GO WITH THE FLOW

One of the highlights of my 2009 was when I mustered all the courage to sign up to a 3-day retreat in La Union dubbed as Flow: Surf.Yoga.Samba by Monica Eleazar-Manzano. I do not know her at all or anybody attending the event nor have I told my friends I will be in northern exile for the long weekend. You see, I have no problems traveling alone if it means meeting interesting individuals (I certainly  did) and being in an unfamiliar territory gives me a mix feeling of fear (a tinge of it) and pure satisfaction.

I was super excited for the afternoon samba sessions by the beach (of the three featured activities, surfing, yoga and samba, samba was primarily the reason I went - I am a frustrated dancer!) but ended up loving surfing the most. I was all bruised at the end of the retreat (I still have it until today) and sunburnt because of an all-day surfing but I didn't care. I didn't realize how stubborn I was to not give up until I get up on the board with quivering knees and sail towards the shore triumphant. I laugh at myself remembering how I silently and persistently told myself, "I won't get out of this ocean until I get up. Stand up. Get up." And I did. I got up.

Compared to my lackluster real estate life, I was in awe of the many people I met. I was roommates with Nancy, a vegetarian fresh from a backpacking adventure in Europe. Marnie from Scotland who is a music teacher in IS. I met an adventurous couple who has been to a mountain climbing adventure in Nepal. Check out their blog here.  Then there's Monica, who has given up her comfortable city life to teach Yoga in Palawan and raise her family in a greener, simpler way.

Next time I attend another retreat, I hope to bring with me a story.

Inspiring!

*photo credit: Flow.Surf.Yoga.Samba facebook account

HELLO MAGINHAWA STREET!

I live in a community where streets are named after ideal Pinoy 'traits/characters'. I think it's destiny that I live in 'Malakas street' because perhaps by living in that street I can negate my being a weakling. Though I know, I'll make a good resident of 'Mapang-akit street' (aherm) and 'Mapagbigay street' (I am very charitable, sometimes to a fault). And I'm dying to meet someone from 'Maginoo' street. 

At the back of Claret where we usually hear mass is a street I often go to back in college because most of my friends are from there but I never really took notice of its charm until I read about bloggers and writers raving about it. So one lunch time, when Ate Letty, our cook, left early for a date (see, even our maid goes out on a date!), my cousins, sister and I went to Maginhawa Street for a really uhm, comforting Saturday experience.

We tried Cocina Juan for luch.

The food: A mix of Central American and Mexican food, it was really satisfying!

                                      nachos in white sauce.dynamite chili with melted cheese 

                                                (perfect for pulutan).pita pizza with tuna (my favorite!).burrito.

                                                buffalo wings (very tender!).pork belly in chimichurri sauce. 

                                                no pictures of chicken in melted cheese (saucy and rich!).

                                                tres leches (triple layered cake for dessert).       

Since we are not really big on food and most of the time we're after the experience and the thought of having to check off one item in our long list of must try's excites us so, what we found most joy in (or maybe I am speaking for myself only) is the place's ambiance. Cozy. Very artsy. Romantic even. Sabi ni Lean, may pagdadalhan na siya sa makaka-date niya!            

There were paintings on the wall and we chose one each to have our pictures taken with.

Lean chose a naked beer-bellied man with 2 naked girls licking his face. Maybe my cousin's secret fantasy is a threesome. Oh no!

My sister chose this portrait of a tummy-exposed lady. Isabel thinks standing beside somebody physically ugly will make her prettiness stand out. So vain. haha!

Ate ay chose this lion-like portrait. She secretly wants to be  fierce.

And because I own the camera (*wink*), I get to choose two. One is a painting with so many eyes on it, the other, a breast-exposed lady. I think I'm big on parts when it would have better if they were small (my eyes, super big!) and small on parts when I would have been more attractive if they were big (cup size). haha!!

After Cocina Juan, we thought of trying out Kiss the Cook's desserts. Kiss the Cook is another pang-date place and we would have tried their sandwiches and pasta had we not been extremely full with our Cocina lunch.

                                        fragola (bittersweet). froyo in chocoloate (the yummiest),  
                                                 pistachio and mango.

Before heading home, we stopped by Bookay-Ukay, it's like BookSale which sells second hand books and magazines only that Bookay has more interesting titles (and has an even more interesting Store Name!). It is by far my most favorite Maginhawa Street find! I'm not really into reading and I only know a few titles (I do not know any classics, believe me), but I'm so lucky, the few books that I get to read are super interesting.

                             Heaven! Stacks and piles of good finds from the classics to contemporary!

I think I'll always find myself going back if not for the book, for Mr. tattooed cute librarian. A guy in a bookstore. Hot. A tattooed guy in a bookstore. Sizzling Hot.

They had Sweet Valley High, Nancy Drew (books that cool kids read in grade school) and this soon-to-be-classic:  Alamat ng Panget & Many Others =D

I brought these home with me!! Neil Gaiman's Stardust! It's among my favorite movies but I never really bothered to buy the book until now. I also bought Jughead's Comic book. It has been a long time since I've picked up an Archie Digest. Excited!

God said to love our neighbors as ourselves. Taking inspiration from him, I'll say, love your neighborhood!

Yay!

P.S.

For the Street Names:
Malakas means strong.
Mapang-akit, seductive/attractive.
Mapagbigay, giving/charitable.
Maginoo, gentleman.
Maginhawa, comfortable.
Feeling ko lang may foreigner reader dito , haha!

HELLO QUEZON PROVINCE!

My mommy (as in Tita Egie, my mother's sister who I call 'mommy' just because she's both my aunt and my godmother) sleeps late and wakes up early. She never stays put, constantly moves around, and everyday she has to have a story. She calls our attention when we spend our weekends or free time just sleeping or motionless before the television. We have to fill our days with activities, she said, life is too beautiful to waste it on sleep. We shrug off her nagging most of the time being the pasaway and pilosopo kids that we are. But I understand where she's coming from. She's a breast cancer survivor. And once upon a time, she endured the thought of not having to wake up to see another day. So on a weekend when I was just supposed to bond with my bed, she woke us up early to go to this pottery house in the South and attend the healing mass of Fr. Joey Faller.

No plans.

No directions.

No reservations.

We got lost many times looking for the pottery house because it did not have any directional signage at all and all we know is it's red and the potter's name is Ugu Bigyan.

We found it at last, thank God for internet phone, minutes before lunch time. The people we asked around in Quezon either did not know the place or the potter or gave vague but amusing directions, "Yung bahay ng paso? Kinakaliwa yan. Kinakaliwa yan!"  And they say it with conviction. I wanted to reply, "Okay kuya, kakaliwain namin!" I love Tagalog words!! 

Since we did not make any reservations, we couldn't avail of their Filipino lunch buffet (prior reservation is required for a minimum of 10 people for Php 500/head), so we just looked around. The place did not have entrance fee so we enjoyed it for FREE!

I thought kids won't enjoy the place since it's all wood, clay, plants, huts, very provincial - that kind of place to stay in when you are writing your life's memoir or when you need beauty and peace to conjure artistry while creating a masterpiece. But no, the owner has put so much thought in the spatial design and has given even the tiniest detail careful attention. Consistent Theme. Real estate peeps can learn a thing or two from Ugu Bigyan's Pottery House. 

                                   Wouldn't  it be nicer if the potter's name's Harry? =D

                                 I am hoping to find my instrument the way Ugu Bigyan found his clay. =D

Fr. Joey Faller left for a healing mass somewhere outside the country so for our second destination, Kamay ni Hesus, we just visited the Church and climbed 300 steps to reach Jesus Christ's in outstretched arms statue. I am not spiritual and weird, I am afraid to pray (sometimes, tsk!), but I believe in God, a Supreme being and in the teachings of Jesus Christ. I prayed when we got there, promise.=D

I'm looking forward to more weekends when mommy brings her car (she lives in Cagayan by the way) and treat us to more of her adventures.

I live for the weekends, long weekends, and looooonnngggg weekends!=D

P.S.

Ugu Bigyan Pottery house is located in Brgy. Lusacan, Tiaong, Quezon.
Kamay ni Hesus is in Sariaya, Quezon.

Sariaya? I like the sound of it. I think I'm naming my future daughter Sariaya. (hehe)

ORDINARY FARE

Angelina Jolie is the reason I want to be famous. It does not have anything to do with Brad Pitt. It's her superstardom used to make a difference in the world which kills me with envy. 

Just last week, I read about her traveling to Ecuador strutting her stuff as the UN Goodwill Ambassador.UN would not even give me a second (not even a first glance).

Or maybe I am just making excuses from strutting my stuff as an ordinary citizen. After all, as my grade school teacher insists, we can make the world a better place in our own little way. Barack Obama seconded, borrowing Gandhi's line, that WE can be the change we want the world to see. The Milo advertisement, however, has nailed it many years ago and from it I take comfort: Great things start from small beginnings. Great excuses for being ordinary.

Two days after the Philippine Independence Day celebration, on my 12-hour ride from Cagayan to Manila and fresh from my very brief stint of being unemployed, thus this much-in-need-of-my-self-esteem blog entry, I came across this write-up which I read everytime I feel so common:

On Filipino Greatness 

Glenn Ituriaga

I believe that Rizal was just a doctor.

I believe that Bonifacio was just a worker.

I believe that Mabini was just a writer.

I believe that Gabriela Silang was just a housewife.

I believe that Ninoy was just a journalist.

I believe that Flor Contemplacion was just an OFW.

I believe that all these great people, all these great Filipinos, were just ordinary humans.

Because I believe that greatness is ordinary.

And if each one of us is a hero

If everyday is Independence Day

Then we will always be free. 

Angelina Jolie is the reason I STILL want to be famous. It's does not have anything to do with her superstardom. It's Brad Pitt's six pack abs she sees everyday which kills me with envy.


P.S.

I found a deep sense of appreciation to this actress' sexiness through her book, Notes from My Travels.