Team Dinner

I bought my air ticket to Philippines on April, and with all honesty, I am so excited already! Not just because I will finally be able to see the Visayan region, and not to mention the good foods waiting for me to be conquered, but most of all, I am so ready to get dark. Bigla ko tuloy naalala ang last year summer getaway ko with friends sa Phuket na halos hindi nabawasan ang sun block na napaka mahal pa man din. And so this time, I think mapapakinabangan ko na uli ang one year old sun block.

And as the saying goes, "the journey is as exciting as the destination", I am really enjoying the preparation. Like reuniting with friends in Cebu, hanap ng hotel, paggawa ng itinerary, at ang higit sa lahat ..... ang pag-iipon ng baon.

After a long day of non-stop issues in office, my boss treated everyone in the team in a very cozy Japanese Ala Carte Buffet dinner. Sobrang busog lusog na naman ako after the dinner. And literally .. natikman ko lahat ng nasa image na to.

Matapos ang masaganang kainan - halos hindi na ako makahinga.

Kate Winslet

Ewan ko kung ano ang meron kay Kate na nagustuhan ko. Well, siguro kasi sya si Rose na magaling naman talaga sa Titanic. Isa din siguro yung factor na ang galing nyang magsalita, ang ganda ng accent. Mas lalo ko syang nagustuhan sa movie nya na The Holiday via Cameron Diaz and Jude Law.

Andg this time round, umiba na ang level ni Kate kasi nadagdag na sya sa listahan ng mga magagaling na actress ng Hollywood.

But honestly, si Anne ang manok ko kasi magaling sya sa Rachel Getting Married.

Weekend delight

Daming gimmick last weekend. Tapos nasabayan pa ng mga personal kong lakad, kaya naman lagare na naman ako last weekend.

Friday (Feb. 20, 2009) - Birthday ni Tram, he celebrated at the 7,107 Island (fine dining Pinoy resto) restaurant. Nakakatuwang makita ang mga circle of friends ko na to na nakikita ko lang kapag may birthday parties. Inapi-api nila ako kasi hindi na ako makakasama sa kanila sa Bangkok this coming April 10. Una, uuwi ako sa Pinas. Pangalawa, kakapunta ko lang ng Bangkok. By the way, I bought Tokyo Guide Book para sa b-day boy, kasi palipad sya sa Tokyo soon.

Saturday (Feb. 21, 2009) - Baby shower ni Mathel. Salamat kay Tonnette na bumili ng baby quilt on my behalf, or else, hindi ko alam kung ano ang bibilin ko para sa padating na bagets ni Mathel. It was also nice to see my another circle of friends that day, although speedy gonzales lang ako as I headed on to NUS to catch the concert of my new friend Gerald.

The concert was good, they sang in Italian language. Para ko tuloy muling narinig ang Koro sa Rome na halos kasing galing din ng mga performers that night.

Sunday (Feb. 22, 2009) - ako ay isang dakilang atchay. Naglaba. Naglinis ng room. Nag-ayos ng mga papeles na kakailanganin ko sa isang secret mission na dapat matapos ko by April 29, 2009 (whew! goodluck Ray).

Late afternoon when I went out and watched New In Town. Cute na movie, hindi spectacular kasi parang napanood ko na yung story sa ibang movie, pero recommended pa din kasi naman si Renee Zellweger ang bida.

And after the movie, I took took time looking for this album which I heard a good one. And so I get my own copy.

Cocoa night

I bought a Tokyo guide book for a friend who is celebrating birthday tomorrow. He requested a book cos he is going to Tokyo soon.

I was in the shopping mall when I saw these chocolates that sent me drooling. Actually, I have been craving for cocoa for weeks, but I was just so busy that I didn't even noticed it until I see chocolates.

At home, I finally finished my special gift to my special friend. It is not an expensive gift but it took me days to finally accomplished it :)

Pause for a while

I received an email from Ate Marizel and it made me pause for a while from my busy schedule. It has this image with a caption saying "If you never felt sadness, how would you know that I am a comforter?"

Slumdog Millionaire

I thought of watching Underworld or Marley and Me but I suddenly bumped into this English film but completely Indian in every ways. If not because of the below credits .... I will never see myself inside the cinema watching an Indian movie.

BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

BEST DIRECTOR - MOTION PICTURE

BEST SCREENPLAY - MOTION PICTURE

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE - MOTION PICTURE

Post Heart's Day

Wala na sigurong gaganda pa if Valentine's day is celebrated with the loved ones. And that's how I celebrated mine. We had a dinner at Taiwanese restaurant.

Since nandito ang parents ko, hindi nakaporma ang mga babae sa buhay ko na mai-date ako sa araw ng mga puson, i mean puso. Kaya naman after ko ihatid sa airport ang family ko (Feb 15, 2009), may nag-text na sa akin for lunch, dinner and movie. "Mahina ang kalaban", yan ang motto ko.

Pinagbigyan ko na lang yung pinaka espesyal sa lahat, kaya sa dinner lang ako nag-confirm ng lakad, since nasa airport pa din ako until 3:30PM. We had japanese food and ang espesyal kong ka-date ay may magarang-magarang sobrang garang regalo sakin.

Na-pressure tuloy ako na mag-regalo din. Pero as of now, wala pa din akong nabibili na gift para sa kanya.

Day 9-12: Bangkok, Thailand

We flew to Bangkok last Feb 8-11, 2009 as part of my family's side trip visit in Singapore. For the last month or so, I have thought of bringing them to Malaysia but my Papa wants a better deal that was the reason why we ended up in the land of smile - Thailand.

Day 1: We stayed at the Palazzo Hotel. Literally, it looks like a Palasyo with its grand golden colored entrance hall and lobby.

Palazzo Hotel Lobby

We didn't waste time upon arrival as we just left our baggages and immediately went to the weekend market. The highlight of this day was the non-stop eating of coconut ice cream which only costs 25 baht (nowhere in singapore I can find this cheap).

Coconut ice cream

We had a hard time looking for a good place to eat and nawala ang kaselanan ng tatay ko sa pagkain dahil napakain namin sya sa kalye-kalye lang (dala na din ng sobrang gutom namin).

Chicken sa kalye Another day-highlight was our MRT experience, it was my first time taking the Bangkok subway. We laughed out loud while reading the MRT station names, few of which are called "Pahon Yohtin" and "Lhampong". It is funnier when you read it yourself.

MRT stations

Day 2: Visit to Grand Palace. It was a very sunny day. Myself, JC and Joe were wearing walking shorts which happened to be prohibited inside the palace, so we ended up wearing a sarong, but we are glad to know that they have a pants (a colored pants tho) available to rent. So we wore it on top of our walking shorts, muka tuloy kaming matataba sa suot namin na sarong pants.

Grand palace where I wore sarong pants

One of the many temples in the Grand Palace

We moved to Siam Centre (one of the high-end shopping malls in Bangkok) for lunch. And there also I had my haircut at the L'oreal saloon which only damages 400 baht (again, this is a lot cheaper compared to Singapore haircut).

Guntingin mo ako neneng

My mom and dad shop around while waiting for our hair to be done.

We moved to MBK afterwards (a middle-end shopping mall) and again, my mom and dad shop until they have no more baht to spend.

MBK shopping mall

During the dinner at one of MBK's finest restaurants (recommended by Joe), my mom realizes that she just lost a paper bag which contains the items she bought at Siam Centre, and mind me, these are the expensive items she got for herself. For a minute or two, my mom was in total silence and sadness ...... poor mom. But after a while, she is again back to her normal state of mind .......... and so she shop again. Thanks to my dad na walang sawang sumunod kay mama habang namimili ng damit kasi may sarili din akong lakad, hahaha! Of course, I have to do my own business too. Naghahanap din ako ng mabibili.

Day 3: Visit to the Rose Garden: We took a tour package to Rose Garden to watch Thai culutral shows like boxing, dancing, elephant shows and other etceteras of Thai.

One of the many production numbers in the Rose Garden

Reached back in hotel at 7PM and had dinner at a very nice seafood restaurant which is just few steps away from our hotel. This is comperable to Singapore's Crystal Jade. The foods are really tantalizing and taste-bud-friendly. For just five persons, we ordered like 8 dishes in total. Nevertheless, this country has cheaper prices in everything than Singapore, and so for this dinner, it only took us 1,700 baht.

Farewell-to-Bangkok Dinner

My mom, dad and JC decided not to walk away from our hotel after the busog-lusog dinner which sent them walking at the nearby shopping mall where my mom, again shop and shop. People like me and Joe cannot settle for this and so we went to the town area for a very good oil massage at Health Land. This place is a little pricy compared to the others we have visited, but the price compensates the five-star service and amenities. The massage room for one person only has its own bathroom equiped with a big massage bed and all that native stuff.

After a good massage at health land (madaling araw na to)

We finished the session at 1AM and we moved to Patpong area for a supper where we had it in a place called Noodie, believed me, they served really good noodles in here.

I ordered crab omelette

We walked around the area after the dinner and shop for small items like native bracelets for my brother and some local shirts for my nieces. We are so free from sin that night because Joe suffers having diarrhea (hahahaha!) and so my plan of watching sinful shows was opted to stop. Thanks to that diarrhea for saving my eyes from commiting further sin :)

Day 4: Our flight schedule is 2:40PM. My mom cannot stay foot in the hotel kaya naman humirit pa uli ng huling shopping para daw maubos na ang baht nya (ang ganda ng excuse). Well, tamang-tama naman kasi wala pa din akong nabibili na pasalubong for my housemates, kaya nanay ko ang namili ng pasalubong na dapat sana ay galing sa bulsa ko.

We landed in Singapore at 6:10PM. And while we were waiting for our luggage, si Mama nawala. Nasan ka mama???? Ah ayun pala sa duty free, nagsa-shopping na naman. Ganon yata talaga ang mga babae, kahit singko na lang ang natitira sa bulsa, ibibili at ibibili pa din ng burloloy.

Our Thailand trip was filled with fun and laughter cos we lived by the "land of smile" motto of Thai people, and we literally experienced smiles from their smily faces.

I am looking forward to visit Bangkok again on April as we join them in celebrating Songkran Festival. (Sige lumarga ka hangga't asin na lang ang ulamin mo, tinamaan ka ng lintek na gastador kang bata ka!)

Day 8: Papa's Birthday

The father of our family celebrated birthday today, as he is the highest ranking person in our roof, we spent and celebrated his birthday on high. Literally high because it was on top of UOB building called Shi Chuan Duo Ha located at the Raffles Place.

This is one of our images in the restaurant after eating the very sarap foods.

Day 6: Mama's Birthday

We celebrated Mama's birthday at Fullerton Hotel where we had a buffet dinner at the townrestaurant. A camera addicit in me produces these wide selection images of foods we ate during the dinner. The hotel also provided a very chocolaty birthday cake for my Mom where she enjoyed after our dinner.

I had a connivance with my sister and brother in Philippines where they wrote a birthday card for my Mom and she only got to open it on the day of her birthdate. After reading all the cards, umiiyak na si Mama. Kung anuman ang nakalagay don, sya lang ang nakakaalam. But one thing is for sure, we made her happy on her very special day.

Ang mga lalake sa buhay ni Mama (sayang wala si Ace)

At the hotel lobby after the dinner

Friend

As promised, I am posting an image of a person whom I have shared friendship with since childhood. We were classmates since Kindergarten until fourth year high school and we have not lost communication since then.

Sya ang kasama ko sa panliligaw noong araw. Those were the days where I wasn't confident enough yet to present myself, those were the days where I was driving a red top down vehicle na kailangan lagyan ng tubig yung radiator or else uusok kami.

We set apart for quite sometime cos she has to find ways in order to live a life of a good daughter, life of a good sister, life of a good Tita to her nephews and nieces. And now, she is making waves in a corporate world in Japan. A survivor that is. She is called Ofel.

Hudson is back

She was an American Idol runner up - turned - Academy award winner - turned - survivor .... called Jennifer Hudson. Nothing is special about her that will make me crazy over the voice and the acting. There is Latoya London and Melinda Doolittle for the voice and Angelina Jolie for the acting. But there is something about her that made me known her in some ways .... she is a survivor. Last October 2008, her Mom, brother and nepwhew were killed (the suspect is nothing but her brother in law). And for the first time, she is back on the "spotlight" via the superbowl halftime show.

I don't think someone can sing this good after having the typhoon of losing loved ones, and to make it worst, she lost three members of the family and they were murdered. I don't really know her, aside from she is the very first Academy award winner I saw in person via their Singapore concert years ago and her Gap billboard in Orchard, but I want to know more about her now. As my nieces did, I will also include her latest single, Spotlight, into my favorite playlist.

Pinoy foods

I was looking for some old emails and come accross with this hilarious names of pinoy foods. But first, take a look at his carinderia located near NAIA.

And now, brace yourself with all the tantalizing food names that will surely make you ask for more .....

1. TAPSILOG - Tapa, Sinangag, Itlog
2. LONGSILOG - Longganisa, Sinangag, Itlog
3. HOTSILOG - Hotdog, Sinangag, Itlog
4. PORKSILOG - Pork, Sinangag, Itlog
5. CHICKSILOG - Chicken, Sinangag Itlog
6. AZUCARERA - Adobong Aso
7. LUGLOG - Lugaw, Itlog
8. PAKAPLOG - Pandesal, Kape, Itlog
9. KALOG - Kanin, Itlog
10. PAKALOG - Pandesal, Kanin, Itlog
11. MAALOG NA BETLOG - Maalat na Itlog, Pakbet, Itlog
12. BAHAW - Bakang Inihaw (akala ninyo kaning lamig ano)
13. KALKAL - Kalderetang Kalabaw
14. HIMAS - Hipon Malasado
15. HIMAS SUSO - Hipon Malasado, Sugpo, Keso
16. HIMAS PEKPEK - Hipon Malasado, Kropek, Pinekpekan
17. PEKPEK MONG MALAKI - Kropek, Pinekpekan, Monggo, Malasado, Laing, Kilawin
18. DILA - Dinuguan, Laing
19. DILAAN MO - Dinuguan, Laing, Dalandan, Molo
20. BOKA BOKA - Bopis, Kanin, Bokayo, Kape
21. BOKA BOKA MO PA - Bopis, Kanin, Bokayo, Kape, Molong Pancit
22. KANTOT - Kanin, Tortang Talong
23. KANTOT PA - Kanin, Tortang Talong, Pancit
24. SIGE KANTOT PA - Sinigang na Pige, Kanin, Tortang Talong, Pancit,
25. SIGE KANTOT PA IBAON MO - Sinigang na Pige, Kanin, Tortang Talong, Pancit - Take out 26. SIGE KANTOT PA HA - Sinigang na Pige, Kanin, Tortang Talong, Pancit, Halo-halo
27. SIGE KANTOT PA IBAON MO PAPA - Sinigang na Pige, Kanin, Tortang Talong, Pancit... Take out with Ketchup
28. PAKANTOT - Pandesal, Kanin, Tortang Talong
29. PAPAKANTOT - Papaitan, Kanin, Tortang Talong
30. PAPAKANTOT KA BA - Papaitan, Kanin, Tortang, Talong, Kapeng Barako
31. PAKANTOT SA YO - Pandesal, Kanin, Tortang Talong, Saging + Yosi
32. PAKANTOT KA - Pandesal, Kanin, Tortang Talong, Kape
33. PAKANTOT KA HABANG MATIGAS PA - Pandesal, Kanin, Tortang Talong, Kape, Inihaw na Bangus, Maruya, Tinola, Ginisang Aso, Pancit
34. SUBO - Sugpo, Bopis
35. SUBO MO - Sugpo, Bopis, Molo
36. SUBO MO PA - Sugpo, Bopis, Molo, Pancit
37. SUBO MO PA MAIGE - Sugpo, Bopis, Molo, Mais, Pige
38. SUBO MO TITE KO - Sugpo, Bopis, Tinola, Teryaki, Kochinta
39. SUBO MO TITE KO BILIS - Sugpo, Bopis, Tinola, Teryaki, Kochinta, Bihon, Tawilis
40. SUBO MO TITE KO BILIS, HAYOP! - ...same as #39, minura mo lang yung waiter kasi ang tagal ng order.

Day 1: Sentosa with my Love

January 31, 2009 - Saturday. It was our first day together again in Singapore and we went to Sentosa to a get a last glimpse of the Sentosa Flowers 2009 before it ends the next day.

These are some of the pictures that tell a thousand words.

Ama - Ina - Anaks

My good looking brother

After a long walk

One of the many orchids