Reunion with my BFFs for life

They say there are four essential kinds of friends everyone needs. First, the Encourager — the cheerleader whose unwavering optimism lifts you up and inspires you to keep going when life gets difficult. Then there is the Tailor — the friend who knows you inside and out, someone who understands you almost as well as you understand yourself. Third is the Inquirer — the curious listener who asks thoughtful questions and creates a safe space for you to process your emotions without judgment.

Finally, there is the Reader — the perceptive soul who can read between the lines, sensing when something is wrong and offering exactly the support or advice you need.

I consider myself blessed because I found all four in three remarkable women whom I proudly call my BFFs for life: Menakshi Sehwani, Arlene Sanchez-Roomian and May Ann Casal-Soriano.

Menakshi was the first friend I made after transferring from ICA to St. Paul Pasig in Grade 3. She was the tallest girl in class and impossible to miss. Arlene and May Ann joined the circle later, in Grades 6 and 7, respectively. By a stroke of luck, we all ended up at St. Paul Quezon City for high school, where our friendship truly blossomed.

The last time we were complete in 2006 at the wake of Arlene’s dad.

People often say that high school is one of the happiest times of life, and I totally agree. It was during those years that we shared countless adventures, secrets, dreams and more than a few questionable decisions that seemed to be good ideas at the time.

College eventually took us in different directions. Arlene and I attended UP, May Ann went to St. Paul College Quezon City, while Menakshi crossed the globe to attend Cornell University in New York. Yet distance never weakened our bond. Menakshi came home every year to visit her parents, and somehow we always managed to pick up exactly where we had left off.

Finally, after 20 years at LACMA.

Life moved forward, careers were built, and families were started. I married in 2000 and became a mother to Gabbie and Paolo. Arlene married Chris Roomian and settled in San Francisco, where they raised their daughter Audrey. Menakshi moved from New York to Leeds, married Richard Burke, and welcomed her daughter Amara. May Ann married Ron Soriano, and in 2025, they relocated to Seattle.

From our pre-teen years to adulthood, we remained kindred spirits. There were no pretenses, no need to impress one another. Our families knew each other, and our homes were extensions of one another’s homes. Through heartbreaks, crossroads, uncertainties, losses and triumphs, we were always just a phone call away.

The challenge, however, was geography. Over the years, we became scattered across continents and time zones. The last time all four of us were together was in 2006, when Arlene’s father passed away and, by coincidence, we all happened to be in Manila. Since then, every attempted reunion seemed to be missing at least one person.

So, when I mentioned that I would be visiting the United States in May this year, Arlene immediately took charge and organized what would become our long-awaited reunion.

The stars finally aligned. May Ann was on summer break from her work as a teacher’s assistant. Menakshi had recently retired. Arlene’s flexible schedule with Alaska Airlines made planning easier. We agreed to meet in Los Angeles on June 3 and spend two precious days together.

May Ann flew in from Seattle. Menakshi came from Hawaii, where she had been visiting her friends. Arlene and I arrived from San Francisco.

The reunion began almost instantly at the airport. After collecting our rental car — with me happily volunteering as driver — we headed to Long Beach to pick up Menakshi at her sister’s Kalpana’s house. Hungry from our travels, we made our first stop at Brodard in Orange County’s Little Saigon, where Arlene introduced us to her favorite nem nuong rolls. The fresh herbs, grilled pork, crispy egg-roll wrappers and signature dipping sauce were worth every bite.

After lunch, we checked into the Conrad Los Angeles, generously treated by Menakshi. The hotel sat along Grand Avenue, directly across from the Walt Disney Concert Hall, The Broad and The Music Center. Our room featured two queen beds, enough space for all four of us, and a bathroom so modern that the shower turned on with the push of a button.

That evening, we explored the historic Farmers Market, stocked up on wine at Trader Joe’s and visited the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s iconic Urban Light installation, an outdoor display featuring 202 beautifully restored antique street lamps. After taking countless photos beneath the glowing lights, we returned to the hotel, uncorked a bottle of wine and settled into what would become the true highlight of the trip: simply talking.

Hours passed unnoticed as stories flowed effortlessly from one topic to another. Before we knew it, it was past 2 a.m.

The next day, we crossed the street to The Broad, a contemporary art museum, to experience the fascinating Infinity Mirrored Room. From there, we decided to book a Waymo to get to Mario’s, my favorite Peruvian restaurant located along Melrose Avenue. Waymo is the first commercial fully autonomous ride-hailing service in the United States — in other words, it has no driver! It was the first time all four of us had tried it, and we got a real kick out of the experience.

At Mario’s, we enjoyed shrimp ceviche, lomo saltado, chicharrón de pollo, calamari and pescado macho. Later, we drove to the Getty Villa near Pacific Palisades and reflected on the resilience of communities rebuilding after last year’s devastating wildfires. We then stopped by the Santa Monica Pier, strolled along the boardwalk and rode the Ferris wheel, which gave us a magical view of the ocean and the bustling waterfront below. Arlene and May Ann even hopped on the roller coaster, reliving their teenage years, while Menakshi and I happily stayed behind to take photos and cheer them on.

That evening, over more wine and leftover lunch, the talking again continued late into the night.

Then, just like that, it was over. On our final day, we checked out at 11 a.m. and made one last stop in Glendale for lunch at Raffi’s Place, another Arlene’s favorite. Over hummus, tabbouleh, eggplant dip, and perfectly grilled beef koobideh served with fragrant basmati rice, we savored our remaining hours together.

Soon it was time for farewells. Menakshi was returning to London. May Ann would head back to Seattle. Arlene and I would fly to San Francisco before going our separate ways.

As we hugged goodbye at LAX, I realized that while nearly 20 years had passed since our last complete reunion, the friendship itself had never changed. The laughter was the same, as were the affection, the easy camaraderie and the comfort of being together.

Life has taken us across oceans and continents, through marriages, careers, parenthood, health challenges, break-ups and countless seasons of change. Yet somehow, the friendship we built as children remains our constant. Time and distance may have separated us physically, but they never diminished the bond we forged more than 50 years ago. Fifty years later, we still find ourselves exactly where we started: four friends gathered together, grateful for one another, picking up right where we left off, and already looking forward to the next reunion.