Epic

Bigger than life itself. No fabled heroes on this New Year's Day but only humbled eyes capturing a chronicle of events called my family. Year 2011 has passed and the dauntless task of 2012 seems as bright as the New Year's Eve firework's display at LEGOLAND Florida.



Cousins forever. Just like Dick Clark's Times Square Ball Drop for New Year's Eve, the countdown is ticking for priceless childhood moments. School winter break converged masses upon central Florida with several theme parks closing its doors due to over capacity. We braved the traffic and crowds and hit LEGOLAND Florida with a vengeful bite of Granny Apple Fries with delightful whip cream.



Enamored by bombs bursting in air like my wife, my almost 10 month old daughter shares the same fondness for elaborate firework displays. Armed with store bought 500 gram gunpowder cakes, my brother in law illuminates the neighborhood with theme park quality fireworks. The little ones duck and cover while the adults and the local County Sheriff gaze with mouths agape.



A thousand points of light shine bright upon the best Christmas of my lifetime. "The best Christmas" may sound cliche to my kid's gift filled eyes but it is an epic truth to me.



My oldest niece meets the youngest of the Soriano family only for the second time this year. Despite this gap, my baby daughter stares deep into her oldest cousin's eyes with a lifetime of familiarity...Epic.



You can view more photos in my New Year's Eve for 2012 Gallery shot with the Canon EOS Rebel T3i paired with the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS lens.

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The LEGOLAND Florida Experience

We're back! The rain soaked preview day of LEGOLAND Florida did not discourage my family but actually lured us for more on this past grand opening weekend. As official annual pass member holders, the one hour drive to the new theme park is the only obstacle for our LEGOLAND Florida experience.



An amazing sunny day with cool temperatures gave my kids ample time to enjoy the new rides such as the "AquaZone" in LEGO TECHNIC. Another priceless expression captured with my Canon EOS 1D Mark IV paired with the Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS lens.



Ready for lunch? T minus one second for auto start sequence of STS-Granny's Apple Fries into my son's mouth topped with cinnamon and sweet cream. The epic skyline of LEGO New York City and large scale replicas such as the Kennedy Space Center gave my family a hungry appetite. MINILAND with its vast LEGO cities will definitely eat up your camera memory card and battery.



Very odd. Both hands on the wheel, eyes on the road and non existent swerving. The new Apple iPhone 4S must be in the safe hands of my Facebook App wife. Posting life's status one picture and video at a time. Mahal Kita! Kathleen!



Ford Motor Company's sponsored DRIVING SCHOOL spearheaded by the life size 380,000 red LEGO brick Ford Explorer replica gave my son and daughter a real behind the wheel experience. Of course, a very long wait followed by a brief but fun LEGO car ride illustrated patience and frustration.



Ships Ahoy! If LEGO cars are not your fancy, how about LEGO boats? Piloting your very own personal watercraft through the wary seas of BOATING SCHOOL will make you a worthy Captain.



The only shark bait being consumed will be your wallet. My kids chum the water with constant "I want this and I want that" until your Mountain Dew soda induced psyche wears off and compliance sets in. Just like at Mickey D's, it is service with a smile.



My COASTERSAURUS experience in LAND OF ADVENTURE will have to wait until my next visit. I wanted to extinguish my kid's overwhelming desire for their LEGO rides and attractions first before I get on this bad boy roller coaster. There is always a next time with an annual membership.



My almost 8 month old daughter Serena just wanted to put every LEGO brick in her mouth. Very simple and nothing complicated about that!



The historic botanical Cypress Gardens provided the natural backdrop for my family portrait. Concrete and LEGO bricks did not pave over the entire former Winter Haven, Florida sanctuary. Beautiful remnants of the first commercial theme park in Florida founded in 1936 still remain. The Southern Belles are now replaced by a LEGO replica at the front entrance and the past water ski shows now have LEGO Pirates treading water. Only in America!



You can view more pictures and video shot with the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV paired with the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS and the EF 70-200mm f/4L IS lenses in my LEGOLAND Florida Experience 2011.



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ICE! Experience at Gaylord Palms Resort

My family started the New Year with a visit to snow and ice. Not the horrible blizzard that plagued the Northeast which shut down entire cities but ICE! and SNOW! at Gaylord Palms Resort in Orlando, FL.



2011 started with an almost 80 degree day in sunny Florida. My nieces in Atlanta, GA could not agree more with the much warmer weather. Irony and the cold weather traveled with them on New Year's Day for a chilling tour of the fabulous ice village and sculptures of the ICE! Experience.



We were encapsulated with 9 degrees of Santa and his reindeer, an epic Nativity display of such awesome stature and the all time favorite ice slide. I do not want to forget the SNOW! portion of this winter wonderland. Slushy snow activities filled the other side of the event like snow tube racing and a snow playground.



Entering this 9 degree bliss with camera gear can be a challenge. Cold fingers combined with rapid battery loss from extreme lower temperatures did not compare to the effect of condensation. When you eventually leave an overwhelming ice display, your gear will turn into a sweating, dripping and foggy mess. My weather sealed Canon EOS 1D Mark IV survived. My sister's point and shoot literally froze to death.



A small tip to the condensation wary. Bring a gallon Ziplock plastic bag to seal your gear before you step outside into a warmer environment. The sweat will form outside of the Ziplock and not short circuit your gear into oblivion. Just wait till the photo equipment warms up until you open the Ziplock.



You can view more photos in the ICE! Experience at Gaylord Palms Resort 2011 Gallery. Shot with the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV with the EF 24-105mm f/4L IS, EF 70-200mm f/4L IS and the EF 35mm f/1.4L lens.

PhilFest 2010

My daughter joined the PhilFest de Flores Parade along with many other "Munting Reyna's" in the 15th Annual PhilFest 2010. Fifteen years is a long time for the Bayanihan Arts and Events Center to host the festival like atmosphere of Filipino culture and traditions.



I remember at least thirty years ago, the small booth representing the Philippines in the St. Petersburg Bayfront Center. My parents were active members of the Filipino American Club of Pinellas County and participated in SPIFFS every year. It was not long before the Filipinos of the Tampa Bay area had their own place to gather and celebrate ethnic traditions.



First it was my niece, then my sister in laws and now it is my daughter parading around in her gown with her hair all done fancy. I am really not sure what my daughter thinks of all this fanfare. The "little peaceful queens" took turns displaying themselves to the crowd with their escorts by their side. I was positioning myself in an unobstructed vantage point to get the shots of the miniature royalty walking down the stage.



The "stage" portion of the event was followed by a parade around the festival grounds. With mobile arches in hand, proud parents and family members escorted their "queens" around the perimeter of the cultural center and eventually back to the stage.



Now to the real issue at hand during the event was when do we eat? Lechon,pancit,lumpia shanghai,halo-halo and the ultimate carioca dessert only began the list of Filipino delicacies at the event.



Besides the carioca, my daughter had her eyes set on the kid's arcade and gift shop. You know, the gift shop full of junk prizes you get in a Cracker Jack Box. It maybe worthless to me, but it is a treasure box of gold to my kids. To each his own.



Hopefully by next year's PhilFest, my daughter will soon outgrow the "princess" phase of her life and move on to bigger things like American Idol!

You can check out the rest of the pictures in the PhilFest 2010 Gallery.