radar” picks up a Tagalog conversation. In that brief hour or so that we were in Jollibee, my radar worked overtime. I now have an idea how it feels to be, er, Edward Cullen, the mind-reading Twilight vampire who picks up people’s thoughts even if he doesn’t want to! Nyahaha! Twilight hang-over. Sorry. :P
During our vacation, we ate at so many different restaurants, but I had the best meal at Jollibee. ;)
oOo
Our trip to California was both Abby’s and my first plane ride after moving to Texas. On our trip to Austin from the Philippines, Abby insisted on sitting on my lap during take off and landing, much to the dismay of Continental’s flight attendants. I’m just glad that was no longer the case. She sat by the window and asked, “Are we there yet?” every 5 minutes. Her DVD player kept her entertained for the most part of the trip. Thank God we were on a direct flight! Hee hee.
A few minutes before boarding
Prim and proper and excited
I may have spoken too soon! :)
How’s your week coming along? Great, I hope! Cheers!
ps: After I fold some of today’s laundry, I’m going to bloghop like I’ve never bloghopped before. Expect me in the next 24 hours! ;)
[...] 2. birthday presents (done!) 3. my journey into the twilight saga (done!) 4. california vacation 4.1 reunion with “J” and first evening with relatives (done!) 4.2 Mammoth and Yosemite 4.3 Universal Studios 4.4 Disneyland & California Adventure [...]
parang feel na feel ko ang excitement nyo ah! :)
teka, bakit meron dyang 1pc chicken/palabok meal? mas gusto ko yan kesa sa 1pc chicken/spaghetti meal :P
Hi Cez! Ay, wala ba diyang 1pc chicken + palabok meal? Hmmm, interesting. Feeling ko meron. Kathang isip ko lang pala. Hee hee. Magpasignature campaign ka. Pipirma ako! Promise! ;)
alam mo weng, parang ad ng jollibee yung photo mo hahah!
gosh I can’t wait to have a cali vacay this december. West coast for me is the closest thing to pinas.
and yea, mahirap ang connecting flight, i flew LAX-Philly-VA with ethan ALONE waaaahhh!
Something Purples last blog post..GAME KA NA BA?
Hi Em! I totally agree with you. Our vacation in Cali was the closest to home we’ve ever been…with matching Tagalog speaking people everywhere. Katuwa! Hee hee! If only for Jollibee and all the other popular Philippine fastfoods (na hindi namin napuntahan! Sayang!), we’ll keep coming back to CA. And then of course, there’s our relatives to visit, too! Hahaha! ;)
aaargh, gusto ko din ng jollibee!!! sobrang favorite ko ang regular yum kahit anong sabihin nila sa sweet sauce nun. gusto ko din ng palabok. magbubukas daw ng jollibee dito, solve na ako! :D
Hi Abs! Favorite ko ang regular yum with cheese. Dati, double yum pa nga! Hahaha! Pero over na yun! Uy, buti ka pa magkakajollibee na. Sa Queens yata diba? Impossible mangyari yan dito sa Austi. Sa Houston puwede pa. Oh well. :D
Parang Jollibee commercial dito yung Langhap-Sarap story niyo – as in straight from the airport pa ha! :) Kami din ilang beses nang nag-Jollibee eversince we got here – especially love the Double Yum with cheese – YUMburger talaga! :lol:
Pinkys last blog post..SSS #116: Taking a Breather
Hi Pinks! High five tayo! Favorite ko din ang double yum with cheese. Kaya lang everytime we go to Jollibee, hindi na ako makaorder ng burgers. Nauuwi talaga sa chicken. Hee hee! Happy bingeing in Pinas! Mmmwah!
hi Weng. alam mo, Jollibee owes you a talent fee for this post! truth well told!
glad to know you had a wonderful time in Cali. at syempre, langhap sarap ang feeling coz you’re reunited with Jollibee! :)
fengs last blog post..EXCITED WITH THE TWO LONG WEEKENDS OF AUGUST
Hi Feng! Talent fee ka diyan! Hahaha! Pero hindi ako tatanggi if ever. Hee hee! ;)
Oo naman, we had a grand time in Cali. Miss na miss ko ang sikat na bubuyog ng Pinas. We hope to go back there soon. Ipon muna. ;)
ay naku weng, naglaway ako, as in! pramis! miss ko na ang chicken joy, waaaaaahhhh!!!!
elas last blog post..house project #9: kiko’s nursery
Hi Ela! I know what you mean…about missing Jollibee! Gaano na naman kaya katagal ako maghihintay bago kami ulit makapag-chicken joy? Hee hee! :)
natakam kami ng sobra ni Ryan sa blogpost mo…mouth-watering ang chickenjoy!!!!
nakakatuwa ka talaga mag-post…aga & charlene…hahahaha!! pwede naman kasi, di ba? :)
Gracies last blog post..i love shopping tag
Hi Gracie! Naku naman, naglaway pa kayo ni Ryan e panay nga ang fine dining niyong dalawa! Hee hee! Ikaw ha, pinagtawanan mo ang aking Aga and Charlene bit! :P Pero puwede naman nga talaga! Hahaha! :D
nainggit ako sa jollibee treats! gusto din namin yan, waah.. sobrang miss ko ang gravy ng jollibee aside from the chix, palabok, spaghetti and apple pie!!!
Hi Tin! Pag-uwi niyo sa December, I’m sure magpapaenjoy ka sa Jollibee. Hee hee! Ikain mo na lang ako ulit ha! :)
nagsawa ako…to the point, pag nakakita ako ng Jollibee di na lang ako tumitingin, hehehe…pero iba talaga!
Hi Junnie! E ang dalawa mo naman kasi sa Pinas! Hee hee! Ako mahigit one year naghintay! :) Kita mo nga, kahit lumamig yung palabok, napakasarap pa rin for me! Hee hee. :D
as always love your kwento about jollibee, which happens to be one of my all time fave..( i worked there during college days..ehhehe) when we celebrated miguel’s 1 yr old in pinas, i really wanted jollibee to be present kahit nakokornihan ang mga kamag anak sa pinas, basta..jollibee pa rin!
kamukha nyo nga si aga at charlene, maihahabol nyo pa naman ng twin si abby di ba??di bale, pag uwi ko sa december, yan ang una kong kakainan!!:)
Hi Dang! Pag-wala talaga ang isang bagay, mas hinahanap-hanap…tulad ng chicken joy. Hahaha! :) Loyalist kapala ni Jollibee. Hee hee. :D
ibang-iba talaga ang alindog ng bubuyog para sa ating mga sabik, hehe (uy ang lalim nun ha).
sa susunod, magpa-fedex ka naman dito kahit yung yumburger lang, haha! haaay, ang sarap (literally) ng bakasyon niyo. :D
Hi Mee! Hindi nga, puwede ba mag-order online ng Jollibee? Yung Goldilocks o Red Ribbon kasi yata puwede eh. Hahaha! Nagbalak pang magpadeliver ng hamburger! Hahaha! :)
aaahh!! jollibee!!!
when our family went to brunei 3-4 years ago, i was so excited to introduce my kids to chickenjoy. pinoy pala ang taste buds ng mga anak ko. they loved the chicken and gravy so much that when my hubby went to manila once, i actually asked him to buy chicken joy for me haha! luckily, it survived the 3-hr flight + 2 hours waiting time at the airport ;)
mimi
http://www.sleeplessinkl.com
Hi Mimi! I think Jollibee food really tickles the Filipino tastebuds. One of my nephews who was born in California even liked the sweet spaghetti with hotdog! Hahaha! You think a prospective house guest from the Philippines will mind if I ask them to bring me something from Jollibee? Hee hee! :D
bida ang sarap, dba? makakain nga ng palabok fiesta mamaya. hehehe ;)
sardonic nells last blog post..Litratong Pinoy #20: Liwaliw
Hi Nell! Ang daya mo naman! Palibhasa nasa California ka, kung saan minority lang ang mga puti. Mga Pinoy ang nagrurule sa CA! Hahaha! :D
pagkain na naman, jollibee pa! hmmm, i’m raiding the refrigerator at 2:00 in the morning now. :)
odettes last blog post..now for sale :: notecards + freebies!
Hi Odette! You’re raiding the fridge at 2am?! Is that a good sign? *wink* Hee hee. Kidding. No pressure. Take your sweet time. Hee hee!
[...] did get to finish writing my account of that vacation. Oh well. The highlight of that trip? Dinner at Jollibee, of course! [...]