iamfreefall.

Mount Banahaw

2012-07-13T01:30:00.000+08:00

four years ago, with my boy-cut hair, i had my first activity with the guidance team.

do you guys, still remember this? this was just one of those days. just so amazing!

They say that great individuals don't make great teams, but the guidance office has to contradict with this notion. It is undeniable that the guidance office is composed of bright and intelligent staff. With this fact, it has conquered not just the basic guidance and counseling for the students, but has been continuously excelling in academic terms to ensure excellence and quality service in the nature of the job that the office is handling. Thus, fulfilling its vision and mission.

The key to a great team is having the right ingredients cooked together, wit, brains, skills and talents are essentials but not enough - the main ingredient is right relationship. To intensify the team's relationship, the guidance staff went on a two-day group intensification activity at Mt. Banahaw, Dolores Quezon, away from the busy street of the everyday life, with the guide of the outbound team from Lakbay-Kalikasan., July 21 to 22, 2008.

The start of the Journey

Around 5:30 in the morning, the 9 guidance staff along with the Vice President for External Affairs (VPSEA), Atty. Jesus Mayo and his secretary, Mrs. Humilis Almarez, geared up with hiking suits and backpacks gathered in the university parking lot, all set for the 2 days trekking to Mt. Banahaw. Exactly 9:45, the group arrived at Brgy. Kabuhayan, where backpacks were unloaded with unnecessary stuff. Facilitated by the outbound team, S’John, S’Raffy, and TL Ron, the staff was gathered in a meeting place of one of the sects in the barangay, Tres Personas Solo de Dios and was briefed with the dos and don’ts. It was also forbidden to mention the word “cult” for it might be a foul word for the residents. Right after, the staff had themselves ready by doing some stretching and kicking and was soon walking toward the foot of the mountain where there were makeshift of souvenir stores. Thus, starting the journey to the first campsite - Crystalino Falls, a 30 meter waterfall, almost two hours away from the foot of the mountain, where the group enjoyed the adobo lunch packed in banana leaves. During lunch, the expedition leaders, told about the process of climbing Mt. Banahaw. Pilgrims would first cleanse their sins in the Crytallino Falls; the second stage is the Salamin Bubog where one should see his own reflection in the water. Not seeing your own reflection would mean that you are not yet fully cleansed and have to start from the foot of the mountain again. But one’s you see your reflection; it’s a sign for you to walk to next stage called Durungawan. Once you peep into the Durungawan, you must see the virgin forest which looks like bouquets of broccoli from afar. A place they termed “paradise”. Again, if for any reason and one fails to see the paradise, it means, he is not yet ready and need to repeat the process all over again. The whole group was all excited but with three to four days to reach the top, there might be a need for a whole off from work first. Right after the hefty lunch, the team went down to Brgy Kabuhayan, which just took 45 minutes of slides and lending hand, to get the things needed for the overnight camping. With this, the group recognized the value of responsibility and concern for the other members.

The candle in the Cave

The next stop was the “Batong Namamawis”, where it was believed to be producing oil despite any weather. Before the group was allowed to go near the place, it was advised to remove sandals and hats as a sign of respect. The group offered a prayer and each one was given the chance to go around the huge colored black rock and feel it’s moist before entering the cave. The very first activity was performed in the cave, the staff was divided into two, and the first group who entered the cave first was given candles to guide their buddies who were still outside the cave. And by two's, the group entered the tunnel leading to one of the river, with cautious in each and every step for there are portions that are slippery and surrounded by sharp, protruding stones. One wrong move would give one a bumped in the head. The group was gathered in the middle of the cave to share each buddy’s experience. In the said activity, the importance of dependency and responsibility were highlighted. Each one realized the importance of having some one to guide them in the dark and the responsibility to give light to the other person. With this, it was realized that giving a candle for someone doesn’t just help the other person but lightens one’s own path at the same time.

The night in the mountain

Right after the activity ,the group headed up crossing rocky and slippery pathways, each one giving a helping hand to each other. When the destination was reached, the group built tents in front of the altar which serves as a vigil place for pilgrims and devotees. After bathing in the cold and fresh water from the river, the group headed for sinigang dinner which was followed by a group activity called “helium stick”. Using a 3-meter stick, the group was divided to two. There is really no helium in the stick; it is the way that the team works that makes the stick go up. Each group should place the helium stick on the ground, have it up again and walk to the center all together. The stick should be on the back of the members’ index finger. This is the only way for the group to support the stick and not be parted to any of the members’ finger. It sounds easy but it’s actually triply hard. The stick would typically go up instead of going down. Everyone’s move should be synchronized. It took time for the two teams to complete the task. It took a lot of practice, suggestions and tries but no one gave up. In this activity, the group was reminded with three things: (1) that a group always has a leader to lead, therefore, members should learn how to submit their selves to the leader’s voice; (2) although there’s a leader, there should still be openness to suggestions from group members, and; (3) sensitivity to the needs and weakness of the team as a whole.

The night won’t be complete without the social night. Led by Atty. Vic Mayo, the group gathered in a circle, each one gave praise to God for the blessings that each received within the group. A sharing that led into tears and laughter, teasing and revelations. Although, all tired and muscle ached, each one still found time to share stories and giggled with new discoveries. In this activity, each one learned to understand things that were not revealed before and at the same time, appreciate each one as a whole.

The Second Day, July 22: Trusting in the dark

Everyone was already awaked by 7 am. While waiting for the breakfast, the group took pictures as everyone made different poses. The group ate itlog na maalat, daing, dried squid, rice and pancit canton for breakfast, enough carbohydrates to keep the group going for another half day of activity in the mountain. After enjoying the sumptuous breakfast, the group fixed the tents and packed things up for the last activity which is “Trust Walk”. Who ever think that “Trust Walk” is not possible in the mountain and in the rivers should have a change of mind, because the guidance group just did. Again, it was divided into two groups, the first group was the one blindfolded in the mountain course while the second group’s turn was the river course. Different location but both were difficult. Tracking the mountain slopes was slippery and there were lots of uneven trails while on the river course, there were lots of stones in different sizes. As everyone would know trust walk is a matter of trusting your partner. Believing with what he commands you and not listening to destruction around you. It is a challenge both for the one blind folded and the guide. The guide is solely responsible for the partner’s safety and should be the navigator to avoid obstacles. The guide, therefore, learned about the challenge and responsibility of taking care of another individual’s well-being. The one blind folded learns to trust, listen and rely to the other person. The group hollered as everyone surpassed all the obstacles without getting wounded, without giving up amidst the absence of something, and trying the best to cover up for each other’s flaws. When everyone’s finished with the course, the group headed to one of the mountain rivers, which was said to be 30 ft deep. Everyone wants to reach the mini falls, but for one to go taste the water of the falls, one needs to cross the 30 ft deep river, however, not everyone knows how to swim. The group worked hand in hand helping those unable to swim to cross the river. Finally, everyone was able to taste the natural mineral water and freshened each body with cool splashes coming from the mini falls.

All soaked with the river’s water, the group headed back to the campsite ready to go back to the city. The group thanked God for the sheer joy, fun, excitement and safe achievement of the activity. And for another reason, the fact that the guidance staff is not just a group of intelligent people working together for personal gain but a team that will work all together for the achievement of the whole.

Great individuals don’t make a great team. This will only serve as a myth for the guidance team. For as long as the team understands each other and accepts each other’s weaknesses, the guidance staff will remain as a great team- a strong and effective team. It doesn’t matter how many countless steps and slips did it take the team to reach the destinations. No one mind knowing. The team is all but busy looking and caring after one another, determined to reach the destination, making sure that no one was left behind.

and so, this is beauty!

Ippon Yarri

2012-05-20T22:00:00.000+08:00

I'm calling all foodtrippers with an overheated love for Japanese cuisine, i just discovered a wonderful one located at Lima Square, Lipa City. - the one that made me forget about Tokyo-Tokyo - oh, wait, you gotta exclude Tokyo-Tokyo's Shitake burger there! -
So, everyone, welcome to:

Ipponyarri Japanese Restaurant.

一本槍
What's that again?
一本 is the symbol for ippon which literally means one full point; then this 槍 is for yarri which according to Atty. B means spear.
And according to my google friend, it's an idiom for, one great effort.
by the way, happy birthday, Chinnie! Thanks for posing ala-Japanese.
And thank you to our Japanese-looking boss who patiently detailed each of the menu for us, and of course, for this wonderful treat!

Let's see what's inside:

As you enter the resto, you will be greeted with files of Japanese reads, should i say, Manga?

and this thing hanging on the corridor's wall. I think this is a list of their "special menu" for the day.

I was trying to capture the corner of the resto where you can eat in seiza-style. Hihi.

Now, let's see the food worth chowing:

We were served with mixed vegetables and tea right after we gave our orders. And yes, you don't have to bother to go to the washroom to wash your hands. They got wet towels for each guest. (i'm just thinking if it's hygienic, but for the sake of first-time experience, i used it!)

Atty. B got this noddle soup which comes with nori seaweeds, bean sprouts, meat topped with leeks. hey, i love that wooden ramen ladle!

This is grilled Sanma or Pacific Saury. This elongated fish tastes like our very own tulingan, only that, it's tastier. It was always a question to me how Japanese manage to eat something like this without using spoon and fork. And now i know!

This one is tufo. I'm not sure if this is the old and well-known Japanese dish, agedashi tofu.
but i skipped trying this one since there's still lots in our fridge!

I suddenly missed grade school days with this bowl of soy beans, or utaw. We used to grow this in our grade school gardening subject. But this one was bigger than what we usually get from our market, and yummier.

Chinnie had this chicken bento menu. It looks like chicken karaage. This was served with some appetizer, a bowl of rice, miso soup and a glass of green tea;

the appetizer: a slice of tea egg, a small portion of tomato based-pasta and some dried seaweeds.

The miso soup: It tastes like the one in Tokyo-Tokyo, only that it's richer in flavor.

And here goes the colorful mixed sushi with pickled ginger. Let me check if i can recall what's in the plate: the two wrapped in nori are fish egg and sea urchin. then the ones in thumb-length pillows of rice are with raw fishes, i think salmon and tuna, squid, crab stick and chicken egg on top. I think Japanese mouth are quite big if they consider this bite size!

And this one, my favorite, the one that perfectly fitted my picky (?) taste buds (and mouth): tuna sashimi with fresh umi budo (or sea grapes, a kind of seaweed) and radish. The tuna tastes so fresh and sweet while the umi budo's salty and it has this crunchy effect, it felt like having to pop plastic balloons inside your mouth (i do not know if i described it correctly, though) and the radish, it served as the one that balanced the taste of the tuna and the saltiness of the seaweeds. Opps, do not forget to dip this in soy sauce with wasabi. Combine these four in your mouth and you'll surely can't deny heaven.

oh. this! this is rice wine in ceramic pot. Just like any alcohol, it's best served when cold.

And my cherry-blossom love affair with these eye-candy Japanese food ended with a glass of iced-cold coffee. Solved!

Bye, Mr. Japanese Man. I'm dying to see you again soonest!

Ippon Yarri Japanese Restaurant

Lima Square, Malvar, Batangas City

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2012-05-15T13:10:00.001+08:00

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Somewhere, there's a place for us...

2012-05-13T01:00:00.000+08:00

My mother's favorite. I was surprised when i heard my 6-year old niece singing this.

We’ll find there's a way of forgiving
Somewhere... Somewhere... Somewhere...
There's a place for us
A time and a place for us
Hold my hand and we're half way there
hold my hand and I'll take you there
Somehow...
Someday, somewhere...

i still believe that somewhere near the steepy mountains and rocky roads, there is a nice place for us.

HAPPINAS

2012-05-10T14:57:00.000+08:00

Lipeno Youth Art Club's Annual Exhibit will display their beloved 70 paintings on May 12 - 19 at the 4th floor of Gateway Mall, Araneta Center. The proceeds will benefit the indigent children of Lipa City.

In this exhibit, LYAC artists aims to share the severe happiness they have and their love for their country, Philippines, thus came the exhibit title - HAPPINAS (Happiness + Pilipinas).

Let's be there for these kids and let them be a source of inspiration to many.

Figaro Cafe

2012-05-09T15:25:00.000+08:00

It's Sunday noon and everyone knows that the best way to spend it is with people blessed with so much positivity, and when you talk about optimism, that calls for my friend, Engr. Karen P. Almarez!

And we had our noon talk at Figaro Cafe, where you'll find their figaro classic design;

and very accommodating yet polite outlet crews. They even gave us a foldable figaro fan which says, You know coffee. It's free for every single receipt purchase of P350.00 from March 15 - May 15, 2012. So grab your summer fan now!

Like other coffee shops, they also got their magazines and newspapers corner!

The staircase leading to the plain 2nd floor will give you a taste of artful designs hanging on the wall.

and the food, i think it's never plain. we just had our lunch so we're still full when we got there, we just wanted to have a taste:

We wanted to try their grilled eggplant gourmet sandwich (P139) and pesto pasta (P179) but sadly, both weren't available.

So we had Pasta Arrabbiata (P179).

Imagine stewed fresh tomatoes sauteed in olive oil with herbs and spices then sprinkled with parmesan cheese. That is Figaro's Arrabbiata pasta!

and their Mediterranean Strawberry Cheesecake (P135)

Karen said: it's so creamy, Ate!

I said: this is the warm strawberry icecream version!

For drinks: Karen had Cappuccino Frost (P135). She said she loved it!

While i tried their Raspberry Milk Tea with Yakult (P90), for the sake of finding out what's with the craziness over milk tea. My verdict? Well, i don't think anyone can beat Chowking's Nai Cha. =P

Anyway, for milk tea lovers, Figaro Lipa offers four more promising Milk Tea Craze flavors:

Strawberry Milk Tea with Yakult (P90); Taro PuddingMilk Tea (P89), Strawberry Lemon Iced Tea (P75), Taro Pudding Chiller Feast (P100)

Next time, i'm going to starve myself and try all these!

i like this line i captured from their wall, Always fresh.

Figaro Cafe - Lipa Branch is located at Ayala Hi-way, Lipa City Batangas Philippines 4200

They are open 9AM-12MN during Sun-Thurs and 8AM-1AM during Fri-Sat.

Call them at (043) 757 6346 and check their FB account Figaro.Lipa

http://www.figarocoffee.com/

11 Things to Know at 25(ish)

2012-05-05T10:13:00.000+08:00

Some months ago, i had my birthday celebration with dear friends and some familiar kids in the street of Metro Lipa. And i promised myself that i would post this article (which link i got from my beautiful friend, Olivia dela Rosa) for the sake of those twentysomething people who might find this helpful, too.

What you need to know to be a real adult.

When you’re 25-ish, you’re old enough to know what kind of music you love, regardless of what your last boyfriend or roommate always used to play. You know how to walk in heels, how to tie a necktie, how to give a good toast at a wedding and how to make something for dinner. You don’t have to think much about skin care, home ownership or your retirement plan. Your life can look a lot of different ways when you’re 25: single, dating, engaged, married. You are working in dream jobs, pay-the-bills jobs and downright horrible jobs. You are young enough to believe that anything is possible, and you are old enough to make that belief a reality.

1. You Have Time to Find a Job You Love

Now is the time to figure out what kind of work you love to do. What are you good at? What makes you feel alive? What do you dream about? You can go back to school now, switch directions entirely. You can work for almost nothing, or live in another country or volunteer long hours for something that moves you. There will be a time when finances and schedules make this a little trickier, so do it now. Try it, apply for it, get up and do it.

When I was 25, I was in my third job in as many years—all in the same area at a church, but the responsibilities were different each time. I was frustrated at the end of the third year because I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do next. I didn’t feel like I’d found my place yet. I met with my boss, who was in his 50s. I told him how anxious I was about finding the one perfect job for me, and quick. He asked me how old I was, and when I told him I was 25, he told me I couldn’t complain to him about finding the right job until I was 32. In his opinion, it takes about 10 years after college to find the right fit, and anyone who finds it earlier than that is just plain lucky. So use every bit of your 10 years: try things, take classes, start over.

2. Get Out of Debt and Stay Out of Debt

Part of being a healthy, mature adult is learning to live within your means all the time, even if that means going without things you think you need, or doing work you don’t love for a while to be responsible financially. The ability to adjust your spending according to your income is a skill that will serve you your whole life.

There will be times when you have more money than you need. In those seasons, tithe as always, save like crazy, and then let yourself buy fancy shampoo or an iPad or whatever it is you really get a kick out of. When the money’s not rolling in, buy your shampoo from the grocery store and eat eggs instead of steak—a much cheaper way to get protein. If you can get the hang of living within your means all the time—always tithing, never going into debt—you’ll be ahead of the game when life surprises you with bad financial news.

I know a lot of people who have bright, passionate dreams but who can’t give their lives to those dreams because of the debt they carry. Don’t miss out on a great adventure God calls you to because you’ve been careless about debt.

3. Don’t Rush Dating and Marriage

Now is also the time to get serious about relationships. And “serious” might mean walking away from a dating relationship that’s good but not great. Some of the most life-shaping decisions you’ll make during this time will be about walking away from good-enough, in search of can’t-live-without. One of the only truly devastating mistakes you can make in this season is staying with the wrong person even though you know he or she is the wrong person. It’s not fair to that person, and it’s not fair to you.

“Who are you dating?” “Do you think he’s the one?” “Have you looked at rings?” It’s easy to be seduced by the romance-dating-marriage narrative. We confer a lot of status and respect on people who are getting married—we buy them presents and consider them as more adult and more responsible.

But there’s nothing inherently more responsible or more admirable about being married. I’m thankful to be celebrating my 10th wedding anniversary this summer, but at the same time, I have a fair amount of friends whose marriages are ending—friends whose weddings we danced at, whose wedding cake we ate, whose rings we oohed-and-aahed over but that have been taken off fingers a long time ago.

Some people view marriage as the next step to happiness or grown-up life or some kind of legitimacy, and in their mad desire to be married, they overlook significant issues in the relationship.

Ask your friends, family members and mentors what they think of the person you’re dating and your relationship. Go through premarital counseling before you are engaged, because, really, engagement is largely about wedding planning, and it’s tough to see the flaws in a relationship clearly when you’re wearing a diamond and you have a deposit on an event space.

I’m kind of a broken record on this. My younger friends will tell you I say the same things over and over when they talk to me about love, things like, “He seems great—what’s the rush?” and, “Yes, I like her—give it a year.” And they’ve heard this one a million times: “Time is on your side.” Really, it is.

4. Give Your Best to Friends and Family

While twentysomethings can sometimes spend a little too much energy on dating and marriage, they probably spend too little energy on friendships and family. That girl you just met and now text 76 times a day probably won’t be a part of your life in 10 years, but the guys you lived with in college, if you keep investing in them, will be friends for a lifetime. Lots of people move around in their 20s, but even across the distance, make an effort to invest in the friendships that are important to you. Loyalty is no small thing, especially in a season during which so many other things are shifting.

Family is a tricky thing in your 20s—to learn how to be an adult out on your own but to also maintain a healthy relationship with your parents—but those relationships are really, really worth investing in. I have a new vantage point on this now that I’m a parent. When my parents momentarily forget I’m an adult, I remind myself that someday this little boy of ours will drive a car, get a job and buy a home. I know that even then it will be hard not to scrape his hair across his forehead or tell him his eyes are looking sleepy, and I give my parents a break for still seeing me as their little girl every once in a while.

5. Get Some Counseling

Twenty-five is also a great time to get into counseling if you haven’t already, or begin round two of counseling if it’s been a while. You might have just enough space from your parents to start digging around your childhood a little bit. Unravel the knots that keep you from living a healthy, whole life, and do it now, before any more time passes.

Some people believe emotional and psychological issues should be solved through traditional spiritual means—that prayer and pastoral guidance are all that’s necessary when facing issues of mental health. I disagree. We generally trust medical doctors to help us heal from physical ailments. We can and should trust counselors and therapists to help us resolve emotional and psychological issues. Many pastors have no training in counseling, and while they care deeply about what you’re facing, sometimes the best gift they can give you is a referral to a therapist who does have the education to help you.

Faith and counseling aren’t at odds with one another. Spiritual growth and emotional health are both part of God’s desire for us. Counseling—like time with a mentor, personal scriptural study, a small group experience and outside reading—can help you grow, and can help you connect more deeply with God.

So let your pastor do his or her thing, and let the person who has an advanced degree in mental health help you with yours.

6. Seek Out a Mentor

One of the most valuable relationships you can cultivate in your 20s is a mentoring relationship with someone who’s a little older, a little wiser, someone who can be a listening ear and sounding board during a high change season. When I look back on my life from 22 to 26, some of the most significant growth occurred as a direct result of the time I spent with my mentor, Nancy.

The best way to find a mentor is to ask, and then to work with the parameters they give you. If someone does agree to meet with you, let it be on their terms. Nancy and I met on Wednesdays at 7 in the morning. I guarantee that was not my preference. But it was what worked for her life, so once a month I dragged myself out of the house in what felt to me like the dead of night. It also helps to keep it to a limited-time period. It’s a lot to ask of someone to meet once a month until the end of time. But a one-year commitment feels pretty manageable for most people, and you can both decide to sign on for another year or not, depending on the connection you’ve made.

7. Be a Part of a Church

Twenty-five is the perfect time to get involved in a church you love, no matter how different it is from the one you were a part of growing up. Be patient and prayerful, and decide that you’re going to be a person who grows, who seeks your own faith, who lives with intention. Set your alarm on Sunday mornings, no matter how late you were out on Saturday night. It will be dreadful at first, and then after a few weeks, you’ll find that you like it, that the pattern of it fills up something inside you.

8. Find a Rhythm for Spiritual Disciplines

Going out into “the real world” after high school or college affects more than just your professional life. Where once you had free time, a flexible schedule and built-in community, now you have one hour for lunch, 10 days max to “skip” work and co-workers who are all over the place in age, stage of life and religion.

In those first few years of work-life, it’s easy to get too busy, too stressed and too disconnected to keep up spiritual habits you may have built in school. Figuring out how to stay close to God and to grow that relationship through activities and disciplines that complement your new schedule is critical for life now—and those habits will serve you for years to come.

One of the best routines I adopted in my 20s was a monthly solitude day. In addition to my daily prayer time, I found I lived better if once a month I took the time to pray, read, rest and write, to ask myself about the choices I’d made in the past month and to ask for God’s guidance in the month to come. Some of the most important decisions I made in that season of life became clear as a result of that monthly commitment.

9. Volunteer

Give of your time and energy to make the world better in a way that doesn’t benefit you directly. Teach Sunday school, build houses with Habitat for Humanity, serve at a food pantry or clean up beaches on Saturdays.

It’s easy to get caught up in your own big life and big plan in your 20s—you’re building a career, building an identity, building for a future. Find some place in your life where you’re building for a purpose that’s bigger than your own life or plan.

When you’re serving on behalf of a cause you’re passionate about, you’ll also connect in a deep way with the people you’re serving with, and those connections can yield some of your most significant friendships.

When you serve as a volunteer, you can gain experience for future careers. Instead of, for example, quitting your banking job to pursue full-time ministry, volunteer to lead a small group, and see where it goes from there. Use volunteer experiences to learn about causes and fields you’re interested in, and consider using your vacation time to serve globally.

10. Feed Yourself and the People You Love

If you can master these things, you’re off to a really great start: eggs, soup, a fantastic sandwich or burger, guacamole and some killer cookies. A few hints: The secret to great eggs is really low heat, and the trick to guacamole is lime juice—loads of it. Almost every soup starts the same way: onion, garlic, carrot, celery, stock.

People used to know how to make this list and more, but for all sorts of reasons, sometime in the last 60 or so years, convenience became more important than cooking and people began resorting to fake food (ever had GU?), fast food and frozen food. I literally had to call my mom from my first apartment because I didn’t know if you baked a potato for five minutes or two hours.

The act of feeding oneself is a skill every person can benefit from, and some of the most sacred moments in life happen when we gather around the table. The time we spend around the table, sharing meals and sharing stories, is significant, transforming time.

Learn to cook. Invite new and old friends to dinner. Practice hospitality and generosity. No one cares if they have to sit on lawn furniture, bring their own forks or drink out of a Mayor McCheese glass from 1982. What people want is to be heard and fed and nourished, physically and otherwise—to stop for just a little bit and have someone look them in the eye and listen to their stories and dreams. Make time for the table, and you’ll find it to be more than worth it every time.

11. Don’t Get Stuck

This is the thing: When you hit 28 or 30, everything begins to divide. You can see very clearly two kinds of people. On one side, people who have used their 20s to learn and grow, to find God and themselves and their dreams, people who know what works and what doesn’t, who have pushed through to become real live adults. Then there’s the other kind, who are hanging onto college, or high school even, with all their might. They’ve stayed in jobs they hate, because they’re too scared to get another one. They’ve stayed with men or women who are good but not great, because they don’t want to be lonely. They mean to find a church, they mean to develop intimate friendships, they mean to stop drinking like life is one big frat party. But they don’t do those things, so they live in an extended adolescence, no closer to adulthood than when they graduated.

Don’t be like that. Don’t get stuck. Move, travel, take a class, take a risk. There is a season for wildness and a season for settledness, and this is neither. This season is about becoming. Don’t lose yourself at happy hour, but don’t lose yourself on the corporate ladder either. Stop every once in a while and go out to coffee or climb in bed with your journal.

Ask yourself some good questions like: “Am I proud of the life I’m living? What have I tried this month? What have I learned about God this year? What parts of my childhood faith am I leaving behind, and what parts am I choosing to keep? Do the people I’m spending time with give me life, or make me feel small? Is there any brokenness in my life that’s keeping me from moving forward?”

Now is your time. Walk closely with people you love, and with people who believe God is good and life is a grand adventure. Don’t get stuck in the past, and don’t try to fast-forward yourself into a future you haven’t yet earned.

Give today all the love and intensity and courage you can, and keep traveling honestly along life’s path.

From the article http://www.relevantmagazine.com/life/whole-life/features/25956-11-things-to-know-at-25ish?start=1 by Shauna Niequest.

Cafe78

2012-04-24T16:52:00.003+08:00

What do you do when a friend suffers from a heart busted into pieces? Uh-oh! Well, a good friend would surely offer comfort. And you go for tight hugs, reassuring words, you give your best listening ears, and of course, some soul-soothing chows for the stomach.

So after stuffing our slightly starving stomach with, i must say, surprisingly good food from Kuya Clyde’s Ihaw-ihaw. Actually, i was not really expecting any heaven food from them, but this time, i need to commend their pork sisig with egg for satisfying my taste buds that night. Alright, back to what i really want to discuss, after late dinner, we looked for a 24-hour serving coffee shop and ended up at Cafe78 located along Hotel Ni Mang Jose.

Ok. Call me judgmental. But since i moved in here at Metro Lipa, i have always deemed Cafe78 as one of those ordinary trying hard cafes serving coffee drinks for the sake of being called as one. BUT I WAS WRONG.

They definitely proven me wrong. Since, we were still kinda full, we just had something fancy to drink. We had Dark Temptation (for PhP 145), Mocha Blend (for PhP 125) and Oreo Cream Blended (for PhP 135). I had the Dark Temptation, which almost made me forget that i was with a teary-eyed friend. So far, this has been the best tasting blended beverage from all the drinks i have tried here in Batangas. I also had a sip from Ayen's and Anch's, and i could say that what's written in the menu won't disappoint customers' fancy taste buds!

Next time, i'll surely try the other items in their menu list. And yes, their menu is pasted in their tables, so one doesn't have to bother calling the service crew for the menu.

And the place. They got this very cozy place, small but well-maximized.

We occupied the upper part, and we just so love it. With the nice couches and stools, it's just like bonding with friends at home. And since it was so late, and it was just the three of us fooling around the cafe, we had the luxury of choosing whether to just watch the tv, read some travel and fashion magazines or just like what we had enjoyed, deaf our ears with lonely tunes!

And if the whole thing is boring you, (well, i was never bored, but just in case) you can peep from the window and you can have a view of people having their good times with a beer or two at Metro Bar.

Well, i could say that this Cafe78 experience will definitely not be the last. I'll be back, again and again to EXPERIENCE THE REAL TASTE OF BATANGAS COFFEE! But then, at the end of the day, no fancy glass of drinks would be enjoyable enough without the love of my two dearest girlfriends, Ayen and Anch! Iloveyougirls!

Cafe 78 is located at Ayala HiWay, Brgy Balintawak, 4217 Lipa City
Contact them at 437846038
Check their FB account @CAFE78 LIPA CITY

The Lorax: UNLESS

2012-03-21T11:54:00.005+08:00

Welcome to Thneedville. A city they say that was plastic and fake. And they liked it that way! No nature, no flowers. No one seemed to mind. But a secret was waiting for someone to find.

Have i told you that one of my most favorite quotes was from Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax? Oh yes. And that minute my eyes got a glimpse of the orangy grumpy yet charming creature on the cinema ad that says next picture, I knew i’m gonna have a good reason for bullying my sister to accompany me to the silver screen and spend P121.00 for a 95 minutes film.

So last Saturday, with my Mcdo’s apple float, i joined some kids (with their moms and dads) in their weekend movie dates. Just like how Chris Renaud tickled me with the minions (i miss stealing the mooon with Mr. Gru!) in the “Despicable Me”, which i have watch repeatedly, mostly during blue-bum days, he again won my heart. Well, i do not know, call me weirdo or anything, but somewhere in the film, i caught my eyes wet with salty fluid. Was it the bully kid beside me? Nah. Was it Ate who didn’t want for another round of the film? I hate her for that but, no. Maybe i felt fear for our earth and for the next generations who will soon call this planet as their home (and that includes our nieces and nephews and their kids and grandkids and so on). I’m afraid that we are all becoming a “Once-ler” who was so blinded with his aim for success and progress, and may i add, recognition reasoning that he only speaks for men and human opportunities. Call me so corney but i really fear that trees will just be a once upon a time story.

Okay, i won’t say much. I like you to watch the film. I like everyone to watch the film, kids and kids at heart and those who have lost the child within them. For maybe, just maybe, after watching, Ted will wake a part of our consciousness.

Anyway, here are some of my favorite lines aside from the one in my fb profile pic, Unless someone like you cares an awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.

Ted: I won't let you down.
Once-ler: I know.

The Lorax: But nobody listens too much, don't you know.

The Lorax: They say I'm old-fashioned, and live in the past, but sometimes I think progress progresses too fast!

Once-ler: I promise.
The Lorax: I trust you.

Ted: So, this is really your fault. You destroyed everything.

The Lorax: Hey you broke your promise. You know you are better than this.

The Lorax: All the forces of nature will be unleashed upon you and you will be punished until the end of your days. You have been warned. (Promise, i’d like to use this line in casting spells to grouchy people)

and lastly, a line from Ted: Well, that's me - the guy who still cares. (i hope everyone of us will say this, because Dr. Seuss has been so right, UNLESS, we start speaking for the trees, we too can experience the artificial life of people in a walled town called Thneed-ville)

one last book before lovemonth ends

2012-02-29T16:05:00.000+08:00

Okay. I guess, i kinda overspent.(don't get me wrong, i don't have any regrets about having Leica in my life. i'm so excited to blog about her!) And i needed to make a neat financial arrangement with Katie Jane, my pinky wallet (thanks to Nongnong for a wonderful Christmas present). So some cruel weeks ago, i said: starting today i am making a promise that i’ll religiously follow my budget , i’ll limit my afternoon coffee love affair and the worst, i’ll keep myself from purchasing any additional books but for i finish reading every single one poorly seating in my bookshelf.

But just like how drug addicts go gaga over a single pill. I, too, just cannot help myself. Almost everyday, i would sneak around the mall bookstore and ask the bookstore lady about their bestseller book, coincidentally, it’s always out of stock. But yesterday, with my last P300, i had no choice but to grab the last piece of Gretchen Rubin’s The happiness Project before another ravenous bookworm steal it from my very eyes.

i smell LOVE and HAPPINESS.

2012-01-24T20:00:00.000+08:00

from my redbook, written January 19, 2012. - 11:46PM

Today, nothing is perfect. My life is still in its kinda-“dysfunctional” form. To be honest, my sky-scraping hopes are starting to wane, and i can’t help but feel that i am the only one who is believing, and i feel tired. Actually, if i’m not on a rag, maybe by dawn, my feet will be making love with the sand and saltwater (these skinny feet are so much in an itch to bond with their bestfriends). But i guess, i am happier. Because, finally, my languor self was punched by Coelho when he wrote, People are capable, at any time in their lives, of doing what they dream of.

And he was just so dead right!

Though, i still have questions, tons of nonsense of them, yes. but, i am thankful.

i am thankful that for the past three years i have learned to accept how dysfunctional life is. And i was able to deal with it. And my faith was strengthened and deepened.

I am thankful for the day-by-day people that i meet, for the learning, for the inspiration, for the strength that they supply me to keep on holding on and for the people i decided to keep who remained true and wonderful and with respect, not just for me but for the people i love.

I am thankful that i have never hooked up with the boy who will carry my dreams away from me. because when that happens, we’ll surely end up both wounded and broken.

I am thankful to realize that i do not need to fly to Europe, or to India or to Batanes island just to find myself, because it has been here all along. (but one of these days, i’ll still go there to fall in love with their culture or with what ever they have there, and let me add... Brazil, Marinduque, Vigan and Brazil again!)

My dreams are waiting. And if i wait for my brain cells to start functioning right, they might get tired standing. What i can do now is follow Dr. Sara Jordan’s advice, Everyday, give yourself a good mental shampoo!

So, how was this day?

Let me say: Today, i am still imperfect, with lots of flaws and everything that will prove that i am just another human. But today is the perfect day to thank GOD for this wonderful day and for the best days that are yet to come.

P.S. and today, i had fun with my girlfriends and siblings and I’m gonna blog about my project happiness once i get the chance!

HOT & COLD CAFE

2011-12-29T19:30:00.000+08:00

They say, they are MORE THAN JUST COFFEE. Well, my visits proved that they are not just into pretty marketing line-lies. From their classy-moderne interior to the list of their Latino-inspired foodies, one would surely give a two thumbs up!

These are some of their items that i have tried:

Lemon Tetrazinni

(don't be surprised with its sour taste!)

Penne and Cheese

(the bread highly compliments the pasta flavor. YUM!)

and my most favorite of all, which photo is missing (???), is their Kim's Scampi Pasta. I and Ayen, in one of our girlfriend talks over dinner, forgot about "what's in a confused heart" when we got our taste of its flavorful sauce!

In another visit, we went loca over their chicken:

Chicken Florentine

Spicy Chicken Wings

(tasteful to the bones!)

and their Super Burger served with potato wedges.
(Try this and you'll forget about Burger King. Ok, just maybe. Since there's no more BK here in Batangas)

Their strawberry and cream shake was my first taste of HOT&COLD. Sadly, i didn't like it that much. I guess not just for cold nights of december! But it's huge!

and this one, i really can't remember. I think some espresso or cappuccino.

Hot and Cold Cafe
Brgy. Kumintang Batangas City, Philippines
Phone +639274744465
Email hotandcoldcafe@live.com
Facebook Page HOT&COLD

Sendong: flood victims need us.

2011-12-22T15:11:00.001+08:00

Over the weekend, storm Sendong swept through Southern Philippines bringing heavy rains that resulted to flash floods and has already claimed nearly a thousand lives.According to news, there are 200,000 children in Mindanao who have lost their families and homes. They badly need us, our material help and of course, the sincerest of our prayers.

Click on the image to view ways on HOW TO DONATE. No matter how small, a little help still goes a long way. Thank you very much. Have a bright Christmas.

For Puerto Princesa Underground River.

2011-09-05T13:32:00.004+08:00

This isn't just Puerto Prinsesa's fight to global stardom. This is our chance to make the whole world realize our very own beauty. Let us all support Puerto Princesa Underground River in its bid to be one of the Seven Wonders of the World. We already made it to TOP 28. We still have 67 days to make it in the distinctive spot. (voting ends on November 10, 2011) You may cast your vote by texting PPUR to 2861 or by voting through online at http://www.new7wonders.com/

Guys, let's not waste time, let's be one in vying for the 7 Wonders of Nature and make it happen!

And yes, before flying aboard, let's experience the beauty of a city in a forest @ http://www.visitpuertoprincesa.com/

i am a dreamer. i lazy dreamer.

2011-08-19T10:38:00.000+08:00

found this written in my 2005 organizer. dated august 19 (but as can be seen, it occupied the 20th and 21st) six years ago.

when will one day be?

when you know so well that your auditory cortex cannot analyze even the basic of music.

when you know so well that your paint brush have always been in struggle with its own liberation.

when you know so well, that to be a speech path, you gotta go back to college and give up the monthly salary you get as an employee.

and that to write a book, you need to perfect your grammar.

Let go.

2011-08-07T13:51:00.036+08:00

the conversation began with, you have lovely pair of hands, i’m envious. i smiled and said thank you, just as the natural me would do whenever i get surprise compliments, and went back to my reading.

“You’re a counselor?” “Aha”. i gave a thrift answer, avoiding her eyes. Budol-budol gang is everywhere! But before my book and manila's heavy traffic totally consumed me, this complete stranger next to me began telling her fears. everything, maybe. well, everything that completes the picture of the whole scenario.

13 years of being trapped in a onetime nightmare. how can she ever free herself?

(there’s a lot of striking points i’d like to discuss. but i have vowed to my profession to keep things confidential)

but her last question: You, have you ever gotten problems, like have you ever been into something so unforgiving?

I didn’t answer her question. There are things in life that will either break us or help us find ourselves; the thing is IT’S JUST ALWAYS US. Forgiving doesn’t happen overnight. It is a painful process, but don’t worry, that’s why HE’s there.

We parted at LRT Buendia. When i flipped my head, she’s gone. Just like that. I checked my things, nothing’s missing. And to quote her last words: Tama ka nga, siguro it’s just me all along.

and today is a lazy noon, i think my hair needs some professional help!

to you,

i hope you'll soon find the strength to heal your wounds, and have The Saviour's Love take all the pains away.

Britz Buffet

2011-08-05T14:39:00.000+08:00

So, it's already August. And we knew we just had to do some bits and pieces of catching up with our busy lives and have some sweet hugs and,our favorite, aside from writing to the last of our functioning brain cell, have a taste of heaven food.

And the gang, my siblings via "dugong-advo", Karen, Jane, Bem, Izus and Izan (Sorry, MArnee, Neneth and Meynard, i guess you three were busier than a bee, next time, promise you'll find time) tried the recently opened resto located adjacent to the Holy Trinity Parish Church.

So, everyone, welcome to BRITZ Buffet Function Hall.

(Sorry, we weren't able to take nice pictures of the place)

As you may noticed, the dining place seems to be semi-Mediterranean. So neat and classy. Perfect for fine dining and family dinners. Actually, with our kinda- eclectic personalities, we find it hard to fit in. haha.

but the nicest thing that they have here, is their veranda, it's like watching the busy city lights from a peaceful place. The bar is also located here where you can sip your fancy drinks while listening to some live music. Oh,i can only imagine. SoOo relaxing.

Oops, let me give you some food photos:

As appetizer, we had this salad with balsamic vinegar.

Karen and I were kinda starving already. So felt like eating rice. And the viands we chose: pork sisig and yeee, all-time favorite, Kare-Kare!

We also tried their pasta served with toasted bread. i love the penne!

and for the sweets, they gave us free leche plan!

I really enjoyed the night, i just hope that next time i can experience chillin out in their veranda!

Britz is located at Pallocan West Batangas City

They open from 6PM - 9PM

Phone Number 723-2531
Email britz@hotmail.com / britzbuffet@gmail.com

Check their FB @ BRITZ FANPAGE

101 bad things about a then-witch

2011-07-21T17:33:00.005+08:00

from personal experiences and vindictive remarks of tactless mouths.

1. i am envious.

2. i doubt, as always.

3. i procrastinate.

4. i care less.

5. i discriminate.

6. i despise stinky people.

7. i commit mistakes.

8. i am insensitive.

9. i think ill of other people.

10. i sleep till noon.

11. i sin.

12. i am more than lazy.

13. i love mr. solitude.(which other people find hard to understand)

14. i hate the moon.(pls wait until i get the audacity to publish my post regarding this)

15. i am oh-so good in dispatching people.

16. i sour grape.

17. i make people feel bad. (and these people hate me but well, i absolutely, do not need them or them making me feel how bad i am,too. )

18. i hold grudges.

19. i have two left feet.

20. i sing out of tune melodies.

21. i am often late.

22. i skip meals.

23. i have ears that cannot tolerate noise.

24. i am bad with confrontation.

25. i put make up on wee hours and sleep with it which is torture to my skin.

26. i am forgetful.

27. i am selfish.

28. i am always right.

29. i have a bad habit of doing horrific stuff to my pitiful locks.

30. i am a mess. sometimes, a big mess.

31. i do not trust people.

32. i write nonsense things.

33. i have mood swings.

34. i am a funny person. (so, lemme show you what SCARY means!)

35. i am a brat.

36. i have a voice that is either too loud, sometimes so high-pitch, or too soft. but never well-modulated.

37. i say the wrong words.

38. i am scared. yes, so scared. you will never believe it.

39. i do not listen.

40. i dress histrionically. (i think i am not anymore!)

41. i am drastically a boring person.

42. i am an abuser of the unconscious process of getting away-slash-protection, only that in my case, i always know.

43. i don’t go to church every Sunday.

44. i mutely complain.

45. i am, most of the blue days, irrational.

46. i cannot speak in front of different (strange) faces without experiencing a severe frantic attack.

47. i do not believe that we should confess our sins through a priest.

48. i cram, endlessly and pointlessly. (weh)

49. ... 50 .... 51...

and YES! i didn’t make it to 101. see, i’m not that bad after all. hihi.

okay. i think i wrote this kinda 2 years ago. Found this from files of unwanted papers in my Mbox (memory box). It was entitled 101 bad things blah blah but i do not think i finished writing the 53 more. Maybe, i ran out of time or ran out of ink or paper? Or maybe, there really can’t be 101. haha, hooray to me! Well, I do not even remember my objective for writing 48 indignant things against my own self (which could cause future severe damages). Maybe i was into some help-self project like “reformatting crazy Gladi”. aw, i do not know, really!

actually, when i saw this, i was like, oh really? are these all? and at the same time, are these all true? i must just be kidding myself! i don’t remember me being this and that... and before i wrestle with my own writing, i decided to post it here and maybe, i can know from you. or maybe you can add more.

Villa Escudero Plantacion Resort | Valentino Resort and Spa

2011-06-16T16:51:00.000+08:00

Two days before my birthday, Nongnong gave us a wonderful treat, a day tour experience to Villa Escudero Plantacion and Resort. It was really a day! When we got there the ladies in "saya" greeted us with some free tropical drinks. Our first stop was the AERA Memorial Museum, it has lots of antique pieces and each one was explained to us by the happy-face tour guide. Then we rode the "paragos" (pinoy sledge), while enjoying some live folk love songs. My favorite was the bamboo rafting (see my photo above). it was my first! yeee. i so love anything connected to that H2O thing! hehe. And when we got hungry, there's no other place to go but to their famous waterfalls resto, and yes, EAT ALL YOU CAN! and if you're a fan of native deli, you'll surely love the food while your feet makes love to the water coming from the falls. oh. oh. the day was tiring, we didn't experience the birdwatching, oh, i dont why. but it was a nice day.

If you like to check the rates and how to go there, just click on this link. and you may view more photos here.

Villa Escudero Plantations and Resort is located at San Pablo City, Philippines but they have a Manila Office at 1059 Estrada Street, Malate 1004 Metro Manila with telephone nos. (632) 521-0830| (632) 523-0392| (632) 523-2944

*******

and here's another nice getaway, this time with the guidance people at Valentino Resort and Spa. Very nice place, indeed. I hope i can spend another day or two here. The experience made me forget that we have just moved to our new apt and that i still have a lot to do back to the real world. How to go there? If you are just from Metro Lipa, you can actually just ride a jeep going to Lemery, Batangas and tell the driver to drop you off the place. And you're there, just like me.

Valentino resort and Spa is situated in one of the 33 barangays in San Jose, Batangas, Pinagtung-ulan San Jose Batangas. You may contact them at (043) 783-0558 /63917-5155936 /63918-4952338 or email them at info@valentinoresortandspa.com

Coffee vs. Mint Blend Herbal Infusion

2011-06-10T23:00:00.000+08:00

It was during college when i learned to consume more than the usual cups of coffee a day. I guess i needed lots of caffeine to at least make my self nervous with my then quietly crazy life. haha. And so, college friends would always tag me as a certified coffee addict. But after graduation, i realized that it was't so healthy at all. So, I started to avoid coffee, and it actually felt like killing myself by limiting my intake to two sips a day! Imagine that - imagine severe torture. oh, just shoot me, please! But if that's what it takes to have healthier skin and lessen my being insomniac- then, why not?

So, it's been a habit to opt for fruit juices and tea instead of coffee whenever i go to coffeeshops. Yes, been through those sad nights of sipping my english breakfast tea with honey while my mouth secretly salivates over my friends' caramel macchiato! But gone are those days, i already stopped being so hard on myself when it comes to coffee. A fancy cup won't kill, anyway. But my body has been so immune to tea already, and my exhaustion still craves for it ever now and then.

And now, i'd like you to meet my favorite tea, aside from the default lipton tea, which has been a default tea due to affordability. hehe.

Tea lovers, meet starbucks' mint blend. It has a sweet flavor of spearmint and has the cooling taste of peppermint with a hint of tarragon. Having a sip is actually overly relaxing!

You can buy Starbucks Mint Blend from any Starbucks Store.
http://philippines.starbucks.com/en-US/

saving private gladi

2011-05-18T16:20:00.001+08:00

(sometime in october)

i do not know what time it is. one of the rarest moments in my daily life. the wall clock stopped ticking. i am too lazy to check my mobile phone’s time. and even more sluggish to turn the tv on to check the current news. i wanted to feel the luxury of being lost in space, even for this one stolen evening.

if only i could tear all these out, maybe i’m a better person.

For the first time since this orange sofa set came in our house, it’s only now that i finally found a comfortable position in its corner. Earlier, i was holding a blue book i purchased from a booksale months ago, longing for a day to come that i can finally have the appetite to reach out for it and make a good jumpstart in my life. Hours ago, there was the noisy music from the neighbor’s playlist. But now, there’s nothing. No sound at all. Only the deep sound of the night and the droplets of water from the bathroom’s silly faucet.

and i feel like crying. Just cry. Maybe an attempt to stir away the faked headache.

and i hope i never heard lies. I hope i never met some people so i wont always end up bombarding my brain to forget. And i hope erasing wont take so much pride, pain and headache. i hope some people never pushed me to my very limit, so i can still hope to have them back. I hope i never have to leave whenever i get myself damn hurt.

But maybe, that’s the only way i know. and God knows what my heart desires, to atleast save a piece of myself. And to start from there. Goodluck to me.

No one. No one will remember.

2011-05-18T16:15:00.002+08:00

One noon after work, i decided to drop by to my then office. It was still the very same office; my things are still neatly sitting there as i left it. (i remember kidding mija not to let anyone touch my stuff else...)

I sat there. And once more, made connections with the comfort brought by the blue swivel chair that once been claimed as mine. i closed my eyes and laid my back to its just-right firmness. My palms went over the curves of it as my fingertips slide into the sides of my wooden table’s glass imperfection. I flip over to the pages of my counselees’ records. One thing is for sure, i broke my promise. I can no longer be there for them. The idea breaks me.

Two and half years, i said to myself. Who can forget the first day i sat on that chair? Who can forget the first time i made a memo letter for that office? Who can forget the very first student i encountered, and the very first one who came back and to say thank you? and who can forget the very first time my boss gave me his popular hand gesture?

No one. No one will remember.

Two and half years. It did not take me a lifetime. How come every inch of that room reminds me so much of myself? How come i feel a part of me has been left in every corner, in every space, in every paper and in everything existing inside that room?

I was filled with emotions, if only i could sat in one corner and sleep there till my dreams take me to neverland, so i can feel that at least for a night, the whole thing had been mine.

But as darkness eats the dusk, i know i had to leave. and i just be thankful.

(well, that afternoon was my way of saying a sweet goodbye. sorry if i invaded the office without any permission. promise, that will be the last time. thank you.)

Yes! Now i know there's an Aeta in heaven.

2011-03-27T11:37:00.000+08:00

You, Intin, with the yellow set of teeth and comical hair that always looked teased. And, eyes that reflects contentment amidst nothing so glamorous. You, who i have always thought of as a petite version of Quasimodo with over-sized polo and farmer-folded pants. They never fail to amaze me, really. It was a big mistake of mine not to talk to you about the culture that you grew up with. How your parents looked like. How you met the love of your life. Inay said you came from a tribe from Negros, and as a kid then, i was scared, and would just content myself from seeing you a far getting fire woods and “pongapong” for the pigs, or simply helping in the farm stuff. But now, I am filled with happiness that, finally, you will feel the tight embrace of the ONE who really loves you. Thank you for giving three beautiful people in our family, Vic, Ate Liza and Jimmy. We are indebted to you because of this.

Bel Piato Cafè and Bistro

2011-03-04T22:41:00.000+08:00

Batanguenos were all surely excited when this cafe, Bel Piatto Cafè and Bistro opened opposite to Batangas SM City - and yes, i was one of those. This cozy cafe offers a variety of Asian, European and American inspired appetizers, entrees and desserts. There's also an assortment of hot and cold coffee, frappuccino, and even wine!

Been here for a couple of times already, with good friends, with office mates, with family. But i always forget to take pictures of the place. Maybe i was so busy admiring their food.

For drinks: try their iced lattè ,banana split mocha frappuccino and strawberry and cream.

For salad, mixed vegetable salad and what i had last 2011V-day, warldorf salad.

For pasta: i highly recommend creamy baked macaroni and pomodoro pasta

or if you like to eat something with rice: have a taste of pepper crusted fish fillet and Italian Tempura

for bread and cheese lovers, fill your mouth with cheesy tuna sandwich

and for the sweettooth owners, don't you ever leave without pampering your salivating mouth with their chocolate with caramel filling and of course, cheesecake!

Bel Piatto Cafe and Bistro

P. West, 4200 Batangas, Philippines

Phone No. 437222236

Check their FB account BEL PIATTO FB

coke: i need you back. badly.

2011-03-02T17:49:00.000+08:00

i thought i could forget.
for every single day that passed, i constantly tell myself that you are no good to me. as i have promised to myself that i would remain faithful to my words. i could bear to thirst myself from the sweet adrenaline that only you can give. it's excruciating. but my mind can endure the pain. as always.

but i was wrong.
for my stomach needs you. for it's only you that can calm down the urging. the chaos inside.

and i am left here, staring at your coldness.
gulping every inch of my precious pride. dwelling with my own self. one part says i should have not given up. another part says, i can't live without you. which i believe isn't true. one part says, how about all those that you have been fighting for? another part says, people will laugh at your inconsistency but who cares? well, i do not know but what i know is one part of my body needs you. and it's not going to function normal without you. i do not know if i have to trust myself or if my subconscious is just making stupid excuses just to feel you again in my body.

but yes, i stupidly need you. i'm pleading you back. i'm sorry i let you go.

(just some crazy idea, i promised myself not to consume any carbonated drinks, including my most loved, COKE but i realized that coke has been my "kontra-diarrhea" for the longest time. Where i got the idea, i guess from a Japanese speaker who said in one of the seminars i attended that if your stomach's in trouble, just grab a can of coca cola! )