Street but Sweet

Hullo and goodbye

2010-04-03T09:27:00.003+08:00

Dear all,

Things have been really crazy lately. Sooo many changes that I find myself in a new phase of my life now--a phase that is quite different from where I was when I started Street but Sweet and Diary of a Food Lover. I've thus decided to say goodbye to these two blogs, and have started a new one to reflect my new life and all the new, wonderful adventures that will be coming my way.

There'll still be stories of my day-to-day life, plus restaurant and food posts. It's essentially my two old blogs rolled into one. So, come follow me on my new blog, Here, Tishie Tishie!

Thanks for all your support and comments over the years! Now click here!

Martha, Martha, Martha

2010-03-18T19:25:00.006+08:00

Our wedding made it to the pages of Martha Stewart Weddings Philippines!:)

The latest issue is out now! Isn't that such a dreamy cover? I think those flowers are edible!

I also did the Registry section for this issue. I normally don't give myself a big pat on the back for styling work but I must say I quite like what I did here! And to think I was so stressed handling all those breakables and all. I especially heart the last spread, pretty cupcakes and all. Grab a copy to know what I'm talking about!

Negros sojourn: The Ruins

2010-02-24T21:55:00.009+08:00

Earlier this evening, I finally got to see the famed Ruins of Talisay...

I first heard about the Ruins from a Bacolod native-friend who planned to have her wedding reception there. It was unfortunate that the sun had set by the time we reached Talisay from Bacolod (having been fed a wonderful merienda by an ever-gracious resident), so I missed seeing the structure without the lights on. But even at dusk, with night creeping in and the hint of stars in the darkening sky, the Ruins were absolutely breathtaking.

Maybe I'm just biased because I have a thing for ruins in general. But in the short span of time I was there, I was just enthralled. It was love at first sight. I wish I had known its back story before going--I would have sat longer on the steps (or the remaining skeleton) and allowed the house to speak to me, imagining myself in this mansion back in the 1900s. How magnificent it must have been! I marveled at how the walls and columns were ever so smooth, a result of the Grade A concrete used to build the mansion. Even after being burnt to its bones, the mansion still maintained its marble-like texture. I ran my hands across the walls and columns over and over in complete amazement.

I think what I like most about ruins in general is that they seem to have a soul that newer structures don't possess; these in particular had a very powerful spirit that whispered of a storied past. They were absolutely bewitching, so hauntingly beautiful that they made my heart ache and sing and dream.

Camp rocked!

2010-02-21T18:57:00.006+08:00

No, we still haven't had time to go on a proper honeymoon, but we finally did get to go camping! I had never gone camping before, so this was going to be an adventure!

After weighing our different beach options (Putipot, Anawangin--which, I hear, is overrun with campers now), we finally decided on MV's suggestion: Nagsasa Cove in Zambales. If you want to know how to get there (including expenses), just scroll down after the photos. For now, let's do a little photo narrative...

The jump-off point is Purok 1 in Pundaquit, where we met our boatman Mang Vic. I pretty much found him off the net--aside from being referred by Nagsasa veterans, he had his own blog! (Unfortunately, I can't find the link now!)

From the jump-off point, you can see Camara and Capones Islands. They were out of the way so we didn't make the trip.

You'll pass the more popular Anawangin Cove before finally--finally!--catching sight of Nagsasa Cove, about an hour's boat ride away from Purok 1. (Note: Try to get a boat with a roof! That sun could get pretty harsh.)

Once you get to the cove, you'll be helped out of the boat by Mang Ador and his men, who are some of the few people who live on this part of the island.

H and I with Mang Ador

They don't really charge anything, but it'd be nice to leave them a little somethin'-somethin'. Especially since Mang Ador recently found out that his wife has cancer.:( Do pray for her and for the family. It was a little heartbreaking when he asked me all these questions about cancer--if it could be cured, if there were herbal alternatives to chemo. Sigh. I really really wish I could help. My own little way of doing that is promoting Nagsasa, and just saying what a totally kick-ass "host" he is!

To entice you, a few photos of what the cove has to offer:

Crystal clear waters that are super calm, and a view of mountains; the sand has some lahar mixed in, courtesy of the Mt. Pinatubo eruption

Pine trees! Right by the shore! Some people say that the seeds came from the ashfall courtesy of Mt. Pinatubo. We set up our tent by one of the big picnic tables, away from the other campers. We were there for peace and quiet and relaxation.

Lots of trees from which you can hang a hammock and doze off (which is exactly what I did)

A freshwater stream that runs behind the campsite

A 15-minute hike that leads to...

...waterfalls and a cool freshwater swimming hole! There was just a trickle of water when we were there since it's dry season.

A sari-sari store that sells halo-halo

A gorgeous sunset

A chance to complete the camping experience with a bonfire. This one was built by the locals for some campers nearby. But since they weren't gathered around it yet, I snuck in and roasted some marshmallows, on a perfect twig that H found for me.

More breathtaking photos by other Nagsasa visitors can be found here and here.

It was such a wonderful experience, even if it meant sharing a no-flush toilet in a makeshift bathroom with more than 20 other campers. And our feet were freezing because we didn't expect it to be so windy and cold, even inside our tent! (Note: Bring a blanket!) It also felt like we were in a different country, with a nice beach, rolling hills, a lake, pine trees, and waterfalls all in one place!

Want to go on a camping trip to beautiful Nagsasa Cove? Details:

Take a Victory Liner bus from Caloocan, going to Iba or Sta. Cruz, Zambales. Caloocan's a better option than Cubao because buses to Iba leave every hour (or half hour) going to Iba. (Note: That blanket I mentioned earlier will certainly come in handy here. Victory Liner evening/early morning buses are FREEZING!)
Get off at San Antonio, Zambales--this isn't so far from Olongapo. Bus fare is PHP251, plus voluntary insurance for PHP5.
Take a trike to Purok 1 in Pundaquit, PHP30 per person.
Take a boat to Nagsasa Cove. You can try contacting Mang Vic, 0929-7170739. It was a little pricey since it was just the two of us (PHP1,700 round trip) but it should be cheaper if there are more of you. (Note: They don't offer life vests up front, but do ask for them.) Tell the boatman exactly what time you want to get picked up the next day if you're staying overnight. You can't just text or call because there is absolutely no signal in Nagsasa.
Get off at Nagsasa Cove and enjoy!
Going home: Once you get to Pundaquit, take a trike back to San Antonio and wait for a bus either bound for Manila (few and far between, we're told) or to Olongapo (which come every few minutes); from Olongapo, you could get on a bus back to Manila.

You could also opt to drive to Pundaquit and park at a resort--I hear some allow overnight parking. But you'll have to research about that.

Sigh. I'd love to go back, especially now that I'm sick from all the stress and that pesky bug going around lately. Camping in Nagsasa Cove is something I will always look back on with fondness. And I do hope to be back some day soon. Til then, Mang Ador and his family will be in my prayers, and I hope they'll be in yours too.

Crazy, beautiful

2010-02-15T18:56:00.003+08:00

That's what my life has been like the past couple of weeks. I have been skipping to the beat of Possibility, Options, and Gratitude. This last weekend alone, there was so much to be thankful for:

My friends' wedding
Our free Valentine date (yes, we were able to make it!)
Our Valentine weekend camping trip (which totally rocked)
My team's elimination-round win (semi-finals, here we come!)
A better understanding of myself and what I want
A greater appreciation for my husband, who amazes me more and more as each day passes

Will be blogging in detail soon. As soon as I catch my breath and manage to find a bit more time.

Do you wanna know a secret?

2010-02-12T00:59:00.003+08:00

The Secret actually works!

I read it a couple of years ago and started rereading it recently when I was feeling all negative. And boy, did things turn around! It's little things and big things and everything in between, for example: On Sunday til Monday, I was seriously craving for fro yo. Then Monday, while waiting for friends, a lady handed me a card for free yogurt at a newly opened store! And I've been thinking about Boracay...and all of a sudden, I got an email saying I had a free trip lined up! Completely out of the blue. (Can't make it coz the dates are wrong though...perhaps I should've been more specific. But still!)

I know skeptics might think it's all coincidence, but seriously, if you multiply those events by ten (which is pretty much what I've experienced in the last overwhelming couple of weeks), you kind of start to believe. I know some people think it's new age-y and all that. And maybe it is. But don't knock it til you've tried it!

Wanting our cake

2010-02-03T16:13:00.003+08:00

...and eating it too. But really, what else is cake for?

Further proof that our caterer is the Best Caterer Ever. I got this through email today:

Because it's Kaye, the food is guaranteed to be delicious. And the setup will undoubtedly be chic. We really, really, reeeeaaally want to go. We got all excited and were about to confirm when we realized that we have a wedding to go to on the same day! I asked Kaye's assistant if they were going to have a similar event in the future, and she said no. She can't say if they're having it again next year. So H and I are trying to work out a sched... It looks like we might be eating dinner twice that evening!

Back on the boob tube

2010-01-30T09:19:00.006+08:00

Had loads of fun at the recent radio tour, where I met a new set of DJs--Wave's George (so surreal since I do listen to her on the radio), RT's Ron, Jam's Hilary and Scottie (really cool), and U92's Eri (hilarious!). I was also back in the booth with CJ and Suzy--I really do enjoy being on their show!

I generally like doing radio tours more than TV appearances, but lately I've had a lot of those too. Anything to pimp out my mag, encourage people to go grab a copy, and in effect, help me keep my job!

On ANC's Shoptalk with Pia Hontiveros

There are two kinds of TV shows: taped and live. Both have their pros and cons. While with taped shows, you can rest easy knowing that anything stupid you say can be edited out, the whole process normally takes longer. You get a call time, but often either the crew (for location shoots) or the host (in-studio shoots--I guess TV personalities' scheds are pretty packed) are late. So you end up playing the waiting game. And, in my opinion, sitting around and waiting is a huge energy drainer.

Live shows, on the other hand, have a schedule to stick to, so things are brisk and efficient. However, there are no re-takes. And there are those dreaded Q&A portions. You really have to be on your toes and come up with quick, satisfactory answers. Very Miss Universe-esque, but instead of talking about world peace or the essence of being a woman, I have to talk about the best way to clean marble flooring, for example.

Me with Wilma Doesnt and Lucy Torres on QTV's The Sweet Life. Also in the pic is our mag's pimp (the one who arranges all our guestings) Kritzel.

I'm thankful that I haven't been overcome by nerves so much, so my appearances so far have been alright. We've promoted the heck out of our latest ish, which covers Jan to Feb, so we have a month-long break from TV gigs for now. That leaves me enough time to look for 10-inch heels so I don't look quite so short beside Lucy!

Kids say the darndest things

2010-01-22T23:24:00.004+08:00

Because my kuya and his wifey are away, I made sure to drop by and hang out with the kids. Highlight of my day! (Btw, my brothers are just going everywhere! Germany for Oktoberfest, Rio for Carnival, Africa, the Caribbean...meanwhile, I didn't even get to leave the country last year! Boo!)

So anyway, I love talking to kids because it is endlessly amusing. I'm all about the Socratic method because I think kids can have such interesting answers! Case in point, H's niece (one of our flower girls), Caity. This three-year-old seems so much older than her actual age. Some snippets:

Caity: I'll show you my flowers! (takes my hand and leads me to their sampaguita plant)
Me: Do you want to see a baby flower? (I point to a bud)
Caity: Ooh.
Me: Do you know what happens to a baby flower?
Caity: It opens and turns into a mama flower!

~*~*~*~

(Caity was playing with her new toy unicorn)
Me: What do unicorns eat?
Caity: (pause) Hay.
Me: Ahh. Where do unicorns live?
Caity: Umm...
Me: Do they live in a stable? In a forest? In a cave?
Caity: It liveth in an enchanted foretht!
Me: What do unicorns do?
Caity: It hath magic!
Me: What kind of magic? Does it fly?
Caity: (rolling her eyes and holding the unicorn up to my face) It doethn't have wingth!
(Kulang na lang may "Hello?"!)

~*~*~*~

This evening, I was with my two sweethearts (or "sweetie pies"--Diego corrects me whenever I say "sweetie"), three-year-old Diego and two-year-old Marga. I nearly had a heart attack watching them jump off things, and will probably have a sore back tomorrow after serving as their trampoline. But it is absolute joy just spending time with them--when they're in a good mood! Tonight's gems:

(Introducing me to their horsies)
Diego: This is Mister Diego!
Marga: (showing her horse) Mister Marga!

~*~*~*~

(After they ran around barefoot)
Me: Diego, look at your feet. Yak. What color are they?
Diego: Black!
(Marga was showing me her blue and green Tinkerbell nightgown)
Me: Marga, what color is Tinkerbell?
Marga: Black!

~*~*~*~

Me: Bye-bye na, I have to go home.
Diego: Why?
Me: Because Tito Hamil is waiting for me.
Diego: When the sun is out tomorrow, you wake up then go to my house.

~*~*~*~

Me: (singing to Marga who literally watches Cinderella 3 ten times a day!) Salagadula, menchikabula...
Marga: Badada badada booo!!!

Hahaha. That totally made my day!

These shoes were made for walking

2010-01-18T09:25:00.005+08:00

A lot of people know me for my high heels. At my old job, I learned to run in three-inch heels because I was always rushing to beat the bundy clock (the security guards were on my side. And oh, I have since progressed to running in four-inch heels). And, on one occasion, when a co-worker caught me in sneakers on my way to the gym, he remarked, "Ang liit mo pala!"

Which is why I don't really wear flats. I always thought that ballet flats would make me look squat because of the width of my feet and my, uh, general self. Haha. But I resolved to buy ballet flats that I could live with, and so I went hunting. The result...

...Flats that I can't just live with, but which I actually love! As you can see, they're by el cheapo Parisian, found in all SM Department Stores. I heart this brand because they have such stylish shoes that don't cost a bundle. This pair, for example, was less than P500! Woohoo! I love the whole snakeskin thang it's got going. Funnily enough, while I was wearing these, I ran into one of the fab former Preview girls, and she was wearing platforms in the exact same pattern. (She got hers on sale at H&M.) And they don't make me look squat at all--in fact, they seem to make my legs look longer. Yay! On the minus side, these pinch my feet a bit because they're a half size smaller than normal--SM ran out of shoes in my exact size. But I snatched them up anyway because they're just so darn cute.

Hooray for cute, cheapie finds! Hooray for being a girl who can blog about such inane things!

On my nightstand

2010-01-10T20:48:00.007+08:00

Poirot's Early Cases by Agatha Christie

Mystery, I've recently rediscovered, is one of my favorite genres. I remember being introduced to old-school Bobbsey Twins and Nancy Drew in second grade. Every Friday, I would borrow a hard-bound book from the library and spend my Saturday afternoon just reading. I can't remember when I stopped doing this. But I do remember that I was one of the few people who had to get another library card because I borrowed a lot more books than other students! Yes, I was (am) a nerd.

I first read Agatha Christie a few years ago, when a celeb I interviewed mentioned that his favorite book was And Then There Were None (also known as Ten Little Indians). He absolutely raved about the book, so my curiosity was piqued. I must admit I wasn't all that impressed with the book, but started reading Christie again after finding a few volumes at my brother-in-law's. This particular book is a collection of short mystery stories featuring one of Christie's beloved heroes, M. Hercule Poirot. I like the short story format because I don't have to read an entire novel before I find out whodunnit! My favorite so far is "The Chocolate Box," because it seemed like the most plausible. While all mysteries have clues peppered here and there, this story seemed like it gave all the necessary info for the reader to solve it, no weird new info revealed in the end.

The Long Tail by Chris Anderson

No, not the Birdman. This Chris Anderson is the editor in chief of US magazine Wired. So anyway, yeah, non-fiction. I'm not big on the non-fiction. It's funny how H's row on our bookshelf is all non-fiction, while mine is full of fiction. At a bookstore once, he tried to persuade me to go for something more "useful" by getting a non-fiction title. "I'm a writer. Fiction inspires me," I said coolly, and he just let me have my way. In truth, I am just not a non-fiction kind of girl. But Frances told me about this book after we talked about making money off of blogs!

"The Long Tail" is a term coined by Anderson in an article he wrote for his magazine, and it has since become one of the most cited articles in recent times. It talks about how the Internet is changing the way business is done. In business, he explains, there are those items that sell the most (the hits) at the top of a downward curve. This curve includes all other items a business has to offer, right down to those that sell few to zero units (the tail). Interestingly enough, when it comes to virtual stores, this tail stretches seemingly endlessly, with even the most obscure items selling at least one unit. It's all about niches now--selling less of more.

I've just started on the book, and I'm flexing my brain because I'm expecting a whole lot of statistics and economics (not my strong suit, even though I do come from a family of economists!). That part of my brain has lain dormant for a few years. Time to dust off the cobwebs!

The 3-in-1 workout

2010-01-09T12:15:00.004+08:00

Yesterday, I tried my hand (and the rest of my body) at a new class called barre3. It combines "the grace of the ballet barre with the wisdom of yoga and the strength of pilates."

The equipment: a ballet barre, a strap, a ball, a mat, and muscle! (Photo from the barre3 website)

It is described as "a highly effective 60-minute workout using the ballet barre as a prop to create equal length and strength in the body." It isn't exactly a slow-paced class, as one might expect; instead, it's done with some upbeat music in the background. (When Kesha's "Tik Tok" came on, I wanted to drop my weights and dance!)

The class I attended was at the new barre3 studio at The Spa High Street. It's a fully equipped barre3 studio with a cork floor, lockers, and a shower with hot water (a must for me!). It's recommended to come in yoga-ish attire, meaning somewhat fitted clothes, so that your form can be seen and corrected as needed.

As seen in the photo, the workout makes use of a ballet barre, a strap, a ball, and a mat. There are also free weights (two-pound dumbells) involved in some moves. If my quads hadn't hurt from a leg-strengthening exercise that I did the days before the barre3 class, I might have been able to hold the poses longer and do the proper amount of reps (especially for the squats). But as it was, with all the existing aches and pains plus the excess holiday weight, it was a bit of a challenge! But a challenge is good. It's but right to give your body a push every now and then. It became obvious to me, though, how much strength I've lost since I stopped going to the gym and doing core exercises--I couldn't even hold the plank (bridge) for a minute and had to do the modified pose. Sigh.

In a barre3 class, it feels a lot like your body is being sculpted (sans invasive machines sucking and tucking!). After that one hour, I felt like my core was firmer and that my body was all stretched out. Our instructor, Marie, revealed that their teacher grew three centimeters after doing barre3! Now there's something Vitamin B can't do for someone my age!

Want to try barre3? Classes are held three times a day at The Spa at Bonifacio High Street and Alabang. Classes at Rockwell and Eastwood to follow. Single class rate is P700. Monthly and annual rates available.

Breathtaking

2010-01-08T21:37:00.004+08:00

I first heard about Slim's a few years ago when I found out that a couple of friends were taking sewing classes there. I wondered about the name but wasn't curious enough to research. It was only late last year--when the office was all abuzz with excitement over the launch of the Slim's Retrospective at the National Museum--that I learned that it's short for Salvacion Lim Higgins, one of the Philippines' most famous designers.

I was not familiar with her work, but I got acquainted with it through this book:

I'm not a fashion person (though I often wonder what my life would be like now had I taken that Preview job years ago), but that was the first time that I ever got lost in the pages of a coffee table book about fashion. Neal Oshima's photography was glorious, the subjects even moreso. Even vintage photos of Slim's works really struck me. Beautiful gowns seemingly floating in mid-air, the masterful draping--I was mesmerized. Such detail, such construction, such imagination! The inspired, architectural things she did with the terno! Oh, this was a woman who was truly ahead of her time.

I have to somehow convince my husband to accompany me to the National Museum again, so I could see these works of art up close. If you get the chance, do head on over to Manila; the exhibit runs til March.

The Slim's Retrospective is at the Museum of the Filipino People, National Museum of the Philippines, Manila. Exhibit open daily except Monday and Tuesday, 10:00 am to 4:30pm. Entrance fees: P100 (adults), P30 (students) free admission on Sundays. For more info, call (02) 527-0278.

Top 10 for 2009 (part 2)

2010-01-07T23:39:00.011+08:00

And the list continues...

5. GNO girls

I miss my girls! And my small waist! But not the stress that produced it.

The night was legend--wait for it--ary! My girls just gave me a night (stretching until sunrise) of fun, fun, fun! It was a rockin' way to bid my single life adieu! Jo, my reflective, creative, unbelievably intelligent friend, with whom I can have such meaningful, mind-blowing conversations. Mottie, my gorgeous gorgeous NY partner in crime. Chingy, my BFF--need I say more?

When I imagine what kind of friendships I might have thirty years from now, I think of Mamma Mia! and am quite convinced that that's the kind of friendship I would have with these ladies--jumping off piers in Greece, and just giving life and each other great big hugs!

4. Mads

My dress by Mads, of course!

What would I do without Mads? She is my soul sister, the one who never judges me, the one whose family has adopted me! Whenever I wonder if I'm a bad person, I try not to be too hard on myself and attempt to see myself through Mads's eyes. This pure-hearted angel always sees the best in people. Pancake House is my happy place, but her house--filled with the warmth of her family and the deliciousness of their food--is a very close second! I am ecstatic that 2009 was a milestone year for her as well, with her engagement to my soon-to-be brother-in-law. Mads deserves every happiness that this world has to offer.

3. Marie and Tata

Only pic I could find for now. That's me, Tata (center), and Marie (beside me) with the fabulous Preview girls.

The charmed ones. My two-man wedding committee. They helped me make decisions (not an easy task when the decision-making involves wedding details, mind you) and, more importantly, served and continue to serve as my nonwedding-related personal cheerleaders. From them, I get good vibes, lots of positive energy, great conversations, and plenty of laughs. And, in Marie's case, gorgeous makeup. When she remembers. Haha. (Sorry Marie, I couldn't resist! You know I love you.)

2. My mom

My beautiful mother with my sweetheart of a niece (she was in her Snow White phase when this was taken)

Being married is awesome, but what do I miss most about my past life? Or, more appropriately, who do I miss most? My mother. If it hadn't been for her, our wedding probably would have been delayed, more expensive, and more stressful. When H was away and I slept over at their place, she had packs of Moo stashed in the fridge for me. She sometimes sweetly asks me if I need our trusty driver Lolito. She is one of the kindest, most loving people that anyone would ever be lucky to meet, and I am immensely blessed that she is my mom! (The rest of my family rocks, too!)

1. Man of the Year: My husband

Our first Christmas as husband and wife. A very merry Christmas, indeed!

Of course!

What can I say that I haven't said before? That, even though I didn't think it was possible, he's an even better husband than he was a boyfriend? That every night, I relish sleeping beside him, and that every morning, it is absolute joy waking up next to him? That it makes me teary-eyed (case in point: um, now) just thinking about how deeply I love him? That I want to spend my whole life thanking God for blessing me with such a wonderful partner?

In fact, I want to spend my whole life thanking God for surrounding me with such amazing souls. (Miguel, that includes you. Haha.) Every person on this list has touched my life--in 2009 and even in years before that. And there are many more people who may not be on the list, but who are constantly in my prayers. To my family, friends, all the people I hold dear--thank you!

Top 10 for 2009 (part 1)

2009-12-31T11:25:00.008+08:00

Instead of blogging about the top 10 experiences of 2009 (number one, of course, would be the day I became a missus!), I've decided to honor 10 people who made an impact on my year and helped make it memorable.

I originally intended for this to be just one post, but I've had to divide it into two. I figured that these people deserve more than one line each!

10. D&G

Me and the brothers with Xtian and his scary-ass stare

Lolo and my lil bro. These boys actually watched me dance on stage...and made fun of me afterwards (but also asked me to teach them the steps to "Single Ladies")--surprise of my life when the stage lights went on and I heard a familiar voice from the audience yell, "Go, tanda!" They joined my team for whatever reason (most probably alcohol). They took me out for drinks when I needed it most (i.e., the peak of all the wedding stress). They were there on my wedding day, and D supposedly got out of work just to be able to do so.

T: Kumain ka nang marami.
D: I can't, I have a shoot next week.
T: O sige, uminom ka na lang. Open bar.
D: Hindi rin pwede.
T: Hindi ka kakain, hindi ka iinom. Ano ba yan!
D: ANG DAMI MONG HINIHINGI! NANDITO NA NGA AKO!

9. Blue

Photo by Ogee

My favorite Blue quote of the year: "Sayaw nang sayaw, akala naman niya kagalingan! Gusto pa sa gitna!"

I once told him, "For someone who says a lot, you sure don't reveal much!" I can tell him anything, and I completely trust that he won't yap about it to anyone else--even when he threatens to. He was my bud in Dumags, and for some reason, I feel like I could chat or talk to him forever. He's a great listener and gives really sensible advice. Oo, ako rin nagulat. Hahaha. Peace, dude.

8. Mia Fau
I've looked up to this very smart, kind-hearted woman ever since I was in grade school. Mia was there for me when I was so conflicted over something, and she helped me sort through my muddle of thoughts and feelings. When I felt like I was being judged by people who mattered to me, she gave me tremendous support and guidance. I feel like we have somewhat similar values and even somewhat similar lives, and so she understood me in a way that others couldn't. Hearing her words of comfort and her counsel really gave me a bit of clarity, and helped put my mind and my heart at ease.

7. Mike

I just realized Cheng's in this photo too! Just look for the girl in the wedding gown!

Our future neighbor. Haha. Mike and I have this grand plan of building our future houses on adjacent lots, and leaving the kids with H as he, Cheng, and I play disc! (H, in turn, would take off on basketball days.) In 2009, I got nothing but all-out support from Mike, one of my closest friends on the team. Through leagues, weddings (both mine and his), relationships, I felt like he was there for me, and I was more than willing to be there for him (and Cheng!).

6. Addie
(Alas my wedding-day pic with her is in another computer!)

Oh, Addie, how I love her so. Because of her, I was utterly relaxed on our wedding day. After going to sooo many weddings and seeing how pushy (veiled as "professional") some coordinators could be, I told her that I totally appreciated how nice and charming and pleasant she was at my wedding, even when craziness was happening all around her (no safety pins for corsages, a guest --who sent regrets!--who came asking for a table for 10, etc.). I loved that she made it a point to go to my despedida de soltera with Milo and Paolo in tow, so she could meet some of the key people at the wedding. I was glad she came, not for coordination reasons, but because I wanted my family and close friends to meet one of the most special people in my life.

The second half of my top 10 for 2009 to follow!

Jane Austen in Beverly Hills

2009-12-29T17:10:00.003+08:00

So, I didn't know that this movie (a modern classic)...

...was actually based on:

So who's clueless now?

Forgive me, I wasn't a big reader of the classics when I was younger, but now I try to alternate between classic and contemporary works. After I saw and read Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen's works quickly made it onto my reading list. I thought it would be better to see the movie (if there was one) before reading any of her books because I found that it gave me a better appreciation and understanding of the prose. But seeing as there was no Emma DVD on hand, I just decided to plunge into it and hoped I wouldn't get lost in the language.

The deeper I got into the book, the more I realized that it was a lot like one of my 90s favorites. And true enough, I only recently learned that Clueless really was loosely based on Emma—so I have seen it after all!

And that is what you call huli sa balita! Nearly 15 years too late!

The night that I was John, Paul, George, and Ringo

2009-12-20T13:20:00.004+08:00

...and Anthony Kiedis, Alanis, and Deborah Harry!

I was also Offspring's drummer because I insisted on playing "Come Out and Play" even if no one else knew the song! Haha.

As you can see, I have finally discovered the wonders of Rock Band. I'm a little late to the Rock Band party, I know. But last Friday, I was lucky enough to be invited by OK! Mag to join their Rock Band Night at Frances's place. Woohoo! It was just the kind of night I wanted--prior to the invite, I was either a) going to stay home and feel all alone and loser-y because the husband had a Christmas party, or b) heading to Encore with some friends--a gimmick I really wasn't up for, but which I thought kind of beat staying home feeling all loser-y. So, thank you OK! and Coni!

It was my first time to see Frances and Vince's fabulous place, er, live. I had previously only seen it in pictures (in my mag! But I wasn't at the shoot), so it kind of felt like I was seeing a celebrity in person. Haha. A few photos:

(Top) Vince, super husband that he is, gave Frances a hot pink Christmas tree. It stands near the window which offers an awesome view from their unit. (Above) Their dining room. Note the dreamy Louis Ghost mixed in with the other dining chairs.

I tried my hand at the guitar (I sucked), vocals (super fun, kind of tiring, especially if you're doing "Give It Away" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers!), and the drums (my specialty. I used to kind of play the drums. Kind of). While my vocals weren't bad, my bandmates inexplicably failed whenever I had the mic in my hand! Oh well.

Cosmo's Red looked uber cute rockin' out.

After a pizza dinner and some songs on Rock Band 2, we switched to Beatles Rock Band. Nice! I never realized that there were so many Beatles songs that I didn't even know! I kept singing "Here Comes the Sun" the following day!

(Clockwise from left) Lana, Frances, Red, Coni, and Elaine

'Til the next Rock Band Night! Can it be soon? Please?

I've got a crush on you

2009-12-14T21:27:00.005+08:00

Today's look was inspired by...

My girl crush, Emmanuelle Chiriqui, aka Sloan on Entourage. I've always found her so gorgeous, but she was especially so in season 6. And I loooved her clothes that season--classic and chic, never weirdly edgy.

In the season finale, pictured above, she wore a men's gray sweater over a coral tank and distressed boyfriend jeans (not shown), which she wore in a number of other eps. I could never pull off boyfriend jeans, at least not REAL boyfriend (or, in my case, husband) jeans. I'm just so small that I would look like a little boy in his dad's clothes. And I'm convinced that the look works best on skinny frames--something I have never had!

I do, however, have a pair of distressed jeans that weren't even intentionally distressed. They've got a few rips here and there because I played disc in them one time. (Couldn't help myself.) I also have a favorite gray off-shoulder top from Bangkok. First option was to wear it over a white tank, but I dug through my closet and found my almost-forgotten hot pink Topshop tank. Too bad my silver hoop earrings were no longer usable.

It feels weird doing this because I don't really put pics of myself in a post about clothes. (I'm far more interested in interiors than in fashion.) Plus there's the possible comparison with the incomparable Emmanuelle (a five-foot-three goddess, that one). But whatevs. I was just slightly giddy to find Sloan-esque stuff in my closet!

Now if anyone can tell me what shades she wore in that episode, I would owe you big time!

Oh, Christmas tree!

2009-12-12T23:02:00.006+08:00

I haven't been able to blog about November, The Month I Got Some Awesome Free Stuff. One of the things I got was a free Christmas tree! I fully intended to make a 2-D tree using foam board, but I wasn't about to say no to a real fake tree!

Thanks to my sister-in-law's sister, Ann! The back story: She wanted to change her tree's decorations, but the ones she wanted didn't suit her existing tree, so her husband surprised her with a new one. Hence, extra tree!

Hamil walked in one night and chuckled as he saw my little surprise. It was bare for about two weeks, but today, I finally dressed it up. Doing research for work, I checked out this wholesale store called Unique (as recommended by Ann), which supposedly had cheap decorations--I'm not sure how the prices compare to regular department store prices, but my one grand does look like it went a long way. Yeah, so I got some shopping done while working.

I asked my husband if he preferred traditional Christmas balls, but he entrusted our tree's look to me. I opted for baby blue poinsettias--I thought they would look quite purty against the dark green tree, which in turn stands against our apple green accent wall. I was thinking of going for a silver garland made up of beads, but got an idea from one warehouse-like room at Unique. I saw wide, stiff ribbons running down the length of a tree-for-sale, and thought it would look cute with the flowers. I tried it out on one of the trees before making my purchase.

When we got home after our run, I set to work on the tree. I peppered the tree with the flowers, created bows out of the ribbon, and draped the ends across the leaves. And my husband approves! Yay! All we need now are a star to top it and some lights.

P.S.
Doesn't the hot pink gift offset the baby blue nicely? The thin blue ribbon kind of ties it all together. Love.

Lucky 9

2009-12-06T18:23:00.003+08:00

Nine years ago, I got the surprise of my life when H removed my blindfold and I found myself at ASSOC, surrounded by candles and the ASSOC boys. They serenaded me with "The Promise," and H gave me a bunch of flowers and sang "I love you."

Three months and one day ago, I walked down the aisle as the choir sang "The Promise."

Today, I woke up beside the love of my life. As anniversaries go, this day might have been unremarkable: We stayed home as our furniture guy made us a TV console and a coffee table, cooked and ate a simple but absolutely delish pork steak lunch, went to mass, and went on a run with the cool December air in our faces. It seemed mundane--except for the fact that we are now husband and wife.

Today, I am thankful for my husband who, for nine years, has been proof that God loves me and wants me to be happy!

2009-11-22T13:05:00.005+08:00

A few days ago, I whipped out my brand new wallet--which H bought on his trip abroad, after hearing me say that I needed one--and my husband smiled, saying, "I like buying you stuff." It was my turn to smile after seeing how happy he was to get his little gift...

Read about this beauty here.

Thanks to Dino, I got this 32-inch LG LH20 LCD TV at a really good price. H and I already had a TV but it was a tad too bulky for the living area, so it's found a place in our guest room. (We've banned the TV from our bedroom.) I offered to give him his much-coveted LCD TV as an early Christmas gift, and he gladly accepted. He did the research and decided on this sleek unit, which now stands shining in the living area. It's resting on a side table for now, so next up: a custom-made TV console!

"And you're the werewolf girl..."

2009-11-20T00:02:00.006+08:00

Thanks to the folks at OK! Magazine (who, earlier this year, gave me a free courtside seat to see Kobe) for giving me a free ticket to the premiere of...

Woohoo! I intended to watch New Moon after the crowds had gone, but when the opportunity to see it first presented itself, I just couldn't let it pass me by.

A blurred pic of me and Coni from her mobile phone, taken outside the cinema

I am not a die-hard Twilight fan, but it's pretty cool that I got to watch it. So yay! And I must say, it was much better than the first. I like how they interpreted the book. There were a couple of cheesy scenes but whatevs. And it is totally a Jacob Show! I was indifferent before, but I am now officially on Team Jacob! Sigh.

That's the spirit! (Thrillah in Manila: Manila Spirits 2009)

2009-11-14T10:37:00.010+08:00

To be honest, I didn't really want to join Spirits this year because it was quite pricey, and I figured that I had "been there, done that," and didn't need to repeat the experience. But I'm so glad my teammates convinced me to join! Even though I had a heartbreaker of a play that I'm still replaying in my head, it was an awesome tourney over all.

Reg par-tey

Oldies (Mundz, Mina, Dino, Cel, Kring, me), newbies (JM, Lloyd), and in-betweens (Yelle, Jacq, Jim). People were surprised to see me with a beer.

The registration party was held at Giligan's--free food and booze, but I didn't get to really enjoy it because I was stuck in a room for the captains' meeting. (Hmm, didn't I resign from this?) I was one of maybe three girls out of an entire room of male captains from all over the world. Thirty-two teams in all! Met a Korean guy from the team KUNT, a French guy based in Sri Lanka, a Pinay-looking girl from Guam...and the common complaint was the traffic! Welcome to Manila, y'all!

Day 1

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't utterly frustrated the first day. I really should work on my temper. We were all still feeling each other out because this version of the team hadn't really played together. I sorely missed the old members, but saw a lot of potential in the newbies. We're a work in progress. Again. Haha. Funny scenes:

A Mindanao team dressed up as fairies when they played against the Hong Kong Fairies! The boys were even skipping and doing jetes on the field when they came out!

Another Mindanao team teaching us to "bumba."

Z-Day Party

The theme: Z-Day. The costumes: zombies. The music: courtesy of a totally bitchin' band that played 90s rock music! (And Sherwin rapping to "Humanap Ka ng Panget." Hahaha.) The highlights: good food, free-flowing drinks, stage divers and body surfers...

Zombie killers spraying the zombies with booze from their water guns, a team full of zombified Elvises...

It amazed me how teams from abroad made an effort to pack costumes!

And a photo booth!

From baicapture.com. One of many many photos we took when we monopolized the photo booth!

Too bad we don't have the boys' photo with the Spotlight security guard! Classic!

Day 2

We finally won! I realized that, save for that heartbreaker point, I'm much more effective on D than on O. I had a lot more blocks than points last weekend. BUT I also realized that maybe it was a little easier for me to mark and defend since I didn't have to play with the usual speedy ones that I guard. No matter. My new objective is to work on my D. Which means I'm going to have to have to start running again.

The Finals and the After-Party

The finals were a bit of a snoozer, but oh well. Hung out with Peng (who didn't play) and Dindi, and played with a Ben Affleck-lookalike's daughter. Met Jim, an American dude from China--he ducked under my (er, Mundz's) umbrella and offered me a free beer in return. Woohoo! Peng calls him Wengweng. Haha. He's taller than me but there's something so lovably hobbit-like about him and his brother Joe (Dusk-til-Dawn candidate who wouldn't stop dancing). As we were talking, the bleachers behind me--filled with my teammates and sister team, Circus--chanted "Ger ger! Ger ger!" Real mature, guys. Haha.

With Jim (in black) aka Wengweng, who offered to, uh, rescue me should the beer bring about an allergy attack. The Warriors took a papparazzi shot of the two of us talking before they rushed forward and joined in.

The highlight of the party: getting our pic taken with various ultimate superstars (e.g., Panoy of Dragons, members of champion team Black Flag) and random people from other teams, such as this white dude who, under his shirt, had taped nipples. Don't ask.

After about ten minutes of talking with us, he said, "Who ARE you guys?!" Hahaha.

Too bad Team Pilipinas didn't even make it to the finals. But everybody wins when the parties are rockin'!

My husband took our cam with him on his trip abroad, so all pics stolen from Kring, Ogee (Z-Day pics), and Jacq (last pic).

Three-month recap, the short version

2009-11-09T19:36:00.006+08:00

Delinquent blogger = incredibly busy. The irony is that there is so much to blog about, so little time. I realized that I haven't even given a recap since August! I'd love to give a blow-by-blow, but I am so incredibly exhausted. Am typing this in bed after going home from work early--felt so sick and faint today, especially after a shoot in this blasted heat.

The last few months have been hot! And the sweat on my forehead proves it. Me and H at the bonfire for back-to-back UAAP champs, the Blue Eagles and Blue Eaglets.

So anyway, a short highlight reel, because even though it's long overdue, those months definitely deserve some blog space:

AUGUST
1. Lots of bridal showers. And a legendary girls' night out!
2. Increasing my alcohol threshold. Preparing for a wedding does that to ya! I was so stressed that I was drinking practically every night two weeks before my wedding. Not getting wasted though--just enough to calm my nerves. (Dude, if you and your fiance were still cutting out seating cards a few days before your wedding, you'd drink too.)
3. ...and while I was at it, I ended up hanging with celebrities. Strange. Was out with Lolo D a couple of times, who intro-ed me to his friends. Was baffled by a mind-blowing card trick by Angel's male best friend from the biz. Had a really weird, funny conversation with this famous male model. (Such a beautiful face. And the sign of a very handsome man: When other men think so too! H played basketball with him once, and my manly husband said, "Guapo talaga." Hahaha.) Had drinks with a sexy starlet. The most rockin' new people I got to meet were Mika and Amanda from Survivor Philippines: Palau. They were so cool and so incredibly nice!
4. The Dumaguete trip. It was awesome. I didn't really get to meet people from the provincial teams since I didn't play much, so it totally surprised me when a Dumags dude who was in town recognized me. He said hi first and said, "You're the newlywed, right?" Then he said something about remembering me because I kept drinking. Haha. Hey, people kept sending free drinks my way! What're you gonna do, right? I think it's an engaged thing. Everyone wants to wish you well by giving you a drink!

SEPTEMBER
Marrying the love of my life!

OCTOBER
1. Back-to-back champs, baby! Didn't get to watch the finals live, but we partied at the bonfire. Woohoo!
2, Media (over)exposure. I had taping for two different shows, and a radio tour around four stations. The TV segments were pretty lengthy too, not the teeny sound bites I used to give. I've got another taping tomorrow. And I have no idea what to wear.
3. Kit and Kris's wedding. The kids are finally married!
4. Settling into married life. And I am love-love-lovin' it!

Kitchen cuties

2009-11-01T19:18:00.006+08:00

I normally feel a range of emotions when I (or we) make a big-ticket purchase: appliances (a ref and a washing machine, for example), furniture (dining table, sofa), soft furnishings (custom-made Roman shades...sigh, how I love our chocolate brown Roman shades!). There's happiness and relief, that we can check one thing off our list--and finally don't have to eat breakfast standing up because we actually have something to sit on. A bit of anxiety, because our wallets are so much lighter. (I'm a one-time-payment kind of gal. For some reason, I much prefer paying for things upfront, rather than in installments.) Pride and gratefulness, that I could actually afford to buy these things.

But when I buy stuff that I need for the house, and they're cheap and oh-so-adorable, the only emotion I feel is glee! The latest item that has brought me such pleasure:

A sweetheart of a potholder! Found this in Landmark, and if I remember right, it was less then P40 or P50. I had been meaning to buy a potholder because, given that I'm so clumsy, I don't trust myself to take things out of the oven with a kitchen towel. I also found this cutie:

At P29.75, I couldn't resist buying two!

But I was giddiest when I scored some fabulous placemats from Robinsons Department Store, bearing a very familiar print:

Marimekko at RDS? OK, so at P49.75 a placemat, this probably ain't the real deal, but I really couldn't resist! I originally intended to buy just two, after picking up some sensible black placemats. (Chargers would have been more elegant, but our everyday plates are square...and chargers are much pricier!) But the salesperson informed me that there were just four of these babies left, so I hoarded them! We use them every day; they sit beneath our plates as we eat breakfast. It's been nearly two months and they still make me smile. Such a cheery way to start the day!

Just another meat-free Monday

2009-10-26T10:00:00.001+08:00

Something I learned:

A vegan who drives a regular gas-guzzler is more eco-friendly than a meat-eater who drives a hybrid. Seriously. Saw it on a Eco Solutions on CNN. They even cited the study that backs this claim, but I wasn’t able to take note. My bad.

So anyway, if I remember the segment right, carbon emissions from vehicles account for 3% of greenhouse gases, while methane from livestock (i.e., the bad stuff that cows belch—yep, belch, not fart) makes up a whopping 20% of greenhouse gases! (Hmmm...I'm not sure though if this includes the carbon emissions from meat processing, or just methane.)

Which means, we’ll help Motha Earth more by reducing the amount of meat we eat than by switching to an earth-friendly car. (Bye-bye, dreams of owning a Prius!) We don’t even have to quit meat cold, uh, turkey—even going meatless once a week would help immensely, hence the whole Meat-Free Monday campaign, supported by no less than Sir Paul McCartney. Why Monday? People may have binged on red meat over the weekend, and would be much more inclined to atone on Mondays. Ah.

So let’s try giving up Bessie once a week. Just think of it as Lent the whole year through!

Tuna fish don't belch, do they?

Radio (and TV) gaga

2009-10-25T12:39:00.007+08:00

Appeared on TV for my longest segment ever for work. I don't like seeing myself on TV (particularly when it's my right side. Haha), but it was kind of cool coz I think I answered pretty well. I really made a conscious effort not to say "um"!

With the other interviewee, home makeover winner Kitchi.

Also went on my very first radio tour to promote a few things, and it was more fun than I thought it would be!

First stop: Magic 89.9 with CJ and Suzy. After CJ gave me an overly hyped-up intro (trumpets blaring and all), we had a fun interview, full of double entendres (as Magic humor is wont to be).

An excerpt:

CJ: So Tisha, tell us what to do when the house gets flooded.
Tish: Well, you have to wear protection. You have to wear rubber...
(all these jokes about using protection and rubber)
Tish: I meant rubber gloves and rubber boots...
Suzy: (to CJ) Be gentle, it's her first time here.
Tish: So yeah, you have to wear protection coz you might get dirty...
(even more jokes)
Tish: Sorry, that was my bad.
CJ: I like her, she's so game!

Second stop: Jam 88.3 with Tracy and Patti. These girls were so incredibly nice, and they even gave me and Ingrid (our PR girl who accompanied me) Krispy Kreme Snickers donuts. Evil.

With my donut...and their creepy Halloween decor.

Third stop: Wave 89.1 with Jerome. Jerome was super cool--before I went on air, he asked me if I had any requests. First song that came to mind was, of course, "Empire State of Mind." Then I blurted out "Oh! Trey Songz's 'I Need a Girl'!" and he said, "I can play both for you!" And he did! Talk about instant requests. I also saw the poster of that Lebron movie on their wall, and we started talking about basketball. He's from LA, so he's a Lakers boy. It's funny how he says "we" when he talks about the Lakers! (E.g., "We're going to win it again this year.")

Fourth stop: 99.5 RT with Slide. The interview was supposed to be with Inka, but she was late, so Slide just slid me in as we all waited.

Ingrid said that I'm "a natural," and that I'm pretty good at this, so yay! She says that other people sound really nervous. But I wasn't nervous at all. I was so comfortable in those booths, just having a conversation with the DJs. And my husband said I sounded sexy. Haha. I realized, though, that I can't stay on air for more than 10 minutes. Any more than that, and I'm in danger of letting slip a swear word (me and my bad bad sailor mouth)!

And that completes my tri-media domination! Mwahahaha!

Say "Spa-ahhh"

2009-10-16T23:45:00.005+08:00

Last week, I had what was probably one of my top five massages ever.

I got gift certificates to Island Spa during one of my bridal showers, and there was enough for me and H to get a massage together. We booked a private room where it was just the two of us, and we went, not really knowing what to expect.

I figured Island was more known for its foot and back massage (P640 for an hour and 15 minutes) than for its full-body massage, but on that day, our whole bodies needed pampering. His legs were crying out for attention after we ran 5K a couple of nights before (his first run in months, and, with no basketball for a couple of weeks, his first cardio workout in a while), so he wanted the whole shebang. We coughed up the GCs and an extra hundred bucks for our Swedish massage (P550/hour).

I wasn't really expecting much. We walked in and found a flat-screen TV mounted on one wall, and a Japanese paper lantern dangling in a corner--H pointed it out because it was similar to our dining room lamp (the closest I will probably get to owning something Noguchi-esque). There were robes and shorts set out for us. After changing, we were made to lie, face down on the massage bed. I immediately gave this spa plus points--normally, I would feel some discomfort, even the slightest bit, lying on a massage bed. My neck would be at a weird angle, or the, uh, girls would be all squished. But on this bed, there was no discomfort at all.

I'm terribly annoyed with myself for not remembering my masseuse's name, but she did an excellent job! The pressure was just right, and she didn't hit any of the spots that normally tickle and/or cause me pain. I never enjoyed a leg massage quite as much as I did in this instance.

As they finished up our backs, they covered each of us with a big hot towel. Not only was this so soothing, but it also served to wipe off some of that oil from our skin. Nice touch. And then, we were made to turn around. As we did, we found that they had placed a heated pad on the bed! Ahhhh. It was hot, hot, hot at first, but later on it was just delicious. The masseuses proceeded to put hot towels on our arms and our bodies, making sure we were kept warm despite the cool air coming from the A/C.

At the end of it, H and I sat back (yes, sat--the massage bed could be turned into a lounger!) and watched a bit of TV, marveling at all the heated towels and pads used during the massage. "Hindi talaga tinipid," he remarked, as he sipped on his ginger tea (or what he dubbed as "sweet bulalo tea"--"Lasang matamis na bulalo!" he insisted). And tonight, after both of us spent a grueling day on our feet--me in four-inch heels, him in his uncomfy Cole Haans--we were both just longing to go back.

Island Spa is located at 2/F Jupiter Place, 138-138 Jupiter St., Bel Air, Makati City; tel. (02) 899-1234, 751-8296. You can also visit them at Rustan's Heaven on the Fifth, 5th Level, Rustan's Makati; tel. (02) 710-8588.

Bul-bowled over

2009-10-06T22:25:00.013+08:00

As part of preps for the Big Day, I wanted to get "fully landscaped," as my friend Marie would call it. Well, not fully--I had already become a citizen of Brazil, but wanted to revert to being French. The whole Brazilian thing sometimes leaves the impression that you haven't hit puberty yet... TMI for male readers* (if there are any), I know.

After reading the Beauty Coach's entry about the whole landscaping shtick, I decided to call one of her recommended waxers: Wilma the Bulbulizer. (I am not kidding. She even has a calling card!) I had gone to salons before, and also tried my BFF's home-service waxing lady (who used a homemade wax that looked a lot like a katamaran lab project that Ching and I submitted in high school). My most regular waxing lady was Marifel from Aura Salon (along Katipunan), a woman whose uncanny talent is her being able to tell if a customer is a virgin or not. But I decided on Wilma because, well, she's very reasonably priced. And for the amount of waxing I intended to have done, I needed someone who wouldn't charge me an arm and a leg (and a back, and all the other areas I wanted done).

For just a thousand bucks, this chick from Pampanga would go right to your house and perform a no-nonsense, full-body waxing and threading job (including eyebrows!) in no time. Seriously, that was the fastest session I've ever had! And while she's at it, she'll regale you with funny (or sad, but told in a funny way) stories about her life, her showbiz clients, her job:

Wilma: Ah, ikakasal ka pala.
Me: Opo.
Wilma: 'Yung asawa ko kasi sumakabila na...
Me: Oh, I'm so sorry--
Wilma: ...sumakabilang-bahay.

~*~*~*~

Wilma: Sa Saudi, gusto ng mga lalake na wala talagang buhok ang mga babae. Kung mas wala kang buhok, mas madami kang sex.

~*~*~*~

Me: Wina-wax niyo po ba ang sarili niyo?
Wilma: Dati, nung nagse-sex pa ako.

~*~*~*~

Wilma: 'Yung UFC fighter na 'yon, nagpa-wax sa akin. Ang balbon ng pwet!

~*~*~*~

Wilma: Ang ibang babae, lalo na pag dalaga, ayaw nilang nagbo-boyzilian (a Brazilian for males), nahihiya sila. Ako, wala akong pakialam. Hinahawakan ko talaga ang t*t*.

~*~*~*~

But it wasn't her waxing and threading ability, or even her humor that truly impressed me (although those were certainly praiseworthy); it was her drive and her entrepreneurial spirit that struck me. Don't be fooled: Once you get over the shock from her unapologetically frank and humorously crass language, you'll find that Wilma is a very smart woman--one who has made a name for herself not just in Pampanga, but in the big city. In one day trip to Manila, she can attend to as many as 10 clients. She provides her homemade wax to a high-end waxing salon, and trains newbie waxers. She even offers services for waxing parties (a really good price for a party of 10--great idea for a bridal shower!).

I was only with her for about an hour, but I was pretty impressed with what I could gather from her life story. She was able to find the hair-free balls to leave a bad marriage, and is working very hard to put her kids through school. Her story is so interesting, in fact, that a bunch of students even did a whole term paper about her!

I'll be calling her again for some, uh, maintenance, some tsismis, and a bit of inspiration--such a great, surprising source.

*And now, I leave you with something especially for the male readers, a little something I found online as I was researching different cuts:

From here. That last one is what is more commonly known as a boyzilian.

Want to get bulbolized? Contact Wilma through mobile 0917-8059176. She's usually in Manila on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If you're interested in having a waxing party, she's game to do it on a weekend.

The first month...

2009-10-04T23:00:00.005+08:00

...is a lot like being on vacation.

The first in our series of mini-honeymoons (here), since we can't seem to go on our Real Honeymoon just yet.

You know how, when you go out of town, you don't quite know where to put all your stuff, and you keep thinking you left some important things back home? You can't grab that moisturizer or that shirt from its usual place, you have to figure out where to plug in your hairdryer, you don't seem to know what's happening back home for lack of a local newspaper (or, in our case for a couple of weeks, a TV or a radio!).

That's kind of what it feels like to move in with someone.

But you know that totally relaxed feeling you get when you're on vacation mode--when you're just filled with happy thoughts? Everything's a great big adventure, and you're just raring to see what happens next. You go to bed every night, cherishing the precious hours you have with the love of your life, and wake up the next morning, thrilled--and totally at peace--to see him sleeping beside you.

That's what it feels like to be newly married.

We're still settling into the New Normal. I have to wake up relatively early now to cook H breakfast, and people everywhere--H's friends, my mom's househelper Winnie (and my default yaya for years), my teammates, my mother!--find it utterly hilarious and quite unbelievable that I now do chores. I've pretty much unpacked everything there is to unpack, and we're slowly putting together things to make the house much more functional and pretty. I'm still trying to figure out the whole gym schedule, since I no longer have trusty Lolito to drive me. And while we're on the topic of driving--my husband enrolled me in driving school! I spent three hours one afternoon, stressed out in Espana traffic.

A lot of adjustments, and the whole packing and unpacking and finding-a-place-for-everything wasn't very pleasant. But on the whole, I am love love loving being married!

Say a little prayer

2009-09-26T21:19:00.002+08:00

Today, as we settled into our chairs for dinner, my husband and I said a short prayer.

While we do normally thank the Lord for the grub before every meal, this time, we realized we had so much to be thankful for. While we were about to partake of a meal of homemade lasagna (a tag-team effort) and a bottle of Chardonnay from the Land of Oz, the rain was just ending its epic run. Elsewhere in Metro Manila, people were stranded on their roofs, some had lost everything--their homes submerged in two-storey-high water, others had lost perhaps the most important person in their lives. Typhoon Ondoy came, saw, and unleashed a record downpour that submerged the metropolis. And here we were, dry, warm, safe.

We still have no TV and no radio, and thus were completely oblivious to what was going on in the outside world--that is, until, we received calls and text messages from concerned friends and family, and updates online. We were grateful, but we were also concerned. We thanked God for being oh so very good to us, but we also said a special prayer for those who were unfortunately in Ondoy's path of destruction. Please, spare a minute after reading this and say a little prayer for them.

Oh, happy day!

2009-09-10T21:29:00.011+08:00

I still don't have our official photos, so for now I'm posting stolen photos from Miguel, Gladys, Claud, Czar, and Dylan.

Deliriously happy!

I am forever bungisngis--even walking down the aisle (at Nuestra Senora de los Desamparados, aka Our Lady of the Abandoned! Haha), I had such a big, big smile on my face, and was giggling a bit as I nervously tried to keep from tripping over my train. Above is a pic of me and my groom, exiting the church. I was so surprised to see a packed church when I looked back in the middle of mass--that place is really big (with a reeeaaally long aisle), so to see it full was really overwhelming! That showstopper of a bouquet is by Gwyn Guanzon--it had green flowers, black ribbons, green and black crystals, and peacock and ostrich feathers! Can you say "fabulous"?

Our motif was sage green with black and white accents--as inspired by a kitchen from domino mag. So the idea was that the entourage would be in green and would carry white flowers with black ribbons, while I would be the lone girl in white (with black beadwork), carrying a green bouquet. As for being the lone girl in white...a couple of other girls actually wore white to my wedding. Oh well. What are you gonna do, right?

After the wedding, we headed to The Mango Farm. God was nice enough to let the rain stop for a bit, so we could push through with cocktails outdoors. When I stepped out of the car, I actually got goosebumps--the farm was just breathtaking! The earlier rain added this magical mist to the place. H remarked that it looked like Middle Earth!

Cocktail hour was utterly enchanting! I so wanted to just stay outdoors!

A lot of people told us that it was such a beautiful place, and they wondered how we found it. I had a shoot there a couple of years ago, and was just smitten. One of the things I love about it is that it isn't so mainstream, at least not yet--there are all these other typical wedding venues that everybody knows about. This is still kind of a lovely secret.

As much as I wanted to mingle during cocktails, our super-efficient on-the-day coordinator Addie Kalalo (who took on all the stress in my place. I love you, Addie!) insisted that we stay in the room, lest we be mobbed. I couldn't resist taking a few peeks out of the window though, just to check out the action.

Striking a pose. I don't know whose head that is. Haha.

I also snuck out for a bit to listen as Fafa Fel sang and played some acoustic songs, but was promptly ordered back up. Boo. At least I got to have some of our appetizers, and our yummy yummy signature drink! It was a dalandan mojito--a green drink with a black straw, to go with our theme!

After cocktail hour, guests were herded towards the glass pavilion, which was set up so elegantly by K. by Cunanan catering. The wonderful thing about Kaye is she doesn't do run-of-the-mill centerpieces. She really listens to her brides and tries her best to make their vision a reality.

Long tables

In this case, she gave me the low centerpieces that I wanted. I am not a big fan of towering floral arrangements which block the guests' view. I want my guests to be able to see across the table and have a decent conversation! She had a lovely mix of white flowers. The green came by way of table napkins.

Purty flowers. I'm told that they were roses, button mums, carnations, and elder flowers.

She also spray-painted plastic doilies so that the vases would have a pretty black surface to rest on. The black belts around the tables also set off the setup nicely.

Kaye's DIY doily

Plus, the food was delish!

H and I wanted a short program, but we also wanted to honor our ninongs and ninangs. We thus had accordion frames in the middle of the table, with black and white photos (some from their own weddings!) and descriptions of our sponsors. This way, there wasn't a long introduction during the program--no one really pays attention anyway! The frames also held the table number.

Ninongs, ninangs, and table numbers in one!

We had travel-themed giveaways--each guest got a luggage tag (the kids got goodie bags with toys, coloring books, kiddie magazines, and candy to distract them). We gave our sponsors a National Geographic travel book (which I wanted for myself), our bridesmaids travel kikay kits (black and white, wrapped in damask-printed green wrappers tied with black ribbons), and our secondary sponsors got green travel slippers they could easily roll up and tuck in their carry-on (two of our three girls had long flights back to the US ahead of them).

The thank-you note read, "Thank you for being with us as we start on our journey together!"

I borrowed a pair of elegant black lamps from Gwyn to decorate the bride and groom's area. Dylan, the Farm's operations manager, felt that the setup was a bit lacking, so he was kind enough to add a dried-up calamansi tree and some white lanterns.

Dem dried-up twigs really made the setup.

We opted to get the free cake from Cakeworks. I asked for a plain white cake--Martha Stewart Weddings editor Tata and caterer Kaye recommended that I get black ribbons to decorate the cake with. I got yards and yards of eyelet-like ribbon and some black fabric flowers from Carolina's. Dylan tacked them on himself. People thought it was icing!

More DIY touches

At church, my hair was up in a "messy-chic" bun. Hairstylist Jerry Javier gave in to my request to make it easy for me to put my hair down for the reception. He didn't intend for me to let my bangs loose, but I asked uber stylist Pam Quinones to help me with my hair. Armed with nothing but two velcro rollers, Pam was able to style my bangs! Instant party hair!

Hair bling courtesy of my designer, Enan

My dearest friends were there for my big day--one of them, Marnie Manicad (below, in black, holding a red bag), worked on our intro video.

My high school barkada

The video began with photos of me growing up, with my family, with my friends, interspersed with videos of me playing disc (a very tamad day though--none of my dives, points, or blocks were caught! Sigh). Then it moved on to H. Then on screen, "December 6, 2000" flashed, followed by a video of the night H and I got together! Yup, we have an actual video of the harana--converted from VHS! At the end of it, it said "September 5, 2009." Our hosts, kumareng Queenie and H's friend Gian then introduced us, and we entered, dancing to Pitbull's Calle Ocho!

It was a prelude to the rest of the evening which turned into a big, big par-tey! We had tanggera Jacq acting as our "starter" giving everyone (including my dad) shots of Patron. She wouldn't give me a single drop though, still traumatized from my last allergy attack! Her new nickname: Dangerous Girl--when Akon's Dangerous was played, the crowd all pointed towards her during the chorus!

"That girl is so dangerous..."

There were touching speeches (my mother made me cry by playing a video of Slipping Through My Fingers from Mamma Mia!) and lots and lots of love and laughs. One of my fave photos:

You can even see my gorgeous (and very affordable) Indian-inspired shoes! I didn't want to spend a bundle (hello, other brides spend, like, five grand on shoes alone. I wasn't about to do that!).

My male teammates carrying me! There's also a pic of my girl teammates carrying H but I haven't seen it yet!

We spent the rest of the night getting people drunk, feeding them with pizza (10 boxes, wiped out!), and dancing!

Doing H's "cholo" dance

I don't know if I'm just biased, but I thought that was a pretty rockin' wedding! Probably the most fun I've had at a wedding in this country!

And now for my Oscar moment! I would like to thank...

Enan Almando (my soul sistah), who did my fabulous gown. So many people remarked that it was so unique. And that I was probably the only one who could pull it off. Yehesss. It was rather loose, but it was extremely comfortable! I went on my fitting three days before the wedding and it was already loose. They tightened it already, but it was still loose by Saturday!

Omar Ermita for my gorgeous makeup. I looove that he didn't really use foundation. The makeup felt so light. He didn't use mascara either because I told him I was a crier. Instead, he put mini-falsies on me, and they fell one by one onto my veil while H and were kneeling in church. It was hilarious! He kept pocketing the lashes while I kept asking him if my eyes were still pantay!

Carlo Vergara, who designed our one-of-a-kind invitation (printed by Ever Engraving).

(From top) The first invitation card; the back of the envelope; the front of the envelope--both our last names begin with "A" so Carl made us an emblem

Louie, our calligrapher.

Tata and Marie, who helped me plan the Big Day!

Ocs Alvarez, At Maculangan, and Pat Martires--my ever-dependable photogs! I have yet to see the photos they took but I'm sure they rock!

Rory Rebustes, Dondi Gonzales, and their team for covering the wedding.

Quezon City Hall, for the funniest family planning seminar EVER!

DJ Jed Labao, for the bangin' hiphop beats that went on all night.

My mother. Where do I even begin?

All those who joined us in church, at the reception, and at the after-party! And thank you for giving such thoughtful, generous gifts! We appreciated each and every one of them!

MY HUSBAND! I am the luckiest, happiest girl in the world!

Last night as a single girl

2009-09-04T21:47:00.002+08:00

I'll miss...

...the house I grew up in.
...that heavy-ass sliding door I try to quietly open whenever I come home at an ungodly hour.
...Winnie, who knows where everything is, and who knows exactly what I mean when I ask her to pack stuff.
...having a trusty driver.
...the security I feel when my dad's home.
...sleeping beside my mom.
...my name.

But I'll love...

...the new house, albeit rented, that we have yet to decorate.
...hearing the door when my husband comes home.
...having someone I can totally trust and depend on.
...the security I'll feel, with my husband's arms around me.
...waking up beside the love of my life.
...my new name, my new life, this big adventure.

Tisha Alvarez, signing off.

But I will be Tish the Dish for life!

The last hurrah

2009-08-29T15:16:00.003+08:00

...to end all last hurrahs!

Somewhere between catching a disc during a go-to drill, grabbing drinks with Galile-oh, Lolo D, and some cool chicks from the new Survivor, and work the next day, I decided to go to Dumaguete.

Booked it before Mumsy could protest. Oh, protest she did--she's not too keen on me traveling so close to the Big Day. But the only thing I could say was, "If I don't go, I'm going to regret it."

A few days later, I was on a plane to the Visayas. One week later, I am still missing how time stands still during the day, how the 10:00 am sun feels like a scorching 2:00 pm burn, and how the hours zoom by once it gets dark. I am missing the music--particularly Rihanna's Hatin' on the Club (which is now constantly on my playlist. Happy thoughts), and even the relentlessly looped Nobody by the Wonder Girls. I am missing the free drinks--my companions found it funny how the only night I paid for drinks was probably the last night. People just kept sending stuff my way so yay! Most of all, I am missing the company: my adoptive team, Circus Weng Weng, which sweetly took me in and even gave me a very memorable (eherm) send-off; and the super fun Roaches/Chupacabras, who had no qualms about putting their glutes on display. Special mentions:

Mich, my dance partner who has an infectious laugh
Map, who cracks me up with her deadpan hirits
Gary, Ogee, and even no-show Putow for the, uh, gift
Alvin--rarr! Hahaha
Cali, for the Pringles pirate laugh trip!
Xtian, my rakstar teammate and one of my most favorite people, like, ever
MVP Faiqah, Gisela, Agee, for BI-ing me :p
Onyok, for being one of the people who convinced me to go
And Blue. I have no words, man. Except thank you.

This trip was the best way to end my run as a single girl! A life of wedded bliss beckons. Perhaps next year I shall go back to Dumags with my hubby--and my team!--in tow.

Scenes from M&M 2009

2009-08-20T17:52:00.014+08:00

(Clockwise from top left) Bumbum buddies--me with Peng's "beyonce"; Gali's freaky-ass act; Warriors--Cheng's back!; my last league day as a single girl

So. I got home from girls' night out at 5:30 am, still kind of buzzed after having a bit to drink. I jumped in the shower, packed my stuff, and was picked up by Fel (aka Kapitan Dukot) at 6:30 am to go to Alabang for the Malakas at Maganda finals! I had to play one crucial game that day, and tried to figure out how on earth I was going to do it when I hadn't slept since the night before. Lo and behold, I had a couple of blocks, assists, and points! I therefore conclude that no sleep and alcohol = a good game! P.S. We won that game, and we thus retained our original ranking. Yay!

Pool B champs Circus; Pool A champs Askalz and runners-up Chopacabras

Our "sister" team Circus won the Pool B championship, and we stayed to watch the Pool A finals--it was Askalz vs. Roaches/Chopacabras, D vs. Galile-oh and Teammate. Askalz emerged victorious, but the Ipis succeeded in giving everyone one hell of an LSS. "I want nobody, nobody but you *clap clap clap clap*..."

I ran some errands, went home, showered, and didn't even get to rest before I headed out to the party.

(Clockwise from top left) With Lolo D (D: "Lola ka." T: "At least hindi nirarayuma tuhod ko." D: "At least champion kami." Hahaha); surrounded by PUA's hot men;with Teammate/Indie Rakstar God X; lurve this bebeh girls pic! I'm not singkit for once; with my pretty teammates and new Warrior Mark

Slept at 4:30 am on Sunday. Forty-four hours straight with no sleep. Hmmm. Maybe I do have the stamina to do the whole motherhood thang after all. Eventually.

(All photos stolen! Ahehe. Click to enlarge.)

Wet, wet, wet

2009-08-16T22:49:00.006+08:00

The barkada bridal tiara

I specified that I didn't want any more bridal showers/bachelorette parties after the 15th, and as a result, I've had four in the span of nine days--three on three straight days! And that isn't counting the big Last Hurrah: girls' night out, the tagline of which was, "Wild enough to be memorable, but tame enough so that the wedding will push through!"

The first shower was thrown by the I-Girls--the wives/fiancees/girlfriends of H's friends. Sheila, preggers with baby #2, graciously hosted it at their new--huge--casa. Sheryl took charge of the games, some of which involved extensive knowledge on gay lingo and, uh, various positions; others required the use of eggplants. Don't ask.

Relatives on both sides also threw me showers. My mother's side experimented with Gift Central, and as a result, I now have two fluffy pillows for my near-empty house, and a few spa GCs that I will most def be needing to help me relax before the wedding. It's just Stress-ola City right now! One of the highlights was my unintended bawlfest, as I thanked everyone and talked about all the changes. This was my Ode to Mumsy.

My father's side shower was hosted by my dad's younger sis, Tita Maribel. If anyone else had blindfolded me, I would not have been that nervous. But given that it was my crazy aunt (the one who hired gay emcees to host our family reunion), I think the jitters were warranted. As it turns out, she "hired" her grandsons and nephews to do a little dance--in jeans and neckties!

Two of my BFFs, Ching and Mads, also planned a super fun bachelorette par-tey, inviting my dearest girl friends (mostly from high school, with my two-person wedding committee as special guests). Taking off from my Indian-inspired wedding gown and my, er, half-Indian roots (haha), Mads and Ching decided on a Kama Sutra-themed party!

We had bindis and mendhi...

The mendhi was pretty, but it's normally much more elaborate. If the groom finds his initials on your palm, it's supposed to be good luck! (Mads made it incredibly easy for H, of course!)

Looots of food, that Marie couldn't stop raving about...

I even got to take home some leftover hummus! Yum. There were chicken kebabs and pasta and dip and jamun! And lots of other stuff. Dee-lish!

And the games...oh, the games! My ultra competitive barkada + forever game Marie and Tata + creative games = riot!

After one of the most memorable moves that night!

Of course, I finally got to wear our barkada bridal tiara. I brought that tiara to Marnie's shower, and we've been passing it on to the next bride ever since. The bride is supposed to write her maiden name and wedding date on it.

And who will wear it next? Hmmmm. Eye makeup c/o Marie the Great.

And theeen there was Girls' Night Out with Chingy, Joey, and Motts. We just went to Fuel, Cuisine, and then grabbed some grub at Old Swiss Inn. My only objectives for that night were to find boys for the single gals, and to score some free drinks. Mission accomplished...

...but no details! Hahaha.

Seventh heaven

2009-08-04T18:36:00.008+08:00

The seventh month of the year was busy, busy, busy! I can't even remember everything that happened. And my cam suffered a painful death on the last day of the month, so photos are kind of unavailable right now. So it's a relatively picture-less post!

The standouts (a lot are wedding-related!):

Kobe! Kobe! Thanks to OK! Magazine, I got an awesome Special Ringside ticket to see Kobe Bryant at the Ultra. (Luckily, there aren't really a lot of basketball fans at the office. Haha.) I'm not a big Kobe fan, but at least I'm not a Kobe hater, and it was as close as I was going to get to seeing a live NBA game for now! Haha. It was just surreal seeing the MVP in person. Thank goodness I wore my contacts!

Coni almost caught an autographed ball!

My first fitting! The fabulous Enan Almado called me for my first Big Day gown fitting. It was just the lining, but it already fell so beautifully! I have a photo of me fitting, but taken from the side--my unmentionables could be seen in front because the beadwork hadn't been done yet, and all there was was a big cutout where the Indian-inspired bling is supposed to be. No posting as of now, in the off chance that Fiance reads my blog and sees it! Not until the day itself!

Meeting Tita Bai. H and I went all the way to Intramuros to Barbara's (post to follow in my neglected food blog), where we met up with the woman that the resto was named after. Tita Barbara, or Tita Bai, is good friends with H's mom, and is one of our beloved sponsors. She was very accommodating and fed us a delectable lunch! It was just cool visiting the area with H.

We don't often find ourselves in the cobblestoned streets of Manila.

It's official. We can officially get hitched now, after getting our marriage license! Woohoo! And, of course, who could forget that riot of a family planning seminar at Quezon City Hall? One of the unexpected highlights of the wedding preps!

Back at Bellini's. Sort of--we didn't go to Cubao X this time. On a break from the Seminar That Wouldn't End, H and I decided to have lunch at the 10-year-old Marikina branch of Bellini's. Yummmmmmm.

Sweet wine to end our meal of chicken with herbs, truffle cream risotto, and a tiramisu gelato cake.

Indoor picnic. Not only has my trusty Canon Ixus died, but my phone cable is also missing--so I can't download photos from my phone. Boo! For now, let me just describe our unique date for the month: a picnic at our new, nearly empty house! We decided to visit our new place one evening, with nothing but a brand new electric fan (our first home purchase! Haha), some grub, a banig, and H's laptop. We laid out the banig, sat on the floor, used the electric fan's box as a makeshift table, and feasted on KFC while listening to music from H's computer! Cheers to our new home!

Final food tasting. We went over to our lovely caterer Kaye Cunanan's place and just ate and ate and ate. Luckily, I had Martha Stewart Weddings editor in chief Tata in tow to help me make decisions. I trust her opinion more than I do my own. Haha.

Kaye: Would you like all carrot rice or half plain, half carrot?
Me: Hmmm...half and half.
Tata: Hmmm...don't you want to do all carrot? I think most people would go for that, and once there's only plain left over, the others will feel like they missed out.
Me: OK, all carrot rice then.

~*~*~*~

Kaye: Would you like green flowers or white flowers?
Me: Green.
Tata: Hmmm...don't you want all white flowers?
(And after she said that, of course I did. Hahaha.)

I find such comfort in the fact that Tata says our food will be delicious! I just want our guests to pig out.

Mini CADs reunion. Triple8Funk founder Joel (aka Sloj, aka my Nikki's baby daddy. Haha) took a break from being New Zealand's hiphop guru and swung by the PI. It was unfortunately too late when I broached the idea of an alumni dance workshop, but hey, there's always next time! It was cool just hangin' with the ever-humble Sloj--and getting a rockin' T8F shirt to boot!

The T8F shirt is considered alimony.

Poker night. I dropped by SP's fund-raising poker tourney after my first bridal shower (which is a highlight, but I'm doing an all-in-one post for all my showers!) just to give a small donation and say hi, but ended up staying for over an hour, just catching up with an old friend! It was so cool seeing Dindi and just yapping and making a whole lot of noise in a place where barely anyone knew me. Ahehe.

Wrecking my cam. I'll admit, I was so incredibly bummed when it happened. After learning how much it was going to cost to have it fixed, and realizing that I barely have enough moolah to spare for a new one (Big Day + home renovation + stuff that'll go into new home = daym!), I just felt so down. I couldn't believe that I wasn't going to have a camera to document my last few weeks of singlehood.

But after my bachelorette party, I realized that maybe wrecking my cam was a good thing, a blessing in disguise. I was able to just be in the moment, and didn't have to think about snap-snap-snapping away. And the more I reflected on it, the more I figured out that I tend to use my camera as a crutch. When I'm uncomfortable or bored or simply tamad to make conversation, I just whip out my cam and take pictures. Now, I'm all about just being there and talking to people and laughing. And having my photo taken by someone else! Because really, someone else is bound to have a cam!

Silver linings rock!

Libre ang mangarap

2009-07-27T18:52:00.008+08:00

Isn't it just like me to be daydreaming more about our house than about our wedding? Haha. I've determined the look we're going for, and it might sound kind of strange: beachy Scandinavian. Haha. It's hot meets cold! I just like the clean lines of Scand design mixed with relaxed, tropical elements to make it more earthy. Kind of like this, from Domino (RIP! Sniff):

This living room setup is the same color as our wedding! Haha. Green with black and white accents.

I might have to settle for a bamboo rug instead of a harder-to-maintain sisal one. I also wish I could have this as an accent chair:

But I think I'll be having my lolo's old butaca chair refinished instead. It's nice to have some things with a story behind them. Was thinking of buying a couple of chairs similar to the one pictured in the peg, from my tita. But the set was a gift from her mother-in-law so that's out of the question. Would love to pair the seats with a pristine white sofa, and a couple of small Bamileke stools, like the one below, but in white:

I know, I know--this African baby doesn't exactly fit my beachy Scand concept, but the look is pretty rustic (although it's a seat for kings!). And it's an eclectic look anyway!

For the dining area, I really, really wish I could get this pendant lamp:

But it's way too expensive, and I don't think I could find something exactly like it here. Must visit Dapitan one weekend.

The second floor isn't going to strictly follow the theme. The rooms are still going to be relaxed, but I'm going for a sort of casual elegance. For the master bedroom, the plan is to have a platform bed made, and just have a faux headboard painted. Sorta like this other peg from Domino, though I'm having the proportions adjusted (a little too high for my taste...even if it is fake):

I do have one thing that I could check off my wish list though. This fabulous, fabulous 3D chandelier from Urban Outfitters!

I've been salivating over this since last year, when I saw it at a house we shot. I've asked my darling brother to order it for me, and he'll have it for me when he comes home for the Big Day! Oh, joy!

This beaut is reserved for my dressing room (i.e., one of the bedrooms, which I...er, I mean, we're converting). I wanted to paint the walls in chocolate brown, but due to budget constraints (again, the Big Day), it looks like we'll have to make do with one color for all the bedrooms. I have grand plans for my dressing room, you see. I intend to have the frame of an old, French-style mirror repainted, hang it over one of our old vanities, and pair the whole girly setup with a vunderful Louis Ghost Chair.

I'm hoping Future Hubby would give me this chair as a wedding gift. I'm not even hinting anymore--I've been utterly blatant about it and outright told him that I want it! But I did explain that this designer chair is part of a bigger plan. Once we have our dream house (which I'm hoping will look a lot like this dreamboat designed by Arthur Casas, located in Iporanga, Brazil...very Cullen-like, don't you think?)...

Drooool. Look at that gorgeous light filtering through the trees! Breathtaking!

...I want a long wooden dining table surrounded by Louis Ghosts. How kick-ass is that?

And ve vill rule ze vorld!

Click on photos for links

Licensed to wed

2009-07-22T12:59:00.011+08:00

Dizizit!

As of Monday, H and I are officially licensed to wed! We still have some church requirements to take care of but, as H said, "Pwede na sa huwes!"

What a long process though. If you're from Quezon City (or you and your fiance are from different cities but are getting married in QC, methinks), you have to go to city hall to file for a marriage license. Note: You might be tempted to do this way ahead of time, but I think it expires after 90 days. So best to do it about two or three months before the big day.

As far as I can remember, the process was:

Get my cedula (which was supposedly required...but no one asked to look at it anyway!) since I didn't have one.
Line up for and fill out the application form. A personal appearance is required so H and I had to be there. We were lucky enough to have his assistant with us so she was the one who asked around for us. We were totally clueless about where we were supposed to go.
Pay for the license, etc. at the cashier, in another building. All in all, P200. (H: "Mura lang pala magpakasal eh!" Me: "This is all we would have paid for if we had eloped!")
Go back to the building in step 2 and have the forms notarized. Another P50.
Go to the health center to sign up for a required family planning seminar. (I think you could skip this if you went on Discovery Weekend or something.)
Go back to the building in step 2 to submit everything. They'll give you a copy with your seminar sched. License will be ready in 10 days.

Phew! It would have been way more efficient if all of these places were just in one building, but we kept walking from one building to another, under the scorching sun.

The highlight of the entire process was, funnily enough, the family planning seminar! H and I went, expecting to have a boring few hours ahead of us. But the minute the woman conducting the seminar (or "briefing" as she called it) said the word "t*t*," we knew we weren't in for a snooze-worthy biology lecture! I never thought I would hear that word said so many times in a seminar. I couldn't even bring myself to type it here. Haha.

The woman who conducted it was probably in her 40s, and she was so deadpan that it made what she was saying even more comical. Some gems:

Woman: Ang IUD po ay nilalagay sa matres ng babae. Ayaw po ito gamitin ng karamihan ng lalake kasi 'yung iba, natatakot daw na matusok ang t*t* nila. Sir, kita niyo naman kung nasaan ang IUD. Sa tingin niyo ba matutusok kayo diyan? Kung matusok pa kayo, matakot na kayo, hindi na kayo tao.

~*~*~*~

Woman: Nakikita niyo naman ang cervical canal. Ang t*t* umaabot lang hanggang sa pang-apat na level. Pero Sir, kung hanggang sa pangatlo lang kayo, OK lang 'yan. Nasa performance naman 'yan.

~*~*~*~

Woman: Meron tayong limang flavor ng condom. Ano-ano iyon? Banana, mint, chocolate...ano pa?
Guy 1: Black forest!
Guy 2: Four seasons!

~*~*~*~

Woman: Paano ba magsuot ng condom? (Holding up a photo of a penis) Nakita niyo naman ang t*t*, galit na galit! Pag sinuot po ang condom at medyo malago ang bulbol ni Sir, hawiin lang natin ang buhok para tuck out. Alalahanin natin: Tuck out po lamang at hindi tuck in. At hindi po kasama ang itlog.

~*~*~*~

Hilarious! We've got another three-hour family planning seminar on Saturday, this time at the church. Somehow I get the feeling that it isn't going to be quite this entertaining.

...and this made me cry

2009-07-17T10:52:00.006+08:00

I think the critics hated this movie, but I don't give an f.

There's this misconception that I love chick flicks and romance novels. But really, I don't pay to see chick flicks--I just watch them on cable. (And I don't think I've ever read a romance novel in my whole life.) But this movie is something I would've spent good money on.

Suffice it to say that I was crying--a really ugly kind of crying--practically throughout the whole movie. And even the next day, as I was telling H about a scene, I started tearing up. He chuckled as I swore about "that damn movie."

What can I say? Some things just resonated with me.

Catch it if you can.

Stuff that made me laugh this week...

2009-07-16T08:44:00.007+08:00

Been majorly stressed, but these made shake off the ho-hums for a bit...

Miguel (seeing Hamil's email address): That's not Hamil's last name!
Me: Yes it is! What did you think it was?
Miguel: I dunno...Reyes? Iverson?

~*~*~*~

Pam: Galliano or Gaultier was a pattern maker for Cardin. Wait, was it Galliano or Gaultier? Anyway, they're both equally fabulous!

~*~*~*~

(While talking about working out)
Me: How much cardio do you do?
Miguel: Twenty minutes.
Me: What do you do?
Miguel: I just walk on the treadmill. I can't jog.
Me: Twenty minutes of walking?
Miguel: But I do inclines.
Me: I do interval runs for 20 minutes.
Miguel: What's that?
Me: I alternate between jogs and sprints. Two-minute jog, one-minute sprint.
Miguel: What speed?
Me: On average about 8.5...
Miguel: Ah.
Me: ...to max 15.
Miguel: Oh...8.5 is the jog?

Ahluvet! Haha.

One last cry

2009-07-14T15:38:00.003+08:00

It's tradition. My mother and I would have our photo taken on these stairs every few years. It's been about 10 years since the last one (but thankfully, neither of us has aged much!). Time for a new photo! Digital naman!

Between talking about checking accounts and Big Moves (my own and theirs), Mumsy suddenly blurted out, “Ang lapit na! Two months na lang!” I just kind of brushed it off with a little laugh and changed the subject.

I used to be a big sentimental mess—last days of school, graduations, last days in another country…these were things that easily made me cry. I wondered how other people managed to deal with goodbyes without so much as a tear. Eventually, I learned to keep my emotions in check. I knew my heart was breaking—even just a little—whenever I would leave behind a part of my life, but I learned not to dwell on it, and to look towards the future instead.

And that’s why I changed the subject. Because if I hadn’t, I would’ve totally lost it (and so would she) at that little bakery where we were having a snack. How could I not feel my heart break, thinking about saying goodbye to my home for over two decades? The name I’ve had all my life? The woman I laughed with and cried with and fought with, day in and day out; my “partner in prayer and sanity” during my family’s turbulent, soap opera years?

If there’s anything that could make me come out of my relatively successful emotional repression, it’s my mother. This woman—who supported me, provided for me, put up with my sungit mode, who taught me the meaning of “unconditional love”—deserves a bawlfest of epic proportions.

2009-07-07T12:24:00.008+08:00

Twenty-oh-nine seems to be moving at warp speed. So quickly, in fact, that I've got less than two months before The Big Day! Eep!

Breathe in, breathe out.

To keep me from again going into panic mode over stuff I haven't done (so much for Bridechilla, eh?), let's just focus on the little events that made my June.

Getting measured! I got measured for The Gown of All Gowns, and so did the rest (or most) of my entourage. I wish I had taken pics of when Marga was getting measured. Enan loved how my butterball of a niece arrived wearing a tube top and matching shorts. And normally suplada Marga went nuts over Enan's "baby," his shih tzu Fiona!

My girls are going to look fabulous! Slightly worried that they'll look hotter than me. Hahaha. But it's all good. I'm not out to put them in pouffy peach monstrosities!

Seeing Maan again after seven years. Wow. It was weird hearing Ryden--big boy that he is--calling Maan "mommy"! She was gone for that long! It was cool getting together with my high school friends, and seeing how far everyone has come. Four of them have kids already, and I'm about to tip the scales and join the marrieds in a bit.

Together again. MIA: Chris

Our Independence Day date. It was the start of something special for me and H--our unusual monthly dates. Have yet to figure out what to do this month, considering we're neck deep in preps!

The start of the Bonnie and Clyde league (aka Malakas at Maganda). I am not a big fan of all-girl leagues, because there's too much estrogen on the field. And this particular league isn't something I'm so eager to be playing in because I'm worried about the pesky midday sun wreaking havoc on my skin. Ordinarily, I wouldn't mind getting all bronze. But I've really gotta start getting some semblance of my real color back. I want to be a blushing bride, not a burnt one.

Photo c/o Mico. When I'm not wearing a dress or a skirt on the field, I look like a boy!

Nonetheless, it's a good league because we've merged with a few other teams, which means I've met some awesome new people--the Weng Weng girls are so open and all heart on the field, the BC girls are able handlers, and the USC girls have solid fundamentals. And all of them are incredibly easy to get along with! And, as it is with every league, it's a constant learning experience. I ain't co-captain anymore, but the new kapitanas have still asked me to help out. Rotation still proves to be a bit of a problem for us. But we're learning, we're trying, and that's pretty much the point now.

My favorite quotes from the first league day:

(During the boys' game)
Pat: Time out.
Greg: Tap mo 'yung disc.
Pat: Ha?
Greg: Tap mo.
(Pat drops the disc)
Greg (stomping towards Pat): T*NGINA, "TAP"! BINGI!
Pat: Akala ko "drop"...

~*~*~*~

(Saturday)
Me: When you pull, where do you get the power from?
D: Arms and legs.
Me: OK thanks.
(So there I was on Saturday, practicing my hucks, trying to make sense of D's tip. Next day...)
D: Why were you asking about pulling?
Me: Coz I have to pull today.
D: Oh, pull! I thought you meant "pull" as in tug of war!
Me: Pucha, saan naman ako mag-tu-tug of war?!

~*~*~*~

Mike: Burger! Burger! P*$@NGINA!!!!!! (with matching frustrated vigorous rubbing of the head and stomping away. Hahaha!)

Dinner with Chingy. It had been a while since I spent one-on-one time with BFF Ching, so we decided to have dinner one night. We ended up just talking for hours. I totally missed her, and it was just so awesome catching up.

Book launch and gimmick night. We launched our fourth book (yay!), and we had some really yummy food by Chef Him Uy de Baron (I am still dreaming about the turon with this Chocnut sauce that he served at an event before). Afterwards, H and I headed to Members Only for a SoFA/Marangoni event, where two of my favorite girls were muses. I was wearing a lovely maxi dress made by (who else?) Madhuri Hemandas.

With Marangoni muses: designer (and my BFF) Mads and one of Preview's best dressed for 2009, Pam Q

Mads's masi (aunt): Does Tisha ask you to make a lot of clothes for her?
Mads: Oh yes!

This particular number was made in, like, a day. What a demanding customer I am! I needed a colorful dress for the launch, and I couldn't find anything that I loved. I decided it was about time I asked Mads to make me the boho dress of my dreams. Such a purty, purty fabric!

I foresee July to be a month packed with wedding preps and work, work, work. Gotta get some stuff done before I go on extended leave.

Let's hope every Sunday is a rainy day though. I can't take any more sun!

When "yes" means "no"

2009-06-25T19:02:00.002+08:00

It saddens me that people nowadays don't seem to understand the value of commitment.

When you say you'll do something, do it.

When you say you'll be somewhere, be there.

It's not just about what happened today. I am sick and tired of people not standing by their word. Sick of people not thinking things through before giving an answer. Sick of people who don't understand how their actions affect others.

Nakaka-walang gana.

2009-06-23T13:03:00.000+08:00

I want to work for Oprah.

Daaaaym.

2009-06-20T02:05:00.000+08:00

Seriously, this week totally blows.

I wanna go home.

The shots that didn't make it

2009-06-17T13:28:00.004+08:00

I hardly post work-related stuff here, but I just wanted to give these photos some air time...

For Candy Magazine's June 2009 ish, I did their Candy Suite section which was about new ways of doing old things--displaying photos, fixing your bed, etc. This was the old way of fixing your desk...

Very utilitarian, with a desk caddy and a plain mug for pens

And this is the new way...

Oh-so-pretty!

Purty and functional! It's actually a lot like my work desk. I use a pretty jewelry box from Regalong Pambahay to hold all my little desk implements (stapler, staple wire, paper clips, and all that), and I have an inexpensive white vase from SM Homeworld, with two gigantor leaves. (I think it was our art director who once asked me, "Bakit meron kang gubat sa desk mo?") I also have a pretty neo-baroque-ish picture frame, also from Regalong Pambahay, which has been photo-less for months. My wall/magnet board is covered with black-and-white wrapping paper with a damask-like print. (People have asked me where I got it from. Answer: The Wrap Shop, one of my little pieces of heaven.) The first few weeks after I fixed my desk, I was just so in love with it. It made my workdays less dreary. Even now, after months and months, I still think it's lovely! Such a refreshing change from my old blah desk which irritated me so.

That brown mug in the "before" photo is actually still on my desk. I do want that little white urn from SM, but 1) I think there'll be a bit too much white on my desk (my Mac is white, too), and 2) the brown mug was a lovely gift from John Pettyjohn. Got it when we shot his store! People pay a bundle for his stuff, and I feel privileged to own a Pettyjohn anything, so I can't seem to replace it, even if it doesn't quite go with the rest of the look.

I just checked out the layout in the mag and was kinda sad that these photos didn't make it...I took other "befores" and "afters," and the page didn't have space for this set anymore, so the pics ended up on the cutting room floor. At the very least, I shall let 'em shine in cyberspace!

Photos by Patrick Martires; white vase, faux orchids, and white urn from SM Homeworld; jewelry box from Regalong Pambahay

Independence date

2009-06-13T09:56:00.006+08:00

In large part due to The Big Day, H and I have had to put our travel plans on hold. Frustrated that I couldn't get out of the country, I told him one day that it would be nice if we would become travelers in our country.

Turista shot in front of the National Museum

I realized that there were so many places in my own country--in Manila alone--that I had never seen, so it was about time that I, we, got to know our own home. Plus, it would give us a different kind of date each time!

Our first date? The National Museum of the Philippines on Independence Day. (Papa G: "Wow! Nationalistic!") I first caught a glimpse of it when I read about a wedding reception held there. There was a picture of the museum with a red carpet over its grand steps, the bride walking up. Fabulous! And when I researched on it, I learned that there were two different museums in the complex: one for visual arts, and another detailing the history of the Filipino people.

After getting a little lost in Manila, we finally found the museum along P. Burgos Street. It was different from the wedding photo I saw--we went straight to the visual arts building so the pic must have depicted the other museum. It was a yellow building with pillars out front and a short flight of stairs; the driveway, which also served as the parking lot, was almost completely vacant.

The visual arts museum entrance free is P100; the Museum of the Filipino People entrance fee is P70. You could gain access to both for just P150. We didn't have much time so we decided to see the visual arts museum, then just wing it from there.

I realized that I had seen the Mona Lisa, many of Van Gogh's works (including my favorite, The Starry Night), and the Sistine Chapel, but I had never even thought to see Juan Luna's Spoliarium. (Yup, it's actually got an "i" before the "a"!) And it was indeed an awe-inspiring sight! Alas, we weren't allowed to take photos. But if you have the time, do head on over to the museum, even just to see this. It's a massive painting depicting slain Roman gladiators, and the whole thing covers an entire wall on the first floor.

It was cool going around this museum because it wasn't crowded at all. I actually thought we were the only ones there, our voices and footsteps the only ones echoing through the first-floor gallery. Upon reaching the second floor, we found a couple of families looking around. But these were nothing like the crowds at the Met, or the Louvre, or MoMa. It's the way I thought a museum should be--quiet!

In one wing, we got to see a big-ass skeleton of a sperm whale! We also viewed more works by the masters and national artists (whose names would not have been familiar had I not had a job that exposed me to art), and some modern things like H's favorite, Machines of God (it's sort of like a mannequin with wings and a Darth Vader head). I like realism more than abstract art, but H seems to favor the abstract. And art enthusiasts would probably shoot us if they heard how we interpreted the pieces! (Our comments not to be published here because they'll betray just how uncultured we are.) People fear what they do not understand, I suppose!

All in all, a very interesting date. I am no art expert, and there's so much I don't know and understand, but it was great having that experience with H. Never thought being at a museum could actually be that much fun.

National Museum of the Philippines, P. Burgos Street, Manila; tel. (632) 528-4912; open Wednesday to Sunday, 10:00 am to 4:30 pm; nationalmuseum.gov.ph

What a beaut!

2009-06-10T18:03:00.003+08:00

My favorite beauty ed (one of my favorite people in general!), Marie, has started a beauty blog. It's witty, entertaining, and highly informative! Read about getting "fully landscaped" by a "bulbolizer," the best sunblock out there, and her personal picks for when she goes climbing. Here.

2009-06-05T10:39:00.001+08:00

Three, count 'em, three months to go!

May 2009 highlight reel

2009-06-04T14:14:00.006+08:00

My oh my, five months have gone by. And merry May was pretty much a month of weddings…

Yogesh weds Surabhi. Ah yes, my “son” actually beat me to the altar (although I’m not sure that’s what it’s called in Hindu weddings). As with other Indian weddings, this one also had other events leading up to the actual wedding, including the Youngsters’ Party.

Me in an ultra-comfy jumpsuit. Yogs with his beautiful bride.

People showed up in their pajamas, in keeping with the theme. The event was held at Club Mwah where everyone--clad in jammies and negligees--witnessed an elaborate show, danced to some hiphop/house/Bollywood beats courtesy of a Singapore-based DJ, and partied with a funky jazz trio flown in from France (the cost of which could probably surpass what I’m spending for my entire wedding!). It was awesome hanging with the Bintan peeps again!

(Top) A member of the French trio; (above) with my BFF Mads, "our" sis Prits, and Tash.

The next night was the actual wedding. It seemed like they booked all the ballrooms to accommodate all the guests (800 to a thousand, by Yogi’s estimate)—there was even a “kids’ ballroom,” which, funnily enough, was much quieter than the big ballroom. The whole event was ostentatious and crazy chaotic and utterly sparkly—even my bejeweled dress seemed terribly under-ornamented, next to all the bling-y traditional Indian outfits. Mark my words: I shall wear a tummy-bearing Indian outfit when Mads gets hitched!

My dress by Mads. I was happy to wear a bindi again after so long!

Kaye’s shower. Jackie planned a bridal shower for her best friend Kaye a couple of weeks before the bride-to-be’s wedding. We divided into two teams for one of the games, the Project Runway challenge: We had to fashion a honeymoon outfit using just black and red crepe paper (and some tape and scissors)! Since everyone else was in comfy PJs (another pajama-themed party!), and I was the harlot wearing nothing but a tight tank and hot pants, I had to “model” our creation. I made a really cute, super short ruffle-y skirt, while my teammates took care of making the suspenders and hearts covering the, uh, chest area. We even had a little ruffled garter! Sorry, no pics. Haha.

I was up against Claud, who was wearing what looked like makeshift clamshells. We, of course, were talking trash the whole time. (And by “we,” I mean “I.” Hahaha.) Me to Claud: “Outfit daw na pang-honeymoon, hindi pang-perya!” Don’t get me wrong—I love love love Claud to bits! This was all in good fun!

And guess who won? Yay us!

Gino weds Kaye. “Kasal nanaman?” It’s the typical response when I have to beg off a game or a training session. I left a game day early to prep for the wedding, and since I didn’t have much time, my hair was left kind of unstyled and in all its natural (messy) glory. Oh well. Perhaps the gorgeous Richie Ortega dress kind of made up for it…

One of the rare times that I wasn't in a Madhuri Hemandas creation! With my barkada, minus the buntis who left early.

The couple’s first dance was really cute—starting with Panalangin and ending with a wonderfully cheesy choreographed version of Chris Brown’s Forever. Unfortunately, I didn’t even get a single photo with them in my cam.

House blessing. Well, the renovation’s finally done, and the studios are now for rent! Hope the parentals find some awesome tenants! Oh, if anyone's interested in renting a studio with easy access to the Cubao MRT and LRT stations, and a really wonderful landlord (aka, my mother) let me know! I could send you pics...of the studios, not of my mother. Hahaha.

What's wrong with being Paris?

2009-06-02T19:29:00.006+08:00

Absolutely nothing, if he looks like that! This just might be enough to make me smack Bella on the head...

Jacob = hot! Hahaha.

2009-05-31T21:28:00.001+08:00

Kobe vs...Dwight? As Yogi would say, "Whaaaat?" Woohoo!!!

End this already!

2009-05-29T12:03:00.005+08:00

Damn, they couldn't close it out.

I'm happy enough that San Antonio and Boston are out of the running this year, so I'm OK with whoever wins it all. But I find myself rooting for Orlando now, in large part because of Dwight. I've had a soft spot for the gentle giant ever since his Slam Dunk antics last year. And this year, I'm just seeing a whole different side of him--a guy who likes the pressure. A guy whom people listen to. A guy who delivers. And it's cool that he's not the only role player here.

It's funny how they're up 3-2 and are still considered the underdogs. While Cleveland cruised through the first two rounds, today LeBron was actually on LeBrink, as Yahoo Sports so humorously put it. Turns out, Superman is ironically King James's kryptonite. But, sigh, not today.

Thankful

2009-05-28T18:45:00.005+08:00

I’m utterly baffled now that I’m here, preparing for The Big Day.

I think I’m missing something. I’ve seen brides before me, and they all seemed so frazzled and incredibly busy. I’m wondering if I’m doing anything wrong, because I can’t for the life of me figure out what I’m supposed to be busy with. “You’re the most relaxed bride I’ve ever seen,” commented one girl. It was somewhat flattering, but it also made me a little nervous—am I supposed to be doing something?

But every time I go through my list of to-dos, there really isn’t much to be done—at least nothing that requires me to put my life aside. This is due in large part to the friends who have made wedding preps so much easier. Thanks to my dear friends, I don’t really have to worry about:

Photography. Ocs and At are gifting me with their services. That alone is enough to make me feel incredibly lucky! And since Pat’s going to be my back-up photog, I told At that he could play around. I think he might even do lomo! How cool is that?

Invitations. Bless Carl for agreeing to take on my invitation design despite the mountain of work and rackets that he has! I am all for having a very simple invitation, and have asked him not to put too much effort into it (as Carl is wont to do, perfectionist that he is!). His reply: “But it’s your wedding invitation!”

Flowers. As G’s gift to me, he’s doing my entourage’s flowers! He says all I’ll have to pay for are my ninangs’ and the mommies’ corsages. So sweet! And since I am not particular when it comes to flowers, and am so open to doing things differently, he and the boss have hatched a plan to make me the Gayest Bouquet Ever, complete with a peacock feather or two! I trust G’s taste completely so I know I’m not going to get anything garish. And I am surely going to get something one-of-a-kind!

Gown. Let’s just say I got a really good price courtesy of my Wedding Committee member, Tatamaps (who also happens to be the Martha Stewart Weddings editor). I think I didn’t agonize over the dress because once I found a design that I really loved, I stopped looking. There are always, always going to be other options—it’s all about making a choice and sticking to it. I guess it’s a lot like getting married. Haha.

Makeup. Former Marie Claire beauty editor (and the other member of my two-person Wedding Committee) Marie is doing my makeup. She’s done it a number of times before for events, and each time, I felt gorgeous!

Coordination. My caterer’s advice: Get a coordinator, even if it’s just on the day. I talked to Addie a couple of months ago and she is game to do it, so that is one less thing to think about. I think I might have to remind her about it though!

Everything else is just kind of falling into place. We’ve got our entourage and our priest, and a potential quartet. The church is beautiful (despite its slightly humorous name), and the venue is something we instantly liked. The caterer gave us a good price, and because I’ve seen her stylish setups, I know I don’t have to worry about ending up with a gaudy centerpiece. No need to get a separate florist! I have a videographer in mind, but we also have a couple of other options—I’ve spoken with a couple of film grads, and am so intrigued by what they’ve proposed so far. Pretty different from other packages I’ve seen, and for a really, really good price. Like I told one of them, “I’d rather give this gig to an up-and-comer with a different perspective, than to a run-of-the-mill videographer!” I also know what kind of giveaways I want—and, well, I think that’s a big key to getting things done: knowing what you want.

I’ll admit that I do think about the wedding every single day. Kind of hard not to when people are constantly asking me how the preps are going. But even without the questions, I do daydream about The Big Day—mostly about walking down that aisle, and seeing my husband-to-be smiling at me. I get teary-eyed just thinking about it, so I’ve really got to talk to Marie about waterproof makeup!

Yipee!

2009-05-25T15:20:00.000+08:00

No more taxes on imported books! Read about it here.

Bravery is...

2009-05-20T21:17:00.006+08:00

...having my photo taken for a magazine, without any makeup on!

Yesterday, I was just so tired from pulling out and setting up, and I simply didn't have time to dab on some concealer, powder my nose, or slather on some lip gloss. Or I just didn't want to bother with it. Plus the others were ready for the shot, and I didn't want to keep people waiting. But seeing the photos of a bare-faced me now...ack. What was I thinking?

Monica Bellucci, I am not.

Hell, a makeup- and Photoshop-free Signorina Bellucci looks way better than I ever would with all the makeup and airbrushing in the world! She. Is. Gorgeous.

The Bridezilla Diaries: The hardest thing

2009-05-14T13:08:00.003+08:00

Over lunch, a couple of friends were asking me what the hardest part about preparing a wedding is. I hemmed and hawed and was somewhat reluctant to give an answer, mostly because I'm not exactly the typical bride. (Less than four months left and we've barely got anything done. Yeesh.) Plus I've always thought that it's not as hard as people make it seem. But given that I've been stressing over it for the last couple of weeks--more because I am so easily stressed, with matching psychosomatic symptoms to boot--I guess there are some things that could be classified under "the hard parts":

The guest list. This, by far, has caused me the most grief. The venue is supposedly enough for 250 people, but my lovely caterer advised me that 220 was pushing it, especially since I insist on having a dance floor. Two hundred twenty people between me and H--my family alone can fill quite a number of tables! H was nice enough to let me have 120 out of the 220. Now, family + high school friends + bench boys + CADs friends + college friends + my Indian family + former co-workers + current co-workers + teammates + the seats I promised mumsy = still way too many people. I was teary-eyed as I crossed some people off my working list, or relegated them to List B.

The dilemmas: How does one invite one person without having to invite other people connected to him/her? (You know how some people are package deals...) Is it OK to invite a friend, but not his/her spouse (whom you're not even friends with), after they invited you to their wedding? (My answer here is a resounding no. I'm very Emily Post that way.) Do I have to invite people I see regularly, but whom I'm not particularly close to? (I am leaning towards yes. You try not inviting someone you see every week and tell me that it isn't awkward.)

One BFF offered this advice: Be ruthless. Let me tell ya, that is a hell of a lot easier said than done. And I've got 170 names on my edited list to prove it.

The invitation. While I've asked Zsazsa Zaturnnah creator Carlo Vergara to work on the design, working on the content isn't quite as fun. When we started planning this wedding, I figured I had to put in a few "political ninongs" in there--not "political" in the sense that they were senators or whatever, but "political" in the diplomatic sense. Let's just say that there are...family issues that we're trying to put to rest, feuds that we're somehow trying to resolve through this wedding. Sigh.

Letting go of my inner control freak. Seriously, this is not an easy thing to do. Poor H, who once had a very sane girlfriend, now has to contend with an incessant nagger. Let me clarify that I hate hate hate nagging, but I've been hearing myself do it more often because I feel like things aren't getting done. And when things don't get done, I feel actual physical pain. I am not kidding. I actually end up doing Sudoku puzzles just to stop myself from dwelling on things that I've ceded control over to someone else.

And then I realized last night, after throwing another bitch fit, that just because things aren't getting done my way, it doesn't mean they aren't getting done. I just really have to learn to let. Things. Go. And breathe in the process.

So, those are the top three hardest things about preparing a wedding--at least from my POV. All things considered, I suppose I still have it easy. And even if things go terribly wrong (knock on wood!), I'm still lucky enough to be marrying the man of my dreams.

Scenes from a shoot

2009-05-12T11:33:00.005+08:00

"We want to show off your legs," said my favorite fashion stylist, Pam Q. And I walked (or rather, limped) into the studio with a busted-up ankle wrapped in a thick layer of bandages!

A few months ago, I twisted my ankle so badly that H declared that it looked like chicken lollipop. After all, I accomplished the impressive feat of landing incorrectly on both sides of one frickin' ankle. The shoot took place a few days later. The stylists were offering other options, but I reassured them that I could stuff my ankle into the fringed boots they prepared for me (the section was about the fringe trend). They cringed as they watched me force my still-swollen ankle into the too-small opening. But force it in, I did!

Pam prepping me for the shoot

I think I have a pic like this--mouth wide open--in every shoot! It's the cheerleader in me. Haha

Final product. They played some music and had me dance around, then also had me walk down a pretend-runway

Makeup by Gela Laurel-Stehmeir. Photos by Dix. I think this appeared in the March 09 issue of Marie Claire.

Bitten, smitten

2009-05-08T09:29:00.002+08:00

After my post about the idiotic 5% levy, consider this an ode to books...

~*~*~*~

I tend to avoid anything that's a little too of-the-moment. Either I get interested in something before the bandwagon starts rolling, or I get into it after all the hoopla has died down.

The latter is true in the case of the Twilight series. Some Potheads (Harry fans), after the release of book seven, no longer had an outlet for their obsession, so many shifted their attention to Stephenie Meyer's books. [SPOILER ALERT. If you haven't read the books and intend to, stop right here.]

As many have said, it's not spectacularly written. Meyer wasn't a writer to begin with, after all. But I've seen my friends—grown women—go starry-eyed at the mere mention of Edward Cullen, so it intrigued me. I also saw the movie with Kuya Vic, and I figured the book must have been way better. Hanging out at my BFF M's house one day after brunch, I spied the first three books on her bookshelf and asked to borrow the first.

I must admit, my brow was furrowed as I read the first few chapters. I was thinking about how the narrative could have been better, but told myself that it was supposed to be written from the POV of a 17-year-old. But when Edward spoke one of his first kilig lines—about maybe not wanting to give Bella back to her friends that time they had lunch—I was smitten.

Two days later, I had sped through around 500 pages—perhaps a record for me, considering I finished it in between training and errands and glorious, glorious sleep and gimmicks and other weekend-fillers. It was incredibly easy to read (even easier than Harry, to which I normally devote the entire day of release and which I grudgingly put down only when absolutely necessary). I borrowed the second, New Moon. Again, two days later, I was texting M if I could borrow the third.

There are some overly cheesy quotes here and there, but the story, the love story is thoroughly engaging. There is nothing quite like the ferocity of teenage love. It's all consuming; absolutely nothing else seems to matter. Thankfully, I knew what to expect so I was kind of able to prepare myself not to totally fall for Edward, unlike some of my more unfortunate friends who were just hopelessly infatuated, hapless victims of this gorgeous, impossibly strong, chivalrous vampire. (Sigh.) And thankfully, too, I have my own personal Edward (sans the bronze hair, cold skin, and blood thirst) so I wasn't left pining for someone so dreamy. But oh, I still felt the giddiness. And in book two, I especially felt the pain.

At four in the morning (reading still!), I was crying after Edward left Bella. I imagined H, the person I love most deeply, most passionately, doing the same thing and it killed me. I could understand the emptiness she felt, the torment over not even knowing if he was OK. I felt, too, her conflicted feelings over her own personal Paris, Jacob. I appreciated the warmth, the sunshine he brought into her darkened world. This man—well, boy, really—loved her (almost) unconditionally, with no expectations. It was impossible for me not to understand Bella's guilt over sort-of being with someone who was head over heels, crazy over her, and not being able to feel something as intense. Could it be so bad? Well, I've been there. It sucked.

I told C—a big Twilight fan—about how I found myself enjoying the books. She wasn't protective of the series, as some rabid fans are wont to be, and was actually quite happy that I finally gave in. (I have no intention of going very deep into the Twilight world. I was, am a big Harry fan, but I never really reached manic levels of fandom. No costumes or forum postings for me. Loving the books was a truly personal experience, and I was content with reading some additional info here and there. Twilight isn't quite on that level, partly because I feel like I can't lay a claim over it. Other people found it first, and I totally respect that.) C gleefully shared bits and pieces, and I enjoyed listening to her. And she clued me in on the extras in Meyer's website—particularly, a part of New Moon written from Edward's POV, and the eagerly anticipated Midnight Sun. I intend to read the online version in its entirety, because I have been curious about what went on in Edward's mind. I guess, like Bella, it was a little hard for me to grasp how it was possible for this near-perfect being (again, blood thirst aside) to fall so madly for the girl next door.

There is a bit of longing in me, whenever I read these books, but not quite as great as my embarrassing yearning to be part of Hogwarts. (Seriously though, wouldn't that be cool?) I guess it mostly stems from a need to escape, for a bit of magic to get me out of the rut of reality. Again, thankfully I have my own leading man, so there is no major pining for anything romance-related. It'd be awesome though if H's skin could sparkle in the sun.

Death and taxes

2009-05-07T18:40:00.006+08:00

It's said that there are only two things that are certain in life: death and taxes. In the Philippines, these two go hand in hand.

With the imposition of taxes on imported books, book lovers' hearts are now bleeding--and literature is in danger of suffering a slow, painful death. Taxing my salary is one thing--I cringe whenever I see how much the government gets each payday, hard-earned money that somehow ends up buying a spankin' new SUV for some congressman. But taxing books, the only things I can buy with no guilt, now that is just inexcusable.

For more information, read the article below, which I got through email.

Death and taxes. And corrupt morons who tax imported books. Only in the Philippines.

~*~*~*~

An excerpt from an article by Robin Hemley, a University of Iowa creative writing professor currently on a fellowship in the Philippines.:

...Over coffee one afternoon, a book-industry professional (whom I can't identify) told me that for the past two months virtually no imported books had entered the country, in part because of the success of one book, Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. The book, an international best seller, had apparently attracted the attention of customs officials. When an examiner named Rene Agulan opened a shipment of books, he demanded that duty be paid on it.

The importer of Twilight made a mistake and paid the duty requested. A mistake because such duty flies in the face of the Florence Agreement, a U.N. treaty that was signed by the Philippines in 1952, guaranteeing the free flow of "educational, scientific, and cultural materials" between countries and declaring that imported books should be duty-free. Mr. Agulan told the importer that because the books were not educational (i.e., textbooks) they were subject to duty. Perhaps they aren't educational, I might have argued, but aren't they "cultural"?

No matter. With this one success under their belt, customs curtailed all air shipments of books entering the country. Weeks went by as booksellers tried to get their books out of storage and started intense negotiations with various government officials.

What doubly frustrated booksellers and importers was that the explanations they received from various officials made no sense. It was clear that, for whatever reason—perhaps the 30-billion-peso ($625 million) shortfall in projected customs revenue—customs would go through the motions of having a reasonable argument while in fact having none at all.

Customs Undersecretary Espele Sales explained the government's position to a group of frustrated booksellers and importers in an Orwellian PowerPoint presentation, at which she reinterpreted the Florence Agreement as well as Philippine law RA 8047, providing for "the tax and duty-free importation of books or raw materials to be used in book publishing." For lack of a comma after the word "books," the undersecretary argued that only books "used in book publishing" (her underlining) were tax-exempt.

"What kind of book is that?" one publisher asked me afterward. "A book used in book publishing." And she laughed ruefully.

I thought about it. Maybe I should start writing a few. Harry the Cultural and Educational Potter and His Fondness for Baskerville Type.

Likewise, with the Florence Agreement, she argued that only educational books could be considered protected by the U.N. treaty. Customs would henceforth be the arbiter of what was and wasn't educational.

"For 50 years, everyone has misinterpreted the treaty and now you alone have interpreted it correctly?" she was asked.

"Yes," she told the stunned booksellers.

Throughout February and March, bookstores seemed on the verge of getting their books released—all their documents were in order, but the rules kept changing. Now they were told that all books would be taxed: 1 percent for educational books and 5 percent for noneducational books. A nightmare scenario for the distributors; they imagined each shipment being held for months as an examiner sorted through the books. Obviously, most would simply pay the higher tax to avoid the hassle.

Distributors told me they weren't "capitulating" but merely paying under protest. After all, customs was violating an international treaty that had been abided by for over 50 years. Meanwhile, booksellers had to pay enormous storage fees. Those couldn't be waived, they were told, because the storage facilities were privately owned (by customs officials, a bookstore owner suggested ruefully). One bookstore had to pay $4,000 on a $10,000 shipment.

The day after the first shipment of books was released, an internal memo circulated in customs congratulating themselves for finally levying a duty on books, though no mention was made of their pride in breaking an international treaty...

Please forward this or disseminate this in any way you can. In the name of reading.

2009-05-05T09:57:00.001+08:00

Four months to go!:)

And just like that, April is over!

2009-05-04T12:13:00.009+08:00

I had to look through my calendar to figure out where the month went--I thought April just flew by, but looking over the little dated boxes, I could see that events that seemed to have taken place ages ago actually occurred fairly recently.

There was...

Lunch with my kumare, Q. Awesome catching up!

The baby shower for Sam. That turon was da bomb!

With my barkada (sans Sam's mommy, Marnie) and Jackie. I had a crapload of strawberry-flavored wafer sticks that day. Photo stolen from Claud.

The start of summer league. Nearing the end of the first round, Warriors are 5-1. Woohoo!

Photo shoot at Pam Q's house. We didn't have a stylist, so Arlene and I were left to fend for ourselves. And I got into a mini-argument with Miguel:

Tish: Did you take a shot of that side?
Miguel: That side? This one na lang, it's more masculine. That side is so...girly.
Tish: Miguel, you're not my market.
(After a minute more of arguing...)
Miguel: If you tell me to take that side, I'll take that side.
Tish: I'm telling you to take that side.
Miguel: OK.

Well guess what Miguel? My side made it onto the cover! Ha! Hehe. Plugging na rin: Do grab a copy of the June issue! Pam's French-inspired home is tres chic! And I was looking over the proofs and it's a particularly fab issue. Sigh. I lurve my mag.

Gian and CJ's wedding. It felt like college all over again--I was the lone girl in our table!

I was the idiot who brought a camera and left the memory card. So I had to make do with my phone.

It was cool hanging with the B Boys again after so long. After the wedding, Rene, GP, and I headed to Rene's house to watch an old Pink Panther movie. Hilarious, babaw stuff!

My game show experience. Not particularly exciting, but definitely out of the ordinary!

IT's Magic! Our batch reunion. It was a frenzied month working on this thing, but I think we pulled off a great event. Got to see people I hadn't seen since high school (including some former teachers), got to witness the Flying Ipis reunion (woohoo!), and once again came face-to-face with just how awesome my fiance is. H, the darling, agreed to man the registration table with not a single complaint.

We also had a fashion show featuring creations by our batchmates Mads (my BFF, whose gorgeous dresses earned rave reviews!) and bag designer Amina. Here I am showing off a lovely bag from the Aranaz RIIR collection:

Tank top from Bench, an event sponsor. Supermodel (and another batchmate) Macky (Isabel) Roces gave us pointers on how to model bags. Was a bit nervous--last time I had to do this, I was in flats and the ground was flat.Tapilok-prone me was a bit anxious about walking on an uneven surface, in high heels to boot!

Plus, we raised a lot of money (and got a lot of donations) for charity!

Being ridiculously in love. Seriously. It's been over eight years, but this month, I discovered even more reasons to love him. I am truly, truly blessed.

So yeah, April was a month of reunions and rediscovery. Despite stressing over guest lists (the worst part of all the wedding preps), worrying over finances, and struggling with some personal issues, I still had a really great month--it's the people that made the difference. Things could go wrong, they don't always go as planned. But with the friends that I've got and the love of my life by my side...well, it's still always a good life!

Can't smile without you

2009-04-27T18:51:00.003+08:00

Irv, bless him, sent me this video from years ago...

It's a cast of thousands, so have fun spotting me! Hahaha.

I survived a Pinoy game show

2009-04-17T22:57:00.007+08:00

D: What are you doing tomorrow?
Me: I have a meeting. What's up?
D: You wanna do Pinoy Bingo? I have to bring seven friends.
Me: Uh...
D: Come na.

Me with (clockwise from left, standing) Migz, Angel, Boom, Gali, Meli, and Nica. Behind us is the Pinoy Bingo Night version of a tambiolo!

What the heck. In the spirit of embracing new experiences, I fixed my sched and agreed to go. This was probably my only chance to ever be on a game show so might as well!

The next day, we were at the studio at the given call time. Apparently, TV is a lot like the Warriors in that there's a fake call time. "Be there by 5:00," D told me the day before. But we didn't start until 9:00 pm! Wished I had a good book with me, but we ended up hanging at a nearby Dencio's for a bit, before continuing our wait in the dressing room. As Nova Villa played during the first part of the show, the rest of us sat in that little room, doing nothing. (Meli, who needed some energy after a tiring day, was munching on some sugar--raw sugar!--which she nicked from a sugar bag outside.)

Pinoy Bingo Night is a new game show hosted by Kris Aquino. It's basically a contestant versus the audience, but while the audience plays regular bingo, the contestant plays something a bit harder. On that day, D had to play "crossword bingo":

1) Before he pulled the lever to release a bingo ball, he had to say either "odd" or "even."
2) If the ball comes out bearing his choice, then he's credited. E.g., He says "even," and "B4" comes out. In this case, one of his two Bs lights up.
3) The audience gets to mark whatever number comes out off their cards.
4) If D gets is wrong, none of his letters light up. If he gets it right, but the letters corresponding to the ball are already lit up, he doesn't get credited for it.

In theory, it's harder for D to win because he could make the wrong guess all the way and not win, while someone from the audience, no matter what, would win. Hence, D was playing for a million while the audience was playing for P50,000--but if, say, four people win, they wouldn't have to split the pot; they would each get the fifty grand.

D was tasked to bring seven people, a panel of coaches to help him decide between odd and even. His chosen seven: girlfriend Angel, best friend Meli, "brother" Gali, teammates Nica and Migz, director Boom, and myself. We were supposed to support his every choice and kind of play against the audience--like if someone was namumuro, we had to go "Wala! Wala!" Only Migz and I were kind of emphatic about this though. Haha. Sumusunod lang kay direk!

We walked into the studio which was actually pretty awe-inspiring. Boom mentioned how he took a tour of game show sets in the US--Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy!, which I totally envy him for--and none of them were as tricked out as our Pinoy game show sets. There was that huge clear ball containing mini-balls with the Bingo numbers, a lever which controlled the air and sucked in the balls, a huge screen to show which letters D already had. And backstage, a crew member who was sleeping through the racket.

D--lookin' all Tiger Woods-y in his yellow shirt and black jacket, and that sunny-side-up cap that drives me nuts--ended up losing. He had two Os left before two people from the audience yelled "Bingo!" He didn't ask two or three of us for help, which was totally fine--at least I had nothing to do with his loss! Haha.

I would say that it's another thing I could check off my list, but really, I never even thought to put "appear on a game show" on my list! Would've been fun to sit in the audience and play for real though!

Things I found during the break

2009-04-14T15:34:00.005+08:00

I told myself I would fix up my room during Holy Week. I divided the space into little project areas, but only managed to clear one measly spot. Was beginning to clear area #2 when I came across a bag filled with stuff that was years and years old. This, of course, stopped me from going through the rest of my junk. Things that were in the bag:

An old newspaper article about (Ric, you’re gonna love this!) Q-Zar! This was probably around 15 years old, as its yellowed edges could attest. It had a black-and-white picture of Santino, Edmund, and JJ, and the story was about how these rich kids were making their own money. I kept it because at that time in my life, Q-Zar was a big deal to me. On schooldays, I would find ways to drop by and sneak in a game or just say hi to the marshals who had become our friends. (And, in the case of some, crushes. Hahaha.)

Little pieces of paper scribbled with notes. My awful writing was scrawled on two teeny pieces from an old notepad. These recorded two milestones way back in 1991—1) “Went to Marbella with my family,” (Marbella is now Caylabne), and 2) “Met President Corazon Aquino. Shook hands with her.” I don’t remember much about the Marbella trip; I do remember my dad emerging from a helicopter. When I told H about the second piece of paper, he looked surprised. We still hadn’t met when I used to enjoy certain privileges, so finding out that I had met and shook hands with Tita Cory was probably sort of unexpected. (I also met FVR, if I remember right.)

A letter to Cris Bustos. I feel bad that I never got to mail this letter to Cris. She had just moved away, and I tend to keep in touch with people who leave because I think it must be lonely moving to a new place with none of your friends around. (Email and the Internet weren't a part of everyday life back then.) The envelope was covered with little notes from our other high school classmates. The letter itself was mostly about our boys back then, and how the word “orgy” caused outrage. It also included this gem:

Use “guava” in a sentence.
Nagpagupit ako. Masa-guava?

I actually laughed out loud when I read it, and Mike quite enjoyed it when I told him about it. Anyhoo, if I could track down Cris, it’d be cool to send her that letter-slash-time capsule!

Old postcards from Paris. Bought more than ten years ago on a trip to Paris, these babies had images of places I don’t even remember seeing. Instead of buying postcards of the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and the Arc de Triomphe, I bought those with images that I can’t even recognize. Strange. I gave H one, writing a little note at the back. It’d be awesome going back to Paris, this time with the love of my life!

Another thing I found, or rather, found out: I could sit through three hours of the Seven Last Words, even in this summer heat, all for the love of my mother (and for Jesus!). And was quite impressed that my brother did the same. But I guess, for other people, the tangibles are more interesting.

Marvelous March

2009-04-08T22:19:00.006+08:00

Now time for the March 2009 highlight reel!

Dance, dance, dance

Photo by Aaron Vicencio. Notice my makeshift leg warmers made of an old pair of Winnie the Pooh slipper socks that I never used!

I had it in my head that this was going to be my last major CADs concert. The 15th anniversary concert seemed like a good time to take my final bow. But then H said, "Why does this have to be your last?" If I can still shake it, then honey, I betta shake it, right? Haha. If I'm not preggers by next year, then perhaps I shall dance again.

Serendipity

While I got to meet up with friends I haven't seen in ages (hullo, Jerry Bear!), it was also cool how I ran into people in the most unexpected places. Dondi and I were trying to figure out how to meet up, and as I was walking down the street, he was driving down the same road! How cool is that? A little later in the day, I was waiting for mumsy to finish her meeting at Power Plant. While I was at a store, I heard a familiar voice yell "Tish the Dish!" It was the other D, Derek, who along with G and G's cousin, accompanied me 'til mumsy wrapped things up. I intro'd D to mother, whose friend asked me later on, "Sino 'yung kasama mong may malaking muscles?" Hahaha.

Boracay Open 2009

Photo stolen from Fel

The Warriors' first time to join the Boracay Open. It wasn't about winning. It was about camaraderie--and one last hurrah before the honeys left. (Which, by the way, is an April 2009 lowlight. Boo!)

And so it begins...

Yummy barbecue chicken salad by K. by Cunanan

I told myself that I wouldn't start preparing--really preparing--until six months before The Day. I spread out the tasks over the months leading up to it, and gave H his own to-do list, just so we won't get overwhelmed. I am really aiming to just be chillin' the week before The Day, so I'm trying to stick to the sched. Pat on the back for me for already meeting with my potential gown maker (who gave me a really good price. Thank you, Tatamaps), and for sitting down with our caterer, Kaye Cunanan, for initial food tasting! She was really lovely and gracious and accommodating, and I feel comfortable entrusting the food and the setups to her! And H and I have also finalized our entourage. Yay!

P.S. It's funny how the first question people ask me upon seeing me is, "How are the plans coming along?"

Honeys' despedida

I already miss my co-captains!

It was a highlight in that it was another crazy Warriors' par-tey. Sosyal pa kasi may chocolate fountain! Sure, we were supposed to be celebrating our NYL09 win...but that night, we were more concerned about saying adios to El Capitan and La Capitana. Incidentally, we elected new captains, and I shall be stepping down when Papa G leaves for the US. (Sigh of relief.) Congrats to the new ones! And good luck!

2009-04-05T15:36:00.000+08:00

Five months to go!:)

When you're a "yes" man (or girl)

2009-04-01T12:13:00.003+08:00

Again, I am reminded of this beautiful word, "No."

There's so much going on now...

Concert on Friday, where I have three dances--one of which I haven't even completely learned yet. Would've wanted to dance the Street Comp Master Mix (I so miss dancing street), but there's just not enough time to learn a whole new routine
Rackets, rackets, rackets. I've got three in the works, one of which is pretty major, in terms of workload. I am thankful though because rackets are blessings!
That batch reunion, where I find that I am suddenly the head of one of the committees
Wedding preps, which are in full swing
Work! We're losing three days to the holidays/holy days, and that is a big deal in our world. In three days, you could squeeze in as many as six shoots! So the remaining work days are more packed than usual

And then I have scheduled lunches, a baby shower, and other get-togethers lined up. I'm relieved that we elected new captains (congrats!), and that I was allowed to step down. A teeny part of me was somewhat reluctant to, partly because (as people have observed, and I am willing to admit) I'm a control freak. But a BIG part of me is welcoming the change--I don't have to plan or coordinate anything; don't have to attend meetings; don't have to call, email, text people; don't have to collect anything; don't have to think about player rotation; don't have to decide on stuff that would affect a whole group of people. I can just focus on improving as a player! And also on how to better protect myself from the sun. Racerback tanlines showing through my wedding gown just won't do.

Darkness is a beautiful thing

2009-03-29T11:49:00.004+08:00

Darkness has long been associated with evil, but for one hour last night, it was a symbol of collective good and of a whole world wanting to make a positive change. Hour by hour, a strip of the earth--one time zone--shut off or dimmed its lights, a resounding "no" vote against global warming.

For our part, H and I switched off the lights in the garage and living area. We watched B movies while we were enveloped in darkness, and I eventually dozed off. He gently shook me awake a while later to inform me that Earth Hour was over.

I think the whole appeal of Earth Hour is that it's pretty easy--by doing something as simple as flicking off a switch, you become part of a bigger effort to save Mother Earth. It's proof that saving the planet, much like acts of kindness, doesn't have to mean grand gestures; it's all about little acts coming together to produce astounding results.

So switch off your lights whenever you can. That one simple act can already do a whole world of good.

It was legend--WAIT A MINUTE!--dary!

2009-03-24T18:18:00.014+08:00

It was the Warriors' first time to join the Boracay Open. Seventeen players from our team flew to paradise to play and par-tey, and while that's a pretty good number, we still missed the folks back home who were slaving away in the midst of busy season.

The boys in their matching shorts

Took so long to post about the trip coz I've been tamad to upload photos. I still am, so I just stole a bunch of them from Jacq and JP. Hehe.

Highlights:

Game vs. Ultimate Summer. By far, the most fun game we played during the tourney was against this local team. These dudes and dudettes just fly on sand. Iba na rin ang homecourt advantage! We were down 10-5 or something, so they had one point to go. So for the last point, EVERYBODY played. Both teams made their way to the endzones, then the Warriors yelled, "Luhod!" It was the only way it was going to be an even playing field, so we all got down on our knees! It was crazy tiring trying to run/crawl around, with so many people crowding the playing area. But guess what? We scored!

Overheard from local spectators, "Kung kelan nakaluhod, du'n pa sila naka-score!" Hahaha.

Warriors Yoga. "Ako ay may lobo..."

Par-teys! The first night was kind of low key, although we were treated to a performance by Fafa Fel! But the second night—ahh, the second night. Boracay + a PUA party = a recipe for debauchery! (I was a mere spectator. We all found out why Master is called Master! Hahaha.) The third night...well, it lasted til morning. All the single ladies met a bunch of new dudes, c/o Bugaw Extraordinaire Sarah. I was being anti-social. Haha.

The Xavier Boys vs. Others Battle. Since I wasn't on the prowl and meeting new men wasn't on my agenda, I served as photographer for some of the boys who were already in my life! Dondi-Doc teamed up versus Mike-Fel-JP in some weird contest wherein each team had to get as many pics as they could, without the other team getting into the pic for a D. No contest. The Others won this battle. (X Boys, ano ba naman, I tried helping you out pa!)

And by the end of it, I had 60 photos in my camera, all of their faces. Syet.

Lowlights:

Getting a bunch of weird tan lines. Racerback layered over old racerback tanlines, the strings and straps of my various bikini tops, and the outlines of my various bikini bottoms (aka “panty”). Ang my skin is reacting badly to the sun exposure.:(

Totally missing H. My teammates were so sick of hearing just how much I missed him. And he was probably so sick of me telling him that I missed him. Haha. It didn’t help that one of our best dates ever was on the island. I was just constantly wishing that he was there.

Totally missing H’s championship game. Which they won! Damn, I always miss his crucial games. And I also missed the B Boys’ game, wherein Tek and Jerry Bear got into a fight with a, er, matinee idol. Hahaha.

Quotable quotes:

Gladys: OMG! I know right?

~*~*~*~

Tish: Pwede kayong humingi ng extra kumot.
Mike: Dalawa naman kumot namin ah.
Greg: Oo, pero 'yung dalawa kasi nasa isang kama lang kanina so hindi ko nakita.
Tisha: (to Mike) Teka...Ba't nandu'n 'yung dalawang kumot sa isang kama? Kayong dalawa lang ni Nana sa kwarto kagabi ah. Sa isang kama lang kayo natulog?

(Ooh!)

~*~*~*~

Sidelines cheering for Lei and Tish during the games: Go panty girls!

~*~*~*~

Warrior 1: Sino nga pala 'yung basketball player na magkaiba kulay ng buhok?
Tisha: Si Tubid?
Warrior 2: Hinde, si Rodman!
Warrior: Ayun! Si Rodman!

(OK sorry, PBA watcher ako. Hahaha.)

~*~*~*~

Sarah (approaching random foreigners): Shot! Shot! Shot! Have you met my friend Jomen?

(Tapos iiwan na niya. Hwattabugaw!)

~*~*~*~

Sarah: Have you met my friend Jomen?
(A girl from another team approaches the group and grabs the guy’s arm)
Girl: He’s mine!

(Sabay alis, dragging the guy along with her. Taraaaay!)

~*~*~*~

Waryoritas

Warrior 1: First feet!
Warrior 2: Oo nga, first feet!
Gladys: Yeah, first feet!
Dondi: Anong first feet? First foot!
Tisha: Dumb and dumber ‘yon ah.
Dondi: Hinde, tatlo eh, so dumb, dumber, and—
Enteng: Dummiest!
Dondi: (kulang na lang mangamot ng ulo) Oo. Dumb, dumber, and dummiest.
Enteng: Ay, mali, more dummiest pala.
Tisha: Dapat most dummiest.
Enteng: Hinde, more dummiest muna, tapos most dummiest pa ‘yung susunod. 'To naman o.

(Anakng. Nakakabobo ‘yung usapan na ‘to!)

~*~*~*~

Tisha: Hanapan mo nga ng boys 'to! (referring to Jo)
Xtian: Ano ba type mo?
Jo: Kayumanggi!
Tisha: Na medyo gusgusin ang hitsura.
Jo: Na matangkad.
(Later, an African dude walks by)
Xtian: (excited) Nasa'n 'yung kaibigan mo?

(The next morning, Tisha tells Jo about what happened)
Jo: Nasa'n na si Xtian? Kailangan kong i-reorient. Sabi ko kayumanggi hindi...(looks at my taho) arnibal.

~*~*~*~

Jim: Heyew!

~*~*~*~

Dondi: (mimicking How I Met Your Mother) It's going to be legend--
Gladz: Wait a minute!

(Hahahaha.)

Jump, Tisha, Jump!

2009-03-23T20:34:00.004+08:00

Photo by Fel. Booty by the Almighty! (Although ice cream probably had something to do with it as well. Haha.)

Tisha reporting live from QC after four glorious days in sunny (sometimes painfully so) Boracay. The tourney was alright; Dragons are champions yet again. Marc Nelson was there, but we all got a crush on a hot girl from HK with mad skillz (she throws a mean forehand). For the most part, we had fun at the parties (hedonism comes with the whole Boracay package, but I was a mere spectator). I just loved chillin' with my teammates. Lots of new quotable quotes, words to be added to the Warriors' Dictionary, and great memories!

Will post a lengthy recap soon. I just wanted to upload that fab photo by Fel first. I'm not skinny but I don't give a crap. Haha. I just love the composition--the sun, the water shooting from my toes, the height of my jump, no matter how formless it is. Although my ballerina friends would be scandalized.

For now, I gotta crash. Went straight from partying to breakfast to the airport. Last time I did that was Bintan two years ago, and it hasn't gotten any easier! I. Am. Out.

The honeymooners

2009-03-18T23:01:00.009+08:00

When H and I talk about our honeymoon, we normally consider beaches abroad. We both love the beach (although my feelings for it have somewhat diminished, considering I have a perpetual tan now), plus we're both raring to leave the country for a bit again. A local honeymoon wasn't even on our list, until we found out that there's a chance--however slight--that we could possibly spend three blissful days in...Amanpulo!

It wasn't something I ever considered because...well, the rates are kind of...let's say prohibitive for third-world wage earners! (Mikey's answer to that: "Magbenta lang ng isang kabayo si haciendero, pwede na!" Haha.) I don't even have friends who've been there, and have only heard of urban legends of girls getting proposed to by their loaded boyfriends there. Up until yesterday, the place was as real to me as Rivendell. But now, my skin is tingling just thinking about being caressed by Amanpulo sun.

For those who haven't been introduced to the luxurious world of Aman Resorts, they're, like, the ish yo, and there's one right in Palawan. Accessible, geography-wise--but budget-wise? Hmmm. I was weighing whether I would still prefer a honeymoon abroad or one at Amanpulo--the cost would pretty much come out the same. But after seeing this...

And this...

...I'm all for supporting Ace Durano's WOW Philippines initiatives. Suddenly my upcoming Bora trip isn't quite as exciting. And suddenly, a local honeymoon sounds much, much more enticing.

All photos from here.

Diet shmiet (part two of two)

2009-03-11T23:11:00.000+08:00

Over the years, my weight has yo-yoed about five to seven pounds, which makes a whole lotta diff on a teeny girl like myself. (Eva Longoria, who’s about my height, gained just seven pounds and people already thought she was preggers!) I lost weight unintentionally some years back, when I was dancing five hours a day and eating small, frequent meals because I was too busy to sit down and eat big meals that took up too much precious time. Then I gained it back. Then had to lose it a few months later to—egad—don a bikini at a fashion show. My crash diet of choice: the three-day diet. You’re supposed to lose ten pounds in three days; I probably lost around four to six. Good enough. Although eating all that broccoli was hell.

I never did try the uber-trendy South Beach Diet (A LOT of people I know were whittled down to skin and bones on this diet). Read about the Zone Diet but it just seemed like too much work. When I had to lose weight in a span of two weeks, I tried a modified version of my friend’s Fit for Life diet: fruits for breakfast, no cheese, no milk, then just carbs OR protein—never together—and unlimited fruits and veggies for lunch and dinner. It’s supposed to help your digestion. I believed in this diet because I saw what it did to my friend, and the results were convincing. So I tried it (although I sometimes had oatmeal for breakfast, couldn’t give up milk, and didn't really lay off the sweets), and it did work. I felt so much healthier, primarily because I was making a more conscious effort to eat veggies with every meal. And since I couldn’t mix protein with carbs, I couldn’t indulge in evil, greasy food like sisig (protein) because I couldn’t have ‘em with their perfect complement, rice (carbs). I felt great—no bloating—and I even have a treasured photo of a bikini-clad me with what could be the beginnings of abs. (If you squint while looking at it, you’ll see faint lines...)

Early this year, I vowed to get my goal body by the time the trip rolled around. But the two months I had turned into one, and four weeks turned into two. And here I am, again trying another diet: the General Motors diet (supposedly formulated for GM employees). A former co-worker sent me an article about it, and well, I succumbed. I’m on Day 3, and I’m not a happy camper. I’m thinking of just doing it til Day 4, but whatevs.

I just wanna see if it works. See, I don’t have a blog called “Diary of a Food Lover” for nothing—eventually, I’ll be back to my old ways. I have to dig deep and find the discipline it requires to make a lifestyle change, pronto.

…Or maybe right before the next beach trip.

Diet shmiet (part one of two)

2009-03-10T12:48:00.004+08:00

I must say, when my girl friends reminisce about the times when they were "so skinny" and "had no stomach," I totally can't relate. I have never ever ever been skinny (or maybe that's my eating-disorder-prone high school self talking), and couldn't even conjure an image of a skinny me in my head, until I had a dream of a stick-thin me a couple of weeks ago. (Didn't like it.)

I'm feeling a tad pressured though, coz I've got an upcoming trip, and I'll be standing alongside my super svelte teammates. Trust Fate (and her sense of humor) to dump all the skinny girls in PUA into one team--my team. Haha. Hence, the frantic "Marie! How do I lose weight in a month?!" cry for help a few weeks back. My fave beauty/fitness guru's reply: "Stop eating sweets!"

"Never gonna give you up..."

And then I realized, when people ask, "How do I lose weight?" what they're really asking is: "How do I lose weight without making any effort?" We all know what we're supposed to be doing—eating right (meaning, lots of fruits and veggies, good carbs); eating small, frequent meals; drinking lots of water; working out—but we just don't want to be bothered. So we fall into the trap of crash diets. Or, at least, I do, when I have to fit into something (often, a bikini) in a short span of time.

Next: Crashin' and burnin'

2009-03-05T11:56:00.001+08:00

Six months to go!:)

Feb 2009 roundup

2009-02-27T18:27:00.006+08:00

I had a tooth extracted, was evicted from my room, am currently living in messier-than-average digs (have not sorted through everything yet—no time!), and was bogged down and bummed out by a hundred other minor changes…but Feb was not without its highlights! With the bad comes the good.

2 become 1

“Coz tonight is the night when 2 become 1…” Notice: 1) how nognog I am compared to the rest of my family (left side), 2) darling Marga in her tube top and matching shorts!

H’s mom was in town so we started off the month with the pamamanhikan on the first of February. They came over bearing a truckload of food (aside from delish dishes from Conti’s, they brought extra stuff like spaghetti), and got to meet mi familia. Dad was in character, cooped up in his room for the most part, watching the exciting Aussie Open match. (Can’t blame him.) Was a bit nervous about the whole thing, but it turned out OK.

Flower power

Getting flowers never gets old. My sweet fiancé surprised me on the evening of Friday the 13th with a bunch of purty flowers! Awww.

Full of hot air

I’m happy I decided to drag my arse out of bed at 3:00 in the morning so that I could make it to the Hot Air Balloon Fiesta. I got closer to a balloon than I would have, had I actually ridden it!

Inside a balloon as it was being blown up (photo from Fel)

Let’s do lunch

It seems like such a minor thing unworthy of a place in the highlight reel, but eating at Soms one lunch time was one of the things that made me happy this month. It’s nice getting out of the office for a relaxed, yummy lunch with a bunch of fabulous girls (the MC staff). So nice, in fact, that it didn’t matter that we got rained on as we tried to flag down a cab.

We are the champions!

(Photo from Ian)

Our goal at the beginning of the league: to become Pool B champs. And mission accomplished!

I don’t give a crap that people are saying we won coz of the two superstars on our team. Whatevs, man. We worked hard for that, we won, and they can’t take that away from us! Ultimate…Warriors!

(Master)Piece of cake

2009-02-25T19:23:00.007+08:00

I first learned about Sylvia Weinstock while I was watching an ep of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy a few years ago. While the show exhibited her cake-making skills, I didn't realize just how amazing she was until I saw this...

While it's not the kind of cake I would have at my wedding (I would rather spend on other things), I must say that that is a masterpiece. Sylvia is truly an artist. Note those lovely bouquets surrounding the base of the cake and sitting on the top tier: Those life-like beauties are actually sugar flowers, hand-molded by the cake-maker! What skill! What talent! What artistry!

I snagged this pic off of Martha Stewart Weddings (Winter 2008). It was a feature on the winners of the "Today Throws a Martha Stewart Wedding" contest. The winners were Cody Hegelson and Jessica Mapel, and their wedding was the first ever held at the private event space at famed jeweler Tiffany & Co. (rumored to be closing. Damn you, Recession!).

Sure, it was purty, but I don't think I would have the towering centerpieces they used, nor have a breakfast reception. (I can't drag my friends--or myself--out of bed so early in the morning.) But three things did make a big impression on me:

The heavenly dessert buffet (such pretty pastel treats!)
The carved ice bar (huge blocks of ice used as chillers; some were cut to look like humongous diamonds, befitting of the setting)
The Ghost chairs (used in lieu of the ever-dependable, always-elegant Tiffany chairs or--gasp!--slipcovered Monoblocks. Funny though how a Tiffany wedding didn't have Tiffany chairs)

In about a week, wedding preps will be in full swing. I think I've dawdled long enough. Here. We. Go.

Ultimate...Warriors!

2009-02-23T12:14:00.001+08:00

Warriors are New Year League 2009 Pool B champs! And El Capitan is Pool B MVP! Woohoo!

Call me "mutt"

2009-02-19T15:23:00.000+08:00

Today, I met two people who asked if I was Filipina (one guy was from Burma…it’s normally the foreigners who can’t tell). One of them said that I looked Turkish with some Spanish. A number of people have asked if I have Spanish blood (D, for one. And a dude in the US started speaking to me in Spanish once). Some guys in Palawan asked me if I was Thai. My Aussie 5 Takes roommie said I looked Puerto Rican, while Team Taiwan said I looked like someone back in their home country.

So, as of today, I could pass for Filipina-Turkish-Spanish-Thai-Puerto Rican-Taiwanese. Throw in the Indian jokes (because of my built-in bindi) and H’s chinito-ness, and it’d be interesting to see what my kids would look like!

Hot air and the day of hearts

2009-02-18T13:55:00.006+08:00

A frantic call from my mother at 6:00 in the morning:

“Nasa’n ka?!”

Oopsie.

I left the house at 3:00 am to go to Clark with my teammates. I mentioned it to my mother in a hurried phone conversation the day before, but apparently she thought I was leaving in the afternoon. She panicked when she saw my empty bed at sunrise—a time which I normally consider “the middle of the night.”

I wasn’t supposed to go to the Hot Air Balloon Fiesta, but decided to do so at the last minute because:

1. I had an overwhelming week and thought it would be a nice break.
2. I had a tooth pulled and was feeling low.
3. I had a tooth pulled and couldn’t attend dance practice anyway (“No strenuous activities for four days,” said my dentist. Four days? Riiight. The next thing he said was, “I know I can’t stop you, so here’s what you should do when it bleeds…”).
4. It was an experience that at least promised to be different.

And I am so glad I went because:

1. We had special access courtesy of Fafa Fel’s powers. So we got really up close and personal with the balloons!

2. I got to sort of crawl inside one balloon as it was being aired up, and had some pics taken, wind factor and all.
3. We got Dondi’s “pasindi” shot, after A LOT of attempts.

5. We ran into a superstar who was with his new girlfriend…who happened to be a good friend of mine! “Surprise” was an understatement in this case. Haha.

Would’ve been cool having H there, but, as he said, it’s not his thing. We were together the night before—Best Boyfriend Ever gave me flowers—and we spent the V-Day evening in, eating pizza in front of the TV (and with pore strips on our noses). Really, it isn’t the fancy-shmancy restos, the overpriced bouquets, the sexy underthings that make the day of hearts; it's simply about spending it with the person that makes your heart beat that much faster.

Right, Jasper and Dinds? Harhar.

When it rains

2009-02-10T19:22:00.003+08:00

I don't know if it's the sugar rush or if all the changes are starting to make me feel dizzy.

Whatevs. Things have been pummeling forward at breakneck speed, it's a bit of a challenge trying to keep up and to cope.

Our SUV was sold. I didn't even get to say goodbye.

Good ol' Elps is retiring. Again. And I guess this time it's for good. He's had his Michael Jordan moment.

The house is being renovated. In a major way. As in, tonight is the last night I will ever spend in the room I've had for years.

There have been some earth-shaking happenings at work. Plus one of my co-workers resigned; another will soon follow.

I'm having a tooth extracted. (That's the short version of it.) OK, so the toothache I've had for days was intolerable (and H was aghast after seeing how swollen my gums were), but I didn't think it was gonna be this bad. Now I have to set aside moolah for something I never imagined I would spend on this year. It's a lot of money, damnit.

I'm getting married. Which is a really good thing. (And something else that's...a lot of money as well.) But it's an incredibly BIG change--moving out, moving in with someone, taking on a new name. Among other things.

"Embrace change," H told me today. I am trying to. But please, I need to catch my breath. Even just for a minute.

Exactly seven months from now...

2009-02-05T19:08:00.000+08:00

...I will be a Mrs.:)

January 2009 Highlights

2009-02-04T23:17:00.003+08:00

And just like that, the first month of the year has gone by! Some highlights:

New Year with the fam

I looove being with my family, so even though I was bummed that H got sick (which meant we couldn't party as planned), I still had a pretty rockin' New Year.

Hyper Diego with pogi Lolo. Awesome!

We spent it at my bro's place, where the kids were in their PJs, in awe of the fireworks. (Marga had gotten over her fear.) Diego, who could already say, "That's so cool!" (I wonder if Tito Miguel had anything to do with that...), learned how to say "Awesome!" courtesy of, ehem, his tita. Everyone was in good spirits as we sat around the table and talked, and feasted on Rita's yummy pot roast, and a gooey chocolate cake. And when it comes to chocolate cakes, the gooier, the better!

H's big 3-0

Wok with Ham: Us in matching aprons. Hehe

I am now engaged to someone in his 30s! My man celebrated the big day with a steak-and-wine party--a departure from the usual beer and sisig, and perhaps, a true sign of maturity! Haha. I had fun playing hostess for the night, and was just happy that H was happy.:)

New Year League

The first league of the year has started, and our lineup is loaded! We even got two Team Pilipinas players on our roster (D & G--not to be confused with the original, Dondi & Greg). Our record so far: 3-1. Let's go, Warriors!

Ron and Rhea's wedding

I-Girls with the newlyweds (Rhea, all goddess-like in her short dress)

Rhea was the first Pinay bride I had ever seen in a short dress. Lovely! I wore another Madhuri Hemandas creation, and we stayed for as long as the flipped-out music would let us. (Let's just say the DJ played a rather, er, diverse selection of sounds.) I had quite a bit of sparkling white wine (champagne-y, without actually being from Champagne), nicked from the couple's table! Haha. Congrats and best wishes, Ron and Rhea!

Kitchen-spiration

2009-01-29T12:39:00.007+08:00

So, my wedding theme will kind of be based on...

Taken from domino, December/January 2009 (one of my fave foreign magazines, which, incidentally, is folding. Sigh)

A kitchen, of all things! Inspiration comes from the weirdest places. I've come up with an inspiration board, but I'd rather not post it. Let's just say it's kind of urban chic, inspired by my beloved domino mag. (Oh, it will be missed!)

As of last count, five people at my office are engaged. Two of us--M and I--had lunch together and started talking about weddings. I kind of try to avoid the subject when I'm with a non-bride, because I feel that it's not exactly an exciting topic for them, and I don't wanna put 'em through the misery of having to listen to me. There are other things going on in the world!

It was great talking to M coz, well, she's a whole different level of wedding-averse! It was refreshing talking to someone who could care less about the wedding video, and who wrinkled her nose at the thought of a pre-nup photo shoot. (No offense to brides who fall into that other category... It's just...not my style.) We complained about ballooning guest lists and how this whole wedding thing has become so commercial and, sometimes, cheesy. We chuckled over how mothers, bless them, really can't help but get involved. We also kind of compared notes about wedding gowns. (I still have no idea who's doing mine. Although the two of us did spend one morning trying on wedding gowns that were stored in the prop room! Haha.)

So yeah, I'm saying no to starry-eyed pre-nup pics, that pricey on-site video, the ubiquitous photo booth. But M? She's doing me one better and flying to Tuscany to get hitched! Sigh.

Another year, another league

2009-01-26T12:32:00.006+08:00

Kung hei fat choi! Dragon dance by new teammate Gali and two of his friends (photo from Kring)

The first PUA league of the year has officially started! We won our first game, 11-4 versus Marcelo Ultimate. We lost our second game versus K3 on universal point, 5-6. Sayang! But considering this team used to totally whoop our asses, a universal point is a marked improvement on our part! Woohoo!

Sweet talkin'

2009-01-23T13:27:00.004+08:00

For the second year in a row, I was invited to give a career talk at my old high school. I was a bit nervous about it right before I started because I felt so unprepared--I rehashed last year's talk, and had just redone my presentation hours before. I was scheduled to speak for an hour and was concerned about the amount of time I was given--did I have enough content? But oh well, it was the last class of the day, and I figured the girls would thank me if they were dismissed early!

I started by giving an overview of my course--the pros and cons, the possible careers you could have after graduation. Then I focused on the career that I chose, and talked about misconceptions that people have about the job (that it's a glamorous job, for one. Seriously, a lot of days, it just so...isn't). During the first part of my talk, I mentioned electives, saying something like, "You could take up video production. That's how I met my fiance!" which elicited a reaction from the girls. Later on, as I was showing magazine covers, they all gasped at the teen magazine which bannered "PROM" on the cover. (Their prom is two weeks away. Oh, the excitement!)

At the end of my talk, I asked if they had any questions. And while a few asked about internships and all that, most of the questions were stuff like, "How did you meet your fiance?" "How did he propose?" I was unsure about indulging them since it was supposed to be a career talk, but their teacher kind of nodded her assent. Luckily, I had kilig stories to tell, perfect for starry-eyed, hopeless-romantic high school juniors. I got a collective "Awwww!" a couple of times as I told them about my--our--love story. (Thank you, H, for a Campus Romance-worthy story!)

Then they asked about prom. "Be good. And have fun!" I told them. The teacher asked me what "have fun" meant exactly. "Spend time with your girls," I said. "I know it's prom, and I know it's supposed to be a romantic, magical night. But don't let it be all about your date. Your high school friends are gonna be your friends 'til you're older, so it'd be nice to have this memory of prom with them. Spend time with your girls," I urged them. "Boys come and go," I started saying.

"...but friends are forever," they finished.

At the end of it, I sort of apologized to the teacher. "They were more interested in my love life than my career," I chuckled. The teacher told me that the girls said, "Miss, she was fun!" Now I don't know if she was just saying that, or if the girls really thought that. But whether it was a bit of career guidance or a little nugget about the importance of girl friends, I do hope that they took away even a little something from my talk.

A childhood fave

2009-01-21T00:54:00.007+08:00

It started with us singing along to a song from Disney's Little Mermaid. It led to us looking for old-school Little Mermaid, circa 1975. Which in turn reminded me of...

I couldn't believe they had the entire Swan Lake on YouTube! I used to drive my family nuts by watching this over and over and over when I was in kindergarten (or first grade...I'm pretty sure it was before second grade because we still lived in Makati). I was so obsessed that I even drew a comic book version.

Watching it as a grownup, I could still feel the excitement I used to feel as I heard the first haunting strains of Tchaikovsky's classic. Images of Odette's big, melancholic eyes, and Odille's eerie pale skin and blue tresses all came flooding back. I remembered the heartbreak I felt for Odette as she was locked in Rothbart's castle, and Odille attempted to trick the prince into picking her as his bride.

There were a few differences in the viewing experience, however, not the least of which was that the prince looks so much younger! As a kid, I always thought he was so grown up--he was about to get married, after all. Another thing I noticed: The animation is very Voltron. (Man, I miss two-dimensional animated movies.) And lastly, there's something creepy about Prince Siegfried declaring that he had fallen in love with Odette even before he discovered she was more than just a swan. Animal love? Oh-kay, whatever floats your boat.

Despite all these, and despite the fact that the animation is a bit crude by today's standards, it still remains to be one of my all-time favorite animated films. The story is poignant (though the storytelling is simplistic), the characters memorable, the emotions raw and intense. It's the kind of fairy tale that really makes a little girl want to be a princess. And it's a precious connection to my childhood that has the ability to bring on a bittersweet wave of nostalgia. I used to watch this on Betamax! Kasi..."wala pa nung MYX, wala pa nung MTV, wala pa nung Internet, wala pa nung iPod at mp3..."

2009-01-14T23:31:00.002+08:00

Recently, a friend asked me, "How do you know when the person that you're with is The One?"

All I could answer at that moment was, "You just know." And I mentioned something about remembering that exact moment when I knew. And, because we had just had a discussion about the metaphysical and the freedom of choice, I added, "Again, it's a choice."

Said friend most likely will not read this, but I think the question deserves a better answer.

I "just know" because seeing him is the best part of my day.

I know because being with him--even just having him napping on the sofa as I type away on my laptop--gives me immense comfort.

I know because he brings out the best in me, and sees the best in me. ("You look good," he told me earlier, while I sat there, confused--I was wearing sweatpants, my hair was in my pambahay banana clip, and my freshly scrubbed face was completely makeup-free.)

I know because the thought of "forever" doesn't scare me anymore.

I know because everything is better with him around.

I know because, even after eight years, I still can't wait to see him.

I know because it feels right. In fact, it's the right-est it could feel!

I know because...well, just because.

Copycat

2009-01-06T12:54:00.003+08:00

So I copied this from my namesake (who in turn copied it from someone else. Haha)...

DRINKING BUDDIES OF THE YEAR?
The Warriors, definitely! Although medyo mature drinking na this year. And I mostly just watched. Haha.

LIFETIME SERVICE AWARD - LONGEST FRIEND

I got to see Bridel again after two years, and I finally met her boyfriend! She technically isn't the longest friend I've had, but she's the best friend I've had since Grade 2.

NEWCOMER AWARD - COOLEST NEW FRIEND

Lawee Boy. I used to see him around my old office, and never thought we'd actually become friends 'til we became teammates. It was hard saying bye to him, but awesome hanging out with him in NY! And he drove me to Long Island all the way from Connecticut! Haha.

HIGH POINT OF THE YEAR?

See 2008 highlights.

LOW POINT OF THE YEAR?

Getting super stressed before I left the country for extended leave. For a whole week, I woke up every morning with an upset stomach and a puffed-up left eye. And my hair was falling out!

BEST HOLIDAY

Thanksgiving. Although we ended up eating at a Chinese resto. Hahaha.

VALENTINE’S DAY DATE

I arranged for a private chef to whip up an awesome meal for me and H.

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

Turning Point in Hoboken, db Bistro Moderne in Manhattan, and of course In-Yo, for giving me my last meal as an un-engaged woman!

BEST DECISION MADE IN 2008

Saying "yes" with all my heart.

PLANS FOR 2009

Get my goal body. Join Bora Open. Become better at my job. Dance my last dance onstage before officially retiring. Get married!!!:)

MOST STUPID IDEA WHEN DRUNK

Drinking was a stupid idea to begin with, given that I'm allergic to alcohol...

MOST MEMORABLE FIRSTS

Traveling abroad with H. Joining an international tourney. Walking the streets of New York by myself. Seeing snow!

BIGGEST CHANGE OF THE YEAR

I am now someone's fiancee!

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION

Chillax. Focus. Bring on the good juju!

GENERAL FEELING FOR 2009

Change is afoot, and it's all good!

Top 10 for 2008

2009-01-05T11:46:00.019+08:00

10. Weddings galore!

Click to enlarge

The usual reason I had to miss disc practice? Weddings! "May kasal ka nanaman?" probably ranks as the second most-asked question of the year. (The first would be, "Kelan kayo?") I attended a total of nine weddings, as far as I could remember...there's one that I skipped. While I exhibited wedding fatigue by the fourth wedding, I was still really happy for my friends who got hitched and started new lives. Marriage is a beautiful thing, after all.

9. Hiring a private chef.

This soup was to die for!

For that cheesiest of all days, V Day, I hired a private chef to whip up a gourmet meal for me and H. After a few logistical glitches, we finally sat and partook of what was probably one of the best meals of my life. Read about it here.

8. Dancing again.

With Motts outside BDC after a challenging dance class

I danced at the annual CADs concert, found fellow lovers of dance at the office, and even attended a jazz funk class in NYC!

7. Everything ultimate.

Click away, if you so desire to see our faces up close. Haha

Leagues, pick-up games, hats, parties, and, of course, my beloved team. The year 2008 saw my disc addiction reach unparalleled heights. How bad was it? One Saturday, I went to the church ceremony of a friend's wedding, rushed to disc practice, then changed back to my wedding clothes and re-did my makeup and hair to go to the reception!

6. New friends.

First row: MC2 Warriors (Ian shown with a player from Team Japan); second row: Superstar Xtian, lead hound Czar, Lawee Boy; third row: Fafa Fel, Gali Ramsay, D (and old friend Atik!)

Mostly from disc. We welcomed new people to the team, most notably the MC2 hounds who used to be our bitter rivals. Haha.

5. Family time.

I just had to put this picture in! That's my 14-month-old niece. Isn't she darling?

I think 2008 was the year I realized just how much I love my family. You know how when you're younger, spending time with the fam could feel like a chore? I don't feel that now. I like it when I get to meet up with everyone. And it was great seeing my NY relatives again. Heartwarming. You could have all the friends in the world but, as Kuya Vic said, "Family's different."

4. Ilocos.

Food tripping. Going on an Amazing Race-esque trip to Pagudpud. Eating bagnet, over and over. Perhaps the highlight of the trip was seeing the Windmills of Bangui up close. Those things are jumongous! Awe-inspiring.

3. Bangkok.

Nagpapanggap na monk with monklets!

I just realized that I never finished blogging about this trip! Oh well. The food and the shopping were great. Seeing my relatives was great. But, by far, the best thing about the whole Bangkok experience was sharing it with the love of my life!

2. New York.

Turista shot in Times Square

Sigh. I still miss it, every single day.

1. Getting engaged!

Teary-eyed and incredibly happy!

About damn time!:)

Thank you

2008-12-29T16:30:00.004+08:00

...to all those who remembered me on my birthday! I'm incredibly blessed to have had so many people greet me on the day itself, and even before and after. Whether they were reminded by Facebook or not, it's still awesome when people have you in their thoughts, isn't it?

"I wish I could eat this entire cake and not gain weight." Blowing the lone candle off my delish frozen brazo de mercedes.

It was a quiet birthday--no partying, no night out on the town. Just brunch with the fam (I looove hanging out with my family), then a whole day with H. What a treat! My sweet fiance gave me a bunch of gorgeous roses, got me the frozen brazo de mercedes I was craving for, treated me to dinner, and got a foot massage with me. Even without all the stuff, I was just happy to have him all to myself for a day. I guess it was a preview of things to come!

Oh, and Merry Christmas everyone!

2008-12-15T10:53:00.002+08:00

I still haven't decided if I'm actively going to blog about wedding preps, because I don't want to go all Bridezilla. But for now, I will say that I love being engaged! It's like I've fallen in love all over again. El Capitan says it's because of the big-ass rock on my finger (my future husband did good in that department, I must say). I don't know about that. Haha.

I think it's partly because I was away from H for a while. There were days when I was walking the streets of New York by myself, or taking 40-minute train rides alone, and it just made me wish he were beside me. It made me realize that I hate being away from him, and that most (if not all) experiences, no matter how new or exciting, would seem even better if he were there with me.

I have to admit that I don't even know where to begin fixing this wedding. But right now, I'm just preoccupied with happy thoughts--not of a big party or of getting a purty dress or whatever. I'm just relishing the thought that (hopefully) by next year, I'll be starting a new life with him by my side.

Sleepless in Manila

2008-12-13T03:13:00.004+08:00

I woke up yesterday morning thinking I was still in NY. When I realized I wasn't, I felt an incredible wave of homesickness.

I miss hearing my tita call me "anak." I miss waking up on my cousin's couch. I miss hearing Taylor sing Old MacDonald. I miss walking from my brother's place to the PATH. I miss gearing up for the cold weather, even though I complained bitterly about it the first few days I was there. I miss Ate Belinda saying, "Hi honey!" I miss my tito's quiet presence. I miss my brother's controlled excitement over showing me his town. I miss watching movies with Kuya Vic.

To borrow a line from Sleepless in Seattle, I miss everyone so much, it hurts. And the jetlag isn't helping!

I found my second home

2008-12-07T22:30:00.001+08:00

It's not the trendy districts, the raw energy, or the fancy buildings that made me fall in love with New York the second time around. It was much simpler than that. Being with some of the people I love most in this world turned this busy, bustling place (and the quiet suburbs) into my second home.

Now, when I think of a place of comfort away from Manila, I think of New York, and all the people who care so deeply about me here. My relatives made sure I was extremely comfortable (even without my beloved Winnie and Elpi around!), and always made it a point that I was having a blast, was safe and well fed. Even on days when I was left alone, I found comfort in staying at their homes—maybe it was all in my head, but I felt that they left some of their love behind, making me feel content and secure despite my solitariness, as they all went off to work or to run errands. When I was tired of walking block upon block in the city, I thought of how lovely it would be to just go “home”--to have a quiet dinner and just watch TV with my relatives, to lie in a nice bed (or sofa) that had been thoughtfully prepared for me.

I really, truly heart New York. But more than that, I really, REALLY love my family.

Cheers to eight years!

2008-12-06T04:41:00.002+08:00

Dear H,

Happy anniversary! If there's one thing I learned on this trip, it's that I am never gonna be gone for this long without you again.

I'll see you in a few days.

Love,
T

An unforgettable November

2008-12-01T14:27:00.007+08:00

November 2008 is just chock full o' highlights, but the number one highlight, undoubtedly is...

Me, with happy tears, and my hot fiance right beside me

Getting engaged! Come on, people, what could possibly top that this year? It's most likely THE highlight of 2008!

Of course, there were a couple of other things that sure made this month truly one for the books:

The Warriors joined their first international tournament, Manila Spirits 2008. We were seeded at the bottom (no exag here), being the most inexperienced team, but we clawed our way up three spots by the end of it! We won all our games on the last day! Woohoo!

Here we are with the first international team we ever played with, Team Japan!
(Click photo to enlarge!)

It was awesome playing with Team Japan, who awarded MVP shirts to Sarah and Ian on the first day. On the second day, they gave shirts to me and Czar! Woohoo! I gave my black-and-white racerback jersey to Yoko in exchange. I didn't play particularly well, I was probably given the shirt coz I was nice to Yoko. Haha. But I did score a couple of times during the tourney I think. And I even had a "double happiness" play--a layout block converted to a point. Yay!

We also stayed to watch the totally awesome finals game: Team Pilipinas vs. Black Flag. And Team Pilipinas emerged victorious! Congrats to them, they worked so hard!

And of course, the last major highlight of the month: New York, baby! The trip I thought of on a whim some months back has finally become a reality. Ahh, New York--the sights, the sounds, the FOOD, and best of all, my family!

Reunited with Kuya Vic, Gedo, Ate Udes, and Carlos (click photo to enlarge!)

It is gonna be so damn hard to leave.

But hey, I've got a fiance waiting back home!