Design Inspiration #7

I was all set and ready to sleep a few minutes ago, skimming through free magazines from Summit Media (thank you Miss Toni!) to lull me to sleep =) - then I literally jumped off my bed just to post this!


i will have a lovely dream tonight.

pink and grey.

via zinio (Country Homes and Interiors)

eye on the prize..

and i am eyeing no. 5 - Twiggy Sofa from Heima

via zinio (Real Living)

and no. 4 from K I S H

via zino (Real Living)

The photos are low-res, they do not do these furniture and interiors justice, please believe me when I say that - - They are all DIVINE!

Oh Universe, let us work together for my pink and grey dream home - please!=)

Have a lovely night!

Museo Pambata

i am thinking of spending my last vacation leave credit in museo pambata.

hmmm...

Quiz Me

a little bit of exercise

In relation to item #2 in the prior blog entry (Monday Lecture) on the use of our brain which according to more in-depth studies is used to its full capacity and not 10% only as usually described in many literature, I wish to capture how my brain is right now: Thinking about what I find interesting to write. Hearing Tanya crying downstairs. Feeling the minty sensation from the Maybeline lip balm I applied 50 seconds ago. Wishing that I am in a coffee shop right now, somewhere peace and quiet or somewhere conducive to facilitate this random exercise. But it is already past 8 in the evening, there is work tomorrow and I need to wake up early so I’ll settle on my bed, a borrowed laptop plopped on my lap and man, Tanya really does cry out loud and it is bothering me.

Focus. Focus.

Here are the random thoughts flashing in my mind which I hope my slow fingers can catch and capture in a typewritten blog entry. Here goes:

1)  Lolo’s lap by the window, on his rocking chair. My lolo has a big tummy and I used to sit on it when I was four or five? Can’t remember the exact age. We would watch Ultra Man Ace and then TV Patrol. Oh! I found TV Patrol really boring then. I love my lolo. I miss him so.

2) The Jubilee Song. Yes, I was a member of the choir when I was little. I got to sing solo parts too.

3) My Maybeline lip balm. Its casing is green. It is so minty I can feel it still stinging a bit and sliding on my lips. I love menthol and mints. My facial wash is also menthol-y.

4) Tomorrow is Tuesday. It will be difficult to get up in the morning again. Funny how so easy it is to wake up on a non-work day when it is okay to sleep until such time we get tired of sleeping (tired of sleeping? tiredness from sleep - how oxymoronical, ngeh! ano daw? haha!) and how extremely difficult it is to wake up when we really need to. It must be the MRT. Or my boss. Or the whole idea of being an employee.

5) I will try my best to wake up early tomorrow to avoid the MRT morning rush. I love the MRT in the same intensity as I hate it. I usually write my blog entries on my phone while on the MRT.

6) Paul. I am waiting for his text any minute now to open the gate for him. He will be coming from Katipunan where he visited his girlfriend.

7) I have loads of reading backlogs. I still have books still wrapped in plastic and books which I have yet to flip open. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk (this time I am getting up towards my dishevelled bookshelf to double check the spelling of the author’s surname), travel anthologies, Under the Tuscan Sun, The Discomfort Zone. Sometimes the thought or the pressure of finishing these books takes the pleasure out of reading. Chill Tina, chill.

8) Travel and life abroad. I want to experience how it is to study and live abroad. Even just for a year.

9) I am 26 years old. Sec. Jessie Robredo was elected mayor of Naga at 29 years old. How so little my life is compared to him. How so inspiring to do things beyond ourselves when you get to know a person like him. How unfortunate it is that he died at a time when the country needs a public servant like him so badly. How his existence and examples trample and put to shame the “accomplishments” if ever there are of the mayors and public officials of Solana, Cagayan and Tuguegarao, Cagayan – two places where I spent most of my growing up years in.

10) First Kiss. Outside the apartment, a few meters away from school.

11) There’s “a box of laughs”beside me from Papemelroti. The first note written is: Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.

12) Ate Bel just walked in with a pile of clean clothes fresh from the laundry. I just changed my sheets last night and I love love the smell of Downy. Typing love twice in the preceding sentence was intentional.

13) Family Day. I spent half of my Sunday cheering on the Green Team. We were part of the green team for Theo’s family day. There were a lot of young families and many of the parents may be of the same age as I am. I can feel their love and their excitement for being part of the event not because the event is exciting but because parenthood is. I found myself wishing to have kids of my own but I block the thoughts – I feel embarrassed but I am really not ready.

14) I observe my thoughts and entertain only those that empower me. I say this every day. One of my favourite lines from my current read – The secrets of a Millionaire Mind.

15) Singapore. Hong Kong. Vietnam. Paris. Anywhere in Europe. Bhutan. Palawan. Batanes. I believe that I was born to see these places. And Tokyo. And Egypt.

16) Two years. On September 27, it will be exactly two years since I have been part of that real estate company somewhere over the rainbow.

17) Mutual Funds. Citisec Online. Sun Life Retirement Fund – I should really start saving up and investing for my future. But first, pay off that credit card debt, it’s killing me. I really need to find a more high-paying job.

18) Di. And how she is coping with a broken heart. I’ve been there before but I was a kid then. I do not want to go through it again.

19) Pringles Multi-grain. I can finish one whole can in one sitting. It is addictive; there's a truth to their marketing claim, once you pop, you can't stop! Plus the lollipops. Oh the lollipops with bubblegum on the last bite.

20) House. Bel-Air, Makati or somewhere in the Greenhills residential area. It is no secret I’ve been dreaming of it, my own house since, oh, I really cannot remember when this started, but I promise, I promise to make this a reality before I turn 30.

I’ll stop on the 20^th recorded thought. Believe it or not, there are many still other thoughts which escaped my typing abilities. And if there is any truth to the mind working only at 10% of its capacity, I cannot imagine how it works in full. Scary.  And at the same time – beautiful.

Hamsowsssmmmmart!!!! Haha!

Good Night Universe!

Monday Lecture

interesting.

via mindbodygreen

Four Weekends of August

Life essentials: Family. Friendship. Love. Travel.
(in alphabetical order - ;p)

Week One: Travel + Friendship
Destination: Cebu City

Week Two: Love + Family
Destination: Home #2 - Quezon City

Disclaimer: I regret not having taken photos of my family since I was in my Evil Queen mode on that weekend my mother came over to visit her city-based children. So please make do with the pictures of food Ate Bel has lovingly prepared for us which we packed and brought over to our lola's home in Fairview.

Good mood or not, I am very grateful for having been blessed with a loving family.

Week Three: Travel + Love
Destination: Muelle, Puerto Galera

Week Four: Friendship + Family

Destination: Ronac Art Center (Saturday) and then Theo's Family Day in Fremont Pre-School (Sunday)

Remarks: While I have yet to receive the pictures from Di and Alan (that's what I get from having a low-tech phone) for my Saturday story, here is a picture from Theo's family day yesterday. I sort of 'subbed' for my brother, who is currently working in Dubai. I was a witness to how parenthood expands the heart of an individual a million fold - I wish to write about it also soon.

On the left corner is a picture of our little Theo, with his future girlfriend, Yuri.=) I am a kunsintidor tita. =)

Cheers to a happy week!=)

Wednesday Sermon

hustle, baby, hustle.

good things come to those who wait or so much time is lost in waiting?

hustle, baby, hustle.

Watermelons

This write-up made my night.=)
I love love LOOVVEE watermelons!

image and article from mindbodygreen

5 Reasons Why Watermelon Is Wonderful

By Abby Phon

I LOVE watermelon. It’s refreshing, sweet, light and low calorie. This juicy fruit is an excellent after dinner sweet treat and great in other ways too! I love it in salads, soups, drinks, smoothies, frozen treats! And what picnic or BBQ isn’t complete without this iconic bright pink piece of summertime?

I was in the grocery store with my guy the other day and honestly had no idea how to pick out a watermelon. I smelled it (that didn’t work!) and then tapped on it (then jokingly played them like bongos!). I came home and did some research and my intuition was right on! To pick out an ideal watermelon, knock on them. You want to hear a hollow echo.

Watermelon has always been a fun part of summer but the best part? It’s good for you too! 

Top 5 Reasons to Slurp up Watermelon! 

1. High in Vitamins A & C as well as B6 and essential minerals, means it’s loaded with antioxidants which helps fight free radicals (that can lead to inflammation and illnesses).

2. Besides providing 2 grams of protein and fiber, it’s also a good source of lycopene and beta-carotene (which gives it its beautiful pink color!) and helps fight cancer and heart disease.

3. It’s a low-calorie sweet that helps lose weight and curb your sweet tooth. One slice of watermelon has about 86 calories and less than 1 gram of fat.

4. It works as a great accent to savory dishes such as salads and soups.

5.  There are so many fun ways to enjoy watermelon during the summer – just cut up in cubes or slices, in drinks (see my Watermelon Mint Cooler recipe below!), sorbets, granitas, popsicles, and even as a punch bowl or fruit bowl!

Bonus Tip!  It’s not just for your tummy! Use it as a body scrub for your skin too!

Watermelon Mint Cooler

It’s almost embarrassing how easy this specialty drink is. It’s a great drink to serve on a hot summer day that will really ‘wow’ your guests. Watermelon is hydrating and mint is great for digestion. This is truly a healthy and tasty drink!

INGREDIENTS: (Serves 2)

• 2 cups seedless organic watermelon
• 5 sprigs organic fresh mint (I used the wild mint from my folks garden!)
• 3 ice cubes

OPTIONAL:

• For a fizzy drink: Splash selzer (I personally prefer mine without the fizz)
• To get your cocktail on: ½ cup vodka (no comment!) 
• For a chilled version: serve over ice (which I prefer)  

DIRECTIONS:

Blend watermelon, mint and ice in a blender. That’s it. No really, that’s it! 

Weekend Movies

Thank you August for the longest weekend of the year. I have long dreamt of a no-agenda trip and made sure it happened on the longest weekend of 2012. I spent 3 days in the closest beach to Metro Manila (I hope to write about it soon, it's difficult to write entries on a borrowed laptop, hay!) and enjoyed my time just listening to the waves, eating, wondering if coconuts will fall onto me while on a hammock, reading Town and Country magazine (I am starting to love this magazine), and going to the the town market to have my lunch and to buy fresh fruits, and of course, I watched lots and lots of movies! Yes, 6 for me is lots and lots!


what i watched: Spanglish, The Taking of Pelham 123, Due Date, 50/50(parts of it), Hangover Part II and Just Like Heaven

via google

Words to Live By

While I stay loyal to my favorite words in the English dictionary: wanderlust, thoroughbred, kindred and serendipity, I find these two other words just as beautiful- Christmas and breakfast-by-the-beach.

Christmas.  It's the happiest season of the year, most especially if you are from the Philippines. The season soft launches in September then festivities proceed in a grand scale after the Halloween. I can never really describe it but it is as if the Universe has issued a happiness mandate and everyone willingly complies.I am adopting Muffie Cabot's mantra:  when you are stressed close your eyes and think of Christmas.

Breakfast-by-the-beach. Breakfast is the ultimate happy meal. Bundle it with "beach" then you just reached the seventh heaven or cloud nine or the ultimate high. Whenever I am out of town (and usually out of town means a trip to the beach), I make it a point to wake up early, find my spot where I can see the soft sunlight greet the heavens, hear the waves gently rocking towards the shore and back to the ocean, feel the soft and cool grass(or sand) on my feet and order my breakfast. My breakfast by the beach. Then just like that, I'll forget all worries and submit to this beautiful declaration, that, Life is good.

Now, what happens when you mix these two together? Christmas and then breakfast-by-the-beach? Hmmmm....=) 

Tuesday Sermon

Find the Time.

via fengshuidana

Cebu

It was an impulsive decision last June- booking a flight to Cebu. Original plan was Puerto Princesa in Palawan because: a) two major itineraries I wrote in that little notebook which records my dreams and plans in 2012 are Bohol and Palawan. Bohol happened in May. Palawan is yet to happen. b) because the booked flight was meant for my birthday trip and had I chosen Puerto Princesa, my social networking page’s birthday trip album would have read :

“Puerto Princesa.

August 2012.

Because every birthday girl is a princess”

-a remark which will surely make my sister’s and aunt’s eyes roll but will bump me to first class, level 8 coolness  to my other facebook friends (the level goes up to until level 10 only. Haha!)

But Cebu is meant to happen and it did-on my birthday week. And Dorey, my best friend since high school was the willing Robin to my Batman (yes, yes, I declare myself the main character because, hello, it is my birthday!). I gathered the tiny bits of courage scattered around my teeny weeny desk to advise my boss of a 2-day vacation leave and after seeing my eye bags, dry facial skin, chapped lips and hair closely resembling  that of Einstein’s (ye-hes!! Einstein and I have something in common!!), she said, “Please…Leave…now…”. That pretty much finalized everything and so one drizzling Thursday early morning, I found myself  in plane seat number 009-B, sleeping with both mouth and eyes half-opened, semi-snoring, head tilted in a 45-degree angle, completely oblivious of the turbulence (like what I have said, it was drizzling/raining when we boarded) – my vacation has just started – goodbye tired and stressed employee, hello hot and big-time traveler (ahem,ahem-ako yan!!!) !!

My favorite part of a composition is the introduction so in this blog, you will usually find very long introductions (sorry, sorry!) – let me segue to my top-ten tradition. This time, let’s make it the top ten words, which when said, conjure the beautiful imagery of Cebu (say it with me with feelings, zhebooohh…)

One: SUNSHINE

News of tropical depression, typhoon and many other rain-related terms which will make Ernie Baron want to come back to life plague the television news programs but the Universe has felt my desperation to get my feet on the beach so the rest of the world got rained on BUT CEBU!! (all together now, zheboohh..) It was all sunshiny from day 1 to day4 of our trip with a sprinkle of just the right amount of rain to add the super to our adventure. Super Adventure! Then there’s the other kind of sunshine: Cebuano’s (and Oslobenos and Sumilenos) are simply divine! They are the kindest people in the Philippines. They are the most accommodating and simplest. The gentlest and the happiest. The sunshine after the rain. The cure against my fear and my pain. (Stop 98 degrees memories, I am a backstreet girl!!) And meeting these beautiful people (special mention: Kristine, Eleanor of Oslob Garden Stay Resort and Kuya Dodz, our guide in Oslob), add the ‘duper’ in my already super adventure. Duper Super Adventure!! Ay mali! - Super Duper Adventure!!! 

Two: DIY

…or also known as do-it-yourself. Most of my trips have been with an organized travel group because I am tamad that way, and I have friends and have established friendship with the people I have met in my travel groups so much so that they have been my comfort zone. But this Cebu trip is inspired by a Sunday feature I have read about Sumilon Island and the gentle giants (whale sharks!) of Oslob by Christine Dayrit of the Philippine Star and it all started from there. I thought to go there by myself or with a friend on our own and not through a third party. Blogs have been very helpful in designing our itinerary and Dorey is really good with maps. In summary, I wish to share our itinerary and I hope that you find it useful. Will post a different entry soon for scholarly details (nyahaha):

Day 1: Oslob

6:45 AM ETD Flight from Manila Manila to Cebu (I suggest you take the earliest possible flight if you plan to go directly to Southern Cebu)

7:45 AM ETA Mactan Airport

From the Mactan Airport, take a taxi going to Cebu South Terminal

Take the Ceres bus (in striking yellow, hello sunshine!!) going to Oslob

Expect a three hour drive plus waiting time to get to Oslob

11:30 ETA Oslob Garden Stay Resort

12:00 Lunch

Start of trip on a motorbike!! Wohoo!!

Tumalog Falls (majestic)

Cuartel (breath taking)

Barbeque and Food tripping sa bayan

Then back to resort

Tambay time sa beach while sipping on coconut juice straight from the coconut husk straight from the coconut tree!! (so loco over coco)    

Dinner

Snooze

Day 2: Tuki and Sumilon

6:00 AM Diving with the Tuki’s

Then Breakfast

9:00 AM to 5PM Sumilon Island Day trip (beautiful!)

Day 3: Cebu City

Back to Cebu City

Food Trip plus side trip from dusk ‘til dawn

Zubuchon

AA BBQ

Café Elisa

Vanille

CNT Lechon

Cyma

Day 4: Cebu City

Food Trip from Dusk ‘til flight back to Manila

Casa Escano’s plated breakfast

Café Abeseria

Zubuchon (again!!)

Back to Manila

Three: MOTORBIKES

We were sandwiched by the mountains on our right and the ocean on the left. We were comfortably mobile in the middle –on a motorbike. I am super advocating travel or tour on a bike. If there are breastfeeding advocates, education advocates, peace advocates (think Nelson Mandela, Gawad Kalinga, Red Cross, Mother Theresa,etc.) – I join their ranks as a mag-tour sa motorbike (or simply a bicycle) advocate aka as Mo-tour (play on the words motorbike tour- HAMSOWSMARTTTT!!! Hahaha! VIP na’to!!-Tina the advocate or Tina the hotvocate (hot na advocate- woohoo!!) This advocacy’s objectives are just as meaningful:

      It brings you closer to nature

      It makes you appreciate better your surroundings 

      It brings you closer to your driver (ang bango ni Kuya Dodz, David Beckham ang peg!)

Four: TUKI

The butanding’s or whale sharks or in Oslob, the Tuki’s. They are Oslob’s main crowd drawers. Tourists usually join the  fishermen or the sea wardens in the Tuki’s feeding time (usually from 6 am until 12 noon). I have managed to see six or seven or eight of them, and I dove at the shallowest part of the ocean I can find while my hand and feet were embarrassingly wrapped around our boatman’s body (I do not understand, but for this particular day, I felt scared of the open water). I felt intimated by what was before me – the tuki’s, the gentle giants all big and magnificent and oh please, supply me with adjectives… 

Five: CUARTEL

The Japanese occupation left a lot of traces in Southern Cebu. Most evident are the cuartel’s and the baluarte’s which can be found in the coastline of Oslob and then Sumilon. The best one is that by the Immaculate Conception Parish. The best time to go is when the sun sets- enveloping the sand, sea and the structures with its golden rays. 

Six: SANDBAR

A million notches better than the best chocolate bar!! Nyahaha! The Sumilon Sandbar appeared an hour before the last boat ride back to Oslob and we are extremely grateful that it did. Beautiful!

via outoftownblog.com

Seven: GLAMPING

Glamour Camping. We did not have Php15,000 to shell out for one night on a tent with 5-star hotel service but the idea is so attractive I wish to try one in the future. Sumilon’s Bluewater Resort offers such accommodation.

via shopaholicmonster

Eight: SHERLOCK HOMES

After two days in the calm and laidback Oslob and Sumilon, we moved back to the busy Cebu City for our planned food trip. While on the bus back to the City, I have observed that (I am such a keen observer and again, HAMSOWSMART!! Hahaha!) there are a lot of home stores (depots) and furniture showrooms. I forgot that this is Cebu City: the home of the world-class Mandaue Mattresses, the Cobonpue’s, Vito Selma –it is a little surprising that the Bacud’s did not come from here. Haha!! Next time, I will make sure to visit these showrooms to indulge in my growing interest (naks!) in furniture and home design. How did Sherlock Homes come into play? You read that right: Sherlock Homes, not Holmes. It’s actually a lockset brand advertised in a Cebu City billboard (how obvious) and I found it witty. Similar to Mang Donald’s for McDonald’s. Starbox for Starbucks. And my favorite, The Three Bears beside the Goldilocks’ bakeshop. Goldilocks and the three bears, gets? Hahaha! 

Nine: PAGODA

I was taking a video while resting under what I know of as the ilang-ilang tree in the second

Level of Fort San Pedro in Cebu City when Dorey told me that in landscape architecture, the tree is called Pagoda tree. It was another HAMSOWSMARTTT!!-moment. So my video narration came out as: We’re resting   under the PAGOD-a tree, because we’re PAGOD-na. See? Hahaha!

Ten: ZUBUCHON

Because Cebu is not Cebu without Lechon!!! 

Twenty Six

Handwritten.
Three days early.