In Keane’s Somewhere Only We Know, the song evokes a deeply personal sanctuary, a “special place” that holds unique meaning for each individual, acting as a private refuge where cherished memories and intimate emotions reside, accessible only to those who truly understand its significance. Katherine and I have been to many places over the years, but none hold more significant value than the ones we experienced below:
First, the vacations. Every single trip has been magical in its own way, eliciting its own set of core memories. Regardless of the experiences (both positive and negative), all these memories hold a significant place within our hearts.
- Carnival Cruise (2019): Our first vacation. Not the best cruise in terms of food, but probably the best sleep I’ve ever had on a boat. The easygoing nature of the experience, in addition to our first visits ever to Mexico (and all the pushy salespeople at La Bufadora) and the extra-strong margaritas, will forever be a memory until dementia hits.
- Las Vegas (2021): Our first visit to Las Vegas included a magical meal at Hell’s Kitchen, and of course, seeing a used piece of chocolate on the floor (from the previous hotel guest) the entire trip at Flamingo, despite reporting it multiple times. At least they took off $50 off the hotel stay to compensate.
- Palm Springs (2021): Nothing beats a free hotel stay provided by the Los Angeles Clippers. I will forever be a fan now despite not ever watching basketball in general.
- Las Vegas (2021): Two trips in one year. But this time, we went to Resorts World, a free trip provided by none other than the recently canceled Ellen DeGeneres. We were thankful for the resort, which had a much better pool than Flamingo, and no chocolate in the hotel room floor.
- Hawaii (2022): Waking up every day to a huge breakfast, eating spam musubi daily, and enjoying the wonderful weather, scenery, foods, and experiences (like the Manoa Falls hike and the Jurassic Park ATV ride). Can’t wait to go back someday.
- San Diego (2022): We go pretty often for Phil’s BBQ — and as magical as that already is, this trip included my 200th visit to Phil’s BBQ, and, of course, our joint bachelor-bachelorette party comprising lots of juicy pillow talk.
- Disney Cruise (2023): The best cruise we’ve been on with the best food. We definitely gained weight and enjoyed the magical memories with all the Disney characters on board.
- Princess Cruise (2023): The worst cruise in terms of food by far. But the experiences and memories in Alaska still made it an unforgettable experience. Nothing beats cold Alaska air, unpolluted by factories.
- Disney World (2024): Four parks, and despite not staying late every night to watch any fireworks, the daytime memories were unforgettable. We even rented a car from Ft. Lauderdale just to save a couple hundred dollars.
- Toronto, Canada (2024): Without the hospitality of Katherine’s cousin, this trip wouldn’t have been nearly as enjoyable. Our northern neighbors, despite being even more expensive in terms of cost of living, made for a fun journey and experience. Highlights, of course, include Niagara Falls and the small-town culture of Waterloo, and watermelon milk tea, which I have yet to find anywhere else.
With more trips on the way, here are some unforgettable local places etched forever in our hearts:
11 and 12. Los Angeles Convention Center: Just by being the place we met in 2018 while volunteering for Anime Expo makes this a magical place. We went back in 2022 just to visit, but overcoming the crowd sizes was not worth the visit. Still, we forever owe LACC and the SPJA for being the master matchmakers, connecting many Anime Expo couples over the years.
13 and 14. OC Fairgrounds: One of our first dates, the OC Fair is where we shared our first kiss in 2019. We returned in 2022 just for the memories.
15, 16, 17, and 18. Disneyland: Because nothing beats the magic of the park. Each time we’ve gone, we’ve had a different experience: 2020 was right before the COVID lockdowns, 2022 was an early Valentine’s Day date, 2023 was an anniversary date, and 2024 was just for fun.
19. Universal Studios Hollywood: This theme park gives us similar feels as Disneyland, despite being only a half-day park.
20, 21, 22. Parker’s Lighthouse: A delicious meal where we celebrated our anniversary in 2020, Valentine’s Day in 2022, and another anniversary in 2023. The steak and cheesecake never disappoint.
23. Lion’s Lighthouse: Located right across the street from Parker’s Lighthouse, this is the spot of our epic proposal. Katherine had no idea it was coming. We hope to bring our future children here to run around and play after visiting the Aquarium of the Pacific.
And finally,
24. Turnip Rose: The location where our partnership became a marriage in 2023. With our vows forever sealed, our relationship was officially bound in marriage—a successful one so far.
I’m hopeful we will continue to create special places for ourselves and our loved ones in the future that we will cherish and call home.
