…was spent with Gim and my family, and super lots of food! :)

Before I start overdosing on leucine and going on my starvation diet, let me happily reminisce all the food I ate during the New Year!

The spread!

This was all cooked by my mom, me and Gim during the afternoon! My mom made her famous paella, super full of shrimp and clam goodness! Gim made the crispy pata, very yummy though it wasn’t that crispy in the inside because it was a rainy day! We weren’t able to completely dry the meat, and even resorted to a hair dryer at the latter part. Hahaha! Gim also made the potato salad, and it was sooo delicious! And me? I made the carbonara! Hehehe! It was very creamy and tasted bacon-y. :)

This is me when I look ravenous!! Look at that glint in my eye. I’m scary…

Here is Gim, tired but happy!

And at the end of the night, I got Gim to give me some trensas! (Braids.) Haha. He did a very bad job at it, but you gotta hand it to him for trying. I ♥ him so much, hahaha! :)

We were so tired after cooking the entire afternoon that we ended up sleeping after we ate!!! Which is to say… we missed actually ushering in the New Year. Does it mean Gim and I will be sleeping together in 2011? Hmmmm!!! (Definitely not opposed to the idea, hahah!)

I spent Christmas in Zamboanga, as I always do, because that’s my hometown. ♥

On one of those days I had a dinner with my old debate friends Jeff and Ruth. I wish Chu and Jen were there so it would be complete, but Chu is in Australia and Jen was too effin’ busy (hmp!) so it was just the four of us including Gim of course (whom I met through debate! Double ♥).

We had a nice dinner in Lantaka Hotel, then went to look at the lights in City Hall and then had smoothies in Catribo. Zamboanga is so small, we kept bumping into old friends. We saw Julius, Joey, King, Raul, my old students and so many others. December is truly homecoming month. :)

I love this picture. :)

It was taken by Jeff, haha. We had a hard time getting a pic because all the waiters seemed so harried, running from one table to the other. We could hardly keep their attention for more than a minute, and almost all the waiter’s photos were a blurry fail. LOL. So. Sariling sikap, yo! Hahaha.

Here is a photo taken by Ruth of my favorite Lantaka dish. It’s pasta marisco – fettucini swimming in seafood sauce and yummy clams and squid. Mmmm!!! I miss!!!

Here is me and Gim, ooh, parang we just had a dinner date, hahahah!

Here is our fully lighted City Hall. Amazing, yeah? It was even more lighted up than last year, if you can believe that!!

And here are our other pictures, just browse through them all. :)

Here is the schedule of 2011 holidays in the Philippines. But, for those looking for more Monday holidays, no Padron cigar for you. All together now. Awww! :(

Regular Holidays:
January 1 (New Year’s Day) – Saturday
April 9 (Araw ng Kagitingan) – Saturday
April 21 (Maundy Thursday) – Thursday
April 22 (Good Friday) – Friday
May 1 (Labor Day) – Sunday
June 12 (Independence Day) – Sunday
August 29 (National Heroes Day) – Monday
December 25 (Christmas Day) – Sunday
December 30 (Rizal Day) – Friday

Special Non-Working Holidays:
August 21 (Ninoy Aquino Day) – Sunday
November 1 (All Saints Day) – Tuesday
December 31 (Last Day) – Saturday

Special Schools-Only Holiday:
February 25 (EDSA) – Friday

Moving Holidays:
Eid’l Fithr and Eid’l Adha – determined by the Islamic calendar

Time to schedule your 2011 travels! :)

Right now, I am at home, in my bed, and staring at the one I love most in the whole world right across from me (and he’s just as handsome as any roses ordered from proflowers.com). :) It’s the best feeling in the world.

It’s been three years that I’ve been living far away from home. It hasn’t made me any happier, but sometimes the present needs to be sacrificed in order to secure the future. So I am thankful for these moments, few and far between, that I can rest well, feel warm, eat merrily and just be loved.

It’s been a hectic year – so many trips, so many challenges, so many tears and so many goodbyes. But I’ve learned a lot, grew up (and across!) another notch, and most importantly, held on to all that I love – my Gim, my family, my friends, and of course, this blog. :)

I wish you all a Merry Christmas – Felices Pascua! – and a very Happy New Year – Prospero Año Nuevo. :)

70% off, that is quite an amount! Yes, this is not a two-hour sale, but a whole day sale! On Saturday, December 4, 2010, Nokia will be having a holiday sale with all Nokia phones at 70% off!!! Below are the stores and prices. There are a lot of participating stores so be ready to rush to your nearest Nokia Store! (Mine is Greenbelt!)

Nokia 1280 – Php890
Nokia 1616 – Php990
Nokia C3 – Php4,990
Nokia 5230 – Php4,990
Nokia C5 – Php6,990
Nokia C6 – Php10,990

…and a lot more! Only one purchase per customer, and bring cash!

Participating Stores:
Nokia Concept Store Mall of Asia
Nokia Store SM Manila
Nokia Store Greenbelt 1
Nokia Store Gateway
Nokia Store Robinsons Manila
Nokia Store Bonifacio High Street
Nokia Concept Store Robinsons Galleria
Nokia Store SM Megamall
Nokia Store Podium
Nokia Store Rockwell
Nokia Store Digital Exchange
Nokia Store Trinoma
Nokia Store SM North Edsa
Nokia Store Tomas Morato
Nokia Store SM Fairview
Nokia Store SM Southmall
Nokia Store Alabang Town Center
Nokia Store SM Pampanga
Nokia Store Dagupan
Nokia Store SM Tarlac
Nokia Store SM Sta Rosa
Nokia Store SM Batangas
Nokia Store SM Taytay
Nokia Store Tacloban City
Nokia Concept Store SM Cebu
Nokia Store Ayala Center Cebu
Nokia Store SM Iloilo
Nokia Store SM Bacolod
Nokia Store SM Davao
Nokia Store Gaisano Davao
Nokia Store Limketkai Cagayan de Oro
Nokia Store KCC General Santos

The next question is… which one of these stores will be least filled with people on December 4???

My friends and I are currently scouting for a good place to hold an overnight. Over the years, it’s become our yearender routine. Take photos, sing karaoke, eat, drink, be merry, catch up on all the latest goss and have at least ONE DAY in the entire year that we are all together again, just like in high school. :)

Astoria Regency is fully booked this year, sooo sad! We tried Lantaka Hotel, but they won’t let 7 people stay in a room even if we’re willing to pay extra. They tell us we have to book TWO rooms, but that is totally pointless for a reunion. Raquel is going to inquire at Garden Orchid next, and I went and had a look at Woodland Resort earlier today.

Woodland is beautiful, and there’s a lot of photo-friendly spots. But it’s too bad, because we were told that the Department of Education is holding their Christmas party over there for three days, including the day we’re holding our get-together. I envision loads of middle-aged government employees AND their families. Crowds and strangers are not my thing.

So, I guess we will have to look elsewhere. :(

However, Gim and I had a blast today. Just look at all our photos! :)

Here is me trying to look all cute for Gim.

Then this is me gorging down all the food we ordered! A mango smoothie, a diet Coke (every little avoidance counts), and a clubhouse sandwich!

Gim raising his eyebrow at me when I told him that no, this is MY coke, that is YOUR smoothie and this is OUR sandwich. (Because I was finishing everything.)

After eating, we went on to take photos outside. Okay, the truth is, we only ate in the restaurant to avoid paying the entrance fee that was Php35 per person. So we spent more on the resto, but at least we didn’t pay for nothing! Hehehe, we are really cheapskates!!

I wanted Gimmi to take a photo of me AND the flowers. This is how I look when I’m not getting what I want. It’s my Gimmi, you fix this now na!! look. Gim tells me that’s always how I look. Hehehehe!

Me posing by the lake. I wanted lots of photos with Gim and me but he said he would take the photos, I would pose, and since there is only me and him in this trip, that people would assume he is with me, taking the photo, and that would be enough. As I get to star in all the photos, that was fine by me! Hehehe. I am so spoiled! See why I love him???

A photo by the lilies, please? - Flifli. Okidokie, bunny! - Gimmi

This photo, I know it’s not really clear a clear shot of me, but I like that I am on the bridge. That’s all!!

Now I am at the end of the bridge. Don’t pay attention to my tummy. Gim says I look pretty here so there! I will not accept any other point of view hehehe!

Trying to take a good photo but Gim is sniffing me out! What the eff, Gimmi???

Try again. But this time Gimmi is trying to lick me! Puppy, sit and behave!!

No can do, and so I say, Gim this time I will look at you so you will behave! Now I’m the one who ruins the pic. Hayyy!

Another yummy tummy pic. My camphone takes bad photos but the background is really pretty IRL.

This photo, Gim had to pee, stat! But I wanted a photo by the bougainvillea. He took the cam, shot the photo in one second, handed me back the cam, and ran away to pee behind a secluded building. I had no time to even pose appropriately, so that is my bemused look!

Soo pretty! There are horses! And you can ride for P40 an hour I think. I didn’t want to because I pitied the poor animals. They would surely balk at my sheer weight, and then where would I be! Needing more than a would-be orthopedic specialist, I think!!

Here’s Gim, back from peeing. Hee hee, doesn’t he look relieved?!?

And then we decided we would rent a banca and row away on this lake! Ohhh it was so scary just getting on it! The little canoe rocked violently to one side when I first stepped on it!! And I had my very expensive cellphone with me, which I couldn’t leave with the help because what if he ran away with it, but then again, what if I brought it and it fell??? (In the end I brought it because around these parts, I would rather take the chance that it will not fall in the boat than it will not get stolen by helpers who earn less than the minimum wage! And I wouldn’t blame them either, if they did!)

We had to don these ugly life vests filled with styro foam and I really do not think they would be any good in case we did fall in the lake! And FYI, the lake was 10 feet deep!! So, really, I would drown if I did fall!!

I sat in the back while Gimmi sat in front. For a while there, we were both paddling and going around in circles! He would paddle in the right and I would paddle in the left. He would get frustrated because he said I was doing it wrong! And I said, I don’t care, I just want to paddle!!! It’s my first time kaya!!! Here he is looking at me all frustrated and charmed by my cuteness!

Then he decided he would take my photo. Now I don’t have to move a bit when I need to take his photo because I was at his back. But to take my photo he had to move sideways. And the banca would tip slightly to the side whenever he did that. Here is how I look scared shitless.

Then here is how I look while saying, Okay! Okay! We are tipped to the side but not yet capsized! Nobody move! Nobody!!!

And then here is me trying to smile and trying to forget that we are maybe going to capsize in a while if you do not sit back straight dammit Gimmi now na!!!

So he went back rowing. Oh, by the way, if you notice, I stopped rowing early on, after I had my fill of paddling. That’s when we actually started to move somewhere we actually wanted to go.

And look! The sun is so pretty, reflected in the lake! And those are new rowers who got jealous of us and decided they wanted to rent an banca too!

We went under the bridge! Pretty!!!

Another photo of me scared because Gimmi is again attempting to take a photo of me!!! (He never took a good one. I always looked the same.)

Awww we successfully passed under the bridge! And we pretended for 1.5 seconds we were in Venice. Or wherever is that famous place for romantically passing under bridges.

And then almost collided with the lilies!!! We were trying to avoid hitting the other couple on the previous picture. Do you know how hard it is to navigate with a boat??? Very hard!!!

Pretty waterlilies!! Do you know they bloom at night then close during the day??? I wonder why… Would it not be more aesthetically pleasing if it were the other way around?!?

Here is me posing with my favorite tree ever, the kalachuchi. (Because they have those huge pretty flowers.) Well, that’s what Gim tells me they are called. (Who knows with him. He often lies just to be able to give me an answer to all my endless questions.) I would have thought they would have a prettier name. Regardless, I want rows of these trees adorning my entire house and lot in the future!!!

Awww, and we had to leave at sunset… because the roads to that place are broken and many accidents have happened in the night there… So… goodbye Woodland Resort! It was a pleasure visiting!

All photos plus more down there! :)

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Instead of the usual Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays greetings this year, I got mostly cryptic messages such as “Bro, Ikaw ang Star”. Huh? Who’s Bro? Turns out it’s in reference to a newly created Filipino Christmas song created by ABS-CBN, the Philippines’ Kapamilya Network.

The video below stars more than 300 ABS-CBN personalities, including artists, TV anchors, hosts and others. The lyrics for “Bro, Ikaw Ang Star ng Pasko” were written by ABS-CBN Creative Communication Management Head, Robert Labayen, while its music was composed by Marcus and Amber Davis.

Watch the “Bro, Ikaw ang Star ng Pasko” video below.

And here are the lyrics.

Bro Ikaw ang Star ng Pasko Lyrics
(ABS-CBN Kapamilya artists)

Kung kailan pinakamadilim
Ang mga tala ay mas nagniningning
Gaano man kakapal ang ulap
Sa likod nito ay may liwanag

Ang liwanag na ito
Nasa ‘ting lahat
Mas sinag ang bawat pusong bukas
Sa init ng mga yakap
Maghihilom ang lahat ng sugat

Ang nagsindi nitong ilaw
Walang iba kundi ikaw
Salamat sa liwanag mo
Muling magkakakulay ang pasko
Salamat sa liwanag mo
Muling magkakakulay ang pasko

Tayo ang ilaw sa madilim na daan
Pagkakapit bisig ngayon higpitan
Dumaan man sa malakas na alon
Lahat tayo’s makakaahon

Ang liwanag na ito
Nasa ‘ting lahat
Mas sinag ang bawat pusong bukas
Sa init ng mga yakap
Maghihilom ang lahat ng sugat

Ang nagsindi nitong ilaw
Walang iba kundi ikaw
Salamat sa liwanag mo
Muling magkakakulay ang pasko
Salamat sa liwanag mo
Muling magkakakulay ang pasko

Kikislap ang pag-asa
Kahit kanino man
Dahil ikaw Bro, dahil ikaw Bro
Dahil ikaw Bro
Ang star ng pasko

Salamat sa liwanag mo
Muling magkakakulay ang pasko
Salamat sa liwanag mo
Muling magkakakulay ang pasko

Ang nagsindi nitong ilaw
Walang iba kundi ikaw
Salamat sa liwanag mo
Muling magkakakulay ang pasko

Ang nagsindi nitong ilaw
Walang iba kundi ikaw
Salamat sa liwanag mo
Muling magkakakulay ang pasko

Ang nagsindi nitong ilaw
Walang iba kundi ikaw
Salamat sa liwanag mo
Muling magkakakulay ang pasko

Dahil ikaw Bro, dahil ikaw Bro
Dahil ikaw Bro
Ang star ng pasko!

Lantaka by the Sea

We got caught in the rain while joyriding through the streets of Zamboanga. We were about to drop by Paseo del Mar, but it was full of Sunday folks. So we decided on Lantaka by the Sea instead, even though the rates were considerably higher, the solitude and quiet would be well worth it.

And a good decision, too, since mere minutes after settling in our cozy little hut, the rain started pouring by the buckets.

We ordered Pasta Marisco (seafood pasta) to share, Choros de Chocolate (bread with chocolate) for dessert, a Cookies and Cream frappe for me, and two San Miguel Lights for him.

Spent the evening just taking photos, eating good and having fun, until the rain let up and we were able to head home.

Getting caught in the rain always leads to fun times when I’m with Gimmi. :)

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Millions of Jews the world over are all set to celebrate this year’s Hanukkah or Festival of Light. The holiday usually lasts for eight days and is supposed to commemorate the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem during the 2nd century BC. It’s also supposed to start on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Jewish calendar, which this year falls on sundown of December 11 (Blurb: anyone interested in hair supplements?).

Now I’m not Jewish being born and raised a Catholic, but I imagine that this celebration is very much like our own Christmas season holiday. And it’s also a very good guess that the tables in all Jewish homes will be heavily laden with food, food and more food!

For more Hanukkah guidelines, click here.

Happy Hanukkah to all! :)

So Christmas is just around the corner. Well, it’s still a coupla months away actually, but unless you want a pile of holiday cards underneath your tree come Christmas day, I suggest you put up your wish list as well. My top 5:

1. Zendikar Booster Box- this is simply *the* coolest set released by Wizards with it’s repertoire of fetch lands and landfall mechanic. Plus it’s also got a reaally broken card that everyone’s just dying to have: Lotus Cobra. So even though by the time Christmas rolls in and we’re already about to enter this set’s twilight, I’d still appreciate a box ‘o these babies. ($100)
2. adiSTAR Ride- The ad says it all. “The running shoe is all about the ultimate ride. The feel is even more luxurious and responsive with advanced 3D ForMotion™ technology.” ($124.99)
3. Honda XR 200 (2009)- Man. I just love mean machines and this baby is definitely it. I can truly say that I’ve personally (courtesy of a friend) felt the power of this beast’s 200cc engine as I gunned the throttle down the highway easily reaching 100kph in practically no time. ($2500)
4. Breitling Chronomat B01- Sleek. Modern. Built to last. Would look great on any occasion. ($7770)
5. 2010 Ford Explorer- ($28,880) what can I say? This *is* a wish list. :)

So how about you? Got that wish list yet?

PS Thanks to cargurus and schwanzerbergtells for the photos!