The Art of Juggling

My First Marathon

2010-12-30T10:54:00.014+08:00

Just a couple of days after registration was opened for the Standard Chartered Marathon in Singapore, I signed up for my first Full Mary and booked my flight to SG. I figured that with the amount I was spending for this run I absolutely had to make it happen.

Sticking to the training plan was difficult. I had 5 months, which should have been more than enough, but work and other commitments kept me from running as often as I should have. I did my best to get up in the wee hours of as many Sunday mornings as possible and drive to UP for my long runs, but especially when I started hitting 25K, it was a challenge to not give in to the temptation of just walking instead of running, and every new mile brought with it new aches and pains. It came to a point where I was wearing an ankle brace and considering just slathering petroleum jelly everywhere before each run.

With a few weeks to go to marathon day I finally enlisted the help of Coach Roel Ano and his assistant Mark to force me to do my intervals and my final long run. We took an easy pace through UP, and Mark never ran out of stories to tell, taking my mind off the heaviness in my legs. I felt great when I finally hit 30K on my Garmin, and wasn't even sore the next day.

In the final week I took extra steps to prepare for the run, including not wearing high heels to work and resting as much as I could. As for my diet, everyone who has ever seen me eat knows I eat like a bird, so carbo-loading actually took some effort. It's funny how when you actually NEED to eat more, it becomes difficult; and when you shouldn't be eating so much you feel like bingeing. And so there I was, with happy feet, carbo-loaded and with 30K under my belt. And while I had hoped to make it to 35K before the marathon, I felt 30K would be enough. After all, what was another 12K, right? But as it turned out, "just another 12K" was not easy.

December 5: Marathon Day, Singapore

On race day I woke up extra early and had a peanut butter sandwich for breakfast. I had laid out all my gear the night before so I was out the door by 4am. I wanted to make sure I was at the starting line early enough so I could take my time warming up.

The organizers of the race forgot one essential thing, which was to place a lot of portalets by the starting line. In fact, there wasn't a single one, and a lot of runners had to go to the nearby hotels and wait in long queues. So that was strike one. Strike two was the starting pens. I thought that was a great idea, since you would be starting with people who had a similar target pace, but at some point people just stopped following the system and I found myself alongside runners with different target times.

As we were counting down to 5am the butterflies that had taken residence in my tummy for the last few days finally started to disappear. At the gun, people shot off as if they were in a hundred meter dash. With everyone racing ahead, I had to consciously slow down to stick to my planned pace. I hated that everyone was overtaking me, but I knew that if I let myself get carried away with their excitement I'd be limping by the halfway mark.

I was fine for the first half of the race. Every now and then I'd hear people talking in Filipino and I missed how races were done back home, where we'd have fitness instructors to lead us through a warmup, a lot of pep talk and laughter, and sometimes even fireworks at the starting line. As opposed to the "cheering stations" in Singapore where young girls who were obviously tired from standing in the heat seemed to be barking scripted orders at you ("Keep going!", "All the way!"), back home we had entire cheering squads and bands playing. Shouts of encouragement were accompanied by big smiles, and even the runners themselves would clap and hoot and help keep everyone's spirits up.

There were some aches and pains but by 30K I was still within my target pace. At 32K though, a shin splint started in my left leg, and later on I felt both calves begin to tighten, forcing me into a walk-run. I don't think I hit "the Wall" because my energy level was fine; it was my legs that were deteriorating by the minute. At 36K, I was mentally kicking myself for not being able to run the last few miles. I wanted nothing more than to go faster so I could finally get out of the searing sun and have breakfast. But my shin screamed everytime I tried speeding up and I was so afraid of getting cramps and not finishing at all, that I decided not to push it. With runners all around me dropping out and nursing cramps, my objective was simply to cross the finish line in one piece.

I forced myself to run the last couple of kilometers. Almost there! I picked up the pace and ignored the pain in my legs, gave high fives to a row of kids cheering by the sidelines, and was down to the final stretch when I heard someone shout my name. I turned to see Dex and the kids waving at me, and the last 100 meters were so much easier.

I finished at 6:14, 44 minutes slower than I had hoped, but I was proud to finally be a marathon finisher, something that less than 1% of the global population can lay claim to. Woohoo!

Recovery, Sort Of

In Manila, when you finish a run there are usually a lot of restos or booths nearby where you can have breakfast, or you can just hop into your car and drive to the nearest Pancake House. I forgot that away from home, there was some walking to be done to get to the closest cafe, and the queues for taxis were so long that we decided to take the MRT back to our friends' place instead.

After showering I fell into the sleep of the exhausted. Zero consciousness. I was supposed to meet a friend that afternoon but had to cancel it because there was no way I could drag myself outside the door. And so I did nothing but eat and sleep, eat and sleep. And I loved that I could eat anything and for once not care about my calorie intake.

I spent the entire next day on my feet at Universal Studios. Note to self: never schedule any sightseeing the day after a marathon. Was sore again by the time we were ready to board the last flight home, but was happy to sleep in my own bed that night.

On Energy Gels

2010-07-19T22:27:00.003+08:00

I tried Gu for the first time about a year ago and disliked it so much that I never tried it again. But now that so many other options are available I decided to road-test several kinds so I know what to bring to my first marathon this December. Here goes:

1. Clif Shots (http://www.clifbar.com)

I was looking around for alternatives to granola for trail mix when I discovered Clif Bars and their gel counterparts, the Clif Shots. Available at Healthy Options, Clif Shots have an extra thick consistency. I like the Mocha better than the Strawberry, which I find way too sweet.

Kudos to the folks at Clif Bar & Company for thinking of the Litter Leash, which allows the tear tab to stay attached to the package after you've ripped it off, helping to keep the road litter-free.

2. Honey Stinger (http://www.honeystinger.com/)

Honey Stinger has the taste and consistency of (what else?) honey! Goes down easy and made of all-natural ingredients.

3. Hammer Gel (http://www.hammernutrition.com/)

This got good reviews on several blogs and the raspberry came highly recommended, so I tried it out. Not bad. Not that great, either. But the nutrition facts tell us this is lower in sugar and calories than others. Maybe that's why the elites swear by it.

Available at RUNNR.

4. Sport Beans (http://www.sportbeans.com/)

Sport Beans by Jelly Belly was one of the first "energy gels" to hit the local market. They're cute, colorful and yummy, but they tend to stick together (and to your fingers), plus they consistently send me sprinting...to the bathroom. These beans aren't going to make it to any races with me, but you can find them at those Candy Corner stands at the malls.

5. Salt Sticks (http://www.saltstick.com/)

The manufacturer claims this is the ONLY electrolyte capsule formulated to closely resemble the electrolyte profile lost during activity: sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. I heard good stories about how Salt Sticks had saved people from cramps during marathons, so I tried it out at a half-marathon, popping one of the little capsules after the first hour of running. Very easy to consume, though just that one capsule might have been too much for me because when I finished the race I had salt deposits on my arms and legs. Weird! At least I knew for sure I wasn't going to collapse for lack of sodium.

Available at Second Wind.

COMPARE THEM

Rock Climbing in Montalban, Rizal

2010-06-14T16:39:00.029+08:00

My brothers invited us to a rock climbing course in Montalban, and though I had done some indoor wall climbing in the past, that was several years ago. So I was back to square one, and I knew I was in for a challenge.

Just an hour away from Commonwealth Avenue is Wawa Dam in Montalban, Rizal. It's easy enough to get to, since for the most part there are signs pointing the way. At the end of the road is a large parking area right in front of the tourism office, and that's where we waited for the rest of the group, while gawking at this view:

We assembled at one of the carinderias nearby where some of us had lugaw with hard-boiled egg and coffee for breakfast before heading out to the climbing site, which was 15-20 minutes away. There was a lot of scrambling over boulders, hopping from rock to rock and gaping at waterfalls.

The Playground

According to our guides, there's a grading system that's used to assess the difficulty in ascending the terrain, going from Class 1, which was easiest, all the way up to Class 6. They had prepared four different setups for us (from 5.4 to 5.8), and apparently none of them were for beginning beginners. When I had geared up all they said was, "o, akyat na!". So much for Rock Climbing 101; but I loved every teeth-gritting minute of it.

To my beginner's mind, I guess what makes this a lot more challenging than indoor wall climbing is that here, you have no idea where your next hold is going to be. I was constantly feeling the rock face for every possible hold and found I had to make do with jamming a toe into a little hole or hanging on with the tips of my fingers. I especially had fun sliding my way up a "chimney" at one point.

I was able to scale the 5.5 and 5.7 grade walls, and Kuya said that my advantage was that I had a good strength to weight ratio. Maybe he's right. But i think that determination (ie fear of failure and embarrassment) also had plenty to do with it.

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A Gourmet Lunch

Among our companions was my brother's close friend, JB, who had lugged his cooking gear all the way to the Playground to prepare lunch for us. Prior to this the best outdoor meal I'd had was sourdough bread and manchego cheese that had sweated in my backpack on the way to the summit of Pico de Loro. Good, but not as yummy and satisfying as Chef JB's freshly cooked fusilli with garlic cream and mushrooms, served with herbed bread. Our guides had trekked back to buy us some drinks, so we enjoyed the pasta with ice-cold Coke and Royal. Aaaahhh.

Shortly after lunch I found myself a nice wide boulder, shut my eyes and took a nap.

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Down with DOMS

While Dex and my brothers had sore arms and were complaining about losing their grip strength that day, I felt perfectly fine. But I knew that - as it always did - Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness would get me in the morning.

Many of us are familiar with those leg cramps that have you clutching your calves in pain in the middle of the night. This time though, it was arm cramps that had me whimpering in the wee hours of the morning. So much for strength to weight ratio and chugging down liters of gatorade and water. This only means one thing... I have to go back and try again.

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What to Bring to the Playground

lots of water and energy drinks
a change of clothes and a towel
sunblock
baby wipes (every mountaineer's friend)
the Adventure Chef (http://regalikitchen.multiply.com/). JB can also put you in touch with the climbing guides, who will provide all the gear you need.

Best Home-cooked Meals for the Lazy Cook

2010-06-06T20:52:00.003+08:00

Two or three years ago Mom declared that she was tired of preparing all the family meals and wanted us to take turns preparing Saturday dinners. And that started off several months of competitive cooking between my parents, me, Dex and my siblings. Once a month we would have 4- to 5-course, meticulously-prepared themed dinners that we would enjoy in the garden. Many of what are now standard family specialty dishes were discovered in those months: Kuya's baked Cornish hens, Dex's lamb masala, Anton's Vietnamese pho; and my chicken rissotto.

When those gourmet dinners were over and we were back to the staples of sinigang and nilagang baka (or McDonalds and Shakey's pizza) every now and then we would put together quick meals mostly involving ready-to-cook dishes from the grocery. Home-cooked, not-quite-gourmet, but way cheaper than eating out, easy to assemble and great paired with whatever red or white wine you've got chilling in the ref. Below are some of our favorite gourmet-pang-tamad recipes. Sorry, couldn't provide exact measurements here even if I wanted to, but every one of them is a certified hit with the kids (even my son Diego, who's an extremely picky eater):

1. Chicken Cordon Bleu and Pasta

What you'll need:
a box of Magnolia chicken cordon bleu
cooked spaghetti (al dente, please!)
a big white onion, sliced into rings
a few cloves of garlic
olive oil
salt and pepper
grated parmesan or aged cheddar (optional)

Heat olive oil in a pan and add the onion rings. Give it a few minutes so it starts to caramelize, then put in the garlic. Before the garlic starts to brown, add in the spaghetti and coat with the oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Even just the pasta itself becomes very flavorful. Sprinkle with cheese.

Fry the chicken cordon bleu and serve together with the pasta.

(Accidental) Variation:
One day we ran out of olive oil and onions so I fished out a jar of Granoro Pate di Olive (available at many specialty delis). A few spoonfuls of this plus garlic slices mixed in with the cooked pasta is wonderful. Dex calls this "Pasta di Oliva". I think this might go well with a Dory fillet, too.

2. Broiled Marinated Chicken with Rice Pilaf

When I was around 9 mom enrolled me in this children's cooking class at the Maya Kitchen. One of the recipes I never forgot was the Cheesy Chicken with Rice Pilaf. To this day my dad still asks me when I'm going to prepare it again (I haven't done so in years). But just the rice pilaf together with your basic turbo-broiled chicken is a level up from the usual fried chicken and rice:

What you'll need:
marinated chicken, cut (available at most groceries; we get ours from Shopwise)
chicken broth (1 cube of chicken bouillion, dissolved in water)
green bell pepper, chopped (about 1 cm cubes)
chopped carrots
corn
uncooked rice

Prepare the rice in the usual way using a rice cooker, but use the chicken broth instead of plain water. Before the rice is fully cooked, stir in the vegetables. Cook the chicken in a turbo-broiler. Serve with the rice pilaf.

The original rice pilaf recipe calls for raisins and cashews, so feel free to add those in if you like.
3. Corn Moussaka

What you'll need:
around 1/3kg ground beef for 4 people (ground round is better)
1 can spaghetti sauce (those big canned Del Monte spaghetti sauces are great for this; not Hunt's and certainly none of those sweet-style ones, please!)
flour
1 can of whole kernel corn, drained
1 cup of cottage cheese, drained
mozzarella cheese
1 egg
cinnamon, salt and pepper

Brown the beef in a pan and drain the fat. Add in just enough spaghetti sauce to coat the beef. Dissolve a tbsp of flour in some of the sauce and then mix it into the beef until the sauce thickens somewhat. Season to taste. Turn off the heat and set aside.

In a microwaveable dish (those cylindrical pyrex dishes work best) layer the ff: corn kernels at the bottom, followed by the beef, then the cottage cheese. Beat the egg and add the mozzarella cheese. Pour this mixture on top of the cottage cheese. Place the entire dish into the microwave for a few minutes (until the mozzarella and egg mixture is cooked). And that's it!

We also like buying those pre-washed salad greens from Dizon Farms or Gourmet. Just dump in some fruits and drizzle with those ready-made dressings. I like the strawberry vinaigrette from Dizon farms with grapes and feta cheese (try the Bulacan-made feta cheese from this stall at the Salcedo Market).

Dance Schools in Manila: a Review

2010-05-29T11:58:00.007+08:00

It seems my kids have taken after me and Dex when it comes to having a love for dance, and this summer both of them decided they wanted to take dance classes. Having tried several dance schools over the years I wanted to share my 2 cents' worth on each of them:

1. CCP Dance School (balletphilippines.org/schl-prof.html)

Run by Ballet Philippines, CCP Dance School remains to be one of the country's premiere dance schools and among the best training grounds for classical and modern ballet. Over the years they have maintained their rigorous standards for teaching, and continue to produce the best ballet dancers and choreographers in the country. I don't know about jazz or hiphop, but if you want your kids to get a good foundation in ballet, this is the place to go.

Though the facilities are old, your children get to perform on THE big stage: the CCP Main Theater. It's always quite an experience to hang out backstage and sneak a peek at the audience from behind those heavy black curtains, and then finally step onto it and perform. And at the Caf it's easy to get starstruck when well-known artists turn up for a snack.

Tip for parents: Avoid the old elevator by the Caf. I've seen it stop mid-floor too many times. Take the stairs!

2. Halili-Cruz School of Ballet (http://www.halilicruzballet.com/)

They have a tie-up with Miriam College so I figured it would be convenient for my daughter Kylie, who studies there. I wasn't able to observe any of her classes but I remember her telling me that the teacher showed up on day 1 and then pretty much left her assistants to teach them for the rest of the summer.

Halili-Cruz has been around for several years and was always regarded in the past as the default dance school for girls based in QC. It seems to me though that over the years it has changed into a commercial establishment that churns out dancers like a factory. Recitals are a terrible experience. You wait 4-5 hours to watch a 5-minute performance from your child. And before the program even starts you're asked to sit through 20 torturous minutes of little girls giving memorized speeches to thank their teachers and promote the school's programs. In the meantime your kids are starving and sleepy backstage, and you're getting very uncomfortable in your seat. It's awful. All we want is to see our kids dance!

You have to give them credit for educating hundreds and hundreds of children every year in the performing arts, but if you ask me, it's unlikely I'll ever send Kylie back there again.

3. Powerdance (dnpd.multiply.com)

No question about it: Powerdance remains one of the premiere jazz and contemporary dance groups in the country. I myself did 2 summer workshops with them in recent years, and you know that if you're training here, you are training with the best. Douglas Nierras, for all his legendary strictness, is a master at what he does. Many in the industry who had trained with PD have become very accomplished artists here and abroad, or set up their own dance groups or schools. Here experienced jazz students unlearn bad habits and new ones start with a very solid foundation.

What to look out for: When we say strict, we mean strict. Sometimes not even little kids are spared from it. They don't exactly use the child-friendliest of methods, but some tempers are short here. It's how they instill disclipline, and it works.

I remember back when I was joining a few company classes my friends and I would have tummy trouble right before each class from extreme nervousness. This school not only teaches you to dance: it teaches you to have guts, to stay on your toes and maintain discipline and excellence at all times, even when you're just waiting for your turn at the sides of the room.

The studio has moved locations several times. Today (as of May 2010) they hold classes at the Savannah Moon, a building right across Eastwood City on C5.

4. Steps (stepsdancestudio.ph)
Owned by Sofia Zobel, Steps is very well-regarded for its RAD ballet curriculum and has a strong lineup of teachers for other styles, including the Lafortezas for the jazz classes. Even back in the days when the studio was a renovated house in Bel-Air, Steps was very obviously built out of a love and passion for the art of dance and very considerately provides waiting areas for parents/guardians, clean and spacious bathrooms and even a little shop for dance gear and snacks. Today it's located at the Karrivin Plaza, Pasong Tamo Ext, Makati.

Steps typically holds its recitals at the CCP theaters. Be prepared to dole out quite a lot on the registration fee, the tuition itself, a recital fee and costumes. In exchange though you get very good facilities, well-choreographed routines and a very organized recital.

Plus for Parents: You can get some shopping done at nearby Terry's or hang out at Starbucks or Cantinetta while waiting for your kids' classes to finish.

5. Airdance (airdance.com.ph)
Put up by a group of dancers and now managed by my good friend Avel Bautista, Airdance is a no-frills dance school. They've got the space and the mirrors and some of the best teachers in the business, and you provide the minds and bodies willing to learn in a non-airconditioned environment. But if the aircon is not an issue, then for a very affordable rate your children get a very good dance education, and you're not subjected to extra fees for the recital or costumes. It's the dancing we're all here for.

Send your kids here if you're after lessons in jazz, contemporary, hiphop and breakdancing. The studio itself transforms into the actual recital venue, and the experience is a lot more intimate because the audience are just a few feet away from the performers. No rules against videos and photo-taking here. You want to see your kids perform and you get just that, and up-close, too.

Airdance is located at 36E West Avenue, Quezon City. It's easy to miss, so look out for the Body Works building across the street.

Cagayan de Oro and Camiguin - The Express Version

2010-01-19T23:29:00.015+08:00

It was a couple of years ago when Dex and I took an early flight out from Manila to Cagayan de Oro. From the time we arrived at the Cebu Pacific ticketing office until we left for home we felt like we were on the Philippine leg of the Amazing Race.

I remember that I had changed schedules at the last minute, and so we were advised to be at the ticketing office four hours before our flight schedule. I figured that would be more than enough time, but the staff at Cebu Pacific took FOREVER. I did not understand why a change in flight schedules would take such a long time to process; and if dagger looks could kill, the lady at the counter (who talked more than she worked) wouldn't have lived to see another day. We were issued our tickets just as the boarding call came, and so we had to RUN. Run like mad, cut in front of long lines to get our boarding passes and hurry through security to avoid getting left behind.

When we arrived at Cagayan de Oro we went straight to our hotel, Mallberry Suites. At the time it was relatively new, and the rooms were spacious and had that clean, Modern Asian white-against-dark wood look that I loved. It was located right next to a strip of hip restaurants and bars, and just walking distance from the mall. At PhP 1,980/night for a standard room plus breakfast, it was a really good deal.

Our CDO adventure began the next day when our tour guide met us at our hotel lobby for a tour and what we came for: white water rafting!!!

Yes we did the canopy walk and the ziplining, but it was the rafting that made my morning. The river just felt so alive. I remember the mad paddling and moments when the raft threatened to keel over or crash into huge rocks. And there were the high fives paired with relief, lying down and allowing the river to carry me downstream, and that crazy leap from the 18-foot high "graduation rock". Loved it.

After lunch we checked out and took a cab to the port. When we got there the last ferry to Camiguin was about to leave the dock. And so a couple of porters helped us with our luggage and we found ourselves running once again, this time towards the ferry, which left right after we got on board.

It was my first time to be on a RoRo (roll on, roll off) transport. Interestingly enough, I received a call regarding a job interview as we were on that hour-long trip, and Dex noted with amusement the irony of having modern technology at work while we were between islands in faraway Mindanao on a rickety ferry.

And so we reached Camiguin by sunset, and checked in at the Bahay Bakasyunan sa Camiguin: a charming resort where we stayed in our own airconditioned cabana. The resort also had a nice little lap pool that we didn't get to use because early the next morning we were off once again for the express version of the Camiguin day tour.

We had hired a driver to take us around and we noticed that he kept honking the horn every couple of minutes. We thought at first it was to warn people (and animals) who were on the road, but it later became apparent that horn-honking was more a way of saying "hello!" to the folks who happened to be on the roadside.

Driving through Camiguin felt like being on that tram in Jurassic Park. The trees grew so densely together; they had such a PRESENCE. I felt that at any moment a T-Rex might come crashing out of the trees. That old feel to the island is probably amplified by the fact that there are 7 volcanoes on the island.

And so we proceeded to visit as many of the island's attractions as we could without missing our flight back to Manila:

The Old Volcano - The path is hot underfoot and marked by 14 stations of the cross. There seemed to be no life on the volcano. No animals, no insects and no noise but our voices and the crunch of stones under our slippers.
Hibok-Hibok Hot Springs - There were warm, hot and super hot pools, and I could have stayed there for hours if only we weren't on a tight schedule. Looked like a cheap resort from outside but was worth the visit.
Katibawasan Falls - Amazing. Dex tried going right beneath the falls but I couldn't, because the water was freezing cold and the spray was blinding. I hated that there were picnic tables there that had seen better days. But the falls were... just...beautiful.
Sunken Cemetery - Swimming in COLD water and seeing grave stones right below you was downright eerie. I kept imagining rotting hands reaching out to grab my feet and drag me down. But still a fantastic experience.

After our boatman took us back to shore we realized we didn't have anything to dry ourselves with but a face towel, but we made do :p and rushed once again to the port to catch a ferry back to CDO in damp clothes. We took a bus (almost got on the wrong one) back to the city, and then took a cab to SM where we found a nice clean restroom to change in. Had a snack at Bigby's (which I saw is open now at SM Megamall) before heading towards the airport and home.

Crazy, crazy, crazy trip. We have to go back! Maybe next time we'll bring a skimboard and hang out at White Island, which we weren't able to see. Can't wait. :)

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Mallberry Suites
4-star rooms at 2-star prices. Friendly staff.

Bahay Bakasyunan sa Camiguin
Was sorry not to have stayed longer. Beautiful place. Yummy pancit!
Tel +63 88 3871057
info@bahaybakasyunan.com

Pirates!

2008-09-16T18:28:00.002+08:00

A few months after we launched Redvanilla we discovered that our designs had been copied by one of the suppliers we had discontinued business with due to poor quality. We didn't mind back then; we figured oh well...if you put the bags side by side it was obvious that ours was better made. We just told each other that imitation was the best form of flattery.

Recently though I've come across too many Redvanilla look-alikes. Each one of these vendors passes the designs off as their own. They change the material a bit, maybe tweak the dimensions...but it's obvious where they got the idea. It's become really disturbing.

Don't get me wrong...I welcome competition, but from those who are diligent enough to really go through the trouble of R&D, and hold high standards for quality. Companies who aim for excellence, not a quick buck. Nice, clean competition. I look up to all the world-class laptop bag manufacturers and one day hope our little company can be as great.

Ok fine...this is the world we live in, where piracy abounds. But for those who are serious about this business, come on...do you REALLY want to be nothing more than a cheap copy? Sigh.

I'm Loving....

2008-07-26T14:30:00.010+08:00

1. VMV Hypoallergenics!

We were at breakfast the other day and Mom commented on how good my skin looked. That got me going about VMV. I've started on Id and Illuminants regimens, and what can I say...their stuff really works! So even if it's pricier than the cosmetics I used to buy, I don't care. It's money very well spent. And the fact that it's made in the Philippines is a huge plus for me.

2. Sunsilk

I've been a loyal Pantene user for years (it makes my hair smell wonderful). One day I ran out of shampoo and had to use whatever was available. Woke up the next day with hair that looked like I'd just been to the stylist, and I wondered what I'd done to make it so. It was Sunsilk shampoo and conditioner. And so it seems I've found a solution to bad hair days. Amazing.

3. Sebastian's Ice Cream!

Can't have enough of it. Can't they open a branch in Makati? Please please please?

Playing with the Big Boys: Rappelling in Luneta

2008-05-24T16:39:00.011+08:00

Spent the day with my brothers, the Philippine Coast Guard and a Mt. Everest summitteer learning to climb walls and rappel down a 3-storey structure in so many ways: facing the wall, facing the ground, upside-down and from a suspended position. The course took us from basic knots and making your own harness all the way to emergency procedures and rope rescue. Had a blast doing the Spider a la Mission Impossible and trying to make it to the ground in one leap using the Australian rappel. A lot of stomach-twisting moments, fun and a newfound interest in jumping off buildings. All fear of heights gone at least for one day.

Bicol Express! (Around Bicol in 3 days)

2008-03-27T21:01:00.030+08:00

It was less than a week 'til Holy Thursday and we didn't have any solid vacation plans. I was about to resign myself to 4 days of watching DVDs and religious features on Discovery Channel, when the urge to go out of town took over me. I made reservations at Casablanca Hotel in Legaspi for 2 nights and announced to the family we were going to Bicol. Period.

And so at 2am on Holy Thursday we started on our road trip to Legaspi, Albay. It took us about 10 hours to reach Camarines Sur and another 2 hours from there to Legaspi.

Dex's eyes started to glaze over somewhere in the middle of Quezon, so I took over the wheel. Little did I know that we were just heading into zig zag country. I realized the times we spent playing Sega Rally at Time Zone were worth it, since that's exactly how it felt.

Legaspi

Mayon's peak was hidden in cloud when we arrived in Albay. But after checking into the hotel and napping for a couple of hours, we took the kids and the camera to Cagsawa Ruins, where the unveiled mountain waited, picture-perfect against the afternoon sky.

As the sun started to set we headed towards Waway's for bopis, laing, sinigang and what else....Bicol Express!

Donsol

We woke up early the next day to drive to Donsol (about an hour and a half away) to see the whalesharks. And this, I must say, was one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had.

I'm no diver. Nor even much of a swimmer. But together with our Danish boatmates and the Butanding Interaction Officer (BIO), Dex and I jumped into open water sans life vest to go swimming with these giant fish. It was both frightening and awe-inspiring to be so close to them. Once I was chasing after one and its huge tail was swishing right below me. I had to suck in my gut for fear of getting scratched. On another jump I was staring into blue water and wondering where the butanding was when the BIO grabbed hold of my wrist and pulled me to one side, and I suddenly found myself just a couple of feet on top of a whaleshark, staring down at its head. I stayed with it until it descended and was screaming excitedly the whole time (if that's what you could call it) into my snorkel mask.

After about six sightings we headed back to land and had lunch at the Amor Farm Beach Resort, where we tried kinumot (like kilawin, except it's sting ray!), their yummy calamares and fresh fruit shakes. The kids spent most of the afternoon playing on the beach while we lazed around in one of the resort's huts, within earshot of the kids' shouts of delight.

At sunset we went back to the Tourism office to meet Dina, our guide for the firefly tour. Our little banca went down the black Ogod river, where mangroves grew thick on either side. Every now and then we would see trees pulsing with what looked like Christmas lights, but which were actually thousands of fireflies clustered together.

It was the kids' first time to see fireflies and we asked our guide to catch some for us so the kids could see them up close. One of them had a damaged wing (oops!), so Diego kept it with him until we got back to the hotel. It crawled into Kylie's pocket right before she went to sleep, and that's the last time anybody saw its tiny blinking light.

Camsur Watersports Complex

We checked out the next day and took off for the CWC in Camarines Sur, where we were lucky enough to book a cabana for the night. It felt like we had crashed a big swimming party, because there were so many people and the pre-Easter mood was festive. So even if we were waitlisted for the wakeboarding night run (and weren't able to get our turn), we had a great time swimming, eating barbeque and drinking cold beer under the searing sun, and had ourselves a massage by the Nurture Spa in our cabana while the kids watched cartoons on cable TV. In the evening we watched little frogs jump out of our way as we walked across the grounds.

In the morning, after breakfast, we spent our last moments at CWC watching the foreign wakeboarders practice their daring stunts, before driving the 10 hours back to Manila and ending a fantastic four-day Bicol trip.

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Casablanca Hotel
Peñaranda Ext., Legaspi City
Tel: +63 (52) 480 8334 to 35
Fax: +63 (52) 480 8338
Rates: Standard Rooms at P1,600/night including breakfast for 2
Pretty good for the price. The rooms have all the basics: aircon, cable TV and a clean bathroom with hot/cold shower. There's WiFi available at the common areas (Airborne Access) and you can purchase internet cards from the lobby.

Amor Farm Beach Resort
Dancalan, Donsol, Sorsogon (walking-distance from the Tourism Office)
Mobile Numbers: +63910 4762176 or +63910 4586140
Look for Mrs. Sylvia Amor or Mr. Rafael Amor
Email lyn_amor0122@yahoo.com
Rates: Fan rooms at P800/night - P1,500 for aircon rooms
We were just hanging out at the resort and didn't stay for the night so I can't tell what the rooms are like. But the resort itself is nice and clean. I could've spent the entire afternoon sleeping on a banig in the middle of the resort's campsite.

Camsur Watersports Complex
Cadlan, Pili, Camarines Sur
Tel +63 (54) 477-3159 (at least this is the number posted on the website, because I couldn't get through)
Rates: P1,200/night for an airconditioned 2-bed cabana (breakfast not included).
I loved the accomodations and can't wait to go back and book a container! =) The grounds are like one huge, well-tended garden and there's free WiFi everywhere! For more info, visit their website, http://www.camsurwatersportscomplex.com

Pinay in Action!

2008-03-09T20:33:00.004+08:00

The alarm rang at 4:15am. I turned it off and closed my eyes for a bit. Today was race day. My first ever 10K and I had to be at The Fort at 5am.

The longest distance I had run in the last 3 months was 7K and my right ankle had been complaining for an entire week, so I was a little worried. But when I looked down at my watch after crossing the 5K mark I was surprised to see my time at 33 minutes. Prior to this the fastest 5K time I’d ever had was over 36.

Behind me I could hear a group of men who looked like they were in their 50s saying that if they kept the pace they could finish at 1:05 or 1:06. I told myself that if I could just stay a step ahead of these folks I’d be good! And so the thought that I might finish faster than I ever considered possible today gave me a little burst of extra energy that sustained me for the next couple of kilometers, after which I had to slow to a light jog – more like a shuffle, really. Eventually the geriatric team overtook me and started to pull farther and farther away. Felt pathetic. But as I rounded the last turn towards the finish line I figured it wouldn’t look good if I were to trudge across like this, so I mustered enough willpower to make a decent run for the last few meters and smile in case there were any random camera clicks.

Crossed the finish line at 1:06:40.93. Not bad. Almost twice the time it took for the first person to finish, but still…not bad at all. Was on a high until breakfast, after which I crashed into a couch and was asleep until past noon. Crazy experience. Gotta do this again. =)

Goal!

2006-06-10T23:43:00.000+08:00

Diego spent his weekends this summer at the futbolfunatics soccer camp for kids. When he scored his first goal I was cheering so loudly from the sidelines; Kylie wanted to gag me because I was beginning to embarrass her. =p Click here for pics!

Seems everybody scored a goal this summer: Dex went to Canada in April and was able to find work. He's now one of the "dakilang" OFWs whose remittances are helping to keep the economy afloat. =p Kylie spent her summer organizing her own swimming trips and sleepovers. She'd just call me on my mobile to tell me her plans and I'd come home to find one or both kids gone. Still very much into gymnastics, she took home the silver for her floor routine at the recent IS meet, and gets to do her back handsprings on the trampolene by herself now.
I had a couple of "wins" for the summer, as well. First, my friends and I launched a line of ladies laptop bags, redvanilla. We had originally thought it would take us 3 to 4 months to sell off our initial inventory, but we were dead wrong. =) The workday collection sold like pancakes! Click here to view our website. New designs will be out in July!

My second goal was going back to dancing. The last class I ever joined was a Dansa company class about a year ago, conducted by someone I used to teach. It was tougher for me than I expected. But though I'd accepted that I was past my prime, I knew that with a little work I could at least get back in shape. And so I signed up for the Powerdance summer workshop, and took jazz classes three times a week from April up until the recital last Tuesday (the 6th of June).

Over the last 2 months I've peeled off two layers of my toenails, scraped skin off my foot, pulled all sorts of muscles and had a terrible episode of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness that had me limping for 2 days. But I've rediscovered the things that I love most about dancing, not the least of which is performing onstage. It's been too long.

The day before the show Douglas Nierras said something like "if you think you can get up onstage tomorrow and still be yourself, you're mistaken. Once you're up there, you have to become the dancer." And that's just what I love about the stage. You can transform into anyone. Live out your fantasies for a few moments. And shift back into yourself as soon as you step off. It's magic.

There are other things I realize I've missed: the camaraderie between dancers, horsing around during breaks, just moving to music, discovering that there's still so much left to learn, that there are muscles left to isolate and movements yet to master. Oh, and I've been eating a lot and not worrying about gaining weight. =)

The show itself was great. =) I can't wait to see the video! And I can't wait to go back to class! But first... a long-delayed pedicure!!! Hahaha...

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Futbolfanatics offers soccer lessons for kids from 3 to 13 years old. Check out their website for details!

Powerdance is located at the 2nd floor of the Shopwise carpark in Cubao. They currently offer unlimited classes for P3,000/month. Visit http://douglasnierraspowerdance.com/ or call 9958287 for more information.

Boracay Like I'd Never Seen It Before

2006-04-01T22:45:00.004+08:00

It was my third time in Boracay and I wanted to do something different. If like me you’ve had your fill of Jonah’s fruit shakes, banana boat rides, people-watching at D’Mall and shopping for trinkets at the Talipapa, and done with island-hopping and paraw-sailing and getting a henna tattoo, then read on….

Day 1

So this is “the new Filipino time.” Our 12:40pm Cebu Pacific flight took off at 2pm and an hour of my vacation went to waste. Our banca arrived at Boracay Station 3 at about 5:30pm. The water came up to thigh-level and I was wondering whether my skirt would be short enough for it not to get wet when one of the manongs said “Buhat na lang!” and I thought he was kidding until he scooped me up onto his shoulder (at which I gave a startled yelp!) and carried me to the beach. I looked back and saw Dex getting ready to climb onto the next guy’s shoulders, so I hurriedly dug out my camera to get a shot.

Someone from Dave’s Straw Hat Inn was there to meet us and take us to the resort, which is a few steps away from White Beach. The room we had for the night was tiny but pleasant, and an attendant offered us banana shakes as soon as we’d put our bags down.

We must have walked the entire stretch of White Beach two and a half times that night. So much has changed in the last 2 years: D’Mall had expanded and now looks like Greenbelt 5, and there are plenty of new shops and restaurants. There was just so much to see; it was overwhelming.

We had dinner at one of the establishments offering buffet dinners for P185. Then we headed back to D’Mall and decided to chill at The Hobbit House (same as the one in Malate where you are waited on by "hobbits"), where they have the best nachos for P100 (beefy and cheesy, served with mildly spicy salsa) and an interesting drink called the Minchi-Lada (a mix of lime juice and beer). This was also where I had my very first smoke ever: we had a hookah pipe with apple-flavored shisha and took turns trying to replicate Gandalf’s smoke ship. And now I know why I’m destined to be a non-smoker for life: though I enjoyed the curious looks from passersby, I just didn’t get the point.

We stayed at Cocomangas 'til midnight and walked the stretch back to station 3, stopping every now and then to marvel at how fine the sand really is in Boracay and hoping the sky would clear so we could look out for shooting stars.

Day 2

It rained about an hour after we got back to our room that night, but the morning sky was a happy blue. We rented 2 mountain bikes and took off for breakfast at Station 2, then hopped over to Real Coffee for calamansi cake and our caffeine fix. And then with nothing but our sunblock, 2 bottles of water and a general idea where we were going, we headed towards the highest point in Boracay, Mt. Luho.

Some people hike to Mt. Luho. Others take trikes, scooters or ATVs, or even go on horseback. And there I was, a girl who had no mountain-biking experience whatsoever, who had to stand en pointe for my feet to touch the ground, silly enough to think it would be a piece of cake. Biking on sand and evading all the human traffic was already a challenge in itself (around Station 1 the sand is so soft the bike's wheels have a tendency to sink and slide); what the hell was I thinking? But somehow Dex and I managed to make it over sand, rocks and mud, dismounting and pushing our bikes up where the road was too steep. It was tiresome work, and we even passed the infamous Boracay dumpsite (which didn’t smell like one, thank goodness) before reaching the steps to viewing deck, where the view was just... breathtaking.

We took the shorter route going back to White Beach, and the road was very rough and so steep that I was scared to death of tumbling all the way down to Bolabog beach. But I guess it was fear of failure and embarrassment more than anything that kept me on my bike, all the way back to the Inn. What an adventure.

After lunch we were met by the staff of Nami Villas, where we were billeted for the 2nd night. One of them introduced himself as Francis, our butler (!). After checking in at Nami we went back to White Beach to get a massage, terrorize the fish that were swimming around our feet, and catch some photos of the lovely sunset. After dinner the Nami van was there to fetch us (at exactly 9pm, just as we had asked) and when we got back to our room there was a hot bath waiting for us at our very own candle-lit outdoor jacuzzi. Aaaaahhhh….

Day 3

We were scheduled to leave for Caticlan at 10am, but Francis had arranged for us to go jetskiing at 9, so right after breakfast we headed down to the beach for our last Bora activity. It was another first for me, and though I kept getting blinded by seawater and was screaming half the time, it was such a cool experience and I can’t wait to do it again.

The Nami boat took us to its private welcome center in Caticlan, where a van was waiting to bring us to the port. Everything was like clockwork. Kudos to the Nami Villas staff, particularly Francis for his buttling. I give them five stars for service. It’s just too bad we weren’t able to stay longer. =)

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More photos here!

Dave’s Straw Hat Inn is located near the end of Station 3. The path going there is probably the only disappointment because the resort itself is great and the rates are easy on the budget. We rented our mountain bikes from them at P300/bike/day. Contact them at +63 927 494 4522.

Nami Villas is located at Diniwid Beach, just a 10-minute walk around the cliff from Station 1. The beach isn’t much, but if you’re after privacy and AAA treatment, you’ll get it here. Water sports arranged by your butler are priced similarly to White Beach’s, and you can charge all your outdoor activities to your room. Contact Nami Villas at +63 918 934 4709.

A Day in Hong Kong

2006-03-14T21:31:00.000+08:00

Booked the last flight home the Saturday after a 2-day business engagement in Hong Kong, so I spent the last hours of Friday night munching on a crunchy waffle with peanut butter topping that I'd bought from this little corner stall a few steps away from my hotel, poring over tourist brochures and magazines, consulting Google, trying to decide how to maximize my one day. I wanted 2 major things on my itinerary: 1) an experience off the beaten path, and 2) shopping!!!

So after breakfast at my hotel I walked through the bustle of Causeway Bay and took the train to Sheung Wan. Made my way through narrow streets lined with shops that sold ginseng and bird's nest. Stopped by a tea shop and was greeted at the door by a myriad of scents. Purchased a bag of Lily tea for my cough. (The label said “delicious taste”. How could one go wrong with that? And by the way it really works.) Right before I left I turned to take a picture of the shop. The owner yelped and and dove out of my lens’ way while her son stood there laughing.

Walked on, wondering why everyone was wearing jackets when it wasn't chilly at all, gaping at sharks fins just hanging on the wall… eek. Turned onto a street where they sold crates upon crates of dried seafood. Rows and rows of stuff I didn’t recognize and probably would never taste in this lifetime.

Finally found myself on Hollywood street, where antiques and curios were sold. Ducked into this little air-conditioned shop to cool off and rest my legs. Gazed around and was in awe. Everything was just so intricately made; I wanted to buy the whole shop. Asked the owner to pick some “cheap but nice” snuff bottles for me and I settled on a colorful porcelain piece with relief carvings, very nicely glazed, and a bronze-lined cap. Thanked her and left, caught sight of some swords, and bought one for my brother, who collects them (the walls of his room are lined with all manner of swords, guns and knives). This would be his first antique Chinese sword. The vendor said that it was most likely from the early 1900s, though the design followed that of the Shang dynasty. After a bit of haggling and making sure they wouldn’t hold me at customs for this, I purchased the sword and took it back to the hotel.

After that it was off to Tsim Sha Tsui, with the intention of visiting Harbour City and maybe taking a quick peek at the museum and doing the tourist thing at the Avenue of Stars. Got some nice skirts on sale at Park Lane Shopper's Boulevard. Was disappointed to find that the new Skinny Jeans at Giordano were not skinny enough for me. Stopped over at a local bakeshop for some meat floss buns that I could eat while walking. Caught sight of a narrow alley where they were selling Chinese silk robes and pajamas, and embroidered pillow covers. Real cheap! Got Diego a little skull cap with a braid and moved on.

Harbour City was just dizzying. I could have stayed there for days walking my legs off, and I think I might have been better off with the Ladies' Market because there wasn't much that caught my interest. Crashed into Caffé Colorado and devoured an entire slice of chicken lasagna while watching the grey mist over the harbour.

Found the Clock Tower which is said to have been in operation since 1921. Well... there it was: a lonely clock tower. Too tired to visit the Avenue of Stars, I headed back to the hotel and took a cab to the airport, where more shopping awaited. Yikes! Sitting down never felt so good.

Yaya-less!

2006-02-28T23:05:00.000+08:00

So this is what it’s like. Our yaya had to leave for the province after learning that her father was seriously ill, so we’ve been making do without a maid for the past few days.

Today Diego was home alone from the time we left the house (8am) until his schoolbus came along (10:30am). Before leaving I laid out his clothes, instructed him to start getting ready at 9:30am, and said I’d call him from the office to check on him. At 9:30am I called and reminded him to take a bath, and he said “I’m done! I’m dressing up now!” Awwww…. I'm so proud of the little guy. =)

The first time we had to leave Diego home by himself I wrote my mobile number on a piece of paper and had him practice dialing it. He must have called me about 20 times that day.

First call:

“Hi mom! I just wanted to see if this works.”

Second call:

“Guess what, mom? I heated my own lunch!”

And I’m like “Whaaattt?!?!? How?!?!?”

And he says, “I put it in the microwave!”

And I tell myself not to panic, and ask, “For how many minutes?!”

And he says “I don’t know!”

Eep!

Then he goes “I just put it on number 1.”

1 minute. Big sigh of relief. “Great! Good job!” Whew.

Third call:

“Mom? Can I play with my toys?”

“Sure, honey. You can do anything you want. Just don’t burn the house down.”

And now I’ve just finished helping Kylie out with her assignment on long division. Diego wanted to know what multiplication and division were all about so I gave him some examples involving pizza and basketball. This is all really cool. But I’m dead tired. Can’t wait til the weekend.

What I Love About the Christmas Season

2005-12-26T13:21:00.000+08:00

Not having to get up early in the morning!
Parties! And dressing up for them. And dancing! =)
Videoke! Not like we don’t do this often enough throughout the year. But Dad bought a new videoke system and had speakers and mics set up in the garden, so people were singing from noon til night. We didn’t have a live band this year (Tito Nyori left his guitars in Baguio and the Tampincos didn’t bring their drums!), so The Boxer was notably missing from the Martin repertoire.
Raffles! Kylie has a knack for winning something at every family raffle. Lucky girl! Hopefully one of these years we’ll hit the jackpot (we never do). =)
Noche buena! Annual must-haves: A wheel of Gouda and Swiss chocolate from Santis, my parents' favorite Excelente ham, and champagne! I once bought a Dom Perignon and new flute glasses, and we were all trying our best not to wrinkle our noses after the first sip. =p So much for the opulent life. I guess we’ll be sticking to the likes of ASTI Spumante and Bucks Fizz. Hehe…

For holiday midnight snacking, try boursin cheese and chorizo de pamplona (both available from the Salcedo Saturday market) with rye bread. Or get a whole platter of cold cuts from Terry's for P1000 (you can save about P90 by bringing your own serving plate).
Lechon and red wine! And roast beef and crispy pata and all things high in cholesterol. In my dad’s side of the family there was one Christmas where the older Palos had to line up and get their blood pressure checked before they could be allowed to touch the food. Now the general attitude is: Carpe diem!
Presents! Santa Claus made a quick stopover at midnight on the 24th and dropped off some high-tech gadgets for the kids. Diego is also now the proud owner of a happy little blue iDog, which took Dad and Anton weeks to find.
Banishing negative thoughts and just basking in everyone's warmth and joy. =)
Pictures and smiles!

Let's go Bacnotan!

2005-11-04T12:28:00.000+08:00

That’s what Lemon - our surfing instructor - shouted as we jumped into the CRV and drove off to Bacnotan, La Union, for our very first surfing experience.

What with the instructors’ tales of the surfing disasters of the past 3 weeks, and memories of my aunt begging us not to surf as we were getting ready to leave Baguio, the trip from the San Juan Surf Resort to the Cement Factory beach break in Bacnotan was not a comfortable one for me.

But a while later I found myself lying on my tummy on a long board, waiting for my instructor to tell me when to start paddling. And as soon as the waves came in and they shouted for me to stand up, my fears gave way to an amazing rush and all that was in my head as I rode the waves was “WOOHOO!!!!”

It was such fun! And the pain in my upper arms and my sunburnt nose were all worth it.

When we were tired the kids gave it a go and they enjoyed themselves immensely. Diego prefers to ride it out on his tummy, while Kylie surfs like a pro. She’s such a natural. Then again what’s a surfboard compared to a 4-inch wide balance beam?

So it looks like we've found a new family pastime and will have to stop by La Union to surf every time we’re up north. The only thing I hated about the whole thing was that WE DIDN'T HAVE A CAMERA!!!! Argh.

Surfboard rental at the San Juan Surf Resort is P200/hour, and instructors' fees are at P150/hour. For more information, visit www.surf.ph or contact the San Juan Surf Resort:
Luke Landrigan – tel (72) 710-0310 or landrigan@sflu.com
Nellie – mobile (0920) 6175791

Halloween in Baguio

2005-11-04T10:26:00.000+08:00

The 4-day weekend was coming up and we had no firm plans for anything. Options included Boracay by Ro-Ro (to which I immediately said No Way! - at least not with the kids) and the Pinatubo trek by 4x4. We finally decided on an old reliable: Baguio. And so, after an 8-hour drive that included a quick breakfast at KFC, a slow crawl through Tarlac traffic and a long and leisurely lunch at SOUL Café at the foot of Kennon, we finally arrived at the City of Pines.

Baguio was a good choice. The kids were able to go trick-or-treating (twice!), I got a brand new pair of Italian boots at the Cypress ukay-ukay, and we discovered a great new spa. It seems there are always new places to visit, there are a lot of good (and cheap!) eats, and hot drinks are always best enjoyed in cool weather. Check out these places the next time you're in Baguio:

North Haven Spa

The spa is located on 21 Avelino Street, just a few minutes away from my aunt's place (just a 10-minute walk away, actually, but though getting there would have been easy enough, we didn't think the walk back up the steep road after the massage would be a good idea).

We were led up some stone steps and into meticulously-designed interiors of North Haven Spa. The place exudes earthy elegance: Scented candles illuminate the ancient bricks that line the walls, rose petals float in wooden bowls, and stepping stones lead you to the showers and dry sauna.

The spa offers aromatic massages, facials, body and foot scrubs and dagdagis (foot massage). At PhP 450, their aromatic massage strokes are very different from those of the usual Swedish massages in Manila, but every minute of it was marvelous. Just what we needed after 8 hours on the road.

Contact North Haven Spa at (074) 300-5022 or 0917-5061349.

Shooters Sports Bar

Shooters serves the best margarita under 100 pesos. We didn't have time to play billiards or foozball, but the bar looks like a good hangout, worth another visit.

PNKY Café

PNKY is a bed and breakfast along Leonard Wood Road, with a furniture shop and a cafe that offers South Beach diet selections. My kid ordered a hotdog and egg breakfast set and was served a huge plate of hotdogs, egg, toast and blueberry jam - very appetizingly arranged - enough for two.

Choco-late de Batirol

Located near the skating rink in Camp John Hay, they offer tsokolate made the traditional way. Perfect with bibingka on a chilly night.

Trick or Treating in Baguio

While having lunch at Sergio's in SM Baguio, we noticed a lot of ghouls, hags and fairies making their way from from shop to shop. Apparently many of the establishments were giving away goodies for kids in their Halloween costumes. So we had Kylie and Diego change into their costumes (Kylie wore a cheongsam and had her hair up in twin buns a la Chun Li in Street Fighter, and Diego was supposed to be a Jedi knight, but because we'd forgotten his light sabre in Manila and were only able to find a plastic short sword in SM, people kept calling him "Panday") and they went candy-collecting around the mall while I went shopping. =)

At 3pm we headed over to The Manor at Camp John Hay. For only PhP100 each, the kids were given these cute loot bags and were shuttled all over the camp for two hours of trick-or-treating. Meanwhile Dex and I went up the hill fronting the Commissary and just sat there people-watching until we had to drive up to The Filling Station to wait for the kids.

There was a street party going on, and it was too bad we had to leave early because there were live bands, these "moving zombie statues", and a mime that Diego was always imitating. But now we know where to go the next time we don't have any plans for the long Halloween weekend.

Rediscovering Quezon City (part 2)

2005-11-02T21:50:00.000+08:00

Got a number of suggestions from friends to add to my list of places to visit in QC (thanks, guys!):

1. More on Morato

Baang Coffee for their meals - value for money!
Chinese food - Big Bowl has the cheapest Chinese food for those days when you're too lazy to cook. For special occasions, try Spring Deer (do not be deceived by the worn-out facade).
Omakase for their gourmet sushi (there's one in Alabang, too)

2. Bookstores

There's a bookstore in Marikina Shoe Expo that's run by journalists and writers. The books they sell there are pre-selected. The owners are usually there and can help you with what you need/want.
The biggest "previously owned books section" ever can be found at the 4th floor of the huge National Bookstore in Cubao, near Gateway Mall.

3. Cello's doughnuts along Katipunan is a must-try. Go for the cheese doughnut!

4. The best "tuna tiyan" can be found beside Araneta Colliseum. There are several stalls selling it. The place is barrio-like but don't be fooled by its appearance...they have the best tasting tuna! The place is even frequented by PBA players and celebrities.

5. Likha Diwa sa Gulod, along CP Garcia in Diliman near Krus na Ligas - serves seafood and vegetarian dishes at very affordable prices. They also have different kinds of flavored coffee, unusual brews (roasted rice and soya beans), yoghurt drinks and milkshakes. There's also a small stall inside that sells bracelets and necklaces.

Rediscovering Quezon City (part 1)

2005-10-25T12:06:00.000+08:00

We usually spend Saturday nights at my parents' place in Manila, but because my aunt from the Netherlands is in town and occupying their guest room, it looks like we'll be in QC for the next few weekends. And so we've taken this as an opportunity to explore the city, which we've never really done.

Here are my weekend finds! If you’ve got anything to add to this list, let me know! =)

1) Sunday mornings at the UP Oval

Yesterday morning Dex woke me up at 6 and asked if we were going to UP. We had talked about running around the UP Oval the day before and I had completely forgotten about it; besides I didn't think he was serious because he kept telling me he'd rather follow me around in a car while I ran.

But get up we did. It was a cool morning when we arrived at the Oval and it felt good to breathe in nothing but fresh air and the scent of trees. I was amazed at the number of people who were there. There was even a table set up with free drinking water provided by the UP Executive Office. We didn't have a lot of time because we had to go to Diego's school for Family Day, so after a 15-minute jog around the oval (approx. 2.3Km), we slowed to a walk and headed back to the College of Music, where the van was parked.

Now I know why it's so much better to run outdoors than on a treadmill. It's so exhilarating to be in the company of other people, and to actually see changes in scenery instead of a wall lined with muted TVs.

2) UP Bahay ng Alumni

Chocolate Kiss, one of two places I'd choose to hang out if I were a UP professor or graduate school student (the other's Chateau Verde behind PNB), is open daily from 7am ‘til 10pm. We were craving coffee while in the area and had a very rich slice of carrot cake and 2 cups of cappuccino for only P150! Sulit. Now if only they had wifi internet... =)

On the ground floor of the Bahay ng Alumni there's this little cafe cum gallery, Art Circle, that sells paintings and sculptures (most probably by UP professors and alumni). There were a number of contemporary pieces that caught my eye. They'd look perfect on the wall of my future house. Now all I need is the house and P30,000. =) The shop also sells back issues of Singaporean magazines and all sorts of knick-knacks like candleholders and wrought iron decors. On the wall are posters of upcoming and past art exhibits, and an advertisement for an "artist's home" that promises solitude in faraway Sagada.

Art Circle is quiet and laid-back. Didn’t get to sample their stuff, but it looks like just the place to get some writing or undisturbed reading done.

3) Marikina Shoe Expo

Tucked away in a quiet corner of Cubao, the Marikina Shoe Expo houses a number of shoe stores and vintage shops, as well as -- of all things -- a little Italian restaurant called Bellinis. The owner, Roberto Bellini, was manning the cash register when we got there. Dressed in a fuschia pink shirt and red pants, he left his post for a moment to visit each table and chat with the diners, stopping beside Diego to playfully pinch my little boy’s ear. Nice fellow.

We had risotto, herbed chicken, pasta carbonara and two kinds of dessert (I can’t remember what they’re called but both were spiked with rum or something like it), all of which were very good and extremely filling (Kylie is now a big Bellinis fan). When we were done they offered us homemade sweet wine, on the house, and I was so full I wanted nothing but to curl up on the first sofa I could find and go to sleep.

I’ll have to go back and try their pizza and the hundred other Italian dishes on the menu. Plus I’m such a risotto fan, I’m definitely going back to sample another of the 4 or 5 kinds of risotto that they offer.

After lunch we explored the rest of the Expo. There are a number of shops that sell all kinds of vintage collectibles: old movie posters, photographs of Sampaguita Pictures movie stars (including an autographed picture of a very young and lovely Gloria Romero), bulky cameras, radios, glass bottles of Magnolia like they used to deliver door-to-door, those old metal lunchboxes with superheroes on the cover, coins, jewelry and whatnot. It felt like rummaging through lola’s baul.

The shoe stores include factory outlets of Janilyn and Rusty Lopez, where prices go for as low as P99 for a pair of strappy heels and P600 for men’s leather shoes.

4) Kopiroti

After a Mediterranean dinner at Katre on Tomas Morato, we crossed the street to Kopiroti, a café that serves kopi (coffee), coffee buns, roti French toast and other Singaporean coffee break goodies. The place is so tiny it can only accommodate about a dozen (or less) dine-in customers.

The kopi is good, and the price (about half the cost of a typical latte) is even better. The coffee bun has a crispy coffee-flavored crust and margarine-filled center. Sinful. But at PHP35 apiece, absolutely guilt-free.

5) The Garden at SM North Edsa

On our way home on Sunday night we passed in front of SM North Edsa and caught sight of The Garden, which is exactly that: a huge garden, except that interspersed with the greenery are gazebos and local coffee and dessert shops. We swung into the parking lot, ordered dessert at Ice Monster and listened to alternative OPM at Coffee Experience, lounge-like with its orange and yellow lamps, wooden ceiling fans and bamboo curtains. Finally, a decent neighborhood hangout...

Soon: Likha Diwa (a cafe along CP Garcia that I've been curious about since my college days) and the Sunday Market at the Elliptical Road (is it anything like the Salcedo and Legaspi Villlage markets, I wonder?)....

Pet Names

2005-10-21T11:01:00.000+08:00

My little boy came up with new names for us: Bobby (that’s me!) and Chester (that’s Dex). So on those nights that we get home early we hear delighted squeals of “Bobby! Chester!” as we head up the stairs. And when he’s being playful you’ll hear nothing but “Bobby! Chester! Bobby! Chester!” on and on until he runs out of ways to say it.

But that’s nothing compared to what I call them: Moochie My and Lovey Moochie. =p That goes for either kid. Collectively they’re the Moochies. Hahaha. When I want huggies from my moochies they jump on my lap, wrap their arms around me and start nuzzling me like puppies. Sitting on a white bench in a grassy park under a bright sun and a perfect sky with a rainbow in the distance and some butterflies fluttering around could never match up to the happiness of those moments.

I’m just wondering when they’ll wake up and realize that Bobby’s terms of endearment just will not do. Or when Diego will cease to think that I’m gorgeous (he’s only 1 of 2 people in the whole wide world who have told me I am). Or when huggies from my moochies will be things of the past.

Tomorrow Diego’s turning six, and he’s going to wake up with a large gift-wrapped box beside him containing that yellow remote control racecar he’s been asking for since he saw it about 3 months ago. He says he wants to be a pediatrician and an actor when he grows up.

Kylie’s started borrowing books from their school library, and finished the first of the Chronicles of Narnia. She's also into clubs: She's a member of the Ghost Story club, the Cotton Club, and just today, she was elected leader of the Pink Sparkle Club!!! And though they already have their club rules set, the Pink Sparkle club members are still formulating their Club Mission. Kylie's proposing to the group tomorrow that they be an arts and crafts club with members who happen to love the color pink and have a penchant for using glitter. =p

They’re growing up. Eek! Waah! It’s all very exciting. All those reality TV shows are nothing compared to watching your own kids grow, and being part of the whole thing. It’s flattering, scary and challenging to know you have so much influence on other people’s lives.

This parenting thing is kewl. So yeah, I’m enjoying the pet names while I can, and looking forward to what comes next.

Another Spanish Fiesta Begins...

2005-10-02T12:54:00.000+08:00

Last night we were at the launch of ¡Fiesta! 2005, the annual Spanish Festival for Culture & the Arts organized by Instituto Cervantes. My friend was able to get us good seats in front of one of the big screens at the Greenbelt 3 fountain area, so we enjoyed the programme while feasting on crepes from Breton and paella from Casa Armas.

I used to think there weren't any local dancers who could do justice to flamenco, but when I saw the performance of Fundacion Centro Flamenco that night I knew I was mistaken. Clara Ramona, a professor at the Fundacion, is an amazing dancer. And her sons Nino and Isaac are so... gorgeous. =p No wonder the Fundacion is getting a lot of students these days...=)

The ¡Fiesta! runs for the entire month of October. Visit the Instituto Cervantes site for more info. I'm hoping to catch Sara Baras and the street party at Intramuros. =)

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Saw The Transporter 2. Awesome cars. Cool action scenes. Medyo OA nga lang. But I am totally in love with Frank.

Family Day!

2005-09-25T04:21:00.000+08:00

We came home from a Friday night out at past 1:30am and found a note from Kylie on the kitchen table: "We have to be at school tomorrow by 6:30am. Please wear an apple green shirt." It could only mean one thing: Family Day!!! Waaah!!!

This year's theme was Cheerdancing, so all ten Grade 2 sections had their own cheerdancing numbers. Kylie (whom I think is the best gymnast in all of Miriam College) did her one-hand cartwheel and split combo, and her class, 2-Habagat, was awarded Best in Audience Impact. Woohoo!!! And after excitedly rushing to the stage together with the entire class to see her teacher receive the award, Kylie ran back to me and asked, "Mom, what's audience impact?". =)

Some random thoughts on Family Day:

All daddies should have a pink shirt in their wardrobe.
Yellow is such a happy color, even on cloudy days. The very next shirt I buy is going to have to be yellow.
McDonald's coffee really sucks, but it's good enough to get you through an entire morning when you've only had 4 hours of sleep.
You can't be a Grade School teacher unless you know how to dance.

I'm so sleepy...

Questions

2005-09-19T04:18:00.000+08:00

A very good friend of mine is getting married next month. We and another long-time friend got together for lunch together yesterday (for the first time in years!) and we talked about marriage and in-laws and raising a family. Trying to answer questions like Does one really have to get married? Can't people just stay in a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship forever? Does it have to be now or can it wait until next year? Should one have kids immediately? How can you tell if things will work out?

Well, I told her, there really is no way to know. And it really won't make a difference if you get married today or next year; you'll still have the same unanswerable questions. Marriage really is a leap of faith. And whatever happens, whether you get to live happily ever after or not, life will go on. Not exactly the most reassuring of statements, but she said that's what she needed to hear: that come what may, she would still be able to stand on her own two feet. But she did say that she knew he was the one. And we said well...there you go. That'll have to be enough.

Una Comida Estupenda

2005-09-04T01:51:00.000+08:00

It was our first time to eat at Tia Maria's Cantina on Katipunan last night. We were craving tacos but we ended up ordering the "Roll Your Own" which consists of 6 tortillas and a large platter with a hefty serving of lettuce and sour cream in the middle surrounded by 6 taco shells filled with ground beef, grilled chicken, grated cheese, chili, guacamole and salsa. We were also given this little container to use at the salsa bar, which serves 6 kinds of salsa. Am I seeing too many 6's here? Anyway... the food was good and great fun to eat, and it cost all of P280 bucks (not including my sangria and Dex's San Mig light). Headed home feeling very full and very satisfied. Aaahh... la cocina mexicana...

bYSI in Manila

2005-09-02T14:29:00.000+08:00

bYSI, one of my favorite places to shop in all of fashionable Singapore, is now open at the 3/F of The Podium. bYSI has gorgeous collections. Unique designs, very feminine, nice material. The best part is that they have sizes small enough to fit me!!! I have some bYSI tops that I absolutely love.

When I first saw the "soon to open" sign, I thought, Yipee! No need for me to wait ‘til my next trip to Singapore, nor to jostle my way through the crowd at Bugis Junction!

When I visited the shop I was disappointed to find very limited choices. What happened to those flirty tops and pretty knits? This is merchandising gone wrong! Bad, bad, bad...

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There's a new street dance instructor at Gold's Gym who happens to be a friend from my dancing days. Wilson teaches at the Galleria branch on Thursdays from 6:30pm - 7:30pm. The warmup is very Whiplash, and the ab exercises are more difficult than most.

It was a dumb decision on my part to run for half an hour before going to his class. It's a whole lot of fun, though, and the choreography - though more street jazz than hardcore hiphop - is really cute. =)

Party in Ortigas!

2005-08-29T05:47:00.000+08:00

A painful bump. That's what I got after a shuttlecock flew straight towards the side of my head. Tok! Ouch! It was a short-distance missile inadvertently (?) launched by Dex while we were playing doubles against some people we had challenged to a game of badminton. I was still reeling from the hit when Dex's racket accidentally (?) slipped out of his hand and flew towards my face. It's a good thing it missed. =p

We lost the game, and here I am, holding a cold compress against my poor head. =(

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Last night we saw The Longest Yard (starring Adam Sandler) at Glorietta 4. It was ok; we got a lot of good laughs out of that one, plus the movie tickets were free so the only thing we paid for was parking. Afterwards we went off to 90 Proof along Emerald Avenue to catch the second set of Still Oz. It was the bar's 2nd anniversary and the booze was free-flowing, so it was a happy crowd. =)

The band performed only about 8 songs, but towards the end of the set, the walls were shaking from a hundred drunken voices singing With or Without You. Saya! =) Sobrang bitin!!! Shucks. It's been a while since I've heard them play, and I was hoping to catch #41, which has become one of my favorite DMB songs, but they'd done it already during the first set. Oh well... I guess I'll have to wait until the next gig. (To all U2 and Dave Matthews Band fans... you have to watch these guys. Visit www.stilloz.com for more info.)

On our way home we realized we had only spent a total of P30 for the entire night. Kewl, no?

An Unexpected Stopover

2005-08-26T15:31:00.000+08:00

Got an unwanted dose of stress last night. Had a great workout at the gym where I hit the treadmill and worked some weights, then I took my time in the shower and steam room, blow-dried my hair, and surfed the Net at Gloria Jeans over a strawberry shake. Ok so far? Yup! Then Dex fetches me at around 9:45pm, and as we turn onto the street in front of Poveda I notice the low fuel indicator screaming bright yellow, and I’m reminded of Michelle Pfeiffer in The Story of Us, shaking her head at Bruce Willis’ habit of not replenishing the windshield washer fluid. A few minutes later, in the middle of Edsa, we start slowing down and the van runs entirely out of gas just as Dex eases it into the driveway of Camp Aguinaldo. The guard on duty runs out and is relieved to see we’re not the AFP Chief of Staff (whom he is expecting), and helps us park the van properly before Dex walks off to look for the nearest gas station. I spend half of the next 30 minutes imagining the embarassed smile and wave I'll give the Chief of Staff when he gets there, and the other half trying not to fall asleep. Haaaayyyyyy….

It’s a little past 7am and I’m having breakfast by my lonesome at the Mandarin Hotel Deli while my agency finishes setting up for my 8am event upstairs at the ballroom. The vegetable quiche here is pretty good, really filling (it’s only about 5” in diameter and I can’t finish it!) and costs only P60. Their savory pies go for 50 to 60 bucks. Not bad at all. =) My brewed coffee, though, costs P150. Eek. Oh well…

I've Been Tagged!!!

2005-08-22T10:29:00.000+08:00

by Via!!! (Hi, Via!)

1. What are the things you enjoy doing even when there’s no one around you?

Singing my heart out, dancing, smiling at myself in the mirror, writing, playing the piano, looking at old pictures, watching a DVD movie while munching on chips and dip.

2. What lowers your stress/blood pressure/anxiety level?

Hugs from my kiddies, sleeping, shopping!!!, getting a massage or a pedicure, working out, showering after a good workout and then spending 10 minutes in the steam room, hot chocolate at Max Brenner’s… =)

3. Tag 5 friends and ask them to post it in theirs.

Dex, Miren, Bambi, Ching, and Anton, you’ve just been tagged!

Kohikan...Gotta Try It!

2005-08-15T14:17:00.000+08:00

One moment we were at the Promenade in Greenhills, I giddy over my purchase of a new bag and blouse, and Dex with a new throw for our sofa, but as soon as we stepped through the sliding door of Kohikan… whoosh!!! We were transported to The Land of the Rising Sun. Kohikan ("kohi" means coffee, and we don't know what "kan" means) is known for Sumibi coffee, their signature brew made from charcoal-roasted beans. Dex had a cup of that and I had their Ladies’ coffee (Sumibi with Chai Latte), then we shared a light dinner of Ikasumi pasta (black squid ink pasta) which had Dex looking like a rockstar with a dental problem! =p Definitely not something to be eaten on a first date, but the dish and our coffee were just divine. I can't wait to go back and try the other stuff on their menu (plenty of coffee choices, shakes, sandwiches, pasta, pizza, and breakfast meals!).

We spent the rest of the hour leafing through Japanese magazines from right to left. I was going through a September (!) 2005 edition of JJ, a fashion magazine, and I was thrilled to see several versions of the blouse I’d just bought scattered throughout the pages. =) Validation from the avant-garde fashionistas of Japan. Awright!

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The Wade Robson Project (MTV Channel, Sundays at 9:30pm) is now officially my favorite TV show. Wade Robson is an amazing dancer and choreographer. My jaw drops as soon as he starts groovin.

Wow. Idol. Hanep.

Tales from the Treadmill

2005-08-11T14:33:00.000+08:00

I work out at least once a week at Gold's gym. I used to go for the cardio funk class on Mondays, which I really dig, but lately I've just been running and doing weights because there aren't any interesting classes during the times I'm there. Today there was a girl on the treadmill next to me who I caught checking out my workout stats. She would slow down when I slowed down and speed up when I did. What the --? Dex said maybe she just needed someone to pace her. I suppose he's right. Besides she was just about my size, too, so I guess we got equivalent workouts.

Did 5K today and wasn't too red in the face when I stepped down from the machine. Usually I'm all red as a tomato, so I guess that's a sign of improvement. =)

Just realized I've tried out quite a number of gyms already: I've been a member of Fitness First, Pinnacle Healthpointe, Gold's in Makati and now Gold's in Galleria. Of these I'd say the best classes are at Fitness First, the friendliest staff and most well-maintained (and spa-like) locker rooms are at Pinnacle (plus I miss those free massages and body treatments I used to get there as part of my membership), and Gold's is... well, affordable and convenient to get to. =)

When we got home tonight we found our kids' yaya had prepared a mean adobo. I was famished, and dinner was so good, that I found myself declaring, "Welcome back, calories!!!" Haha. So much for working out.

Churrascos at Brazil Brazil!!!

2005-08-08T09:40:00.000+08:00

The eat-all-you-can churrascos at Brazil Brazil is the ultimate meat lovers' treat. We had lunch there today to celebrate my birthday, and it was the happiest protein megadose I've ever had. Anton, my big little bro, was the only one among us who had eaten there before, so he briefed us on the basics: 1) There's this red and green yoyo that you use to indicate if you want them to serve (or stop serving) the churrascos. Green side up means "Bring on the meat!" and red side up means "Give me a break!" 2) Don't get too much from the buffet (mostly rice, pasta and veggie dishes) and just splurge on the churrascos! What fun!

Shortly after we started eating Diego disappeared with the yoyo so the roast meat (different cuts of beef, pork, chicken, and even cuttlefish!) just kept coming. Whoa!!!

Also tried their Caipirinha (pronounced "'KIE-PUR-REEN-YAH"), a Brazilian cocktail made with Cachaça, sugar, and crushed limes, served with ice. Sweeter but lighter than the Cuban mojito, it went perfectly with the meal. Aaaaahhhh..... =)

Little Girl Standing Tall

2005-07-31T05:33:00.000+08:00

When you fall, the sooner you can get back up again, the better. A basic life lesson that can only be learned the hard way. In Kylie’s case, she fell from the balance beam while doing a forward roll during this morning’s gymnastics competition, and without losing her composure, she simply leaped back up and finished her routine. We were all surprised because she had never fallen during practice, but she handled it very well and went on to place 5th for that event.

Kylie won two medals at the Milo-Gymnastica Friendship Meet today: a silver for uneven bars and a bronze for the vault. She also got a 4th place ribbon for the floor and a 5th place ribbon for the balance beam. We’re all very proud of her.

Dex was the most nervous person in the gym during the competition. It was his first time to watch Kylie compete and he was so stressed out, I had to keep telling him to calm down and let Kylie do her thing. One of the mommies commented that it really can be difficult for parents to watch competitions. I agree. I was a little nervous, myself, but I made sure that every time Kylie looked my way she would only see my biggest smile and 2 thumbs up. =)

Click here for photos! Looking forward to the next meet!!!

I Miss Greenhills!

2005-07-26T02:00:00.000+08:00

“You’re a conformist!” my brother Anton accused me, when I said I’d been playing badminton for the last 2 weeks. For the longest time I had tried to resist the badminton wave, but I’m riding it now and having lots of fun! I actually beat Dex yesterday, fair and square, and we had a great time clobbering (and being clobbered by) my ex-officemates last night when we played for 3 hours straight.

Earlier that day Mom and Dad treated us out for lunch to celebrate Kylie’s honor standing in school. We each had a steak at Tender Bob’s and moved next door to Bizu for dessert and coffee. Then Mom, Kylie and I went shopping at the Greenhills tiangge (where I was able to buy myself a cute badminton skirt for P150!) while the boys went to Shoppesville where the 3rd floor now houses all the computer shops. I haven't been to the tiangge in a loooong time, and I found myself drooling over beaded tank tops and Coach bag knockoffs.

One of the things I've always wanted to do is to spend one whole day there just shopping myself silly. =)

Saturday Morning at Salcedo Park

2005-07-24T07:38:00.000+08:00

We’ve been going to the Salcedo Market for the last 3 or 4 Saturdays. I love that place. I keep imagining how one day I’ll be getting fresh flowers from there to decorate my own home and buying the ingredients I'll need to throw together a gourmet lunch (or try to, anyway- hehe). Today I had my eye on these stylish woven hats but didn’t have the time to try them on. Hmm.... have to get me one of those!

We usually have breakfast before purchasing our weekend staples (fruit, bread, suman and kesong puti). There are a lot of choices: from dinuguan at puto to lechon wrapped in lumpia wrapper a la peking duck (there's a term for this... gotta find out what they call it), to angus beef with mashed potatoes. So far we have not been disappointed, and the prices are not bad at all!

This morning after we ate, Dex tried to teach Diego how to play badminton. My cousin had given them a kiddie badminton set, and it seems the little guy’s enjoying it. Lately he’s also been bugging me about taking swimming lessons again. My little athlete-in-the-making. =)

On our way back to the car Diego slowed down and told us to wait for him. He hung around the bushes by One Salcedo for a while and I wondered what was taking him. Then he ran over to me and handed me this little red santan flower with a missing petal. “For you, mom!” he said. So sweet. =)

A Laid-back Friday

2005-07-23T13:28:00.000+08:00

Went on leave today to attend Kylie’s honors assembly and spend some time with her. Saw her waiting in line on our way to the venue, and I heard her classmate say “That’s your mom?!?! Wow.” =) I guess she thought I might have been Kylie’s sister. These days I appreciate anything that helps lift my spirits, so that was actually one of the highlights of my day. =)

Got teary-eyed as the kids made their entrance, and I couldn’t help but think that if I’m like this during awards ceremonies, then I’m definitely going to cry when my daughter gets married. Haaaay...

Treated Kylie to lunch at A Veneto in Libis. Had baked ziti with giant meatballs and baked mussels with pesto and mozzarella. Yum. They have huge servings, too. Bumped into Soluziona folks who kept insisting Kylie looked just like a little Issa.

Drove to Dasma Village and stayed with Kylie throughout most of her gym practice. Played badminton at one of the nearby courts but then it rained really hard and we just had half the court to play in because the other half was slick with rain.

Went to The Fort to kill time. Got a text from the big boss asking me to call him and had a quick telecon with him and my manager. Ended up at Gourdo’s for pizza. The last time we were there they were renovating, and now they have this brick oven in the corner of the resto. We didn’t see a chimney though, so we were wondering where all the smoke was going.

Dropped Kylie off at her cousin’s in Bel-Air, where she plans on staying every Friday night. Spotted a friend's car on Jupiter St. and texted her. She said she was headed over to Queen’s, the new Indian resto on Jupiter. She texted about an hour later with an ecstatic "Sobrang sarap ng food, Iss!" We really should go there sometime.

Got home early, but traffic really sucks on Friday nights.

Can't Live Without My Coffee!!!

2004-12-10T06:10:00.000+08:00

I'm very picky when it comes to coffee and I don't mind paying more for a good cup. When it comes to brewed coffee my faves are Manila Peninsula and Cafe Breton, and the Batangas coffee they brew at my mom's house (especially with muscovado brown sugar!!). Jollibee and Mister Donut are on my list of never-agains.

As for "maarteng kape" (as my Dad likes to put it), or coffee that's more milk, cream and chocolate than coffee, I love Starbucks' Peppermint Mocha (last year they kept running out of stock and I was always disappointed) and mocha valencia, and San Francisco Coffee's mocha. Yum! Yum! Aargghh... I want coffee!!!!

Absorbed in Absolutely Nothing

2004-11-28T18:22:00.000+08:00

I don't get a lot of days like these. The kids' yaya took the day off, so I've been doing some serious mothering for the last 10 hours. Right after breakfast I tutored my daughter Kylie in Math, Science and Art (she's in first grade, and their current art lesson is tactile vs. visual textures) and then we took out the video of our recent trip to Vigan and Pagudpod and watched it until noon.

My hubby Dex was back by lunchtime and we went to Quezon City to pick up his balikbayan uncle. Then we went to the mall, and while Dex and Tito Herbie were getting a massage at Suriya spa, I took the kids to Rustan's where Diego had a long overdue haircut at the Kids' Hair Salon and we bought a birthday gift for Kylie's friend. Then we had hotdogs at Buzzy Bees and the kids had cake at Bo's Coffee Club while I had my caffeine fix.

We were heading towards the bookstore when Dex called to say they were done; so we met up and walked to Greenbelt 2, and Dex took his uncle to buy merienda while the kids and I stayed by the fountain. One of the kids splashed Diego with a lot of water; he just stood there looking down at his wet shirt with his little brows furrowed, and for a moment I thought he was contemplating revenge, but then he looked back at me and shrugged, and smiled, and he was okay.

By the time Dex got back the kids were soaking wet. We took them for one last run around the rock garden near the Ayala museum, and then went home. Dex had to bring his uncle back to QC, so here I am, still alone and yaya-less, while Kylie is busy with her pastels and Diego is playing computer games.

Haaaay... it's been a while since I've tried just sitting around and not trying to be productive. It's actually quite nice. I don't think I can do this very often, though. I get restless...