showers & weddings

Two days ago, my friends from St. Paul & I suprised our friend Thecx at her room in Vivere Suites in Alabang. I wouldn't really call it a bridal shower because we failed to bring a stripper--the most important element of a shower. Hehehe...Anyways, she was really surprised & glad we kept her company while waiting for her gown, a Veluz creation.

The next day was her big day. Getting married at the Church (St. James Parish in Ayala, Alabang) is a blessing even though they were wed already civilly in New York. I wasn't able to witness the bridal march but the guests say it was really very emotional. Thecx looked gorgeous in her gown, so as Charlie, her husband.

Reception followed at The Palms in Alabang. Food was awesome. Our table was in a strategic area of the grand ballroom--just beside the BUFFET table. I can't even remember how many times I went back to the chocolate fountain. :-)

Overall, the guests had fun. The couple enjoyed the night & we all wished them well.

Next agenda:
Bridal shower again on Wednesday for Michie, still a friend of mine from St. Paul. Her wedding is on Saturday at Christ the King Church in Green Meadows.

The Mona Lisa drawn using MS Paint

What would Da Vinci say?

TENNIS galore!!!!

It's WIMBLEDON season again, my favorite of the four grand slam events. It is played on grass surface and held at this time of the year at the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club in London. The tournament lasts for two weeks, considering that occasional rains sometimes delay the games. My bet of course is the defending (4th successive year) Gentlemen's Singles champion & World No. 1 Roger Federer. I really hope he bags the trophy again and equal the record of Bjorn Borg who won 5 consecutive Wimbledon Gentlemen's Singles titles. For the women's singles, I go for Maria Sharapova--both for playing style (minus the yelling) & fashion inspiration on the court. Hehe...

FAST FACTS:

1. A wooden racket was last used at Wimbledon in 1987.
2. There will be approximately 200 ball boys and girls running around the courts at this year's event.
3. There are currently 20 grass courts available for play at the Wimbledon complex.
4. The youngest player ever to compete at Wimbledon was Mita Klima from Austria, who was 13 during her 1907 singles competition.
5. Since 1922, there have only been four championships in which there was no rain - 1931, 1976, 1993 and 1995.


Enjoy the games!

Fantastic week

Great that the bus driver cooperated with me today...u know what i mean. Hehehe..

Last night, my friend Mela & I watched "Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer." It was just OK with me. I expected more from this flick. I waited with so much excitement for its release but there was a bit of disappointment. The special effects were great but the romantic thing between the silver guy & the invisible woman was "Filipinoish". Hehehe

Well what do you think about the film?

i'm ok

I wanna say this day is a good one. I started it right by having a conversation with the love of my life. Im feeling better and I should say, although each day is a test...surely I'll be able to go thru everything thrown at me.

With God's love & guidance, I am strong.

welcome friend!

I just got a text message from my friend Thecz who is already based in New York. She's actually in town for three weeks only for one of the most important chapters of her life--her wedding. She's inviting us (her pals from Saint Paul) for lunch tomorrow at the Mall of Asia. She will be Mrs. Apun on June 29th. The matrimonial ceremony will be held at St. James Parish Church in Ayala, Alabang, reception follows at The Palms.

Congratulations & best wishes, my friend. :-)

why today?????

Today is one of my worst days as a commuter.

It's a Saturday and I'm not expecting much traffic in Alabang since there are no classes today. Usually, buses bound for Lawton are few on weekends. I was lucky there was one already loaded with passengers. I chose a comfortable seat and with much confidence I know I'll be just in time for my shift.

The conductor says "with e-pass" and passing by iskaywi :-)...But right before we reached the Skyway entry, the bus suddenly went the other way. DAMN!!!! Sure I'll be late.

Certainly I was. Grrrr!!!!

How much travel have you had?

My Lakbayan grade is C!

How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out at Lakbayan!

Created by Eugene Villar.

my PALAWAN adventure (February 2007)

This is my very first plane ride. I flew to Puerto Princesa with my dad and sister via a Cebu Pacific flight. This trip is actually my Kuya’s Christmas gift to us (one of the nicest gifts I ever received actually). Our plane took off on time and I must admit I wasn’t feeling good while it was taxiing at the Domestic Airport . But surprisingly, the fear turned to excitement when I heard the Airbus engine’s noise. Papa and ate both said the plane is now off the ground. Not a bad experience for a first timer like me, it was just fine. Better than riding that small boat going to Puerto Galera. We landed right on time. It was funny because I saw a guy raising this placard with my name on it. Right then I knew he was from the hotel we’ll be staying at for 4 days and 3 nights. Duchess Pension House (www.duchesspensionpalawan.com) turned out to be a cozy place after all. Miss Tricia, our contact, was very accommodating (the same way she is when we were still texting each other). We had a reservation for a family room (P700/day, quite a good deal), it was spacious with a big T&BR.

DAY 1 – AFTER LUNCH – CITY TOUR

Our first stop is the Butterfly Garden . It is located in the southern part of the city. After viewing a short film about butterflies, we headed to their sanctuary. If you are into these insects, you’ll surely enjoy getting a closer look at them because they come in different colors and sizes. Next destination is Crocodile Farm. The institute implements a 30-minute interval per group of tourists. Lucky us, we didn’t get to wait too long. They now have approximately 1500 baby crocodiles, bred in captivity. If you are interested to have them as pets, feel free to contact the institute. Third destination is the Iwahig Penal Colony, a.k.a. Prison Without Bars. Inmates from minimum security (color code: brown) can freely roam the 28,000 hectares of land provided they report for headcount in the morning and evening. Mitra’s Ranch, the fourth stop in the tour, is the residence of the late House Speaker Ramon Mitra, Jr., highlighting the large trunk of tree supporting the whole house. Near the ranch is Baker’s Hill—famous for its hopia and tuna pandesal. This isn’t an ordinary bakeshop. People, most especially tourists spend their merienda hours to experience freshly-baked items at super affordable prices. (Take note, one box of hopia, 10pcs regular size, only costs P26.)

DAY 2 – HONDA BAY

We settled for a hassle-free tour since we're not familiar with the barrios and municipalities of Puerto Princesa. Entry to this amazing destination is via Honda Bay Wharf. First stop is SNAKE Island (called so because it is shaped like a snake). This is a very good site for snorkeling, fish feeding and plain swimming. Next is Starfish island which is also recommended for snorkeling. By the way there are 5 Nemos (clown fish) here. Lu-Li (lulubog-lilitaw) Island is the final stop. Highlighted at Lu-Li is the diving board that guests should try (but I never did). I think the water is 10 to 15 feet deep.

Day 3 - UNDERGROUND RIVER TRIP

I must warn you that the trip to the Subterranean River is a challenge. One needs to endure a two-and-a-half-hour trip on a super rough road. The tourist guide calls it the "Palawan massage", and indeed it is. But once you get to the cave entry, the excitement will start. Paddling inside the cave, the boatman points at the various images formed by the stalactites and stalagmites. There's a giant candle, the Virgin Mary, a banana heart, the Holy Family, Smokey Mountain (yes!), the face of Jesus Christ and a lot lot more. The National Park limits the river trip to only a kilometer (the whole stretch is more that 8 kms).

Maqx, our baby

MAQX, our baby pug, just turned 4 months last June 18. He's becoming more adorable every single day. Since he came to our home, his weight already tripled. But no worries, the vet says it's just normal for a baby pup like him. We don't overfeed him, we try to avoid that.

He's a joy to the family. Maqx keeps me sane whenever I miss his "daddy."