Bye & Hello

The year is almost coming to a close, and I can’t help but feel a little sentimental in bidding good bye to the year it was. I could say 2010 has been my most colorful year by far.

It feels as if so much has happened in so little time. I moved to a new team and a new project at work. Valentine’s Day saw me stone drunk on a beach with a couple of friends. I got lucky enough to have traveled to that part of the world down under twice. My health went through a serious ordeal and luckily made it. New friendships were formed and I reconnected with people with whom I’ve been friends with for over a decade. There were good and not-so-good surprises, and realizations came not too far in tow. Events and circumstances changed the way I look at life and the ties I had with some people who I thought I knew so well through the years. Blessings came for me and my family, but there were some things (and people as well as friendships) which I also had to let go of. I did cry a great deal this year, but thankfully there were more laughter and good times to remember. And my heart – oh yes, my heart went on some wild and wicked roller coaster ride, but still managed to remain whole after all that! (Whew!) :)

Though it was far from perfect, I close this year with a thankful heart and with much determination to make it better in the days to come. I look back at the year it was with no regrets, only wishing (and praying) that the hard-earned lessons will not go to waste. I don’t commit myself to promise much, but I’ll do my best to live the next days and months to the fullest. I’m excited for changes that might (and will) happen, new people I’ll cross paths with, new memories to keep, new life's lessons, and all else new and unexpected.  As one famous quote from Grey's Anatomy puts it, "The expected is what keeps us steady. It's the unexpected that changes our lives forever." 2011 is almost here and I, for one, can’t wait! :)

To family and friends reading this, thank you for being part of my 2010. Let’s toast to the New Year, yes?

Cheers!

Movie Review: Rosario

I’ve got 10 things to say about this movie:

1. Jennylyn Mercado’s acting in this movie was a little too bland for my taste.

2. This movie won Best Cinematography, but I found it kinda so-so when I watched the film on the big screen.

3. Dolphy really deserved his Best Supporting Actor award for this movie, for his final scenes were the only ones that really struck a chord in most viewers (based on collective reactions I gathered from fellow moviegoers that day.)

4. It would have been MUCH MUCH BETTER if Manny Pangilinan didn’t have to do a cameo in the movie.

5. The movie made me appreciate the trend in fashion back in the 1920’s.

6. Rosario is just your average periodic film around the block.

7. Musical score was good.

8. Albert Martinez was too ambitious to have come up with such a huge project like this for his debut directorial film.

9. With all the aggressive promotion to stir up hype about this movie, I found out much to my disappointment that it did not live up to my expectations.

10. Go spend your money on other MMFF entries.

Slumber Parteh!

Christmas Day may have been over, but me and my high school girls went for one last hurrah to hold our slumber party last December 26. Thanks to Rea’s gift cheque, we scored a free night’s accommodation at Bellevue Hotel in Alabang. The four of us – Rea, Sue, Anne, and myself – checked in a little past three in the afternoon, while Sandy was stuck with her future in-laws SO’s folks in Las Piñas so she just caught up with us a couple of hours later. While waiting for her, Suey and Rea got busy hitting on the Magic Sing. (And yes, I’ve had my fair share of a song or two as well.)

Sing it! (Suey and Rea in their "birit mode" moment)

We decided to check out Kanin Club later that evening, where our dinner was al fresco under a cool and windy December night in the South. Oh and by the way, Kanin Club’s Kare-Kare and Crispy Dinuguan are definitely must-try’s! We were supposed to watch the LFS for Dalaw post-dinner, but all three screening times for the movie were SOLD OUT. Wow, talk about box-office hit! So we just headed back to the hotel and decided to download Paranormal Activity 2. While waiting for the torrent to download, us girls didn’t waste a moment hitting on the vodka and champagne, as well some heavy photo ops and chismax galore!

Us Girls

The next day, I woke up pretty early so after taking a shower I decided to explore whatever’s offered for brekkie. I went down to the hotel’s café and ordered a corned beef set breakfast from their menu. I had to wait 20 minutes for my order to arrive, and then realized that the food was as cold as turkey as if the corned beef was taken right out of the can. I’d trade this all for a hot and fresh-off-the-pan Jolly breakfast meal anytime, and to think I was expecting much since I was dining at some fancy hotel! Tsk! Anyway, I went back to the room some 30 minutes later, just as my girls were waking up. We checked out sometime around twelve noon and had lunch at Red Kimono before heading back home.

Chillin' @ Red Kimono

Burp!

My High School Best Girls

Wow, time did fly so fast when you’re having fun that it seemed like a night wasn’t enough for all the gossips and improvised festivities we had planned. After the holidays, it’ll probably take a while before us five could get together like that again, since we’ll all be busy with work and everything else. I miss my girls already; we've been friends since freshman year in high school, and we're still solid as ever. So I guess here’s to 14 years of friendship! :)

Something To Share: Chronic Escapist Syndrome

"Maybe this is how adulthood is. You cease to dream, you cease to hope, you just go through the motions."

Was idly surfing the web on a lazy Tuesday morning at work, and I tumbled upon this interesting read from a blogger who hailed from Mumbai, India. It's a pretty interesting read, coming from a non-conventional point of view of a man who's a self-confessed chronic escapist.

Chronic Escapist Syndrome
(Taken from the blog Room On The Roof - http://roomontheroof.blogspot.com/2006/02/chronic-escapist-syndrome.html)

Now I feel that I have become devoid of love. It seems my system has ejected love like a poison. Indeed, love was a poison for me. As a result, I fear, I have become a very cold person. Now even when my mother phones me, for me it is just another call, which is a bore. It seems I have lost any affection I had for her. Last night she called and she talked a lot and my response was limited to one word answers. I think she noticed my indifference and asked if I am in a bad mood. I said yes, but I was not in a bad mood. I just wanted to some how end the conversation and return to my soul-less existence.

This seems to be a good state to be in. I don’t have the pangs of conscience or the burden of liabilities. I just live, trading with others the necessary outward signs to be perceived sane. Sometimes I do get a sinking feeling, but I manage to check it and return to normalcy after a while.

May be this is how adulthood is. You cease to dream, you cease to hope, you just go through the motions. Just think about what my life will be from now on. Soon my parents will be pestering me to marry. I am the eldest son. They want grand children. I have told them I have no objections to my younger brother marrying before me. In fact he looks elder to me. This is not just in the way he looks. Everyone who has seen us both is of the opinion that he is more mature. I don’t have any problems. I can’t be him. I’m comfortable being the loser I am.

May be I should start setting goals and working towards achieving them. But, right now my primary concern is that I have forgotten to take the key to my apartment and my roommate often comes home after 11 in the night. That means I will have to wait for him outside the flat for at least two hours. A little while ago my major concern was about getting an approval from a superior for a sick leave. Beyond these short-term concerns I seem to have no concerns. Honestly, I’m not at all concerned about anyone except me. If I show any concern for anybody, that will be putting up an act or by force of habit. By force of habit, I mean like when somebody tells you that the girl he had been in love for the last four years or so has left him for one of her colleagues, a man who he had seen with her in the past, but he never suspected anything because he believed someone with the looks of a dilapidated broom will never be a match for him. You tend to sympathize with him and share some anecdotes about how unfaithful girls are and inwardly rejoice at the addition of one more soul to the loser’s guild, a pan-global organization.

I now know why so many elder people are so cold. They become cold because after a while they lose the capacity to dream. Then they lose hopes. Then they just live on, acting out their roles. They stop giving opinions on current geo-politics or cricket although they still watch news and matches by force of habit. The mores of the society has effectively chained him so that he no longer smokes, drinks or uses any of the illicit drugs that could give him a break and make him dream again. So he lives on like a shell as his soul and mind escapes through the cracks like sand in a shirt pocket.

Yet, there are things in the world I like to do which are out of place in the normal scheme of things. One is in fact, this blog. I write it for the sheer pleasure I get through translating my thoughts into language. It always gives me a slight orgasm, if I get it right and I am in the mood. Other thing is I like to read, and I read for pleasure. They say that as we become adults, we read less for pleasure and more for information. In may case, even if I am reading something like geography of Andaman Nicobar Islands, it will be for pleasure. In fact, I can’t read something, unless it gives me some pleasure. If it does not stimulate me my attention wanders and my mind will create things, which are more interesting, to which I will wander. The third thing is roaming around aimlessly. The kick I get from it can’t be matched by anything else except perhaps day dreaming, which I no longer do. If there is sufficient time, I’m willing to get lost in any city, provided it is not very hot, because heat is something, which fatigues me and that will take all the fun out of it. When I roam aimlessly, without any particular goal, I feel the being nothingness and it intoxicates me. For that while, I am detached from life and its troubles. That must be the reason why I love travelling as well. Travelling suspends you in space and time for a while. For a while you are safe from the world.

I guess I am a chronic escapist.

Little Yui & Friends

Christmas Eve saw me hanging out with my college ‘kada for Yui’s Christening, and yours truly was a proud ninang, of course!

Cutie! :)

Nice to have practiced some portraiture, and Jhey brought his spanking brand-new dSLR as well. Also, it was the perfect time for Geh to reconnect with old friends, because we haven’t seen her for years following graduation. Tyney was also back in Pinas, so you can only imagine how much kwentuhan galore there were amongst the five of us!

Gella, Rhyzza, and Me :)

(Photo credits: Geh Lavastida)

Feels like we're college girls again... (L-R: Gella, Geh, Me, Tyne)
(Photo credits: Jhey De Leon) 

It's been a decade of friendship... :) (L-R: Tyne, Gella, Jhey, Geh, Rhyzza)

After wards, the three of us – Geh, Gella, and myself – dropped by SM Southmall to have some last-minute mani-ped session and coffee. (Wow, haven’t been to Southmall for the past 3 years now!)

Hmmm… I hope to do this again really soon!

Seasons Greeting

Between You and Me

Walked into a 711 store with Gail one lunch time at the office, and I chanced upon one of ‘em Between You and Me Hallmark greeting cards which caught my attention. There were no fancy words nor metaphors used by the author, yet the message was clear and very honest. So I'm sharing it in this note because I know that a lot of ladies (including myself) can relate to these words by Linda Lee Elrod:

When it comes to love, I know I’m a hard case…
You and I will be going along just fine,
and then suddenly I’ll withdraw, leaving you wondering what you did.
Well, I want you to know it’s not you, it’s me!
Before you came along, I made it a point never to give too much of myself to anyone.
That way, if things went wrong, my heart was protected.
But there’s something about you that’s different.
I find myself wanting to be close, wanting to trust, and I’m really trying.
This is all new to me, and I’m bound to get scared
or make a mistake now and then.
I’m just hoping you’ll be patient with me,
Because I have a feeling that, with time,
we could have something pretty spectacular.

"...we could have something pretty spectacular." - Hmm, it would be so nice indeed to feel that way about someone, right ladies? :)

On My Mind...

Wow, only now did I realize how it's been two long months since I posted something to this website. And I guess I've been on hiatus a little too long, don't you think?

I quite forgot how liberating it is to pour my thoughts (and feelings, for that matter) in my blog. Sure, I have my own handwritten journal which I've maintained for four years now, and blogging is (and always will be) equally therapheutic. Hmm... I guess mine will always be a journal-and-blog affair!

I want to turn back time.

I want to go back to that summer in Oz where I was happy, free, and...

I want to go back to Melbourne and cross her streets while eating ice cream.

I miss having Belgian beer on Friday nights and let myself loose with the temporary freedom I had.

I want to be able to do my own groceries and ponder over what could be a decent menu for the week.

I miss all of these, and...

There was a simple question laid on the table, to which I evaded having to give an answer...

If I could turn back time, maybe I'd be ready with the answer.

Or maybe not.

But even then, I already know the answer but just chose to hold back.

Sadly, time passed - even a split of a second - will never be recovered.

I guess all I can do is be thankful for the borrowed time and all the memories I was able to keep with me.

Memories...

Yup, I guess all I have now are memories.

Oz Trip Series: Market! Market!

I never fully understood what it was about ‘market day’ that gets Ate Shirley seemed so eager and looking forward to a trip in the market during Saturdays of the week. So when I joined her for a visit to Queen Victoria Market that day, ready with our reusable bags, I finally learned why.

Victoria Market IS a bargain heaven! You can never go wrong venturing out into its different sections and get the most out of your money’s worth on some of Australia’s finest (and freshest) produce. As for me, I instantly fell in love with the decadent pastries and cakes that are sold-out even before the clock strikes 10 in the morning. I bought the delicious custard thingy and Ate Shie went for a classic blueberry cheesecake. (Too bad I wasn’t able to take pictures of the yummy cakes!) Hmm, I’ve been down in Oz for five weeks the last time, and I realized now how sad it was that I never got to chance upon this place. That way I could have enjoyed so much more of their delicious sweet stuff sana. Oh, you know what they say – better late than never!

 The Saturday Market Scene

When we got all the stuff that we needed for a full week’s menu, Ate Shie and I decided to enjoy our cakes and coffee al fresco. The sun was up, and our itinerary for the day was far from over. So we rested a good deal in-between sips of hot coffee and bites of our cakes. 

  Coffee For Two

 Ate Shie in full winter fashion... :)

A few more shots of that part of the city, and we were back in her apartment to drop off the stuff we bought. She then took me on a tour to DFO (Direct Factory Outlet) in Southwarf where she ended up buying a pair of cool Sketchers flats, while I scored a winter jacket on sale. Good timing, because we joined the rest of the Aussie crowd along Federation Square that night in cheering for the Socceroos against Ghana in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The game turned out to be a draw, but nevertheless the Aussie passion for their home team was just as infectious as I remembered it the last time we were at the Australian Open 2010 on January. We didn’t mind the biting cold and the fact that we were still out on the street some time way past 12 midnight. It was a fun and memorable experience that didn’t disappoint!

So there. It was one of the busiest Saturdays I’ve ever had in my life, and so was the Sunday to follow. But that would have to wait until the next post. Dinner’s calling...  :)

To be continued...

Oz Trip Series: I'm Back!

(This is a long-overdue post.)

I remember the last time I was sent on a business trip to Melbourne – I only had a week to get everything I needed ready, from visa and travel documents to flight bookings and hotel arrangements. Fast forward five months later, and I was back for a 2-week business trip in Oz, only this time there was much time to prepare and to gear up for some major change in season as well. Literally.

Thanks to PAL’s direct flight, 6-7 hours of non-stop flight seemed more bearable than the last time I flew down under on a MNL-BKK-MEL route. The moment I stepped out of Melbourne Airport to hail a cab going to the hotel , the cold winter air greeted me as if to say, "Surprise, dear! Guess what, summer’s OUT and winter is way IN!!!" Oh-kay, enough said. I got to the hotel a little past 6:30 in the morning, and since I couldn’t get an early check-in because the room hasn’t been prepped yet, I decided to just explore the familiar city with my camera in tow and a few Aussie bucks exchanged at the airport. But before heading for the city, there was one spot near the hotel which I longed to take a good shot of. Thankfully I got the chance to go back, so I didn’t pass up the chance to take this one long-overdue shot:

There was just something about this view – seemed so relaxing even as I look at the picture now. And despite the change in season, the leaves have remained to be just as I remembered them back in summer –  of vivid greens. The neighbourhood seemed to be just waking up to an extended weekend (It was Queen’s Birthday that fell on a Monday), so I took advantage and just kept taking shots to my heart’s content. Thirty minutes later, I was back in dear old Flinders Street and my tummy was seriously screaming for breakfast! (Or better yet, since my eyes were locked on McCafe sign ahead of me, it was more likely that my tummy was screaming for pancakes, LOL!)

McBrunch :)

By this time, I noticed that the word “SALE” was plastered on every (and I mean ALL) shops. It turned out that it was their so-called End of Financial Year Sale – the equivalent of  our Mid-Year Sale here in Manila. (Cassey gurl, you were at the top of my head during this time because I knew this would have been the ultimate eye candy for a shopaholic like you!) After two hours of walking, window shopping, and taking pictures in-between, I decided to walk back to the apartment all the way from Flinders – a feat that might have gotten me sweating a great deal had it been summer. It was supposed to be a simple workout for me, but the cold winter air made it seemed like a leisurely 45-minute walk. Great. I was able to check-in to my room (finally!), and by late afternoon I got a call from Regie inviting me for tea and cake at Shirley’s unit.

More cityscape shots...

The next day, I woke up pretty early, just in time to take a shot of the winter dawn. Now, my favourite sunset has found its dawn…

The wild colors of sunset and the delicate ones of dawn... :)

To be continued...

Pausing For A Moment...

To greet the very first man in every girl's life...

And that very first person to whom boys would look up to as a child...

A Happy Fathers' Day!

Daddy's little girl then... and always. :)

Thank you, Daddy... and I love you!

Back Down Under

And so after almost 4 months, here I am back in Melbourne in winter time for a brief business trip. And after a couple of weeks (or a month, at least), I was able to finally visit my blog site and post something. I realized that I've got some catching-up to do on my posts, due largely to the fact that for some time I haven't been exactly in my usual element and seemed to have momentarily lost some of my mojo. 

Things haven't changed much since the last time I was  here, save for the cold and crisp winter breeze, and Aussies sporting their winter fashion in hues of grays and blacks. The long flight down under was still boring and tiring as ever, and airline food was no consolation. And during the first few hours as the taxi was down the freeway from the airport going to the hotel which I'll be staying at, I thought "Geez, I can't wait to go home." But I was shortly acquainted with Ate Shie and Regi, so there goes homesickness out on the window.

And then there was today.

Today brought in an unexpected surprise from someone back home that made me smile in spite of myself. Somehow things don't look too bleak anymore, and some of life's realizations came crushing in on me. From now on, I'm going to make the most of my time here to be productive at work and enjoy some well-deserved leisure time as well with new friends and acquaintances. Someone once said that I could be lonely here. Well, I really WAS lonely. And I had my personal reasons. But I hope things are gonna pick up starting today. I still can't wait to go home, but I might as well enjoy my time down under, right? (And of course, some photo ops as well! ^_^ )

Title: Delicate Dawn

(I happened to wake up just in time to watch how delicate orange hues were giving way for a blue winter sky in Melbourne.)

As the Aussies would put it, no worries! :)

To Friends And Thursday Nights

I'm way too lazy to fuss on how or why we decided to meet up on a Thursday night, BUT to be honest it was the best breather I've had in a week that's got me on an emotional roller coaster.

Going Mexican in Baja @ Greenbelt 3 (Thanks to Cassey for the pic)

Thanks to Cassey, Mike, and Aryan - I've had so much fun and more laughter than I could count. Let's do this again soon, yes? :D

On This Day...

Dearest Letty, Happy Mothers' Day mom! We love you so much. If dad calls me his princess, then you are definitely his Queen. :)

 Hello beautiful!

And to all the mothers of the world, a big THANK YOU for being the superwomen that you all are in our lives. 

HAPPY MOTHERS' DAY!!!

Movies, Movies, Movies!!!

May is finally here, and tinseltown’s talked-about movies just keep on coming. Of course, being the movie junkie that I am, I just can’t pass up the chance to watch these movies in the big screen, popcorn or no popcorn. This is a long-overdue post, since I’ve been way too lazy to post anything lately. And yes, it’s gonna be quite a lengthy one.

Shutter Island

Ever since Leo DiCaprio has transitioned from being a matinee idol in the big screen to one of Hollywood’s serious actors, I’ve let a lot of his recent movies pass by and would just reluctantly watch them on home video. So what spelled the difference that made me watch another Scorsese flick starring DiCaprio, this time on the big screen? Honestly, it was Facebook. Seriously. That day, a LOT of my friends mentioned in their respective shoutouts that it was a good movie, blah blah blah. So I watched anyway, and was – just as I was with any other Martin Scorsese film – impressed.

Psyched with Shutter Island!

It is one seriously psycho flick that ended with the most unexpected twist, and DiCaprio delivered an applaud-worthy performance. Although the film was mostly talkies, the entire plot was a puzzle itself that will leave you guessing on what’s gonna happen next. Honestly, the ending was one I never saw coming.

The Back-up Plan

Hmmm... I wonder if I could also device my own back-up plan... :)

After what seemed like forever, along came another rom-com starring sexy mom Jennifer Lopez. Yup, she’s timeless and charming as ever, but the movie was a little bland and a bit too predictable for my taste. But the movie did have its funny moments, though – scenes where I guess any woman in her late 20’s or early 30’s who’s yet to meet the One can totally relate to. (Uhmm, present! LOL!) Still, JLo has got that old charm, but I’ve seen her do better in a rom-com than this one. By the way, I also downloaded the soundtrack for the movie coz it’s got some really cool songs in the OST. In fact, I've been playing a couple of tracks from the album quite endlessly on my iPod for quite some time now. Go check it out! :)

Iron Man II

Oh yes, Tony Stark strikes back! And this time around, it’s one massive robot galore. Now, for those who were itching for some robotic action and stunts, this movie was definitely made to their taste. Don’t get me wrong, I do have my share of liking for heavy action in movies like these. But at the same time I was expecting a lot more depth where the storyline was concerned. Still, the action-packed scenes and visual effects PLUS Scarlett Johansson’s sultry appeal in the movie made up for the shallow plot. Oh, and did I mention that, as usual, Robert Downey Jr's performance deserved a thumbs-up? But I guess by this time you all know that now, right?

Tony Stark is soo back!!!

So there. As the weeks go by, I’m pretty sure a lot more movie reviews like this one will come. The weather in Manila and in most parts of the country is sooo friggin’ hot, I wouldn’t mind spending the day lazing away at the mall doing one of my all-time favourite pastimes – movies!!! Good thing, a couple of talked-about films are coming to town – think: Robin Hood and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. How’s that for some epic battle themes on the big screen, huh? Can’t wait!

Me and My Big Mouth (Figuratively Speaking, That Is…)

This week, I’ve been quite a pain to most people around me simply because, well, the bratinella mode in me has been manifesting itself in more ways than one. And so, I’ve unwittingly offended some people, even members of my family, for that matter. Why can’t I just shut my mouth? Or better yet, I wish I can be programmed so that my mouth wouldn’t utter a word unless my brain has finished composing the best diplomatic answer to a question. That way, I wouldn’t annoy and infuriate the unsuspecting people who are close to me, patience need not be tried, and I wouldn’t feel that nagging guilt right now.

I’m sorry.

That simple statement is for someone I’ve been constantly a pain to these past few days, and even for quite some time now. And if ever I’ll be forgiven tonight, I can only be thankful to that person for putting up with a brat like me. Of course, I also have to do my share of the bargain. Can I promise to stop being a brat? Well, I really can't guarantee that one 100% BUT I'll try harder to put some reins on my bratty little self. Wish me luck!

Happy Birthday, Wino!

Tuesday night saw me hanging out with my good old BCS41 peeps as we celebrated Wino’s birthday at Yellow Cab Pizza along Diosdado Macapagal Highway. Good thing I was allowed to join the crew on a short notice, especially since Wino will be going back to Canada next week. My parents were generous enough to drive me to and from, since I’m not yet allowed to go on commute yet.

It was 8:05 PM, and I was running 2 hours late from the agreed meeting time of 6:00 PM. Gosh, was that really me??? Anyway, I got there just in time for whatever’s left of the pasta and pizza, plus photo ops of course. Since Kaybee and Mitzi still had an early morning work schedule the next day, and Shaine still had to go on night shift the same night, we capped our mini-reunion off by hanging out at nearby Starbucks for more catching up over frappes and cheesecakes.where Kit and Raiza caught up with the group.

Pizza-and-pasta combo just never disappoints... thanks Wino! :)

'Missing these guys already...

*sigh*

We would have been joined by a couple more peeps from our batch, but since they couldn’t make it on a Tuesday night, ‘guess we’ll have to do this again pretty soon, aight?

Happy birthday to Wino, and thank you for the generous treat. And to BCS41 peeps, let’s do this again REALLY soon, yes?

Easter Food Trip

Easter Sunday has always been a reason for celebration in my family, being the old-fashioned Roman Catholics that my parents are. So after celebrating the morning mass in our cathedral, our trio was having a sort-of debate on where was the best place to have our Easter Lunch. My dad suggested we go to Greenbelt 5 food strip, while mom was hinting on Serendra. I solved the problem by suggesting this new place in Tagaytay owned by Happy Ongpauco, which boasted of noteworthy Filipino dishes, some of which have been handed down by family friends, the likes of Susan Roces. The place I was referring to was Pamana, not too far off from Tagaytay City’s famous rotunda.

An ancestral house converted into a classy Filipino restaurant

We didn’t have a reservation that day, so I was sorely crossing my fingers that we would still be accommodated in spite of. We got to the place around 30 minutes from the Cathedral (Thanks to a light Sunday traffic along Aguinaldo Highway!), and good thing the place wasn’t crowded yet so we scored a nice corner spot on the 2nd floor where we basked in the cool Tagaytay breeze coming from the veranda. 

Well, what can I say? Yes the place has got a very cozy and classy Filipino interior that was blended well with mementos from the Ongpauco family throughout the years, and somehow Pamana offers a relaxed ambiance that’s perfect for any intimate family gatherings and get-togethers. As for the food, well, it was definitely Filipino and it was good. We ordered the famous Three Way Adobo (Chicken adobong puti, adobo flakes and native adobo spareribs served all-in-one), Davao’s Baked Sugpo Sa Taba Ng Talangka, Pancit Canton Con Lechon (Pancit Canton topped with pork lechon), Sinigang na Bulalo, and Tawilis (Never miss out on this specialty whenever you’re in Tagaytay!). For dessert, I ordered their Bibingka with Quesong Puti (2-piece mini biningka topped with quesong puti and salted eggs) while my parents shared on Turon served with Ube ice cream on top (Which, according to my mom, was a little too sweet for her taste – the turon, that is.)

The Ongpauco legacy

Yum!!!

Happy Easter, from Erning and Letty :)

Overall, I wouldn’t mind going back to the place with family or friends whenever I’ll be in the mood for some fine dining Filipino cuisine within the vicinity of Tagaytay. Kudos to Happy for another job well done, and for sharing to us some of their family’s delectable heritage. Happy Easter everyone! :)

In Review: Clash Of The Titans

"If I do this, I do it as a man." - Sam Worthington as Perseus

My anticipation for this movie started on the day I saw its theatrical trailer a couple of months back. In fact, the anticipation builds up as its opening day drew near, and that’s when I knew I just had to watch it on its day 1. Of course, it just had to be in 3D fashion for our trio – me and my parents – only this time, unlike the last time with Alice In Wonderland, I wasn’t in it for the special effects nor seeing Johnny Depp on the big screen; I was in it for the entire movie. 

Something noteworthy from this movie, given its excellent visual effects and overall production, is Sam Worthington. Ever since he starred in the record-breaking blockbuster Avatar, he’s been on the radar as another one of those promising actors Tinseltown’s got, and Clash of the Titans proved to be a good break for the dude. Sam was just right to play the role of demigod Perseus, and he was pretty good where his acting skills were concerned – something that was a bit overshadowed by the lavish visual effects and 3D graphics from Avatar. 

Oh, and another thing about the movie was that it's well worth the ticket even if you're up for 3D or even in 2D viewing, just as long as you get to see on the big screen. Trust me. And if I may be allowed some spoilers along the way, ladies, please DO NOT EXPECT some heavy love story along the way because it won't be coming to you AT ALL. Although, the movie leaves room for plenty of human drama coupled with heavy action, in swords-and-shields fashion.

TITANS.will.CLASH... in 3D!!! ^_^

So that's basically it for my movie review. Honestly, it took me a LOT of convincing for my parents to let me out of the house and see the movie since I'm supposed to be on my recovery period still. But, just as I had mentioned previously in this entry, the movie's just too good to miss out on its 1st day.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend, y'all! :)

Hospital Diaries

(This is a long post)

PO?!?!?!

This was how I initially reacted when my OB Gyne confirmed that I had two ovarian cysts, one on each ovary, and I could have sworn my face went blank as if she was speaking in some alien dialect. And then she started explaining as mightily as she could so that it wouldn’t sound too medicalspeak for me, but in my mind there were only two words: WHY.ME. (???) Eventually it all boiled down to me having to undergo surgery to have the cysts removed and subjected for biopsy to check if the cysts were cancerous or not (benign). And so in a matter of three weeks, I had to physically and emotionally prepare myself for what would be my very first major surgery – something of a milestone, but never the kind anyone would wish for but was inevitable.

To cut the story short, here's a brief recap of what seemed to be the longest week of my life, so far:

MARCH 23: Surgery was not until the next day, but I was confined the night before for some pre-surgery preps and something of about six or seven different medical interns and/or residents asking me the same questions over and over about my medical history. I was also told that my surgery was moved six hours ahead of schedule, which meant that I’ll be in as early as 8 AM the next day. Gosh! By 12 midnight, I was already on IV fluid.

MARCH 24: THE day. Last thing I remembered, I was taken to the Operating Room on the 4th floor as early as 7:45 AM. When I woke up in the recovery room, it was already 8:45 PM, and for some reason my body kept convulsing so they had to give me oxygen mask and monitor my vital signs for another 30 minutes. I was taken back to my hospital room around nine past something in the evening, and I had a catheter inside me coz I could quite bring myself to stand up and take a leak. Surprisingly enough, there was not the slightest hint of pain which I was actually bracing myself for.

MARCH 25: Still no sign of serious pain; only a burning itch that build up whenever I’d get my shot of morphine every 12 hours. This time I was able to watch TV in sitting position, but with the catheter still attached inside me, I really wasn’t able to move about that much. My doctors dropped by to check up on me, and I was pressured to pass gas before I was able to eat soft solid food. But I guess my system’s not up for it yet, so I had to content myself with crackers and water during antibiotic intakes.

MARCH 26: Got my last shot of morphine, and I was finally free of the catheter thingy. I was able to move around and walk around my room with IV fluid in tow, as per doctors’ recommendation for faster recovery. By afternoon, I was finally able to pass gas and was eligible for soft diet (Think: porridge, noodles, soups). Next step is to move my bowel before I can finally get discharged from the hospital. Oh, and I also received a beautiful bouquet of 2-dozen peach roses from a friend. Lovely! ^_^

MARCH 27: I was finally able to move my bowel in the morning, and that same afternoon I got my discharge order and was home sweet home by evening.

So there. It’s quite an experience, actually, and not entirely a pleasant one. (Especially since hospital food always suck in my opinion, and not being able to move about as I pleased sucked just as much.) My only consolations were the cable TV, kind and hospitable nurses, the morphine shots, well-wishes and support from close friends, and the beautiful roses. (Thank you! You know who you are. ^_^) As for my parents, they were just the bestest in giving me the moral and physical support each step of the way. Today is exactly a week since my operation, and so far my body’s recuperating pretty well. I’m still a little low on my blood pressure, and my appetite has yet to go back to normal, but I’m just taking things one day at a time. I still have two more weeks of rest before I return to work, so I’m loading up on plenty of rest to help me get back in shape faster. Lesson learned: NEVER.EVER.TAKE.YOUR.HEALTH.FOR.GRANTED. Cliché as it is, it’s true when they say that, “Health is wealth.”

A blessed and peaceful long weekend to everyone!

Oz Trip Week 5: Homeward Bound

And so it was finally time to go home.

My last week in Melbourne was pretty much calm with not that much frenzy over work. I did a bit of last-minute shopping at the city, though, and was finally able to try out McDonald’s Mighty Angus. It was just… heavenly yummy!!! But before I was homebound, I joined the girls – Maya and Des – for some late-night bonding at the movies the night before my scheduled flight back to Manila.

GIB (Girls In Black) on our way to the movie

Since my flight was not until midnight, I still went to report for work on my last day, getting all deliverables done and some last-minute calibration meeting with my Melbourne PM’s. Over lunch, Kelvin and Rhic introduced me to this quaint little resto that served delicious steak with HUGE serving proportions. (And, as usual, I was a liitle short on the rice part of my meal. LOL!) By dinner time, I just had packed noodles and apple juice for the reason that, well, by this time my fridge had been emptied out of commodities already and I was too lazy to buy takeaway food. I just had to rely on airline food for something more filling. (And since I was flying Thai Airways, best bet was curry on the menu.) After what seemed to be thirteen long hours (I spent most of the flight back home sleeping, so I honestly lost count of the approximate travel time, LOL!), I was finally home sweet home, baby!

I’m gonna miss Melbourne and its nice people, not to mention its particularly cool and windy summer days. I don’t know when I’ll get the chance to go back, but I’m just grateful for having had the chance to travel and explore that part of the world down under. There were also bonding times in-between and after work with the other CTOM peeps. Hmmm… kelan kaya uli? :)

Gonna miss these days... :)

Oz Trip Week 4: RED Is For Valentine's Day (And Red Wine)

I celebrated Valentine’s Day this year quite differently from the usual eat-out-with-friends-or-family which I’m used to doing whenever that [literally] red-letter day comes around every year, and I’ve got quite a few reasons. One is that, well, I’m away from home on a biz trip and, two, I was down with a very bad case of boredom that day, added up with a tinge of homesickness and everything else sentimental. And so, when Regie popped the invite to go down St. Kilda Beach for the annual St. Kilda Festival, I was more than willing to go just so that I’d get a change of scenery other than my hotel room and for some booze and beach party as well.

It turned out that public drinking on such occasions were prohibited, but being the pasaway that we were, we snuck out a 4-liter red wine, plastic cups, and an empty water bottle just so that we can enjoy the booze whilst at the festival scene. Pretty sneaky, yes, but it worked. No one, not even the security personnel s roaming around took notice as the three of us – Maya, Regie, and myself – took turns helping ourselves with cups of red wine as if it were just some average berry juice. We were like silly teenyboppers who were giddy getting away with mischief! Unfortunately, we got much more than we bargained for.

Rock on, St. Kilda! ^_^

By the end of the night, Maya and I were a sight to behold along the sands of St. Kilda Beach – two stone-drunk ladies with only poor Regie to cling on for dear life, lest we’d be spending the night at the beach. Seriously. And by the time we were back the hotel, we were lucky that Kelvin was out in the hotel’s driveway to help us on the way back to our rooms. Hmmm… I can’t remember the number of times I threw up that night. And while I’m honest enough to mention these things in my blog, it doesn’t mean I’m actually proud of myself for being overly boozed up that night.

The next morning, one can only imagine how bad my hangover was and, tragedy of all tragedies, I lost my new phone! (See, I told there was some colorful story behind it.) I never wanna be in that state of mind and body ever again. It’s an ugly feeling, and hangovers the following morning are always just as nasty. I’ll just stick to a tall glass of mojito or some vodka, for that matter. Besides, those two have been my bestest companions during good times and night outs, next to my girlfriends of course.

Cheers!

Oz Trip Week 3: Mobile Phone Issues

I was almost inclined to believe that I was cursed where mobile connectivity was concerned while in Melbourne. For one, I never saw any “Free Wi-Fi” sign anywhere I went while on business trip, unlike here in Manila where even a simplest canteen or panciteria can offer free wi-fi to its customers.

Two, my network provider’s roaming service ALMOST failed on me, simply because my plan with MSF of PhP 500 did not include roaming services. It took me $10 to make an overseas call via local payphone in Melbourne to get the freakin service activated. I can still remember how irately I blurted out, 

“How the hell do you expect me to stay connected with my family if you don’t get your freakin’ service activated on my phone? Can you check my record? Last time I remember, I overpaid my last billing statement so your company still owes me roughly one thousand five hundred pesos, tama?”

to a most unsuspecting customer care agent.

Three, even after having my mobile roaming services activated, my relief was short-lived because my phone’s LCD died out on me out of the blue, thus rendering my phone useless. As for me, I had to purchase pre-paid call credits to call home, which roughly cost me about $30 all in all. Worse, I’ve been missing all calls and SMS on my SIM card which makes it a bit unbearable that time.

Four, so I decided to shop around for a cheap mobile phone that would not exceed $50. I eventually got one, after almost an hour of window shopping around for the best deal there was. Unfortunately, the unit I got was SIM-locked to Vodafone so there’s the matter of having to unlock the unit when I get back in Manila so that I’ll be able to use it. Oh, and there’s also the itsy-bitsy issue of activating the SIM card because, unlike here in the Philippines, you need a valid ID and address to have your SIM verified and activated. Maarte, yes.

Five, I eventually lost the new phone. As for the details of its demise, that would have to wait until my next entry, because it’s got quite an interesting story behind it.

My only consolation? Well, I was finally able to enjoy a tall glass of mojito on a sunny Saturday afternoon. Really nice! And Star Wars was showing on local TV that time. I dunno, but after watching the flick on tv (and with nothing else good to watch), I think I may have just been converted into a fan. LOL! Oh, and surprises of surprises – I was told that my trip would be extended for two more weeks. Cool! I was already looking forward to s couple more colorful days in Melbourne, even if I suck with mobile phones. Haha!

Oz Trip Week 2: Settling In

When I first checked in to my new room at Seasons, my initial reaction was, “Oh wow, this is nice!” As it turned out, mine was a lot bigger compared to the other rooms I’ve seen so far – plenty of room in the sala-kitchen area as well as in the bathroom. Really nice! First thing I did was to unpack some of my clothes from my luggage, and took in the new scene from my balcony.

Hmmm... I could get used to this! ^_^

Saturdays at St. Kilda Road

That same afternoon, I was eager to do my very first grocery. By this time I already have a pretty good idea of how to go about the city, so within the next half an hour, I was making my way and doing some window shopping and grocery as well. I ended up buying a large tote that was originally marked as AUD 30, but since Australia Day sale was up, price was cut down to AUD 9. Nice deal, eh? As for the grocery, bought all my stuff at Woolworth’s, just enough to last me another week since I’ll be back in Manila the following week. Or at least I thought I was.

Arrived home an hour and 30 minutes later, and I was excited to cook my very first meal. Menu that day was beef strips with greens, so I hurriedly stuffed the fridge with items bought from the grocery, set out cooking rice and the beef strips thingy. Hunger pangs were restless by the next hour, and as soon as the skillet was off the stove, it’s meal time baby! Can I just say that I’m quite proud of myself, because the way my beef strips tasted was very much like that of my mom’s. I opted to go healthy where dessert was concerned, so I had sliced watermelon and green grapes in a bowl. Sweet!

Good thing it's Australia Day, and prices are marked down!

Bon appetit!

There were two consecutive holidays that time – CHARTIS Day (Monday) and Australia Day (Tuesday). It would have been so nice to wake up late and enjoy a lazy day without having to go to work, BUT my boss wants to get some urgent things done SO I literally had to drag myself out of bed to report for work when everyone else were out enjoying the holidays. Good thing I was allowed to leave work early on Tuesday, so I still had time to join the boys for some more tour of the city. They introduced me to this quaint Thai resto where the serving was B-I-G but good, nonetheless. By Friday, I joined the girls for late-night grocery spree at Coles and Safeway, and then some bonding time over beer and vodka at Bernard’s place. Oh yeah, I was also informed that I’ll be staying for yet another week. Oh well, it looked like I’ll be settling in for a longer time than originally planned.

Movie Buff Strikes Back

It’s been a while since I last came up with a movie review, probably because there have been weeks when I couldn’t find time to watch the movies that were showing in the box-office for the mere fact that, well, I was super busy. No exaggerations. Good thing I was able to score some time off to spend at the big screen these past weeks, lazing away at the movies – something I’m very much fond of doing, next to photography, that is.

Valentine’s Day

A star-studded ensemble

I originally planned to watch another movie while in Melbourne, but since the girls wanted to watch Valentine’s Day, I decided to give it a go, plus it was my first movie experience in Oz. From the title itself, I was expecting an ultimate chick flick and loads of mushiness, and given the star-studded ensemble of the movie, I wasn’t expecting much as far as the story was concerned. That’s why it was kind of a surprise when I didn’t find the movie too girly at all, nor was it too mushy for my taste. (Trust me, I’ve had my share of the cheesiest and heavy mushiness in some movies I’ve seen so far, big screen or otherwise.) In fact, the movie has got this lively humour and an ensemble of characters which I’m sure most people – men and women – can readily relate to. (I know I did, I just won’t say which character was it. Haha!) It’s still a romantic movie, though; and most of the plot are way too old-school. (Think: guy-realizes-that-his-true-love-was-his-best-friend-all-along kind of thing.) The Taylor-Taylor team-up was a bonus for the female viewers and fans (like me), and the movie did have its memorable scenes. My favourite part? It’s gotta be Taylor Swift’s interview for a local tv news where her character in the movie the lashes out a not-so-Taylor-Swift act. ^_^

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief

The next Harry Potter??? Hmmm...

This was one of the double-movie treat I’ve had with my parents two weeks ago. I was initially thinking that it would bore my dad to death, given the fact that the movie offers you a bunch of demi-god teenagers on a quest that takes them all the way to Zeus’, err, gods-only meeting in Olympus. Seriously, that is not my dad’s idea of an action flick. Turned out, he liked it and he was glued to the movie the whole time. Personally, I was surprised that I’d still catch the movie in Manila on its fourth week at the box office, and people are still lining up to watch it. Probably because the makers of the movie did a good job in giving the Greek mythology a modern twist, not to mention a few noteworthy veterans alongside newcomers in tinsel town. (Think: Uma Thurman playing snake-y Medusa and Pierce Brosnan as wise centaur Chiron)Now I’ve learned that it was actually based on a series of so-called Percy Jackson and the Olympians books, but I haven’t read any of them. But if they’re planning to come up with a movie series based on the books, the outcome of their first attempt looks promising enough for another round of sequels. And since the Harry Potter saga is coming to a close with the much-anticipated two-part finale, it’s a good idea to have a fresh set of movie series to look forward to.And yes, I might even take interest in picking up the Percy Jackson books pretty soon!

Alice In Wonderland

"Why is a raven like a writer's desk?" - Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter

Believe me when I say that throughout the course of my childhood, I’ve never really took much interest to read, much less to finish, the tales of Alice In Wonderland. I don’t know, but I guess the whole thing seemed bizarre to me as a kid, and even years since. The only reasons I had in watching this movie were: 1) I’m a huge Johnny Depp fan, and 2) the thought of watching in 3D again following Avatar seemed like a nice idea. I had to drag my parents into watching it, plus it’s their first 3D movie experience.

So how did I find the movie? Oh let me see… well, I can only assume that there were more than a hundred times when the Red Queen shouted “Off with her head!!!” throughout the movie; Anne Hathaway’s interpretation of the White Queen was too exaggerated for my taste; Alice was in dire need of a blush because her on-screen make-up made her looked like a ghost; and Johnny Depp, as usual, was divine where his acting was concerned. In short, there was very little for me to like in the movie, save for Johnny Depp and the whole 3D effects thingy. Other than that, I wouldn’t even bother watching it on video.

Oz Trip Week 1: Loong Flight, Booze And Tennis

If there was one thing the long MNL-BKK-MEL (Manila-Bangkok-Melbourne) flight taught me, it’s that I was sorely in need of an mp3 player. Seriously. With 13 hours on-board the plane, switching between time zones, a 30-minute stopover, and seemingly unending immigration protocols at every airport – an mp3 player could very well become a traveler’s best friend. Unluckily for me, the idea hadn’t struck me yet that time, so I was pretty much stuck with my mobile phone and some 30 songs which I was able to download. Airline food was so-so, and while I was one seat apart from an Aussie cutie, he spent much of his travel time sleeping and curled up in a blanket, so not much hope in striking up a convo there. Although, in-between sneak peeks, I can only admire his toned biceps and attractive Aussie tan. LOL!

Immigration protocols were a breeze when I got to Melbourne International Airport, and in a couple of minutes I was on-board a taxi for another 20-minute drive going to Seasons Heritage in St. Kilda, where I’ll be staying for 2 nights and then I’ll be checking-in at a nearby Parkview Hotel for another 2 nights, and then it’s back to Seasons for the rest of the duration of my supposedly 2-week business trip. (Blame it on last-minute reservations during the 2010 Australian Open season for a crazy accommodation setup.) Anyways, I was homesick already because of the long solo flight and I haven’t gotten in-touch with the other CTOM peeps that were also on respective business trips in Melbourne. In short, I was bored to death. AS IN REALLY REALLY REALLY BORED TO DEATH. Good thing, I was able to hang with the other peeps the next day, and was lucky enough to score tickets to the upcoming Australian Open games that coming weekend. (Thanks to Regi Tan for the tickets, by the way.) My first Friday night was spent drinking booze at Belgian Beer Café, and since then I’ve been a fan of Stella Artois and anything Belgian booze.

My first Melbourne sunset... ^_^

Saturday came, and although there were slight hints of light drizzle and gray skies during the morning, it turned out to be hot and sunshiny all throughout the rest of the day. I’ve never watched a live tennis match in my life before, nor was I a tennis enthusiast, for that matter. But somehow, I got into the tennis fever that hit Melbourne, especially when you’re around people who seemed to be akin to the whole tennis craze. We didn’t have tickets to watch the bigger games (Think: Serena Williams and Roger Federer) in the Rod Laver Arena, but the outside matches were just as exciting and the Aussie crowd were just as crazy. And yes, I’ve got pics of my own on my camera thanks much to Kelvin (Go and buy that friggin’ camera in Taiwan, dude! LOL!)

CTOM crew at the 2010 Australian Open

Little chinita goes to Melbourne... ^_^

Ozzie Ozzie Ozzie, oi oi oi!!!

That Part Down Under

The last time I posted something was like the eve before I flew off to Melbourne for a 2-week business trip. (Or was it the day before that?) Anyway, my point is that it’s been a while, and even if there were some friends of mine who kept bugging me to post pictures and blog about Melbourne, I can only contain that itch to check Facebook every so now and then (Just like I do in back in Manila) and share in my blog how it was like flying to that part of the globe down under simply because – well – I.HAVE.NO.BLOODY.INTERNET.CONNECTION. At least not external internet connection, that is. LOL!

And so just when I thought that it would be my last week here in Melbourne, I got news yesterday that my trip would be extended for yet another week. Hmmm, three weeks down under – not bad, eh? Now, I know I’ve much to catch up with my readers so I’ll just sum up the whole Oz experience in three parts, from the looong flight departing Manila and back. It’s gonna be in a couple of posts coming up, as soon as I’m not too lazy, that is.

Oh, and today is Australia Day, by the way. Happy Australia Day, mates! :)