Angelino AF (Asian Flavor)

So, today is my 45th birthday, and it’s my fifth time celebrating it here in Los Angeles. To be honest, I’m not always excited about birthdays—they bring up a lot of emotion for me. I’m so used to celebrating with my sister, whose birthday is just a day after mine. I always think of my mom making us spaghetti, with ice cream, cake, and all the other foods that made the day special.

So this year, I’m choosing to keep my birthday simple, private, special, and stress-free. I’m taking my time today, and in my own way, I’m celebrating it the best I can.

Nov 13 – 9 PM: I started things off the night before my birthday by watching one of my favorite movies—Wicked—with my favorite character, the Elphaba Barbie, by my side. It’s such a feel-good movie, filled with amazing songs and incredible singers. There’s so much about Elphaba’s character that resonates with me, and I honestly can’t wait to watch Wicked: Part 2.

Nov 14 — 8:30 AM: I woke up around this time. I didn’t go to work—because why not? It’s my birthday. As much as I wanted to sleep in, I had to get up because I was already hungry, and my body clock is so used to waking up early in the morning.

Usually, I make a green smoothie for breakfast—but not today! It’s my special day, so I made a proper Filipino breakfast: rice, fried eggs, and longganisa. Food has a way of grounding me and making me feel at home again. LA is home now, but where you come from is a different kind of home.

There’s a storm today and in the coming days, so it felt extra cozy eating my Filipino breakfast, sipping coffee, and watching the rain through the window.

10:00 AM: Wicked still isn’t over. Today, it turned into a full-on Wicked sing-along. LOL. I was belting my heart out to the songs, and honestly, I didn’t care if my neighbors heard me.

11:30 PM: By this time, the rain had slowed down bit. As much as I wanted to just become lazy and stay at home I decided to go to the gym.

I planned to sweat on my birthday, and not even a full-on storm can stop me. I’m going to the gym regardless. It’s my birthday—nature can try, but it’s not raining on my parade.

1:30 PM: As a Barbie collector, I’ve been wanting to visit the Mattel headquarters in El Segundo. I heard they have a small store there, and I figured I might find some bargain Barbies. So off I went.

Well, they definitely had plenty of Barbies—and other brands too. But honestly, I was a little disappointed. Their selection of Signature Barbies, you know, the collector’s edition ones, was pretty limited. It’s funny because it’s actually easier to find them online than at Mattel’s own store. Still, I was glad I went—it satisfied my curiosity.

3:30 PM: While waiting to head to Hollywood to watch Moulin Rouge! The Musical, I decided to make some beet juice. I’ve been drinking it for months now, and it’s become part of my routine. I’ll definitely write another blog entry soon about the benefits of juicing and green smoothies.

5:00 PM: Off I drove to Hollywood. I braved the storm and the night driving (my night vision is really bad), and one thing immediately stood out: the streetlights along Crenshaw Blvd all the way to Hollywood were practically nonexistent. I didn’t take the freeway, and I rarely drive in that area since I live in the south of LA now—but wow, it was wild. No streetlights at all! Honestly, LA, if you want people to get into accidents, this is exactly how to make it happen. Turning off streetlights during a heavy downpour? Unreal.

8:00 PM: Moulin Rouge! was my third musical of the year—I’d already seen Hamilton and Les Misérables, both huge Broadway productions. With Moulin Rouge!, though, I just wasn’t feeling it. The production quality was outstanding, and the singers were absolutely amazing, but something just didn’t click for me. I found myself getting bored halfway through. Still, since this was my birthday treat to myself—and I’d braved the weather and night driving to get there—I sat through the full 2+ hour performance and really tried to enjoy it. But honestly? I still didn’t.

So there you have it—this was how I spent my birthday. It wasn’t really a celebration; it was more of a much-needed me time. For once, I didn’t think about work, bills, or the future. I just allowed myself to enjoy the day, completely pressure-free. I’m officially 45, and after everything I’ve been through, I’m still here, “dancing through life,” as the song from Wicked says. I’m looking forward to more birthdays, more growth, and many productive years ahead—God willing.