26 February 2012: Happy 1st Birthday, Nathan!

Today was the first birthday of my nephew, Nathan Alexander Santos Huang. It was held in Amici, Greenhills. It was a fairly small group. It was mainly the immediate family of both sides and a few cousins from our generation. It was a casual and simple affair, without much decorations, although the tables were adorned with picture cards of Nathan in various stages of infanthood.

Considering that we had just come from lunch, I was amazed that all of us were still able to partake of the food that was served. Admittedly, my past experiences with Amici were not good. I did not like the food the last couple of times that I had eaten there. The bread used for their paninis were dry and the fillings were minimal. The pasta noodles were too limp and the sauce too watery. So understandably, I wasn't too excited. But I was pleasantly surprised this afternoon.

The food served was mozzarella sticks, spinach ravioli, Waldorf salad, spaghetti Bolognese and pizza. I only tried the first three, but they were enough to make me reform my opinion as to the quality of their food. I can gladly say that they have improved.

And as this was our first birthday party at Amici, we were all taken aback when, as they brought out the cake, it actually came with a skit! Haha. We were all expecting just the typical singing of "Happy birthday!" by the staff, but we got way more than we expected. The result? Looks of surprise and bewilderment on everyone's faces. Hahaha! Looks like they have additional requirements in their hiring process. :p

25 February 2012: Eastwood Afternoon

I've been receiving all sorts of text announcements with regards to the impending release of the bar results. As a consequence, I was trying to release my stress in some way. I already had a bit of alcohol last night, and was now in the mood to stress-eat a bit. And I knew exactly where to go.

As it has been lately, the timing was fairly perfect. I knew that Alyans has also been stressed due to the all drama that concerned her former maid, so I could count on her just wanting to relax and unwind. And in keeping with the usual tradition, stress and sugar do seem to go together. So, on the way to her place, I passed by Shopwise for a pint of Cookies 'n Cream ice cream and a box of iced gem cookies. Hence, we had our dessert.

When I got there, Alyans was having a late lunch of fish and eggplant salad, of which I also partook. Then for dinner, some hours later, we had home-made pizza and chicken wings. Love it!

I knew I could count on Alyans for this. It was great to just sit around, munch on yummy food and talk about anything and everything under the sun. Best friends are truly one of life's greatest gifts :-)

24 February 2012: Delinquent Duo

Quite frankly, today gave me a glimpse into how a day in my life will be once I become a lawyer. It was loooong and stress-filled. First, I had to go to the office in the morning. Then, after lunch, I had to drive my dad to Manila so we could help my brother deal with his neighbor in the condo. That took us a few hours wherein we had to deal with certain legal issues. Then we had to fight through the traffic on the way home. I suppose that could be why I was more tired than usual.

Hence, I was really looking forward to the drinks that I was supposed to have with the Delinquents. But then I received a text from Cel that it was cancelled and that we'd just see each other in March. I really needed to unwind though, so since we were both free, we decided to push through, even though it was just the two of us.

It was great, and exactly what I needed after the day that I had. We met up in Bugsy's at Burgos Circle in the Fort. We shared a plate of chicken tenders and had a couple of cocktails. It had been so long that it was great to just sit around and catch up a bit on our lives.

I think that we've reached that point in our lives that we no longer really want to go to the club all the time. Once in a while is still fun, but not every single time we go out. Nowadays, it's much better to just sit around, have chill drinks and simply catch up on each other's lives. We're at that point in our lives where we appreciate our friendships and realize which ones are for keeps and which aren't. I'm so glad that my Delinquents are for keeps! <3

23 February 2012: A Hawaiian Dinner at a Chinese Restaurant

Tonight was our company's annual thanksgiving party. When we first started out, it was an annual Christmas party. But as time went on, and the numbers of our employees grew, not only did we have to look for a new place to hold it, we also had to move the date. As everyone knows, the Christmas season is the busiest for any business. Hence, we always have our party in January or February. And lately, they've encouraged a theme, so everybody gets a chance to dress up. This year, it was Hawaiian. You can just imagine the blur of colors and prints that were somewhat glaring under the bright lights of the restaurant.

In the past few years, we've had it in the same restaurant - Chinatown's Best along Banawe, Quezon City. It's actually a pretty good place, where you get the best value for your money. It offers an eat-all-you-can Chinese buffet and the food is actually pretty good. The only complaint could have been the traffic. But despite that, almost everyone made it. Which was great.

It's always entertaining to watch everybody as they let their hair down for the night and just enjoy being with their friends. Everyone was taking pictures and laughing. And the highlight of the night was during the awarding. My cousin, Mike, was the star of the night. Everyone wanted a picture with him! Hahaha. Everyone else was superfluous. :p Everybody else in my family had already either left or was leaving, and Mike was still in front of the tarp that served as the photobooth backdrop, where almost all the female employees were lined up for their turn to take a picture with the ever-popular "Doc Mike". Very entertaining, indeed.

22 February 2012: Too Proud To Ask? Nah!

I don't know if it's because I've always been in a relationship, but can guys really be this dense? And if so, why did I not know this? Maybe I've just been lucky, or just plain oblivious to this fact. But when I became single early last year, I have noticed that a lot of guys are "girlier" nowadays, always wanting to talk and being needy and the like. I don't mind those things in small doses because it can show that the guy really cares and wants the relationship to work, but to be constantly that way? Huh. Not a good thing guys.

But I like the fact that there are guys who recognize their "shortcomings", so to speak, and aren't afraid to ask someone else's opinion. And double points, I think, to those who ask girls on what to do about a girl. I know guys sometimes ask other guys as to what to do. However, remember, we're talking about girls here. I really think that it would be wise to get a second opinion, if you're getting a first one anyway. That way, you can be well-informed on both sides. I admit, it can get confusing, but I think the smart and determined guys can figure it out :-) And no, it doesn't require you to sacrifice your pride, boys.

Alyans and I were talking to another friend a couple of months ago, and she said something that has a ring of truth in it. She said, "If you have any questions about relationships, and anything related to it, ask Ces. She's the expert. But when it comes to being single and dating around and the like? Don't ask her. She knows nothing about that, and she's dense that way. That's where I come in." That's true. Haha.

I'm not a relationship expert. Far from it, I imagine. But I suppose it could come from the fact that I always seem to be in one that people assume that I always know what to do. News flash. There are no set rules to these things. Every relationship is different because the people in it are different. But like I said, asking questions can show an earnest desire to want to make things work, or happen, as the case may be. I admit, I talk to my closest friends about my relationships. Sometimes it helps to just say things out loud, to just talk things out but not necessarily ask for advice. And I'm always willing to help a friend, if I can, because I want them to be happy. :-)

Take earlier this evening, for example. I spent some time chatting with a good friend with regards a girl that he likes. Her birthday is just around the corner and he wanted to give her a gift. But he wanted to portray a particular image. He didn't want to overwhelm the girl but he wanted to make his presence known to her as more than just a friend. (You know how guys hate being placed in the dreaded "friend zone".)

Given that I'm admittedly a girly-girl, or as he says, "the girliest-girl", he wanted my opinion on some flowers and the wording of the accompanying note. We were going for friendly with a touch of sweetness. So, I gave him my honest opinion. The flowers he chose were a two-toned tulip bouquet because he wanted something special (other than roses) but nothing too ostentatious. He wanted cheerful flowers that would make her start her day off with a smile. Then he included a book, whose author was sort of an inside joke with them. I gave a little input on the wording of the note. I think that he just wants to tweak it just a little more before he sends it.

Awwww :-) I hope his girl appreciates his efforts. Cross fingers!

21 February 2012: Legacy by HSBC

Due to the fact that I went to law school, my dad figured that I would be able to better appreciate the forum that HSBC sponsored yesterday. The forum was entitled "Legacy" and its tagline was Managing Wealth for the Future Generations. Honestly, I did not have high hopes for that day. Based on experience, I was usually the youngest in those kinds of things and the speakers were usually boring. I would always end up just sitting at the table, pretending to look interested and actually just staring blankly at the screen. And as to those times when food was served? Well, let's just say it's a good thing that I'm not that picky about my food. Haha. But I was pleasantly surprised with how it turned out.

I was still the youngest in the room. And I still ended up just sitting at the table. But the speaker was quite interesting AND the food was pretty good. (Unfortunately, no pictures were taken as it didn't seem appropriate. It was a small room and a very small group. Too obvious.)

First, business before pleasure. It was a short talk, about an hour, give or take. The speaker spoke well, with a smooth and flowing rhythm. He even interjected humor at times. Taking into consideration the fact that his audience might not be well-versed with banker's lingo and the like, he would explain the concepts by means of visual and easy-to-understand diagrams. Personally, I don't think that I'll be able to apply what I learned to my own life, or at least not yet. But I know that it was interesting enough to catch my dad's attention. Who knew that a certain type of insurance policy could be a means of wealth accumulation? It was a different type of estate planning, one that would benefit one's future generations without sacrificing one's own standard of living.

Food was served throughout the talk. It consisted of 4 courses, with your choice of soft drinks, iced tea or water. The first course, the soup, was a smoked pumpkin soup. The second course, the salad, was my least favorite. And it was a bit confusing for me, dressing-wise. (My dad insists that the dressing was some sort of vinaigrette. For me, it tasted like some sort of Caesar.) But the accompanying walnut bread topped with goat cheese and a bit of tomato was yummy. The main course was steak with a red wine and mushroom gravy, accompanied by a creamy risotto and steamed vegetables. The dessert was a fruit salad mixture spread in between levels of a flaky pastry. The pastry was sooo good. But some of the fruits were on the sour side.

So my day was a full and productive one, for both my mind and my tummy. :p

20 February 2012: Father-Daughter Lunch Date

My dad is funny. We were supposed to attend a forum entitled "Legacy" which was sponsored by HSBC in Oakwood Residences. The schedule was for 11am to 2pm, lunch included. We were rushing to get there this morning because we left the office a little after 11am already. It's a good thing that Oakwood is just some minutes away from our office, and that there wasn't a lot of traffic.

When we got there, my dad asked the guard where the HSBC event was. The guard seemed confused so my dad figured it might be in the hotel part of the building. I asked if him if he was sure it was today and he kept insisting it was, so I took him at this word. So we went to the hotel part where the girl at the Reception told us to proceed to the 5th floor. When we got to the 5th floor, there were 3 placards on display, each for a different event. None of the three involved HSBC. When we asked one of the employees there, he suggested we check if it was on the 6th floor, although he also did not know of an HSBC event scheduled for that day. But my dad was insistent, so back into the elevator we went.

It was only when there was still nothing on the 6th floor, where the pool and restaurant were located, did my dad call his agent in HSBC. The agent informed him that the forum was scheduled for tomorrow still. We were one day too early. Hahaha.

Since we were out of the office already, we decided to just have lunch. Woohoo, father-daughter bonding. We haven't done that since I was a kid. That could be why we were both so out-of-practice. And that such things are really not a regular occurrence in our family.

We had lunch at Arya in Podium as it was the nearest mall. We were the only ones in the restaurant. So, we sat down, perused the menu and made our choices. After ordering... *crickets chirping* Hahahaha! Oh well. I tried to strike up a conversation but it's a bit difficult. There has always been an invisible line between me and my parents, something that always reminded me that they are STILL my PARENTS, so I still have to take care as to what I tell them. Oh well. In the end, we had a bit of small talk as we ate our lunch.

Appetizer: Roti with curry sauce



My order: Ground chicken with grilled tomato salsa and Persian bread

Afterwards, we both wanted coffee. We went to Starbucks where I decided to treat him to coffee. Okay. Even that didn't work out. He still paid me back, despite my insistence that it was my treat. Oh well. Maybe it will be different when I get my first paycheck and treat my family to a lunch or dinner somewhere.

But despite the lack of conversation, it wasn't really an uncomfortable silence. It was just nice to have some alone time with my dad. I kind of missed it. So, I guess it was a good thing that we were a day early for the forum. :-)

19 February 2012: Only Child for the Day

The title of this post says it all. Sunday is usually a family day for me. Everyone is always so busy during the week that Sundays are the times when we "catch up" with each other. But it doesn't always work out that way. We try though.

Take today, for example. After we had lunch, I was the only child of my parents. My sister is still in Malaysia and my brother went home so he could play basketball. So I had some bonding time with my parents. We went to the salon, where I had my nails done. Finally. It was so hard to find the time to have them done, especially when I started working. And I didn't have to pay for it :p So now, I have pretty painted nails :-)

My only child status continued into the night as my parents and I also watched a movie that night. We watched "Safe House", starring Ryan Reynolds and Denzel Washington. We were a bit late though, so we had to sit separately. I let my parents sit together, and I took the lone seat. I felt a little bad for my seatmates. I'm a somewhat active movie watcher. When something explodes onscreen or there's a shocking scene, my whole body reacts. I tend to start in my seat. Hahaha.

The movie was all right. It was an action film. I prefer it to the other movie that my mom wanted to watch, which was somewhat more on the drama side. I don't like heavy movies. I watch movies to unwind and relax. Why would I want to watch something that will leave me with a heavy feeling when I walk out of the cinema? :o

18 February 2012: Feb Weekend Home

There was a lot to smile about today :-) Unfortunately, no pictures to show for it. Hahaha. That's what I get for going out with someone who hates pictures :p

In the eyes of some, today would have been nothing special. But the fact that days like today will only happen about once a month for us made me appreciate the little things more. I was just happy that we got to spend a little more time together than the last time he was home.

He arrived early this morning for his (hopefully) monthly weekend home. After catching some hours of sleep and having lunch with his parents, he picked me up at around 4pm. He had a meeting with his agent-friend in Rockwell to settle some things for the condominium unit that he had purchased a few months earlier. And supposedly, she wanted to meet me. So thanks to Klau, I was able to be with him earlier in the day. Thanks Klau!

Then, as we were supposed to meet up with his friends later that evening in Skye, at the Fort, we decided to just stay in the area. We were thinking of catching a movie to kill time but the showing times didn't fit into the schedule. So we went to UCC and had coffee instead. Coffee is the daytime version of chill drinks. Hahaha. At least we were able to talk a bit, and have some time together, just the two of us.

Later on that evening, we headed over to Skye. We arrived somewhat early as we had to claim the table that he and his friends had reserved. It was the first time for both us to be there. So we had a little white wine and people-watched. It's a pretty place. The view was great and the ambience was different from the typical night out place. It helped that the night was cool. Although, since it was open air, rain would be a problem. Hahaha. Thankfully, it didn't rain that night.

Not surprisingly, my friends didn't show up, but that was okay. The night still turned out pretty well. I think. :o We hung out with his friends. Some I had already met in Singapore as they were based there too. But I also met his high school barkada. I was a bit nervous, I have to admit. But who wouldn't be, right? At least for me, meeting my friends is a big thing. And it comes in different levels! Sort of like lines of defense. Haha. On my side, he has a few more lines to breach :p About three, to be exact, with Alyans being the last and possibly toughest of them all. Hahaha. Well, I hope I passed... Unfortunately, he's not the type of guy I can ask, nor is he the type to tell me. So, hoping for the best!

17 February 2012: A Dinner 10 Years in the Making

The Delinquents (clockwise): Cesca (that's me!), Allue, Charisse, Tala, Celine, Krizia, Monica

Yes, you read it right. This COMPLETE Delinquents dinner took 10 years in the making. The last time we were all together was when we were in high school. Oh, it wasn’t as though any of us never saw each other. We had the occasional class reunion, thanks to Tala. And there were times when some of us would run into each other at random times and random places. But we were never THIS complete.

The night started out with a dinner at People's Palace, a Thai restaurant in Greenbelt 3. Not surprisingly, as I was riding with Tala, we were late. Surprisingly, everyone else was already there when we arrived. But we felt a little better when we learned that Monica had arrived just a few minutes before we did. So, of course, as soon as we arrived, we dug into whatever food was left. But we also got so involved in catching up on each other's lives that food became a second priority. At least for me.

After dinner, we wanted to get a couple of drinks. But we couldn't decide between coffee or alcohol. Hence, we decided upon M Cafe, where we could get both. And the story-telling continued.

Obviously, whatever time we had tonight was insufficient to fill each other in on our respective lives. Thie things that we were able to establish:

1. Krizia was still alive. See, Kri? This is what you get for rarely showing up, if at all, at any dinner or outing. Haha.

2. Tala has a "real" boyfriend. If you want to meet him in the flesh, make sure you're at Tala's place on May 20 for her combination birthday-class reunion dinner.

As to the rest, I have a suggestion (which I did not need to voice out since the others had already talked about it even before we arrived at People's Palace) - Line up several more nights out! Given how long it took for us to be this complete, we decided to just set up nights out then whoever can go, go. Those who can't, there's always next time.

So, I'll see you guys next Friday? :-) Bugsy's Citygolf! Just let me know the final details!

16 February 2012: Family V-Day

Wow. This could be my longest Valentines celebration yet :p On the agenda for today? A dinner with my parents and my brother. My sister was unable to go since she decided to visit one of her best friends in Malaysia.

And come to think of it, I just realized, as I was typing this entry, just how much of my life revolves around food. I guess there is nothing else to do here but eat. Hahaha.

Actually, it wasn’t really a post-Valentines dinner. It was just something that my mom told my brother over the phone when she was asking him where he was and if he wanted to join us for dinner. My family is not exactly very romantic. Hahaha.

While in the car, my mom and I were discussing possible places to eat. We wanted to try something new, in keeping with the “special occasion” scenario. We had it narrowed down to two – a Japanese restaurant and another new one, both of which were located in the Fort. The latter one was a new place that she had read in today’s newspaper. After looking at the pictures, which were decidedly yummy, we decided to try it out.

Le Fusion is located in the ground floor of F1 Hotel in the Fort. It has two floors, with the first floor serving as the actual restaurant and the second floor as the lounge/bar. Tonight, much to my mom’s dis

may, the first floor was completely reserved for a birthday dinner. Hence, we had to eat in the second floor, which did have a very “lounge-y” feel.

The menu wasn’t very extensive but that was all right as the restaurant was owned by a husband and wife, the Chefs Ho, both of whom did the actual cooking and preparation of the food. And it was obvious that they were more focused on the quality of the food rather than the quantity, in terms of number of choices. They had the requisite appetizers, salads, soups, sandwiches, meats, seafood, pasta, dessert. In short, they had a little of everything. They seemed a little bit pricey, but when the food came, it became obvious why.

The clam chowder was very tasty and filled with clams, potatoes and carrots. The creaminess of the soup came through with every spoonful. My dad and brother opted for the cup size, instead of the bowl, but even that serving size was sufficient. Especially since it was served with a large size of liberally buttered bread.

The spinach and artichoke dip, while it seemed to be mostly spinach, was also quite rich. It was different from those in other restaurants as there was a thick layer of mozzarella over it. And again, their bread was liberally buttered.

Each of us tried a different main course. My dad ordered the Giant Prawns with Risotto. My brother ordered the Bone-in-Porkchop with Mashed Potatoes. My mom decided on the Chicken Roulade with pasta, and I chose the BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich on Brioche. THEY WERE ALL GOOD.

Giant Prawns with Risotto: The prawns WERE pretty big. The risotto was rich and heavy. You could really taste the cheese. Or was it cream? Well, whatever it was, it was fantastic.

Bone-in-Porkchop with Mashed Potatoes: It also came with mushrooms and a dark tangy sauce. The meat was extremely soft and had enough fat to make it savory but not too much that it took up most of the dish.

Chicken Roulade with Pasta: This was a fairly light and refreshing dish, which is just how my mom likes her food. The chicken breast was soft and tasty. The pasta was simply flavored so as not to overpower the chicken, with a light lemony taste. However, Chef Ho (the guy), recommended that we try it next time with either the mashed potatoes or the rice.

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich: Oh, this was just lovely. The pork was shredded well, and the bread was stuffed with just enough of it to make every bite worth savoring in your mouth. It also came with a mountain of French fries and two dipping sauces – the requisite ketchup and a spicy mayonnaise. Unfortunately, they only had regular fries tonight. Next time, I would like to try their rosemary fries.

Their service was a tad bit slow, but I suppose it could be attributed to the fact that there was a party on the first floor. But the servers were very nice, always smiling and trying their best to comply with whatever it was that we asked for. Chef Ho (again the guy) even went upstairs to ask us how the food was and if we had any comments and/or suggestions. Overall, it was a good dining experience. I wonder what I’ll order when we go back there with my sister. Hmmm…

15 February 2012: A Bipolar Post-Valentines

A friend once told me that for someone who doesn’t eat a lot, it’s a good thing that I’m always open to trying out new and different food. Non sequitur! It does not follow! Hahaha. Well, I am open to trying out new places and new things. Luckily for me, I have a best friend who thinks the same way!

Having spent the last 4 or 5 years immersed in the law school world, my best friend and I have been using the last few months making up for lost time with each other. Most, if not all, our meet-ups revolve around eating, whether at her place or in some restaurant, and last night was no different.

Last night’s contestant was Van Gogh is Bipolar, a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant in Quezon City. It was my first time there and I was looking forward to the whole experience. I had heard a lot of interesting tidbits about it, such as how the food is prepared in such a way that they are supposed to trigger the happy hormones in your body. And boy, did I need it last night! (And sometime next week, maybe. Or hopefully not…)

You see, I had just been told yesterday afternoon that the bar exam results are coming out next week, but no definite day yet. Needless to say, that stressful thought was uppermost on my mind. So you can imagine my surprise and relief when I got Alyanna’s text about a post-Valentines dinner date. Perfect timing!

From the moment we stepped over the threshold of the place, it was a whole different world and all-around experience. First of all, you have to leave your shoes outside. Then once you step in, you have to read the house rules, which are interesting enough in themselves. Then, looking around, you notice all the interesting knick-knacks scattered all throughout the foyer – a low table covered by different types of teapots, a wooden rocking horse, vintage furniture, etc. Jetro, the owner, greeted us when we entered, as he knew Alyanna and Roy. As I was the newbie, he sort of took me in hand and pretty much made my food decisions for me. I was willing to see what he had in store in me.

As it was Valentines month, he had a certain menu in mind. You just have to choose between 3, 4 and 5 courses. Each menu includes their specialty drink and a dessert. Of course, since I was with Alyans, we each ended up getting the 5-course menu – appetizer, salad, main course, dessert and a drink.

For the appetizer, you could choose to be adventurous or not.

Adventurous: Axl Rose's egg shot

Not: Beef-wrapped plums with grapes and melted mozzarella salad



For dessert – sinful or not? Well, might as well live life to the fullest right? It was on fire. Literally. And so were we, after we took that test tube shot.



And taking Jetro's advice as to our food choices, we were pretty much able to try everything. Which was perfect :-)

Common elements:

1. Courtney Love's Potion of the Day

2. Soup: Cream of Mushroom-like soup, garnished with edible flowers, lemon and banana chips

3. Larry Flynt's Cabbage Experience: salted egg, daing na isda, tomatoes, cashews, olives, mangos, banana chips, mint, basil, and a vegetable-based dipping sauce

Main Course:

1. Mediterranean Chicken (left)

2. Salmon Belly (upper right)

3. Kingfish (lower right)

I think that the pictures pretty much speak for themselves :-)

14 February 2012: All My Valentines

February 14 is that one day of the year when even the least person is “encouraged” to manifest his or her feelings to the one that they love, or like, as the case may be. Well, more so for the guys anyway. Haha.

However, there are different kinds of love, and whoever said that Valentines is only for lovers is sadly mistaken. There is no reason why today can’t be for friends and family too. Lucky for me, I was able to experience all of the above today ☺

Mine started out like any different day. I woke up, got ready for work, ate breakfast and went to the office. I greeted my closest friends a “Happy Hearts Day” and received a few greetings in return. I went about my work, as usual. Then I joined my family for lunch at home. It was there that I was greeted by a very pleasant surprise!

On the kitchen table was a vase holding a bouquet of red roses and tiger lilies! And an envelope with my name in front.

So, curious as to who they were from, as no one seemed to know, I opened it to pull out the card. And another surprise awaited me. All it said was “Happy Valentines Day!!”. That was it. It didn’t say who it was from. I even tried calling the shop that delivered it but I was told that they couldn’t give out that kind of information. Jeez.

Of course, I had my suspicions and hopes as to who they were from. I had it narrowed down to two – H and S. (No names, so will just use my own code.) But how to ask? With H, it was easy. Since we were just friends, I just asked him outright. After a bit of evasive tactics, he admitted that they weren’t from him. So, I was back to square one.

Throughout the whole process of trying to figure out who they were from, I was REALLY REALLY hoping that the flowers were from S. I was debating to just ask him outright, but what if they weren’t from him?? Awkward. Hahaha. So I decided to wait it out and see if he would bring it up. Earlier this morning, I iMessaged him a greeting, which he returned, albeit a bit dryly. It disappointed me a bit, but I tried to shrug it off to his not-so-romantic nature. Then he iMessaged me around lunchtime to ask how my Valentines was going. By then, I had seen the flowers but I avoided bringing them up since I still wasn’t sure as to whom they were from. Finally, he messaged me at around 7pm, saying that he had something sent to my house but he wasn’t sure whether it had been delivered. And then I knew for sure. Yay :D (I guess him not putting his name on the card was part of his surprise…)

And my day didn’t end there.

Since I didn’t have a romantic date for that night, I was supposed to spend it with friends. We were going to take in a show then most probably a late dinner. But as the day was filled with unexpected twists, why would the night be any different? An unexpected complication cropped up and it took some time to somewhat try to settle things.

In the end, we missed the show and instead had a yummy 5-course dinner at Pipino, a vegan restaurant in Quezon City. It’s the favorite restaurant of Alyanna, my best friend. I was able to have a vegetable couscous, which was absolutely delicious. And as what always happens when I’m with them, I overate. Hahaha. Oh well.

And to cap off the night, RJ, another friend, passed by and brought his new toy, a baby Dachshund who we named Joon-Joon. He was such a cute baby, even though he was peeing everywhere. Hahaha. And he had perpetual hiccups!

It was a long day, but oh so eventful :-) More than worth it :-)

13 February 2012: A New Beginning

This is actually my second attempt at blogging. But I'm really determined to follow through this time. New year (although somewhat delayed now), new life, new beginnings, new me :p Hopefully anyway. Hahaha.

So consider this my "new" introductory post. I was actually debating as to whether I should start from January 1, but then I realized that doing that might kill me. Hahaha. So, I will officially start on February 14. How love-ly. Haha.

And I still stand by my belief that, despite how bad you think your day is going, there will be something that will make you smile or put a little light in your eyes. It can be a text or a memory, any little thing that tickles your senses. I've heard that it isn't healthy to be pessimistic and negative all the time, so we should all strive to find something that will brighten our day. So here's to a new journey. See you!