Out with the old, in with the new...

A Meaningful Christmas and a Prosperous New Year to everyone!

I hope that 2007 will be a better year for us laden with opportunities, new beginnings, chances to redeem ourselves, blessings and new inspiration.

I pray that God will continue to guide us and keep us safe from all harm.

For my family and friends, I pray for your safety, good health and your unwavering support that will still be there for me.

For myself, I hope the coming year will be the start of a "new life" for me and that my fortitude won't forsake me.

I pray that the Lord will always keep a watchful eye over me and never cease to be a source of inner strength.

I hope that this year, love will find me...

Boracay Chronicles - Day Two

YEHEY !!! we woke up around 8 and immediately, we checked outside if the weather changed and by golly it did! it wasn't sunny but it wasn't raining! excitedly, rose and i had breakfast (breakfast buffets were part of our package) and by 10 a.m. we were on the beach! rose was going to swim and i was going to relax and possibly sleep more on the shore. wow! yesterday i couldn't fully appreciate the beach since i was lugging around a heavy bag. on our second morning i just had my mobile and digicam with me and writing materials (pencil and sheet of paper). oh dear, the sand is all that i've heard about and more. it's so fine, it's like powder! baby powder! you could walk the length of the shore without any slippers and your feet won't get burned! the trees that line the shore are like a wall that separates you, the sand and the sea from the world... ah, life...all i could say at that moment was..."life doesn't get any better than this..." so rose and i simply walked on the beach looking for our own spot. and it turned out that our spot was beside the famed "sandcastlemakers" of boracay. rose was fascinated by the castles and was interviewing the manong on how to make one. apparently she got so inspired that after her dip in the water, she settled in the sand and made something. not a castle but a turtle :) so that's how we spent most of the morning, in the sand, taking pictures, looking at the beautiful people there, rose making her baby turtle, listening to music and me, writing. ah, life... since the sun wasn't out, we stayed there until mid-afternoon or when our stomachs finally couldn't stave off the hunger :)

we went back to the room to change then it was off to d' mall for lunch...after scouting around, we chose lemon cafe, one of the newer restos in bora. perusing the menu, i noticed that almost all of the offerings had lemon in it...well, i should've known because it is lemon cafe. rose had the porkchops and watermelonginger slush while i had the seared tuna and mangolemon slush...for starters, we had shrimp bisque.

(l-r the bisque, shakes and my tuna beautifully presented. the tuna sits on a bed of lemon mash, surprisingly delicious mashed potatoes with lemon!)

after that sumputous lunch, rose and i went around d' mall then hurried to find a spot on the beach at around 5:30 for sunset. we found a resto that had lounge chairs and we ordered mango shakes so we could sit there without being bothered. between rose and i, she has an eye for poster shots.

those are just my shots. i'll provide the link to rose's pictures once i've uploaded them. so we lounged around until around 8. that was our last chance to see bora at night since we were leaving the following day.

rose and i "hiked" to station 3 then back and finally settled on having dinner at Patio. it was a very relaxing day...the kind of lifestyle you can only dream about. we didn't want to think that we were leaving soon...but we did have a couple more hours to be on the beach tomorrow...

Boracay Chronicles - Day One Part 2

we watched movies on cable all night, alternating that with local programs and newscasts because we wanted to know what Typhoon Reming had in mind. unfortunately, the area that included bora was under typhoon signal # 1 *sigh* oh well...so i took pictures of our room so that you'd have an idea of the rooms in Patio Pacific. we got room 101. this room is actually the last room you'll pass by on your way to the beach or their swimming pool when go through the back entrance. the room is great (by my standards). there's a double bed and a single "bed" or duvet on the side. actually, it can accommodate three people. rose wanted to sleep on the single bed so i had the "big" bed all to myself. it has a tv (which saved us from boredom on the first night), of course a bathroom (a very clean one if i may add) and although there wasn't any closet, there was a rack with an extra chair that we could place our bags on. it was clean, no irritating odor and the airconditioner worked fine. it was a bit dark, they could probably put in either another flourescent bulb or a lamp to add more light.

rose and i were relegated to the room by 2:oo p.m. and the rains didn't let us out anymore. since we had a snack, we just decided to rest and fix our stuff. i also took the opportunity to go thru my purchases and made a list of what else i needed to buy.

by 6:00 p.m. or so, we were hungry. even if we wanted to venture out to the beachfront, the rains and wind orevented us so we ate at Garden Cafe. prior to the trip, i came across some articles on the net about dishes that the Cafe is famous for. we decided to sample two dishes: the Chili Prawns and the Fillet Mignon.

rose also decided to get the Vanilla Bailey's Mega Milkshake. well, both dishes were delicious. they were deserving of the article that i read. but, they would've been more delicious if the fillet mignon wasn't that "tought" and if the prawns weren't so hard to peel. i guess they grill the prawns first before cooking them in the sauce and they may have been grilled too long thus making the skin "stick" to the meat. but, the sauce was delicious and they were really prawns, not just shrimp. so 6 pieces were enough for us. the meal was satisfying but if i may recommend anything in bora, please do try the Vanilla Bailey's Mega Milkshake. for those of you who have the occasional liqueur, you've definitely had bailey's. the drink rose always has. i'm partial to tequila but no cuervo milkshake on the drink list so...anyway, going back the THE shake. i wanted to get a mango shake but i didn't place my order. i asked for water first. then, they served the shake. rose took the first sip and you should've seen the look on her face. that look made me want to grab the glass and pass judgment. when rose offered the glass, i didn't refuse. one sip and i was hooked...for life! so hooked that i brought my milkshake to the room :)

after dinner, it was back to the room for more hbo, axn, star movies and local channels....it was a long wait until sunrise...

after the one-hour trip, we arrived in Caticlan. from there, we rode the hotel's shuttle service to the Jetty Port where you take a 5-10 minute boat ride to get to boracay. there are absolutely no pictures in my camera nor in my phone during the boat ride. this is the only part i hated about the trip because of what happened in shanghai.

the sign that greets you at the Caticlan Airport...

at last when both my feet were on land, we took a 5-10 minute tricycle ride to Patio Pacific. unfortunately, we couldn't check-in yet because there wasn't any room available. well, it was only 8:00 a.m. so, rose and i decided to get a headstart on getting to know bora. after we left our bags at reception, we crossed the street and went through patio's back entrance to the beach. it's a walkway approx. 300 meters bounded by walls on either side. it's like a marker to the beach ...



and once you've reached the end....




and that is the view in bad weather... wow... (as i'm writing this, i realize how much i miss the place...)

after rose and i came back to our senses, we decided to walk down towards station 2. patio pacific is on station 1 but not beachfront. i find it's location very ideal because it's between stns 1 & 2 where most of the action is. we were there really early and most of the shops were still setting up so we decided to have breakfast. our first meal on the island. aria, famous for its pizza, was open but they weren't serving food yet. their cafe, cafe del sol, was so we ordered from there. rose had the breakfast set while i had panini and latte.

we stayed at cafe del sol until some shops in d' mall were open. now, the mall rat in me was super excited at the prospect of going from stall to stall looking at all the merchandise they had to offer. for those who haven't been there, d' mall is not the kind of shopping mall that we're used to in manila. i'd describe it as a high-end tiangge where the stores carry an assortment of charming boracay items. and this kind of mall is well-maintained, very clean and "charming"...i wouldn't mind going through all the shops everyday :))

well, rose and i went through 2 or 3 alleys remembering which stores to go back to later that evening. we also started buying things as pasalubong for friends and family in manila. our stroll went on until after lunch. after d' mall, we walked along the beachfront in station 2 to probably the beginning of station 3. nothing special, we just walked checking out the stores and restos, occasionally stopping to appreciate the beautiful beach and then it's back to walking. before 2 p.m., we decided to go back to Patio and check-in. they promised to text us as soon as a room became available . unfortunately, no text so it was check-in time anyway so back to the hotel. wise decision. because as soon as we reached the hotel, it started to rain. we were a tad hungry so we headed for Garden Cafe and asked if they could ring front desk and ask if there was a room ready for us. shortly thereafter, an attendant came with our bags and showed us to our room. we placed our orders and informed the dining staff that we'd be back after a couple of minutes. we returned and "devoured" their delicious Egg Drop Soup, Mango Crepe and I had a Mega Banana Milkshake. Now the milkshakes in Patio are amazing. They are so delicious and "super-sized"! i'd say a milkshake is at least 750 ml...750 ml of divine ________ shake (fill in the blank with whatever fruit shake you're having :)) )! the soup calmed my grumbling stomach, the crepe filled it and the shake satisfied it....wow...by this time, it wasn't drizzling anymore it was really raining so we retreated to our room. we planned to go out in the evening once it stopped raining but to our dismay, the rains didn't let up. so we were relegated to the room...thank god for cable tv...

boracay chronicles

we were booked for the 5:45 a.m. asian spirit manila to caticlan flight on thursday, november 30. so, i slept over at rose's place so we wouldn't have problems about being late for the trip or worse, oversleeping and missing our flight. but, i guess we were really excited because we made it to the airport two hours before the flight.

it was also my first time in the domestic airport. hmmm....really small and i couldn't help but wonder how it looks like during peak season. wow...finally, with all the baggage check-in and boarding problems out of the way, rose and i had breakfast inside the pre-departure area and waited for the boarding call.

there was a bit of anxiety about whether our trip was going to push through because of Typhoon Reming. Actually, the flight to Tacloban was delayed because of the weather so Rose and I were hoping that our trip wouldn't be delayed or worse, cancelled.

so, you could imagine how happy we were when they paged all passengers for the Asian Spirit flight bound for Caticlan and asked us to proceed to Gate 1. yipee!! from there, a bus took us to the plane and a couple of minutes later, we were airborne.

rose slept as soon as we put on our seatbelts because she was still working on a project 'til midnight. i couldn't really sleep so i read the in-flight mag, browsed thru rose's book and just stared out the window. then, i took out the pen and paper i had and started jotting down stuff that i wanted to put here in my blog and also lists of stuff that go on in my life. you know, the usual things that women write down.

so the hour passed until i could finally see the outline of Caticlan from my window. that image stirred excitement that i couldn't contain...i'm almost in bora !!! rose woke up just before we landed. as the plane taxied to a stop, i still kept thinking, "soon enough, i'm going to be in boracay!" but then again, i still had that boat ride to go through. oh well...

bora...take me back to bora

yes, i was in boracay from november 30 to december 2 and i'm in love...

remember when we were thinking of where we're going for the summer? well, our plans didn't actually pan out as we hoped but i'm glad it finally did and i'm glad our choice was bora. i tell you...i'm in love...

rose and i were the only ones who were available for the trip. our other friends all had committments or they couldn't get away from work or they had personal reasons. so rose and i made it all the way to bora. it was originally for the third week of november but since there was a holiday on nov. 30, and rose's schedule was lighter around that time, we started scouting for accommodations to bora.

among the list that rose and i came up with, we chose patio pacific. not only did they have the best package, but we read and heard from others who've stayed there that it's a good place to stay while in bora.

so, with the date and accommodations out of the way, all we had to do was prepare for trip then wait and start a countdown ...

i told you...she's adorable :))

'tis the season to be ... what?

by this time next week, it'll be a year since i walked out on my partner. it's been an emotionally difficult and trying year. a year that saw me struggle and drown in my tears. the pain is still there and i haven't even begun to tell you about the heartache that never ends nor does it seem to want to go away. but i figure that if i've made it through a year still alive and not incarcerated, then, i might pull through this. although i doubt that my heart will ever mend and that there'll be another crack at love. i must admit, it's a fact that saddens me to no end.

i know you must be thinking, "how can someone be so cynical?" well, i tell you, that's not cynicism; it's accepting the reality of the situation.

i got re-acquainted with the concept of thanksgiving last week and it got me thinking about what i must be thankful for. minus the turkey and the cranberry sauce, i'm thankful for a lot of things. family, friends, the basic necessities that i can provide myself with, simple joys such as my requisite coffee, chocolate and the occassional cheesecake. a lot actually, a lot.

then, thanksgiving ends and whaddaya know, it's christmas! now, this is one season that, although it is hands-down my favorite, will now and forever make me sad. i remember what i said about it...i dread having to go through the season. i dread christmas eve, i dread the dinners and the questions and the surprised look on people's faces. i dread sensing their pity for me.

but, the month is going to start off on a high note for me and rose...it's a much-needed break...

baby's day out

last sunday, julia had her first pictorial at blow-up babies in gateway mall. so mommy, daddy and ninang were with her for the shoot. we couldn't take pictures (using our camera) during the pictorial so while we were waiting for our turn, the princess was busy...









we'll get the pictures after a week...i've seen the proof, she's so adorable!

i got it!

i got this last monday but i've only been able to post the pictures today.... isn't it lovely?

Pacman has done it again....

Manny Pacquiao makes us proud to be pinoy....

ah, life....

it's so nice to have the opportunity, however rare, to have breakfast at my fave coffeehouse...and in one of my favorite places... :)

our party girl

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julia, together with dang and her yaya rose, attended her cousin's debut last saturday. luckily, i arrived before they left and i took a couple of pictures of the newest "gimikera" on the block...

a new take on spaghetti

my mom has a recipe that i want to rave about. it's called spaghetti salad. if you're stuck on the traditional bolognese, fettucini, primavera or carbonara then, this isn't for you. but if want to try a delicious variation to the al dente noodles that we usually devour then read on.

here are the ingredients:

spaghetti noodles
cucumber
tomatoes
crabsticks
mc cormick salad supreme dressing
classic italian dressing (vinaigrette)
ground black pepper

(please forgive me because i cannot supply how much of each ingredient you should prepare...what kind of a recipe is this? :))

cook the noodles as directed and set aside. wash tomatoes and cucumbers, peel (if desired) and cube then set aside. remove crabsticks from wrapper and cut into bite-size pieces then set aside.

place the noodles in a container, add the tomatoes, cucumbers and crabsticks. add ground black pepper, italian dressing and mccormick salad supreme seasoning. mix well and enjoy!

for variety, my mom says you may also add shrimps and ham...

i tell you, it's different and delicious! try it!



the spaghetti salad in its container and on my plate ... i wish i was a food stylist so that i could share better looking pictures but believe me it tastes heavenly....

Undas 2006

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this year's undas (all saint's and soul's day) was different from all those that i've experienced since lolo died in 1991. this year, mom and dad were here, we stayed until 6 p.m.. there was food, table and chairs, guests and even logan and bochok were with us!

we prepared some of the food the night before. we had barbeque, grilled bangus and tilapia, banana bread (one of the best i've ever had), peach mango pie, mango bars, chicken empanada, lolo's gin (which we didn't drink but wanted to :)) and of course mom's spaghetti salad (which i will devote a post to). lolo and lola's guests brought some pancit and brownies.

whew! we got there before twelve noon and you could just imagine how hot it was. but, the tent and additional bedsheets (instant shade) shielded us from the sun. logan and bochok were either sitting on my sister's lap or digna's or they were barking at passers-by.

here are some photos i took when i wasn't eating or sleeping (hehehehe)




(l-r) lola's tombstone, lolo's tombstone and the top laden with food





(l-r) kuya boy, ate ynna and bochok, dad and mom



me and ate ynna in kulit mode and then pa-cute mode

i'm walking on sunshine

julia has learned how to use her walker. you still need to keep an eye on her because now that she realizes how "liberating" it is to be in a walker, her curiousity is insatiable. she reaches for the apples on the side table, she peels off the sticker on the component, she reaches for her mom's folder and files and she is fascinated by the electric fan! so much so that she wants to stick her finger into it!

but she is as adorable as ever...


(hmmm a front-row seat to commercials galore...)



(ninang, finished na? commercial na ulit eh....)