A weekend in the life of Berta Liao
picking up Galen me at Zerox Credit Union the Liao family room
Soon after picking Galen up at LAX.
Every trip the Liaos take to the airport must be efficient; other errands must be rolled into the trip. Galen and I amuse ourselves with my new toy while waiting for my mom to do her banking.
A typical scene at home: Galen watching TV, the cluttered coffee table.
the Liao kitchen table
Pa cooking
stovetop
Why the Liao family does not eat at the kitchen table. Mommy has developed quite a green thumb, though. All the relatives oohed and aahed over the orchids.
Pa usually cooks the meals at home.
The stovetop. Note the mustard-yellow colored cooktop, circa 1978. Things change very slowly at my parents' home.
eating lunch at home
home cooking

Chowing down to Friday dinner (at the dining table).
A typical home-cooked meal.

Candice's resting place
Candice
Candice's resting place, Green Hills. You can see the Palos Verdes Peninsula in the background. Beyond the hills is the Pacific Ocean.
Candice Lin. I always visit her when I go back to L.A. We grew up together. Her mom is my mom's best friend. Her brother, Calvin, was my brother's roommate his freshman year at Berkeley. I still remember the last time I saw Candice--she looked beautiful, with warm sunshine highlighting her face as she waited for me (running late) at Pasqual's Coffee, near the BART station in Berkeley. I visited the Bay Area Spring Break of my junior year and hadn't seen her in ages.

Jason, Galen, and Julia
Uncle Ted and Mommy
Pa browsing the menu
Galen, flanked by Jason and Julia. I remember when Jason was wee high. Now he's a teenager. And Julia? She's growing up fast, too.
My Uncle Ted and Mommy.
Pa, perusing the menu.
Ray and Cindy
Oliver and his daddy
Ethan and his mommy
My cousin Ray and his fabulous wife, Cindy. They are the proud parents of Jason and Julia.
Oliver and his daddy, Bill.
Ethan and his mommy, my cousin Evelyn.
Julia and Oliver
dinner at Seafood Town
kids these days
Julia and Ethan.
Dinner at Seafood Town, our family's favorite Chinese restaurant in Torrance.
Kids these days. Always utterly absorbed by television.
Ethan, the determined climber
Ethan, the happy climber
with Evelyn's boys
However, there are some tots doing alternate activities, like this very determined climber...
...who is quite pleased with his progress.
With Evelyn's boys - their matching outfits were too cute!
Ethan


Ethan Chen, aged 14 months.


the Lins
parents at Benihana
the Lins and Liaos
The Lins: Calvin, Mrs. Lin, and Dr. Lin
My parents. Lunch was at Benihana.
The Lins and the Liaos. Old family friends are dear.
Taiwanese Ya-yas
the fathers
Calvin and Galen
You could call the the Taiwanese Ya-Yas. These two ladies have been through a lot together.
The fathers.
Calvin and Galen.
taking Galen to LAX
thinking Galen
Galen says goodbye
Driving Galen to the airport.
Galen thinks this photo is not particularly flattering, but I think he looks fine. I like the street background. He's very patient with me.
Saying goodbye at the airport. I'm so sad that he has to go back to school.