 | Welcome. . . | Nov 24, 2007 |
<^..^> A personal blog site of a girl who loves to write, draw, eat, cry, run, take pictures to capture moments, smile, laugh, shop, dress up, cook, watch movie, go on a road trip and do the things that makes her feel … awesome! It is a compilation of her day-to-day experiences at work, at home, while with friends or even when she is just enjoying her time alone – undeniably, a celebration of her life!
"I know my memory does not have the full grip to handle every little detail about everything that happened to my life, but my writings seem to bridge this gap. Happy reading!" :-)
- Meeyeow
It has been over two months now since my older sister, my niece and I enrolled in a cooking class. Yes! Cooking class! I’m very sure I made the right choice because aside from the new skills I have been learning and a chance to bond with my sister and my niece, I also find the time to do things outside my day-to-day professional work as a Developer, which I think is a stress-reliever. I couldn’t stop remembering when I was little, I always wonder to join a swimming class but because of limited means, I only got a chance to have it when I was in college. ^_^v… in Physical Education 102! Sure it is not too late for anyone to fulfill one’s dreams. *What are your little dreams?* This is the first time we wore our uniforms; we lovedit sooo much. Beside me is our Chef instructor.  This photo could tell how we are taking the chopping board seriously! Hahaha! Being in the kitchet for long straight hours, standing, in a room with high temperature, time-pressured… Bow na bow na ako sa contestants ng Top Chef!  Here’s my Grilled Cheese.  Here’s our Chocolate Mousse.  Here’s Food Carving Day!  Here’s Chicken Lollipop, Mayonnaise, Béchamel and Grilled Sandwich + Carrot Cake!  Here’s Makisushi and Vegetable Tempura  Here’s my niece, me and my sister holding our masterpieces during the examination. 
Our mom would be very proud of us. We may not recreate her heavenly food the way she did it, but everything we have done and wish to do are all dedicated to her. I know she’d be proud of me even more when I have my own family.
Bataan Sisiman Bay We reached Bataan at 3:00 PM and picked a resort to spend the night. We stayed at Raven Resort and Log Cabin (www.ravenresort.com.ph). The place is nice and the houses inside are big. It is more of a subdivision with a pool. ^_^ As soon as we pay for our room at the guard house, we went straight to Sisiman Bay in Mariveles, Bataan to catch the *sunset*. While all our bags were still inside the trunk, we immediately hiked the way towards the shore. Unfortunately for us, the sun was behind the cloudy skies, so no sunset for us. Another thing, the famous lighthouse along the beach was washed out months ago by a storm. We just enjoy what we had – ourselves, the mountains and the rocky shore. 
We were the only visitors around the area. Medyo dulo na kasi ito ng mabatong beach. We could even see Manila area. We did not catch the sunset again because it was cloudy, so we just made fun of ourselves. Hehehehe! 
Joseph was so sick when we went back to the resort; he has fever and barely spoke because of headache. Wifey Khen was so there to-the-rescue, such a nice view. With our little portable stove and lots of groceries at hand, we cooked our dinner inside the room! Hahaha. Parang bawal pero tinuloy pa din namin. LOL. We ended up filling the whole room with the smell of fried egg and hotdogs. Bataan Mt Samat The next morning, after we finished our breakfast and packed all our things, we checked out at the resort and headed straight to our next destination – Mt Samat in Pilar, Bataan. The road to the mountain was quite a challenge; I think similar to Baguio. I searched in Google map and found this that made my eyes got bigger! Oh my, parang roller coaster. No wonder madaming riders ang nakasabay naming paakyat. 
They allow people to climb up to the top but just a few minutes before we reached this door, the guard put the "No Power" sign board in front. T_T
Mt. Samat souvenirs
We spent most of our time taking pictures of Blue kasi biglang sumikat ang araw. It was cloudy the whole morning.
Because Jospeh has acrophobia LOL, he was not able to do this jump shot!
Bataan Pawikan Conservatory When I knew about this next place, I almost jumped! Hello??? I love turtles!!! … not as much as I love cats but …they are turtles!!!!!! Century old creatures, sleepy, slow and they are precious. Before we reached Pawikan Conservatory, we stopped by at a local Japan Surplus store along the highway. They have pretty interesting stuffs there like bikes, appliances, cabinets, tables, chinawares and almost everything! There are bikes! 
Different kinds of china wares 
Just before the sunset, we reached the conservatory. Oh my! We learned that Pawikans breeding season is from October – February! Weeee. The day before we went there, there were few eggs hatched and gave baby turtles we let go to the shore! Here are Dory and Nemo. Hehehe. Wala na kaming maisip na name eh 
Bawal tong ginagawa ko dito kasi nangangagat pala tong oldies na pawikan. Don't worry, hindi ako nakagat. Hehehe. 
If you visit Bataan, please do include this place in your itinerary. It is nice to help the people who run this place, which from what I learned were former pawikan eggs busters who were selling eggs for their living, eventually left that kind of job to help conserve our precious Sea Turtles. Spread this! 
Subic Dinner As we reached Pampanga, we had our last stopover at KFC Subic. We were all pagod and almost lowbatt lalo na yung mga drivers. May nakaaway pa kami na mommy sa counter LOL… ^_^v I must say I enjoy this trip a lot. If I would be given a chance to do it, I would do it again with the same people. Maybe we could try the Eastern part next year J …  To Marc, Khen and Jo: Without you guys, this road trip won't be as fun as what we had. I'm looking forward to many more years of adventure, thousands of mileage, taste local foodies, swim in nicest beaches, catch beautiful sunsets, burn hundred gallons of gas and count many more stars at night with you three!!!
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The Search for Potipot Island, Zambales Trust me when I said Pangasinan was the only one on our “sure” list. We never reserved any boat or booked any hotels to stay in for the night – we only kept our precious tablet PCs and cell phones with GPS and Internet!!! Technology ruled in this road trip. We travelled south from Pangasinan to Zambales via Dasol and Santa Cruz for about 2 hours. Potipot Island lies within Barangay Uacon (pronounced as “Wacon”). As we reached Candelaria in Zambales, we knew we were very near our destination because according to our GPS, we were. At first, all of us were very confused as we saw several sign boards about boat rentals/resort banners, but none seemed caught our instinct to choose them. When you visit Potipot Island, you have the option to check in on a resort along the shore line of Brgy. Uacon and hire a boat that will take you to the island. We were originally planning to camp on one of the islands in Hundred Islands but we decided to do it in Potipot. So instead of checking in to any resort, we only looked for a boat that will take us to the island. It was around 3:00 PM, we ended up entering a small road with a sign board “To Potipot Island/ P400.00 Boat Ride”. It was a remote place, which has a bunch of kids and most people were so confused to see us – which, by the way, bothered me a lot. O_o We asked someone that could take us to the island and it seemed that what we were doing was something that is not normal. Hahaha! But then, we finally closed a deal from a local bangkero for P800.00 (back and forth). Since no resort for us, our bangkero offered a nearby lot to park our car. At first, I was not convinced to do that but we all took the risk even though we were so scared that something would happen to our car. After the car fiasco, we immediately loaded our things to the boat. I think, for the rest of us, I was one of the most excited about the camping!!!! After 5 minutes, we hit this small patch of land with fine white sand surrounded by clear waters. 
These are the things that you could do in Potipot Island:
1. Swim in the clear waters 2. Throw physical games at the beach 3. Picnic with your family or friends 4. Build sand castles 5. Lie under the sun 6. Take pictures, tons of pictures 7. Pick fruits within the island 8. Camp overnight 9. And my favorite….stargaze under the magnificent sky at night 
We spent the night cooking hotdogs, eggs and worrying how we could fit into a tent with only 3-person capacity. Hahaha! Marc ended up sleeping outside the tent… awwww. The night was very very cold. Joseph was not feeling well that night and we all hardly taken decent bath. Mga gusgusin kami. :-)). But if given another chance, I would definitely go back there. That is how I love camping! 
The next morning, we had back aches and colds :)) Hahaha! We had one last round of early morning swim. The water was very cold and calm. That morning was a gloomy,cloudy one. Unfortunately, no sunrise for us in Potipot... 
The boat picked us up at around 9:00 AM the next morning. Thankfully, our car was safe – just with hundreds of small hands, finger, nose and forehead prints on all windows! Hehehe. The original plan was to go to Anawangin and Capones Island right after. But plans changed, we decided to visit Bataan!!!
Subic Pampanga Side Trip Geared up with our GPS, we decided to go to Subic for some groceries and to gas up our car before heading to Bataan. The gas was as low as P46.00 pesos around the area! I could not believe it is as high as P58.00 pesos now as of this writing. Before we hit Subic, we encountered areas fogged with white dust in the air. The wind was crazy as we passed this bridge along a very large open area along San Narciso. We could see where the dusts coming from. 
After completing our grocery list in Pure Gold and gas up at Petron, we headed straight to Bataan. Western Luzon Road Trip (Cavite-Pangasinan-Zambales-Bataan-Pampanga-Cavite Series) [Part 3 of 3]
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Exactly a year after our amazing North Luzon road trip in 2010, we had our latest road trip -- this time in the Western part of Luzon! Not as far as the first one, but I would say, this was more exciting and adventurous than our last. To all who wanted to try this itinerary, please feel free to duplicate and adjust for whatever will suit your own trip! Enjoy! The map will tell you which places we have been. Guided only by Samsung Galaxy Tab GPS, we worked our way to our destinations with no hassle, shorter time and never ever got lost! Weeepeee! Marc, Joseph and Khen picked me up at our house in Cavite at around 2:30AM. Just in time with our plan to arrive at our first destination at 8:00AM. Here's our map! 
Pangasinan Sun Rise Khen brought her SIL’s lasagna for breakfast. Actually, it was supposed to be for all of us but I almost ate them all. Hahaha! Aside from the slight traffic along Guadalupe EDSA traffic and car accident along Balintawak Highway, everything went well with our travel until we reach Pangasinan. Luckily, the weather did not go against us. The sun just happily kicked off its lovely stages as early as 6:00AM. We all agreed to pull over along Romulo Highway in Pangasinan especially my sunrise-addict travel mates to capture the perfect sunrise. We had our first stopover at Romulo Highway. Do you see the nice curves behind us? On our second day, we were on the other side of it heading to Zambales. 
We love the clear skies that morning. We waited at the side of the highway until this amber sun came up. 
Nice view at the other side of the road... 
We had our road trips with White and Cruzee, so this time we chose Blue. 
Pangasinan Hundred Islands Believe it or not, our Hundred Island tour was the only one included in our “sure” list -- the rest were all such an adventure and so spontaneous! We reached Lucap Wharf, the dock area of the Hundred Islands in Alaminos, around 9:00AM. We parked our car at an open area beside the pickup point. We paid P200.00 each for the entrance and P1200.00 pesos for the unlimited boat ride for the four of us plus tip. It would be a good thing if all Filipino would be able to visit this wonderful place, curved by nature, and be able to witness such beautiful view.
As of 2011, here's the list of fees in Hundred islands 
The boat ride was not that scary compared to some of our Galera trips. The sea was blue and calm.
This was taken at the Children's Island. Madami ngang bata hehehe. Probably because the shore area is kids-friendly.
Welcome to Old Scout Island. It is a small island na may kaunting swimming area. 
Look at me at the back... super excited na akong lumangoy! Sobra! Hahaha! 
Trust me when I say every island looks like a turtle or an alligator! Hahaha! Or optical illusion ko lang. Hehehe. 
Quezon Island
 Picture taking 
Cuenca Island, parang cave na tagus tagusan. 
I found these corals and i was able to spell out my name! 
Now in Governor's Island, my favorite among the islands we visited 
It has an amazing view from the top of the island. Nakakapagod yung papaakyat kasi ang laki ng steps, pero don't worry, may nagtitinda ng ice cream sa itaas. Hehehe.
With Khen, Joseph, Marc -- the fearless road trippers! Harharhar! 
I only used to see this in postcards but now, I already experienced being there! Awesome! 
Shot from Joseph's cam 
Eto yung nakakatawa sa lahat ng binisita namin! Marc and I went to watch the corals and giant clams. Joseph and Khen stayed at the boat. I think mga 500 meters yung lubid na hahawakan mo para makarating ka sa isa pang end point. Parang hindi pa ako nangangalahati... inaatake na ako ng takot! I felt may hihila sa akin pababa! Marc felt I was so scared Hahaha. We ended up going back to our boat sooner than we planned LOL
Kulitan mode. Hehehe. "Why the hell are you using your camera phone?" Hahaha! Ganda pa man din ng pose ko dito...LOL 
At first, we were given option whether to visit 3 islands of our choice for P800.00 pesos (most likely where the bankero would suggest where to take you especially if it is your first time) or unlimited island tour for P1100.00; we chose P1100.00. We all wanted to reach as much islands we could, what else we have to aspire with island hopping anyway! It was not bad at all; it satisfied our passion for astonishing landscapes in the form of a hundred century old islands! The only disappointment we had was our lunch. There was this small canteen beside the wharf. They were selling overpriced flat-tasted meals. ;’( So watch out… you might want to try dining at the nearby resort restaurants. 
Our Hundred Island tour ended around 1:00PM and headed straight to Zzzzambales! “Here we coooome!”
Western Luzon Road Trip (Cavite-Pangasinan-Zambales-Bataan-Pampanga-Cavite Series) [Part 2 of 3]
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November, December 2011 Nothing looks worst than looking at a blog site where the last entry is a month ago – how about this… mine is empty since October 2011! That is a blogger’s ‘major major’ offense. Hahaha! Well, to give justice to my site, here is my pambawi. I ended my last entry with my right foot swelling from a badminton injury. Today, my foot is better although sometimes it still hurts a bit especially when I try to run fast or when I go shopping for hours at the mall. What an awful way to leave my readers, sorry. My November was never been better. I was enjoying juggling between work and my heart during that time. It was amazing to know every hard work always has a wonderful reward. December was even more fantastic. Now let me share with you the most memorable places I have been and experiences I had since I wrote my last entry… Feel-Good Lunches, Dinners and Teas It has been good for us to spend time during lunch or dinner because aside from enjoying the food we both love, it gives us time to talk about ourselves, share good things or bad things, gossip over something, or just even make kulitan with each other. If I would be writing down the restaurants we have been and spent with, it would be down to 50 plus. My stomachs are full and our hearts as well.
Seaside Family Lunch Unfortunately, we had a bad experience at one of the Seaside “paluto” restaurants, the one beside Claire Dela Fuente’s in Macapagal Boulevard. Sorry I forgot the name. The high prices are no brainer but please make their services better! We bought crabs, prawns and fishes which Tatay loves very much. The saddest part was inside this restaurant. There are a lot of flies flying around, there are noisy kids at the table next to ours, the floor was flooding with water from defective air-conditioner box and the cooked food did not taste good!
Tatay was so disappointed that every time he hears me saying I would like to take them to Seaside, he would say NO right away…kahit sa MOA yung tinutukoy ko. Sad. But on his birthday this year, I will take him to some boodle fight restaurant along MOA seaside! Western Luzon Trip By December, we had our full 3-day road trip in the western part of Luzon. The full story goes here (http://meeyeow.multiply.com/journal/item/361/Western_Luzon_Road_Trip_Cavite-Pangasinan-Zambales-Bataan-Pampanga-Cavite_Series_Part_1_of_3)…  Aguinaldo Shrine Charity Fashion Show I was invited by Sir Angelo Aguinaldo, the Aguilnado Shrine Curator and also a good friend from La Salle, to join a charity event entitled:”Pula, Puti, Bughaw”. It was a fashion show having the collection of Adrian Rios at the Aguinaldo Shrine. I was with Khen & Joseph and bumped into my old officemates at La Salle. 
Too bad my right foot had to be sprained a-g-a-i-n last Sunday over a badminton game. :-( Remember I had sprain from the bus last February 2011 on the same foot! Aaaw... Ate Doll took me the hospital again and maluwag na daw yung ankle ko sabi ng doctor. 
The doctor said, the muscle was stretch this time around. I was supposed to take pain relievers three times a day but because of my stomach acidity, I had to take only twice a day or else the hyperacidity will strike again. Unfortunately, the pain reliever lapses soon so sometimes I still feel the pain.  I’m very lucky that I am allowed to work from home for a week or until I could drive to Makati. Thank you, my Company! It's my 6th day of house arrest. Except the injury, everything about the Baddiks 2011 tourney was fun! Just my luck that he was there with me and drove me home. I really enjoyed the games even if Shy and I placed 4th among the 5 teams. Hahahaha! Enjoy enjoy lang! Next year uleeeeet!  | Tabz! | Oct 17, '11 11:30 PM
for everyone |
I got my newly *acquired* Tabz from him –- highly customized with the new applications. The one I am excited about is the Constellation Map!!!!
He had his newer version, Tabz 8.9, last weekend. Only one shop has the unit because it has not been released yet in the market here in the Philippines. Mostly has the 10.1 version but he thought of it as very big for him to carry around. To add up on the excitement, he asked me to pick upon it from the store while he was buying Krispy Kreme and Chatime. We met at the lounge area and from there, the rest is history… If only you could see his face while opening the box. This morning, he dropped by at the house on his way to the office to hand me over my Tabz, I am calling it “Seven” from now on…
ChaTime Philippines We have visited two branches so far, in Landmark and the other one in MOA. There are always lines on their stores, because people are willing to wait for their teas! Try it and I know you’ll love it! Don’t forget to ask for their loyalty card coz you might need it for you next rounds! ;-) Secret Garden We had another special dinner at Sonya’s Garden for the second time. This ‘worst-kept-secret’ garden never fails to bring out the romantic mood in us. During our first time, most guests were couples but this time – big families! But in spite of, um, happy noise from the other tables, we find our perfect spot just near the kitchen – with easy access on refills and requests. ^_^v 
After a funny movie, Johnny English, from Rowan Atkinson at SM Dasmariñas, we arrived at Tagaytay just the perfect time when all the lights at restaurant are sparkling on. For two hours, we really enjoyed the food, the ambiance, the sound, and the mushy talks. Love, love, love. Ideal Weight Did you know that I am 4 pounds away from my ideal weight??? Hell YEAH!!!! But I still need more workouts to spread the fats on their perfect places. 0_o Bora Hindi Natuloy My close friends knew that I was having the vacation of my life in the islands of Kalibo and Boracay! I planned it for more than two months. Everything from the plane tickets, accommodations, budget and even the itinerary were planned by yours truly. But but but… I had to make way for my Brazil trip. :-/ I realized that fate is still getting aligned with my rule that “Pupunta lang ako sa Boracay kapag may ka holding hands na ako.” Hahaha! I said it to myself for about two years ago… Well, I still yet to grant it to myself in the future… Joseph Birthday Oh how we really love to sing! For Josephs birthday this year, we ended up at Center Stage in Makati City to belt our favorites songs after our dinner at Sinangag Express (SEx). Belated happy birthday, Joseph, even though our Boracay party didn’t happen, we still have a lifetime to plan for it ;-)
I’m soooo happy with the results!!! Everyone loves it! Here is the very first batch last September 18! 
And here are my special gifts for Abby, Warren, Gems and Ariel on their birthdays!
So now, I’m sharing the recipe with you and let me know when you try! Coconut macaroons are an all-time Filipino favorite dessert. This soft, chewy treat is a delight to both young and old alike. Here’s an easy recipe for making coconut macaroons, Filipino-style. This yields approximately 50 pieces. Ingredients: 5 1/3 cup of sweetened shredded or desiccated coconut (or about 14 ounces) 1 cup melted butter (or about 2 sticks) ½ cup brown sugar 3 pcs eggs 1 can condensed milk (14 ounces)
Tools You’ll Need: Baking mold Rubber Spatula Large mixing bowl Mini baking paper cups 1 tbsp Measuring spoon Electric mixer
Procedure: Place the melted butter and brown sugar in a big bowl, and cream together using an electric mixer. Add in the eggs one by one into the mixture, then beat. Make sure the eggs are fresh because it affects the overall quality of your finished product. Add the condensed milk and beat until all the ingredients are well blended. Slowly add the sweetened shredded or desiccated coconut into the mixture. Use the spatula to mix the coconut with the rest of the ingredients. Place the paper cups into the baking mold. Put one tablespoon of the coconut mixture into the individual cups. Preheat the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake the coconut macaroons for about 20 minutes, or until it turns golden brown. Let it cool down before serving. Enjoy your yummy treat! Tips: Some ovens vary in temperature. Make sure to keep a close eye on what you are baking so they don't burn. Coconut macaroons cook very fast. Warning: Always wear protective gloves when handling the baking mold in and out of the oven to prevent burning. Read more: http://www.bukisa.com/articles/185947_how-to-make-coconut-macaroons-filipino-style#ixzz1ZVP3lQcg Seriously, I’ve been very excited to write about this and here is it naaaaa! South America, you are really too far from Asia! Hhahaha! We only had a week of preparation and supposed to travel to Peru from Brazil but we were not able to get business visa for Peru. The 18 hours 22 long hours of flight is just to spice this trip up. Sooobrang nakakapagod ang byahe… but nevertheless, helloooooo, it’s BRAZIL pa rin no??!!! ^_^v  Sao Paulo’s airport is kind of old. I think older than NAIA Terminal 1. By the way, I was with my colleague, JP, for this trip. We departed at 6PM Manila and landed there after 32 hours because of the flight transfers. Long ah… talaga!!! As soon as I get off the plane towards the arrival area, I already heard the magic language, Porrrtuguese baby! Weeeeee!  Our taxi was already waiting outside. My name was even misspelled on the banner (SPELETA) that Mr. Honorato was holding. He is such a nice guy; by the way, he knows how to speak Spanish, Portuguese and English. He also knows late President Ferdinand Marcos and the thousand shoes of Imelda! ‘San ka paaaa??!! Hehehehe. He was also the one who told us, “NO walking at night in Sao Paulo…” Yay! O_o NewBeeees The first day was an adjustment period for me but not that much. The gloomy weather reminded me of my stay in UK few years ago. It was funny that a week before that, the weather was pleasant according to my friend, but the week when we were there, it was a weather disaster –- freezing! The temperature suddenly dropped up to 10 degrees. After 30 minutes, we reach the hotel but Mr. Honorato sent us to the wrong one. So we had to be transferred to the hotel just across the street. A bellboy helped us with our luggage and as soon as I opened a conversation with the guy, I just heard my first “NO English” response with a smile. Not everybody speaks English there, very unfortunate because “NO Portuguese” naman for us! Hehehe.  Hotel Intercity Premium Nacóes Unidas The hotel is clean and nice. The people are friendly. Every three days, the hotel is sending my running statement account in the hotel which costs around $180USD per day. It has a nice view of Sao Paulo skyline through my window at night. I love the king-sized bed. Although my internet cable was faulty on the first night, the succeeding days went perfect! Forget about the cable tv please… two shows lang yata ang English – the rest were in Portuguese or dubbed in Portuguese! Nonetheless, the cold weather didn’t prevent me to have some good sleep at night. ^_^v Hehehe. Breakfast was amazing. Up until now, I’ve been craving for hot shower + fruits + bread + coffee + cold cuts + cheese + juice. I’d say I was well pampered EVERY the morning. *wink* x_^v  Brazil’s Largest Now, let me tell you something about Sao Paulo on how I was able to experience it. It is indeed an interesting city, the largest in Brazil, but unfortunately I have a little time to explore it. By the way, Ms. Universe 2011 Coronation night was held in Sao Paulo. Remember what Mr. Honorato told us about Sao Paulo at night? … We definitely obeyed him so we ended up only at the mall during the night. LOL! We wanted to get back in the Philippines in one piece. People greet each other in most places, even strangers. Everyone utters “Bom Dia!” (Good Morning) upon entering the elevator in the morning. And one must not be rude to forget to say “Obrigado” (Thank You) for appreciation. The hardest part on that travel, next to the terrible weather, was the language barrier. I could have done a lot better things if I could easily communicate with most Brazilians there. One night, the taxi couldn’t locate our hotel and I was not able to help him because we do not understand each other. Ang kaba ko non!!! LOL! Bu then as time goes by, I got used to it. One time we had lunch at Viareggio along Nacoes Unidas street. It is an Italian restaurant serving authentic Italian dishes. Ang kaso, yung menu nila eh walang engling transalation! … And my Brazilian friends to the rescue. Hhahahaha.  Murymarelo Bar Our client arranged a night out with IT people and the rest of the training group. Drinks were overflowing! This bar offers cool drinks and amazing pizzas. But I still ended up enjoying only a glass of margarita! Hahaha. Ayokong malasing at magpakaladkad pauwi ng hotel, nakakahiya! It was such a nice experience and it made the group closer together. :-)  The Mall + Taxi It cost me around $8 (10-13 Reals) per 5-minute taxi ride to the mall. Morumbi shopping is one of the largest malls in the city and it houses from medium to up-scale shops parang mala-Greenbelt.  Street The streets are mostly narrow except for hi-ways. They are closely similar to England’s with bricked walk way on both sides for people and bikers. Cars are smaller! Mabenta ang Honda Jazz and Ford Fiesta dito and anything na hutch back. Pagnakakita ka ng Civic/City, malalaki na sila. Hehehe. However, their buses are extremely long naman. Imagine Saulog bus x 2 na magkadikit :-D Kulit nga eh! All road signs are in Portuguese, no English translations so I have to learn fast! The Group I was fortunate to be with wonderful people during my stay in Brazil. I was so amazed with the new things I see around me and entertained with my new colleagues more so. I never imagined myself cracking jokes around them but I did! Hahahaha! Being with was just magastos nga lang. My allowance was not enough for that so JP and I have to decline on their night out invitations sometimes. 
Farewell This travel was short but fulfilling, challenging yet pleasant! But there is always time to say farewell and goodbye. And besides, I already missed my family and friends back home in the Philippines. If I would be asked if I wanted to go back there, I would definitely say YES!!! I really have to share this with you because you know how I love food and how it makes my day satisfied with what I eat! Now here’s a story that I hope will make yours ^_^v It was one of our miryenda breaks at the office about three weeks ago – the normal one. Zeny and I started to chat where to eat. “Paris”, she wrote. I replied, ”Okie, I’ll tell the boys :-).” A few days before it, we have been talking about this sidewalk carinderia beside Metrobank Plaza across our building. It has been a blockbuster among the nearby offices according to them. Mostly, guys buy there. This push cart sells the famous “Pares” – a heavenly tender meat with sauce as the boys were describing it. Well, I haven’t tried any Pares in my entire life. To continue with my story, I immediately approached Warren and Dave and told them… Me: “Miryenda na! Sa Pares daw tayo sabi ni Zeny…” Warren (hmmm, :-/ confused): “Sigurado kayo?” Me: “Oo, sabi ni Zeny eh…” Warren to Dave: “Tara!” Warren to Me: “Isama mo si Mike!” Then I went back to my seat and asked Zeny again on the chat… Me: “Are you sure sa Pares?” Zeny: “Chet, hinde… sa Paris!” Hahahaha! I misinterpreted Paris to Pares. Paris is an authentic French restaurant along Makati Ave which far far far comparable with the Pares cart I previously had in mind. Hahahaha! I told Shiela about it and we were really laughing our hearts out!!! We met at the elevator and I told them everything about the mix up. Hahaha. Tawanan kami nang tawanan. Warren and the rest of the boys went to ParEs, then Zeny and I ended up to ParIs!!! ;-D
The place is pretty small but nice. As I went inside, I smelled something good – the aroma of France indeed! When I looked around, most guests were foreigners. We even saw the restaurant owner giving instructions to the staffs. I had pizza and fresh grape juice. Zeny ordered hot choco and nuttella crepe. We shared to each other our food. Yummy!!!!
Then we invited Shiela and John to come with us after a week. :-) As usual, we were surrounded with French and Americans. We even saw the PBB Teen Edition Big winner. I forgot his name. ^_^v I’d definitely be back there soon.
Happy eating!!!
He could be the person who upsets me the most, yet he is the most comforting one. He is not trying, but he is funny to me most of the time. Just yesterday, I received a text message from him saying: “Chet wag u sarhan ang pinto ha?” He is 71. This usually means he is going to be out for a while and will come home by the time I am already asleep. When the phone rings: “Sabihin mo wala ako…” Most of the time, I become the disciplinarian between the two of us. He still smokes and drinks beer whenever I am not around. He sleeps late for chess – very late… Lab u,Tay!
Thank God, flood has finally subsided today. I checked the roads and pretty sure that it could be passable this day. Glad I was allowed by my bosses to work from home yesterday because aside from the non-stop rain the other night, it was high tide! Well today, instead of frowning about this gloomy weather, I welcome this stormy day with the goodness of warm soup just the way I like it – CHICKEN TINOLAaaaa!  Unfortunately, we have one BIG problem… I forgot to cook the rice! Grrrrr!!!!!!!! T_T Good thing Tatay is calm unlike me, and said “Ako na magsasaing”. Lab u, Tay! It is 12 noon… and as of this writing, we are still waiting for the rice to be cooked. Hehehe! Kainis :-D Happy lunch everyone! There is always a first time for everything. Fun Run in the middle of heavy rain is something new to me, but hey, I felt that it was way better than the usual! So true, maniwala kayo! Sana lagi na lang umuulan kapag may fun run, :-D oh sige na nga, joke lang. I did not get a chance to be bored from my first step up to the last because, for 5k at least, most joiners were kids and high school students – trust me, it was way too unpredictable. I saw a kid left the sole of his rubber shoes and he just then went barefoot! I think that was smart and one less smelly feet from all of the wet runners. And mind you, teens are just sooo energetic. Hindi sila mahabol ni Ate Chet! Hahaha! And you just might understand where the fun was coming if you read further from the conversations I overheard along the race: ©©© A girl was left behind by his friends and met at the other side of the track just after the U-Turn near Coastal Mall:
Girl: “Pwede ba? … magshortcut?”
Boys: “Cge, pwede yan!” … Until they were noticed and stopped by the marshal. Tsk tsk. Buking! ©©© A guy kid blaming the girl kid:
Guy Kid 1: “Kanina pa sana ako natapos kung hindi kita inantay kanina!” (taray!) ©©© At the water station: Kid 1: “Wow, tubig ulan!” (indeed! Hindi malayong 50% ng laman ng mga plastic cups ay tubig ulan! hehehe) ©©© A boy struggling to get to the finish line: Boy: “Para kay Obet!!!!” (That’s the spirit!! Remember Obet, the recipient of new rubber shoes in the Milo commercial? Awwwww!) ©©© A teen after getting his race certificate: Teen 1: “Yahooo! Pang dagdag to sa credentials to pag nag apply koooo!”
Teen 2 (to Teen 1): “Papasa na tayong magnanakaw!” (mabilis tumakbo, nga naman…) Getting to the finish line wasn’t easy for us (me, my sister and Jelly) and the start line is even harder! We had to go back to the nearest U-Turn because Macapagal road turned one-way. We were 30 minutes late from the gun start and it was still raining! After the race, we stayed for a while to take pictures, kid around and wave to the helicopter covering the event. Yeah baby! Sana nakita ang big smile ko sa TV! Hahaha! No loot bag this time (baduy!). But we saw Sheh, William and Mae; quite surprising to see them in the crowd of around 34,000.
We don’t know our official time yet. My senses are telling me around 50 minutes for 5 kilometers. I’ll update you soon! ;-) For now, I will deal with my headache, body pain and a blister on my foot but definitely no injury! Next race is RunRio Leg 2! If my training at work will not fall on the same day, I’ll be joining this race and enjoying Boracay a week after because I cannot be in same place at once… I’m hoping for the best!!!! Hooray! :-D Thank you, Lord!
Almost a month left before I hit the beach again in the middle of rainy season. Hahaha! Tickets are purchased; hotels booked and confirmed; itinerary prepared! I just love preparing things and getting ready for something. Tadaa!  Ooops! I still have to file vacation leave! Matuloy sana at wag lang babagyo please. T_T I am already crossing everything I can cross – fingers, legs, arms and even my eyes! Hihihihi. “Bora was a sacred place for me but things have changed –
Palawan is my new Bora!” ^_^v I’m in!!! I’m very excited with my 5th and 6th fun run as of this year - even happier to run with family and friends I have encouraged.
35th Milo Marathon MANILA Elimination Race (July 2011)
Unfortunately, the race registration is already closed since last week. Running with family and Sheh! Race details here. 
RunRio Trilogy 2011 Leg 2: RUN UNITED 2 (August 2011)
I’m really crossing my fingers for this one. Remember earlier this year, a foot injury barred me from joining Leg 1? :’-( This time, I’ll be running with Joseph and Kristle. Race details here. 
For more information, please visit Runrio.
I could only wish that I got a chance to watch this National Geographic series “The Dog Whisperer” before I let go of Putol. The poor dog has been away from our home since last year. I have been silent about it because it really saddens me that I had to let him go. Tatay sent him to our cousin’s house because we could not control his behavior anymore. I have spent at least P10,000.00 on rabies shots for the people he has bitten. The neighbors were worried and us too! Yes, we had gone through those and it was really terrible. As owner, I had full responsibility for my dog… I thought if I keep him, I could lose everything.  He started acting different after he was badly rolled by a bicycle, accidentally/deliberately – I was unsure. He would horrifically bark at each person passing our house except for any member of the family. He also got his obsession at the sound of a basketball being dribbled on the floor; it just got him annoyed at an instant! I really had this feeling that the person/persons who wronged him could be from a basketball game nearby, riding on a bicycle. I don't blame them, Putol is a very tough dog. They could have just protected themselves. He is very muscular, even his voice is very intimidating. He could nail the female dogs that he wants. But deep inside, he is sweet and caring. For two weeks now, I enjoy watching this show. The program “Dog Whisperer” airs on weekdays at around 4:00PM on Nat Geo channel. Last Sunday, it aired a marathon in preparation for its second season on August. The show is very positive. It really gives you an idea on how to handle dogs correctly, discipline them more so. At each episode, the Dog Whisperer itself, Ceasar Millan, says “There is no dog that is too much for me to handle. I rehabilitate dogs, I train people”. He really does!  It was amazing that I tried the discipline tricks on my new dogs, Chu-Chu and Cha-Cha, and it worked! They know who the pack leader is now (and that’s me). Hehehe! He was a birthday present to me when he was still a two-month old puppy, wrapped on the big round box. That was so sweet... Because he has this shorter tail than any dogs have, I named him Putol ("short"). He was very sweet to me since then but those things happened. ©©© A bad news came just yesterday, I learned that Putol was handed over to some dog syndicate for a price – you know what I am talking about; sila yung nakatricycle na malayo pa lang, tinatahulan na ng mga ibang aso… My cousin couldn't handle him as well, then sold Putol and he’s now gone forever.  "Putol, we have lots of good memories together and I will take them with me forever. Remember when you first opened our gate all by yourself? I was so proud of you! How about when you walk by me going to work all the way to Dulong Bayan until I cross the street and ride the bus? Sometimes I had to throw a stone on you so you won't go any further. I will never forget as well when you pooped at the gate of our neighbor and I was asked to clean it the next day. Hahaha! That was funny because we thought no one seen us. Putol, you will always stay in my heart... No matter what."
My big appetite is back! Thank God. I feasted two cups of rice from my yesterday’s lunch. It was actually a Friday lunch date with my girl friends – Zeny, Che, Lieo and Shie at Max’s Jupiter. That was a big lunch and a humongous catch up date with them.
Nevertheless, weekend is also the best time for me to take advantage of my hungry stomach. However, while thinking that I went home very late last night, Tatay didn’t wake me up even it was almost noon! Thanks to my cellphone, I didn’t burn my eyes. He took his lunch alone with the leftover Sinigang na Bangus I cooked last Friday. I didn’t have plans for the day so it was just the TV, the foodie and me. ^_^v I call this “Instant Meryenda” kasi I can cook this in 30 minutes!!! Adik ba? But it never gets old to me: nothing tastes as good as home-cooked food – just like my Arrozcaldo! Belaaaat! Please get used to this. I would never get tired of speaking about my love for lugaw & tokwa. Ayayaaaay! Saraaaap! I could even name my kid "Tokwa"!!!! Hahahaha! On a second thought... wag na lang pala. LOL
 Eto, this was last week.  Mais, anyone? Libre from Kuya Joel  Spanish bread and Coffee over Kenny G concert at Studio 23.  How was your own do-nothing day? :-)
Remember my month-long birthday celebration? Well, this is still kind of part of it, and more! Sheh, Gabu, Ate Lanie and I joined forces to celebrate our birthdays, following the first celebration when our friend, Melay, visited Manila. Melay’s Visit and the First Quarter Celebrantion Melay migrated to England few years ago to be with her husband, Clive, who is very dear to Angels. The mega visit was joined by celebrating the birthdays of Ate Malou, Ate Rina and Melay. The preparation was totally craaaazy! Hahahaha! How could I forget that? But it turned out perfect anyway. With the kiddie games -- sack race, hampas-palayo and pinoy henyo -- we enjoyed it so much and the pasalubong from Melay of course!
How nice to see out matching shirts :-D Pakulo yan ni Ate Lanie. I got mine for free + dog tag!  Second Quarter Celebrantion I have to mention that the northen-ers were the first ones to arrive at Ate Lanie place – not the usual scenario. We used to be late every get together, but not on that day. Hahaha! Bakit nga ba? The cake was awesome! It was gift from Melay and Clive.   Busog na busog nanaman ako, at may take out pa. Next is Madie’s birthday celebration!
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lfom wrote on Sep 22, '10 |
 | Hi *pedrampanahi*, thanks for dropping by! :-) |
 | Hello my friend,
How are you today?
Have a nice Wednesday! |
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Greetings from Brail. =) 