Life of fashion, culture and adventure

This morning I woke up with a lovely song lingering in the air. Suddenly the bedroom seemed to changed and I felt like everything went back to the early part of the decade of the 90s, and then I felt my lips curve and showed a meaningful smile. I remembered when mp3 wasn't there yet. When all I have were cassette tapes to play our most loved and appreciated songs. When internet was never heard of and lyrics can only be found on the "song hits" magazines. I recalled myself as a music fan and a lover of good melodies. I felt a ticklish feeling as I imagined myself, back in the days when everything seemed to be very expensive for a regular high school student, that I was. When Air Supply's  songs put meaning to everyday's hope. When Francis M, Gary V, Vanilla Ice, and MC Hammer among others, inspire us to put moves and geared us up for an active and energetic event. As I went down memory lane, my company when I studied for an exam or a long quiz were hip-hop or r...

My hot choco It's been twelve years since I've graduated from college. It's been 12 years since me and my college friends stop seeing each other everyday. We've got more or less five years of history in college and another 12 years of life we lived separately but interlinking in more ways than one. Friendship grows with time, and we know, that with true friends, true bullying happens, but it wouldn't matter much at all. We're a group of friends in our 30ish but still would go beyond childish, embarrass ourselves in front of strangers and will just laugh about it and make it part of another bit of memory to cherish. The cake, too sweet... Two friends will be leaving for the US and they had a thanks giving party last April 2, which also happens to be another friend's (PJ's), birthday. So our birthday celebrator wasn't there to join us, but we somehow bombarded him with text messages for his birthday treat and ended agreeing for a coffee trea...

choco caramel cake @ seattle's best Whew! Enough with 2010 escapades... It was one SUPER FULL year of adventures and unending getaways... Lots of places covered, lots of calories gained as well. The one thing that was constant in all the places we've been to, is the volume of the food we ate... Normally, a lot! Well, I did not say that I'd stop getting in the bandwagon  of travels and fun rides when the year ends... The fun hasn't ended yet! 2011 has a lot of in-store for everyone... For me and Labsy? Hmmm... Let see... first stop? Off to the Philippines' Last Frontier, Palawan... I never really thought that this trip was possible for me and Labsy, but it was. It happened! We planned the trip for Labsy's 33rd birthday (Jan 23) and our 4th wedding anniversary (Jan 25). It was also good timing that Dodoy, my bro, is also home on those dates, so we booked them (him and wife, Lay) tickets to join us on this amazing trip. All four of us were soooo overly exci...

I dreamed last night, twice... Two different scenes, two different set of friends, two totally different lifestyles... I woke up and I've got lots of questions in mind... Were those dreams trying to tell me something? Am I in the beginning of two roads and wondering which road to choose? Now I'm starting to think. How was I on each scenario? Which lifestyle was I happier or contented? As I recall each scene, I seem to be happy on the first dream, or is it because the rest of the people around me were happier? But I have quite a different, yet somehow disturbing excitement on the second. I was more contented and fulfilled, yet the most important person whom I assumed to be happy for me, wasn't. The first dream was a wedding of a friend in a secluded area, where everything was colorful and festive. I stood in a corner watching everyone having the most memorable time of their lives. The good part is, I was smiling. I felt relieved that the people around me were happy and ...

  Me and Labsy are doing a little renovating at home, so there were things thrown and things discovered back. A few evenings ago, I was arranging some things and saw this old post card. There's a note at the back and it just made me smile... It came from a friend in college while he was taking a vacation in Australia on a summer some time ago. We have been friends for a long time now and we both treasure this friendship along with the rest of the members of the group. After college, we all went on separate ways. But still kept each other close enough to get in touch once in a while. We even have this funny sort-of-unsealed-pact that we would all get married on the same church but the reception venues should be different. And so far, we, six of us did get married on the same church, with six (6) different reception venues. Well, except Ferdie, since he isn't married yet and Dean, since she got married in the US. Not all of us stayed in Davao, even the sender of this post car...

This question has always been blurred to everyone, how do we know when to quit? Is a series of disappointments and mishaps enough? How do we know that we are in a wrong place or the place isn't anymore right for us? I have had a series of unfortunate events recently and sort of telling me to quit everything I'm doing right now and do something else. It made me think of other things I could be doing instead. Maybe, get a better life saver (some call it a job and better doesn't necessarily mean better salary, just better), get away to a better town, maybe country, or just get away from everyone and stay hidden. Many individuals would resort to look for a better paying job. Search for a greener pasture I guess, then later, not all of them felt the success despite the financial comfort. Although some became too generous to declare success and make the rest of the world feel their failure. When we're confronted with problems and undeniably depressing situation, some of...

It's Valentines once again! Yesterday was the day where restaurants and road has something in common, TRAFFIC! Last year, we celebrated our V day over a romantic dinner, with a garden setting. Now I'm smiling thinking about it....;) This year, it's a family dinner. I made reservations to make sure we'll have a table for the night. We had a great time laughing and teasing each other as we enjoyed every piece of what was served for us. Me, Labsy, bro Doy with wife Lay and daughter Yumi, bro Bay with fiancée Aiza and son Kevin, Lay's aunt Te Inday, my niece Neng, bro Not's girlfriend Helen and of course, Mamo. Papo is not yet home but managed to send a dozen of flowers to mom through me and Labsy. It's that time of the year where me and Labsy would have additional careers, liaisons. Flowers, cakes, chocolates, etc. for the other half or partners of my brothers and Papo. I used to be one of those who doesn't like spending much time or even give importance ...

Yumi the Snow White - by me Last Saturday, Feb. 12, my niece was celebrating her birthday in advance. Her dad, my brother, is leaving for his work before her birthday, Feb 22, so they celebrated it ahead. My sis-in-law, requested me to take care of the tarp, and I said why not. It will be my gift to Yumi. Fairy barbie Yumi - by Kuya Jer Friday came with the tarp in mind that it will be a Barbie themed, I did not have a design in mind yet. My officemate and dear friend Kuya Jerry is not that busy, so I asked him if maybe he could make one for me. But then he's making one for another friend, so I thought, if he could finish one with a barbie/princess style, that's good, but I'll make one something on a modern rock-in-roll kind, so my niece will have a choice. I sort of don't exactly know what would she really like. Yumi rocks!!! - by me Kuya Jerry finished one and I did one too. So I went home and showed it to my bro and sis-in-law. They're both cute but ...