I’ve moved on…

to another blog.

I closed this blog for a quarter or so. I didn’t know what to do with the entries. I asked myself the following- Should I delete them? Reword them? Do I even have the courage to look at them again? What do I tell those people who have been following my blog looking for specific entries? Do I deny what happened? Do I play dumb? What can I say that will not hurt me or shame the other person?

It’s only today that I decided that this has my past. There’s beauty in it. There’s also pain in it. And both, I cannot separate from who I am, from who I’ve become.

Plus, I also learned that when you take a step of faith and a door closes, then you’re one step closer to the open door.

See you on the other side. :)

Welcoming 2016

I spent the last night of 2015 with friends. Tumambay lang kami sa Café France in Pergola, BF Homes until around 9pm.

This is where to talked about tentative travel plans. Hopefully we get to go to Vigan in the first half of the year, and to South Korea any time in the second half. This is also where I had my last meal of 2015– a spread of bacon, eggs, fruits, bread, juice and coffee. Masarap sana ‘yung bacon pero matigas. Nakikipaglaban!

After Café France, we went to PCJ Church in Phase 3 for the NYE mass. Ang daming nagsimba kahit maulan! Ang haba ng presentation nung mga bata. Parang lahat ng popular ABS-CBN Christmas station id songs pinerform! :p

After mass, we went to Lopez, in my BFF’s aunt’s place for the NYE party. It was a festive time full of good food colorful fireworks,

fun games (Pinoy Henyo, pictionary, tweettweet and potpot hulaang kanta) and may prizes pa!!!

And of course, I was surrounded by awesome people! Thanks to my bestie and his family sa pag-ampon sa akin uli this NYE!

Hope the start of your 2016 was as wonderful as mine! May you have a bountiful year ahead! God bless!!!

// listening to Starbucks Cash & Carry playlist

Birthday 2015

Come -ber months, I already stopped hoping that my birthday this year can beat, be the same, or even come close to last year’s. I just wanted to celebrate the most important day of the year for me. Your birthday may be just a regular day for you, but then again, to each his own.

December 19, I went to Trinoma to meet up with Miko. Then we went to the Church of The Holy Sacrifice in UP Diliman to hear mass. We arrived early, so Miko ate some red isaw, dynamite and hotdogs first at the stall near Mang Larry’s. I didn’t have any because I was still full from the Yellow Cab pepperoni pizza I got from Trinoma.

The simbang gabi was at 8pm and the gospel was about The Visitation. The homily said that we should focus on Jesus being the reason for the season and not material gifts or vacations or other worldly things we now associate with Christmas. I agree. Jesus should be the focus of Christmas. I should be the focus of my birthday. Haha.

After mass, we went to Good Burger in Maginhawa for dinner. I still wasn’t hungry, so I only had some fries and chicken, while Miko had some healthy burger creation and milk tea from the store beside GB. We talked about work (mostly my career) while eating, so even if I learned lots from his insight, I kinda lost my appetite. Hehe.

We went to Taste of L.A. for my birthday salubong. This was where I also had my salubong last year. I love this old resto in Roces. It has candles and roses and paintings- three things that are on top of my list of favorite things. Instead of wine, I had some whisky. And instead of chocolate lava cake, we had frozen cheesecake. The cheesecake is much much much better than the chocolate cake. Guess what I wished for when it turned 12?

Dec 20… we went to Galleria to watch Star Wars The Force Awakens. Before that, he hit the gym first and I had my me time at Café Pascucci. Then we went to Toys R Us to get some gifts for his inaanaks. I saw two Care Bears that look like us. Shempre ako si Funshine Bear.

It was my 2nd time to watch TFA and it was his 1st time to watch a Star Wars movie. His reaction after 2hours and 15minutes of watching?

“Ayoko. Walang Ewoks!!!” 😂

It took us almost an hour to get to EDSA Shangri La. Terrible traffic! We were definitely hangry by the time we got to HEAT. In fact, I started eating while he was still parking. :P

I enjoyed the food better in HEAT than in Circles (Makati Shangri La), but I liked the ambience of the latter better. The dishes that I loved in HEAT were the maki with lots of bonito flakes, herb crusted cold cuts, meat loaf, crabs in lemon garlic sauce, roasted lamb chops, roasted angus belly, churros, and blueberry mousse. Miko loved all the meats except their sisig. He also liked the mango cheesecake.

HEAT has an iced tea buffet, and you need to pay an extra 200php to avail. Also 200php for the unlisoda. And for unli wine, add 700php. I had the unli iced tea and my fave was cucumber lemonade.

The cost of Sunday dinner buffet is P2,200 I think. The original plan was to have my birthday/our anniversary dinner at Spiral in Sofitel, but it was okay that it didn’t push through because of the rain and traffic.

I quickly fell asleep right after Miko brought me home. I woke up with a little sadness because my birthday was over. It was happy, but there was something else I wanted.

I went to MOA to meet up with my bestfriend Donnie and I already had a feeling that he tried to invite our other friends so celebrate my birthday. I also had a feeling that it was only Jan who could make it. And of course, tama ako.

I was touched that Donnie and Jan took the extra mile to be with me and arrange a surprise to make me happy on my a day after my birthday. Sabi ko nga, kung kilala mo talaga ako nang mabuti, alam mo na gusto ko ng surprise. Hindi kailangang bongga, basta meron. At alam mo dapat na gusto ko ng cake na may masarap na frosting na may candle.

Nagpa-fireworks pa sila Jan at Donnie para sa akin. May live band pa sa tabi na tumugtog ng Achey Breakey Heart at Nanghihinayang. 😰

Come December 22, I was already on leave. I went home here in Bataan and the first thing that greeted me in our humble farmhouse was that little brown furry cute puppy! It’s my parents’ birthday gift for me! A labrador mix that I named Toshi. It means alert, intelligent and bright in Japanese. Miko suggested that I name it Potpot. So I decided that should be the nickname. I think the puppy likes his nickname better because he wags his tail nonstop whenever he hears it. 😜

So that’s how I spent my birthday. It may not be as happy as the one in 2014, but it is still my second favorite birthday of all. Thank you to all those who remembered. To those who didn’t, HU U?

// listening to A Second Chance

Happy (?) birthday to me!

In less than 24 hours, I will be turning a year older. I had a wish for my birthday that I made early part of this year, but logic tells me that it is not going to come true. God must probably be laughing and thinking that I do not trust His power to provide. I do. I am so convinced that He who gives also takes away.

All I hope for now is to feel loved and valued this time around. As Oryx was fond of saying, “It’s Iya’s Day!” I want to feel that it is my day indeed.

I have never experienced a birthday when someone planned a surprise party for me. With Estrel’s cake and shiny balloons and pizza and whisky and wine. It has always been a dream, but I am already down with the fact that none of my closest few are inclined or equipped to plan something like that. Except for my bff who already does events planning for a living. And I don’t want him burdened with the same task outside work.

I have also wanted to spend my birthday in Tagaytay, but with the traffic and weather, going there would be impractical. So I once again settled for Manila. So no more pink roses, garden dinner and salubong by the Taal Lake again. Wouldn’t it be nice if someone just dragged me to a destination unknown? It would be nice if there were someone to plan for me for once.

I am not complaining. It is just the way it is. I have awesome people around me, just no one who shares the same thoughts.

Oh well. I will be glad if I will be remembered and treated with tenderness tomorrow. That should be easy enough, right?

—–

Hahaha I know that none of my closest read my blog. So okay.

// listening to nothing

Tokyo Trip – Odaiba

The afternoon we spent in Odaiba was very, very tiring! Odaiba is a man made island in Tokyo Bay. Ang dami naming nilakad! There are several malls in Odaiba and we went inside all of ’em.

Before heading to Odaiba, we passed by the Nippon Television Tower and saw this yellow thingie that Miko called PIKACHU. No kids, that is not a Pokémon. I have no idea who that is. :p

Odaiba was initially built for military purposes in the 1800s, and  expanded as a seaport district in the late 20th century, and has developed since the 1990s as a major commercial, residential and leisure area

One of the most popular things to see is the Rainbow Bridge. This is the bridge by day–

The first mall that we visited (because it’s the closest to the train station) was Decks. Ang ganda. Mukha talagang decks with its wooden flooring. :D

We had snacks at Anchors,

just some assorted sausages, juice, and cola.

But because my newbie legs and feet were aching from all the walking, I begged Miko that we stay a little longer and we had more refreshments. :P

When I got some of my strength back, we went to Aqua City

and we saw a replica of the Statue of Liberty. According to Wiki, The French Statue of Liberty came to Odaiba in the late 90’s in commemoration of “The French year in Japan”. Because of its popularity, in 2000 a replica of the French Statue of Liberty was erected at the same place.

I don’t remember if LEGOLAND is inside this mall, but we decided not to visit it anymore, because there was still so much to see in the area. Like this Hello Kitty Store.

Akalain mong pati dried fish at dried squid meron si Hello Kitty?

Look at this Kitty Geisha! Ang cute cute!

In Diver City Plaza, there’s the famous 18 meter tall Gundam statue!

Katuwa kasi even the locals seemed excited to see the humongous robot.

 

There’s this golden structure of some sort that caught our attention. Don’t know what it is, but it’s just magnificent.

Here’s a better shot. Better kasi may sunflowers. I love sunflowers! :D

And there’s a kiddie program being shot in the area. No, babe. That’s not Mojacko. :p

 

And this architectural masterpiece is the Fuji television Headquarters. The building was designed by world-renowned Kenzo Tange. he also designed St. Mary’s Cathedral in Bunkyo. (I’ll be blogging about that soon.)

Walang pinipiling lugar ang Minions. Pati pala sa Japan, popular sila!

Hello there, Stuart, Bob and Kevin!

Here’s our family portrait. Charot! :p

Of course, Dragon Ball is popular here.

And lucky cats.

And this blue dog that’s called LAUGH THE DOG, No, baby. Hindi siya si Snoopy na nalubog sa asul na jobos. :p

Miko looked for Tekken, but didn’t find the game in the arcade. (Naging successful naman siya when we went to Shinjuku a couple of days after.)

And look! There’s Astroboy again! Ang sarap iuwi at isabit sa kwarto ko!

Do you remember the Monchhichis? They used to have an animated tv series in the 80’s. Ang tawag ko nga sa kanila Ewoks. Hahaha. Eh baket ba, pareho naman silang furry.

Saw this shop that stationery, fans, toiletries, etc. I took a photo of it because I like the store name. Wabi-Sabi is a Japanese concept that deals with  one of beauty that is imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete. It is also a noodle shop at The Collective. :p

Then finally, darkness fell and we saw the lights of the bay and the Rainbow Bridge.

Unfortunately, we didn’t see the bridge’s rainbow colors, but the view was still stunning. The towers supporting the bridge are white in color, designed to go with the skyline of central Tokyo. Lamps are placed on the wires supporting the bridge, which are illuminated into three different colors, red, white and green every night using solar energy obtained during the day.

The rainbow lights we got to see were from the Daikanransha, located at Palette Town. It is one of the biggest ferris wheels in the world. The wheel is brightly lit by neon tubes programmed to display multiple patterns in over 100 colors.

Hay Odaiba, nakakapagod kang galaan! But oh so fun!

Next stop– Shibuya!

*featured image from Wikipedia

// listening to Adele – Hello