my hotel booking and a new thing to buy :)

Finally booked an NYC hotel today, yay! Hello, New York Helmsley Hotel! I'm really really crossing my fingers that all the traveler reviews were right and that you'll be worth the $270/night rate that you're charging my poor ailing credit card :(

Speaking of money, I have discovered another new thing I want to get! Waaah! Can't talk about it though. I agreed with my girls. :P hehehe.. But I should really buy my macbook first.

Waaah! At least... Bonus month ang June for us!

getting ready to leave

I'm so excited to go on my 16-day trip starting this Friday, though of course I'll miss Dennis. He and I had a huge huge huge dinner last night as a little going-away thing, it being the last night we'll probably see each other before I leave. He'll be very busy kasi today and tomorrow. Oh, and Dennis got me seasons 1-7 of Gilmore Girls, and I love him oh-so-much for it! I'm such a fan, little do people around me know. Spent a good couple of hours last night watching some eps.

Anyhoot, back to our dinner, it was great!!! Granted, I ate more than I should've, but I just couldn't help it. The food at Conrad's was oh-so-good! I want to go back there when I come back on the 16th :p Hehehehehe..

I still don't have a hotel for my NYC stay, haha! It's just so hard to get a good deal yet still requiring the basics -- i.e. private bath (I don't think I'll ever be ready share a bathroom with strangers!), working elevator (no shlepping of baggages up the stairs please) and good nice beds (have a bad back and I'm super terrified of bed bugs). All these plus a good location just equals a whole lotta dollars. My dad keeps telling me not to "goof around" with my hotel choices, because he feels it's the one thing you shouldn't scrimp on. You get what you pay for, he always cautions me. So don't come complaining to me if you get robbed or get bed bug bites.

Huhuhu. But I have such limited funds! Waaah! Any suggestions, friends?

I pre-packed na my baggage last night. Pre-packed means I've gotten out the clothes I think I want to bring, subject to alterations tonight and tomorrow night. I've also gathered together my toiletries and shoes, as well as the gifts I'll be bringing for my friends and family there. I've also packed Li's magazine (YES!). So excited!

Can't wait to leave! I soooo want to go on vacation! :)

a hit!

I guested in Mr H's work and society class last Saturday. Though I must say my guesting was quite a hit (per Mr H, no other speaker ever got applauded that many times in the middle of her session), it was further validated by the reaction papers he forwarded me today. It was so flattering and incredibly heartwarming to see that the students benefited from the pieces of advice I gave and the stories I told of my experiences in college and in my professional career.

It also felt good to see how far I've gone since those early days. That's one of the perks of going back to school and giving those talks.

Oh, and Saturday also made me reminisce the past and get amused by all those reminders of the classic anxiousness and uncertainly that befall IMC incoming seniors a few weeks before the first sem starts. The worrying about the sleepless nights, the "legendary" upper class people and the shadows they cast, the stress over how to balance the work load, wanting to pass each class, and wanting even more to get to the 5th...

:)

Oh, the good ol' days...

politics shmolitics and the "easy" life

One of the unavoidable aspects of being in a very politically aware and socially conscious family and being the girlfriend of a lawyer is that you can't help but find yourself immersed in discussions about politics, politics and politics almost all the time. Not only do you hear about the latest in all developments about the recent elections, you also inevitably get yourself involved in heated discussions and debates without intending to. Hay. Most of the time, I like it. But there's such a thing as info and discussion overload.

Anyway, was whining earlier this evening to my darling beau how seemingly stress-free some people's lives are. I want the "easy" life, I told him. I want to spend my days leisurely, not have to have items on a to-do list somewhere and not have to chase after deadlines and follow unattainable budgets. Imagine leading totally free days, where the agenda of the day is to just be, without people calling your phone, emailing you urgent messages, etc.

Be careful what you wish for, my darling beau said. I never struck him as the homemaker kind of person. And this wasn't meant as an insult, he said. It just means that he's always seen me as a career-oriented type of person, who'll get bored with staying idle and who'll probably go nuts if she goes without intellectual stimulation for a few days.. or hours, even. You don't have to stay in corporate life forever, he said. You can always shift to something less stressful.. or perhaps, the more accurate way to put it, he said, is a life that's more under your control and less subject to another person's whims. After some amount of debate, I conceded. He's right. But still... The "easy" life still sounds like a good life to lead. In theory. :P

the pains of beauty

If only men knew how much pain women go through just to maintain and/or enhance their physical appearance, they'll surely have more appreciation for us. Not only do we have to endure the pricks, pins and discomfort that usually goes with beauty treatments, we also have to go through the hassle of remembering to schedule appointments, arranging transportation to get to the appointments, waiting at treatment rooms, agonizing over how to accomodate usual side effects of redness or sometimes even mild irritation.. I can go on and on...

Oh, and let's not forget the biggest pain of all... the pain that the wallet tries its best to tolerate and survive.

Hay, the pains of beauty... the lengths we have to go to...

something i remember..

As we were traversing the Emirates Mall in Dubai almost a month ago, Mommy J and I were talking about our respective significant others. In standard J fashion, she pointed out to me what a gem Attorney truly is and that I should always remain thankful to have him, regardless of what I think he can and cannot provide for me. It's very rare to find a guy who'd literally give you everything he had, whether it be the last spoonful of rice on his plate or the very last bill in his wallet. And she told me not to worry about money, because the most important thing I should remember is that it matters not how much he'll ever have. What matters is that he'll give me his everything. As little or as huge as those resources may ever become, the fact that "isusubo nalang niya, ibibigay pa niya sayo" is something I must always cherish. Not all girls are as lucky, she said. Not even those who actually end up with millionaires.

And believe you me, she repeated, that quality of his is the one thing you'll miss the most if things ever go bad.

Tonight, I think back to that conversation, as Attorney proves yet again just how much of himself he's willing to give up or give to me. And only me. In this whole wide world.

All girls should truly be just as lucky.

anniversary weekend and a really long break

OK, so I just had a 5-day break. Super sarap! Let me recap what happened.

Friday - We were supposed to kick off our anniversary a day earlier, but unfortunately, Dennis had to work on some super urgent election thing, so, since I had already gotten my leave approved, I figured, why waste it? I just went to the mall and got my hair cut and done. I also did a little bit of shopping (hehehe) on the side.

Saturday - Attorney had a daylong seminar at Manila Hotel on vote canvassing (or something like that.. It's so hard to keep up with all the election stuff) so I spend the day with my mom. Dennis picked me up at around 6:30 to go to Lolo Dad's, where we had the hugest meal ever known to man. I finally got to try the famous foie gras, which was HEAVENLY. As in! Totally worth all the hype! Except that you know how expensive it is, so you tend to take the smallest bites possible, and every bite reminds you of how fatty and totally unhealthy it is, but since you're in culinary heaven, all thoughts on dieting are out the window. (wasn't that the longest sentence?!)

We also had super good wine to accompany the food binge we were on, and super good coffee to cap off the meal. I love love love love it! Thumbs up all the way! I love Lolo Dad's! Apart from the symbolism of the place, I just love the food, love the service, love the ambience, love everything! 'Til next time, Lolo Dad's!

Happy 2nd year!


Sunday - After Buddhist mass, we watched Perfect Stranger in Shangri-la, after passing by Tektite for him to do a wee bit of work for the.. you guessed it, the big E. I kinda liked the movie, despite what the reviews wrote. And take note, I'm not a big fan of Mademoiselle Berry.

We then had another sumptious meal over at Cookbook Kitchen, where we had the softest fish in the universe and his super good chicken with the sausage and the ham thing. Loved it! I also loved the fact that we had dinner there this weekend, because it's also one of the most memorable restaurants in our life together as a couple. :)

Monday - Took this day off specifically to rest. Did a lot of napping and finished the 7th season of Gilmore Girls. Total coach-potato day.

Tuesday (today) - Had a buffet lunch at Red Kimono (P485 lang per person!) then headed over to Greenbelt 3 to have our usual foot massage over at Simple Pleasures (also highly recommended by this couple). We then caught the latest Spidey movie with Kaye, Rap, Anna and Ian (we missed Guia and Martin) and had dinner at Bubba Gump, where it was about 25% food and 75% talk. Hehehe. Had tons of fun! Hoorah for May 1 holidays!

So there went my 5-day mini vacation :) As you can notice, it's filled with only one thing= FOOD. Suffice it to say that no dieting was accomplished :P I loved it though. It was a good anniversary weekend (plus, I got a stunning new gold watch from my darling beau!) and a great chance to rest, lay back and have fun :)

palmolive circle of 10

Right before I left for Dubai, my darling beau entered me into the Palmolive Search for the Shining Circle of 10. We were in Glorietta, walking towards Zara, when an exhibition girl approached me, inviting me to join the contest. I instinctively shook my head to say no, but Dennis said "yes!" with so much enthusiasm, the girl immediately called her other colleagues to usher me into the audition area. I was frozen in disbelief! Dennis kept saying, "Look at all these other girls who made the effort to get made up and fix their hair, and forcing themselves onto this contest. E, you, you were approached, invited even, to enter! Au naturelle pa! No makeup! Normal looking hair! You have to try it out!" He then proceeded to introduce himself to the Palmolive booth people as my "agent" and my "lawyer" and filling out my application form for me. Next thing I know, a photographer was taking my photo and asking me to flip my hair. Someone then took my VTR and asked me to sign a form.

I then saw what the prize was... P100,000 in cash! Suddenly, I was more into this thing than I was when we started the process. Hahahaha! Who cared about the modelling contract? I want the cold hard cash! Hahaha!

So tadaa, introducing Candidate # 59--


I then flew off to the United Arab Emirates the next day, not thinking anymore about that silly little audition. After all, it's only something we did for the sheer fun of it.

Then fast forward to tonight, when I got home, my mom handed me a letter she received via messenger this morning. It's a letter from Palmolive's ad agency, Y&R, saying I'm qualified for the screening audition and interview. I was like, what?! No way! Hahahaha!

Dennis is beside himself with excitement, insisting I should go check it out. I said, no, I can't do that. It's nahihiya. Besides, I said, I'm okay na with the fact that at least they ended up considering me, instead of rejecting me flat-out, and that my beau is my biggest fan ever! Enough to peddle me to multinational companies holding talent searches. Hehehe.

He's still convinced I'm throwing away the chance of a lifetime. Hay.. Even if I'd love to win 100k in cash, I would never subject myself to that kind of process. Hehe. But Dennis still insists. I'm really something special and I'm not maximizing it daw. Hehe. He's so cute noh!

That's it for my little kuwento. Aliw e! :p

milestones

This year is turning out to be one of the most jam-packed ever. My upcoming 2-week vacation to Canada and Boston has been booked (*though I have yet to get myself a Canadian visa, but hey that should be easy and only a matter of time) and if all goes well, I might be going to NY for a few days too! Yahooo! And work will be taking me to London in July! Yahoooooo! First time ever in London! And all for free! Lord, please make sure it pushes through!!!!

Trips trips trips. I love 'em trips. This year definitely takes the cake in terms of places visited. A milestone has been hit! A record has been broken!

Oh, and this Saturday marks the second anniversary for me and my darling beau. Don't know what he has planned but I'm definitely looking forward to it. Another milestone! Thank God I finally found him a suitable gift. I hope he likes it. :-)

Life has been good to me. Thank you, Lord.

dubai summary

I'm baaaaaack from Dubai!

Hmm.. I'll start first with the work part of my kuwento. Our show went very well. Almost perfect, actually, except for the weak performance of Zsa Zsa. Other than that, it was definitely a huge improvement from the Doha leg. The place was packed and the audience seemed to have enjoyed themselves.

One thing I have to say about Dubai is that it's so f*cking HOT! Yes, even hotter than in Manila. I didn't think it was possible, but I guess if there's one place hotter than Manila, it would be the desert. Stepping out of the hotel feels like you've gone into the inside of a microwave. You can feel the sun painfully on your skin, even if you haven't stepped out under the sunlight just yet. It's sooooo hot, I kept thanking God for airconditioning.

As hot as it gets during the day, it gets just as chilly at night. That's where Dubai differs from Manila. Evenings are actually windy and get quite cold especially when you stay out til the wee hours.

What else.. We went to the famed 7-star hotel, Burj al Arab and took some breathtaking pictures. My favorite, though, was Madinat Jumeirah, which is this beautiful hotel and souk complex with its own little beach that just makes you relax simply by looking at it.

Dubai is also the shopping mecca of the Middle East. Brands from all over the world flock onto this little city-state and you can find everything and anything you desire! Spent half of my precious per diem on H&M, but who cares, I found cheap, good loot! Oh, and jewelry is also relatively cheaper, especially yellow gold.

Lastly, if you're in the market for high-end luxury items, you'd be glad to know that these things come pretty cheap in Dubai, primarily because the government does NOT charge taxes-- at all. So they don't need to pay those customs fees and transport charges, not to mention the goods sales tariffs. Hehehe.. Proof of this is that my boss Jane purchased 3 LV bags and an IWC watch for her hubby. All in one afternoon. Hahaha!

So far, Dubai is definitely the place to go if you need to visit the Middle East. You just have to be careful of the leering eyes of Arabian men, their tendency of taking advantage of tourists (by jacking up the prices like you wouldn't believe) and the sweltering heat. Aside from that, go ahead and visit Dubai! You'll like it :)

dubai, here i come!

Okay, after some flight booking problems, I'm finally off to Dubai, UAE tomorrow, along with the rest of the SMART team. Up to now, I still can't believe we were this close (holding up two fingers super close together) to getting upgraded to business class! Arg! But, alas, we lost the chance and have to now survive economy on an OFW plane headed for the Middle East. Can you already tell from my tone just how much I'm gonna be loving this trip?!

Anyhoot, we're gonna be there for exactly 7 days, which means hooray because of the per diem but fucker because it's so damn long and it's gonna be one tiring trip. At least God heard my prayers and allowed me to get my period last night (okay, this is already over-sharing but hey, I really prayed for this) because the last thing I want is to cramp up while in Arabic soil.

Hay... Dubai, here I come, ready or not... I'll blog again when I return. Pray all goes well! :-P

to-buy list

Should I strike it rich tomorrow and win the lottery, I'll treat myself to the following wish-list of beautiful beautiful items:

1. Tri-colored gold stackable rings with pave diamonds: Estimated cost $725


2. LV Mini Lin bag: Estimated cost $675


3. Apple Macbook: Estimated cost $1,500


4. Omega Iris Constellation watch: Estimated cost $6,300


Why can't I have more feasible, more realistic wants, like a pair of standard-issue Adidas rubber shoes?! My gohd! Kawawa naman si Dennis... hehehehe....

musings and thoughts while in sing...

OK, the trip did comprise mostly of food, shopping, food, going out with friends, and food. However, the trip, just like any holiday where your brain is not pressured to perform at tiptop shape, gave my mind enough breathing space to make some realizations.

First up is: I've finally abandoned my considerations about taking an MBA, whether domestically or abroad. I really appreciated the fact that I was there (in Sing) purely and thoroughly due to my earning capacity. Granted, my folks still shoulder a chunk of my living expenses, i.e. electricity, water and gas. But at least I can honestly say I no longer rely on them to buy my own toiletries, to buy my little indulgences and to support my basic needs of food, clothing and leisure. I'd terribly miss earning my own money and every little measure of independence that goes along with it, should I decide to resign and go study again.

Don't get me wrong though. I am 100% thankful for all my blessings, including and probably the biggest of which is my parents and their ingrained generosity to support anything character-enhancing. They'd support my MBA plans in a flash should I bring up the topic. However, I realized that, not only do I feel I don't need it, I'd actually be happier carrying on with the career I've started... and hopefully excelling in it.

Next up: I actually fell in love with Singapore all over again during this trip. Sure, I visited Singapore again last year for work, but this time was different because I was there on vacation and I had 5 whole days of reacquainting myself with the country I spent a year in when I was 10. I remembered all the reasons why I loved Singapore, and I realized I really wouldn't mind living there in the future. Granted, the details are still a little fussy for me (including how Attorney can move to Sing and resume his law career there) but it's comforting to know that I have another option should Manila start being claustrophobic for me or should I bump onto a glass ceiling in my job here. It's nice to feel that I have a plan B-- a nicer, cleaner, more law-abiding Plan B. A place where the system works and where the laws actually make society better and where life is free of the complications of politics, illiteracy and poverty. It's not a perfect place, I know, but it sure is an easier home to live in. Plus, it doesn't hurt that Singapore is probably the only first-world country with as single-digit income tax rate (only 9%!!!) and a country where the government actually pays you to have children and to let them be educated.

One of the reasons why I've never considered going abroad for work is because of my family and of Dennis. I'm very much a family person and my love for Attorney is definitely no real secret. That's where the beauty of Singapore's location comes into play. Not only is it a stone's throw away from Manila, there are so many budget airlines now offering super low fares and there are so many international call/text rates (regretfully offered by our competition) to enable you to stay connected with Manila. :-) It's really a global village we have! (I said this also in Singapore and I sounded just as loony as I do saying it here now. Hahahaha!)

Anyway, it's nice to be back. It's nice to get treated to a foot massage by my darling beau and it's nice to have dinner with my family again. Truly missed them all, even if I was only gone for 5 days :-)

singapore!!

Just got back from a 5-day, 4-night trip to Singapore. How was it? It's the one trip that spelled FOOD FOOD FOOD! I can't believe how much I ate, but even if it may mean packing on 5-10 pounds due to the sheer volume of food I consumed, I do not regret a single spoonful or chopsticks-full that ever grazed my lips because... EVERYTHING WAS DELICIOUS!

I had all my favorites-- laksa, hainanese chicken, mee goreng, bahkutteh, satay chicken, satay lamb and satay pork. I also had all my favorite drinks from Singapore-- sugarcane juice (oh la la!), 100 plus (better than Gatorade and better than water!), and iced lemon tea (makes Nestea taste like sewerage). I also had my fave Ben and Jerry's at their shop in Suntec! WINNER!

1. Food food food!


2. My one true love, aka laksa


3. Ben & Jerry's!


I also made a new discovery! STINGRAY! Sounds icky, I know, but don't knock it til you've tried it. This fish is the BEST ever and it's sooooo soft! I love it!


Other highlights of the trip is our visit to the toy museum where Van, Eps and I marveled over the vintage toys. My favorite pa rin is Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Barbie and Popeye :P We also met up with Cia and Baby Kirby, who's just the cutest little smiling baby :) We also saw and stayed in Casa de Ranza, which was beautiful and had the most luscious sheets ever created.

Oh, and I must share this winning photo--


I LOVE SINGAPORE!

And I loooove my friends! CHEERS!

A NatCon, an E.K. trip and a stunt show

What a tiring week it has been. Friday was the National Convention for Sales & Marketing at Clark, which lasted the entire day and practically took up all my energy to wake up at 5am to get to Clark at 7:30. Good thing for Starbucks and Super Petron.

Saturday saw me and Dennis head over to Sta Rosa for our Enchanted Kingdom trip with Guia, Martin, Kaye and Rap. Granted, it was a little hot and after a while, I felt so sticky, I itched to go home and shower. But, it was fun overall, and we even got to watch fireworks in the evening. We headed over to Westgate after for some drinks, and then finally headed home. 'Twas an exhausting day, compounded by the fact that I lacked sleep from the day before, but it was so much fun. We missed Anna though. Sayang she and Ian couldn't join us.

Today (Sunday), after our usual temple trip, Dennis joined my family and I as we headed over to the crematorium to visit my grandpa's resting place, as today marks his 16th yr death anniversary. It was so cute watching Dennis make my lola alalay the whole time. And hey, at least she didn't grill him this time around on the "future." :P hehehehe..

Afterwards, we watched the stunt show of Russ Swift over at the World Trade Center, where my family has a booth selling Eibach springs (for those who aren't familiar with cars, these are premium-quality springs you install into your car to make it more stable). I must say, what a show! For a measly P30, it was quality entertainment, with Russ playing up the crowd and showing all his best tricks. I loved it!

What a great weekend. Even if it was a little tiring, it's the good kind of tired. So I'm happy :)

I can't wait for the next week to start. Aside from Monday and Tuesday where I still need to show up at the office, Wednesday through Sunday should be hell lotta fun, as I will be in Singapore, visiting Baby Bay and Cia's family :) I can't wait! Sana Wednesday na!

be my lady

Last night, at his firm's anniversary dinner, my beau belted out a beautiful rendition of Be My Lady and dedicated it to moi! Such a nice surprise... and I later on found out that he had actually intended to go up to me and kneel down for added effect, but sadly the mic's cord wasn't long enough for him to do that.

Nevertheless, isn't that so adorable?! To know that someone loves you is one thing, but to see him demonstrate such love in front of a bunch of guy friends and colleagues is definitely taking it to another level. :-)

pursuit of the cheapest gas station in town

Dennis and I have a project where we track the gas prices of different gas stations in the areas we frequent, to find out which gas station or branch offers the lowest prices. In other words, we've embarked on a quest for the cheapest fuel around :P

Contrary to popular belief, gas prices are not created equal. This means that the pump rates for diesel at the Shell Rizal Avenue branch are not the same as those that Shell NAIA Road is charging. In fact, thus far, Shell Maya (the one near SMART) is the most expensive that I've seen so far. :)

Isn't this so interesting? I don't know if it's just the nerd in me or the dork in him that relishes this quest, but I really find it all so intriguing. The discrepancies we've unearthed so far range from the inconsequential 0.01 difference to the rather significant P1.20 disparity. C'mon, even if your total gas budget may not budge (meaning you still spend the same amount every month), at least you'll get the most bang for your hard-earned buck if you gas up at the cheapest station versus, say, Shell Maya. :P

So the quest goes on. I'll update this when we've covered significant ground, so everyone benefits from our "research." :P

gifts for men

Why are gifts for boys so gaddamn expensive?! Not only are there limited choices, at least compared to women's stuff, they're also bound to break anyone's budget! Hay..

I'm searching for gifts for Dennis for our 2nd year anniversary and for his birthday. From the looks of it, I have to really save up for these two presents. Hay buhay... Girls are so much easier to buy for, I swear!

young market master

Congratulations to my boss, Ms Jane Basas, for being awarded Young Market Master for 2007, for International Marketing category. The awards ceremony tonight is proof of your marketing prowess, your charm and wit, and the generosity of heart which makes you the perfect teammate and the perfect boss. You knocked 'em dead tonight, mamcy! :-)

foodfest

If there's one thing common between Dennis and me, it's our love for food. More than anything, we enjoy discovering new restaurants together, savoring familiar, everyday dishes together and re-discovering old culinary loves together. We lazed around all afternoon on Saturday at Serendra, dropping by my friend Loraine's new store, walked around and talked about everything under the sun, then topped off the day with a hearty, 2-hour meal at Conti's. Complete with my ultra-favorite Mango Bravo cake! Yum! My beau even took home a boxfull of their classic empanadas for family breakfast the next day. :-)

As for today, we had a hearty, tummy-slapping brunch at the temple with moi's family, followed by an afternoon of walking around in Greenhills armed with good ol' hotdog sandwiches and matching Coffee Bean drinks. Pigs, you say? Guilty as charged... The only consolation for the calorie buffet this weekend was all the walking we did. Hehehehe :-)

Quiet weekend, but I loved every minute of it. How can I not-- I don't think I went through a single hour without food in my tummy :-P