The world through chinky eyes

Maya Maya Beach Weekend

2008-10-31T12:30:00.004+08:00

Found an adorable beach house for rent in the village paper. Took the one remaining free weekend left (as all our adult days have suddenly been accounted for. Why is that?), and hied down to Maya Maya and Punta Fuego for some much needed R&R.

Best decision ever. Lobsters. Our own cook. Pool. Jacuzzi. Boat. More importantly, SUN.

And, we were the only ones on the island(s).

Click on image above to view entire album

p.s. Pardon the cobwebby imprint on all the photos. I totally missed that when I cleaned my lens. Grr.

Saturday dinner at the house

2008-08-14T13:23:00.001+08:00

Bebo's highschool friends and a few of our neighbors joined us last Saturday for a quasi-home cooked meal. By quasi, I mean Bebs cooking the baked chicken and spicy tuyo pasta, Jons and Paul spotting the pizza, Weedge bringing the salami and cheese and his cook preparing the eggplant casserole, and JJ and Carol taking charge of the booze. Lovely evening! We enjoyed ourselves till 2:30am, as no one seemed to want to go home! hahaha. I wonder why...

Group shot

My hubby and me

More photos here.

Nocon-Chua Nuptials

2008-08-13T14:16:00.001+08:00

08.08.08.

Some highlights at Chuck and Abbey's wedding:

The Friday night traffic brought us hours late to the couple's wedding. Dyahe. We arrived horribly late, but somehow managed to have two dinners that night. Even more dyahe.

With JJ in town, the evening also turned out to be a high school reunion of sorts for Bebo's batch. There are tons of pictures to prove this, thanks to Matron of Honor Maggie and her constant pull of the wedding photographer.

Chuck can sing! And so can his older brother. Standards, no less. I was highly impressed.

And finally, the story that will go down the anals of barkada blooper history:

A 60-ish year old barong-clad guest catches the eye of Carol who is absolutely certain the man was a senator. She convinces JJ and Bebs that he is in fact a politician and they spend a good portion of their time eliminating personalities and figuring out that elusive name. Until a moment of clarity suddenly hits Carol and she finally puts the man's face in proper reference... the assumed dignitary was actually an active Knights of Columbus in Merville. HAHAHAAHAHAHA. Nice one, luv.

The Orosas, Bharwanis, Filarts and Montinolas.

Best buddies

My handsome date

More pictures here.

Congratulations, Chuck and Abbey! We were honored to have shared your special day with you.

Still in the calendar...

2008-08-11T13:50:00.005+08:00

I forgot I had these.

I'm not sure who took most of these photos, but THANK YOU for covering the event!

And thanks to everyone who came and shared the evening with me :) You know you're getting old when you don't dress up for your own party! Hahaha.

Bebs enjoying the food a little too much it seems...

Posing with some of the guys post dinner.

The party was over, but they still made habol! In the end it was just the Moratos and Bharwanis enjoying the wine. Awesome nightcap.

The rest of the photos are here. Happy 30th to me!

Is that even a good thing?

2008-08-07T13:47:00.006+08:00

It seems that I have become the poster girl for the Big Woman's goal in body weight.

Here at work, my heftier colleagues when discussing that other four-letter word (diet), find themselves referencing me as their benchmark for achieving an ideal body weight. That, if they only reached my size, would make them utterly content and happy.

Awww...

Until,

Good Sense processes all that as being one-two rungs below the fat ladder, but too chunky to be thin (which is the Impossible to attain without a miracle--or a surgery category).

Sound Judgment then proffers the (unsolicited) verdict:

In essence, you are the Big Woman's benchmark because you, my friend, are still classified under the Chub Club. Yes. You still play in this team, honey.

Potek na yan.

Sniff.

Previously on this drama series...

2008-07-31T20:48:00.014+08:00

Yes, I am back from the dead.

Soon as I moved blog sites ten months ago, I found myself more and more lazy to update it. Well friends, here I am, returning from the silence and attempting to bridge the gap between September 2007 and July 2008. In situations like this, I find that the bullet point is always the quickest and easiest cataloging device (read: tamad! haha), so here goes.

In a nutshell:

What was initially a three-month vacation to the Philippines turned into six, then a year--and counting... until one day, Bebs and I looked at each other and knew in our hearts we were meant to stay. Vancouver will still be in the future, but for now, Manila is home.

Soon after the all-important decision, we moved into a cottage guest house of sorts in the lovely village of Ayala Alabang. It was the first place we looked at, and we were instantly smitten. Living quarters and vacation house rolled into one. Awesome.

Our housewarming party with the gang

Residence down, mode of transport next. We acquired a promising low-mileage second-hand pick-up--shiny and looked almost brand spanking new. It was diesel, and automatic--what else could you ask for? Let me tell you, the degree of comfort we experienced in our charming new home was proportionate to the amount of hell and headache we faced--correction: still face--with the truck. Sigh. Life can't all be perfect.

The truck gets towed one Wednesday night at the Fort.

Always the workaholic, I got me a job even before I even knew we were staying. My current employment was also one of the main reasons we decided to work it out in the homeland. At long last, I am in a job that marries my college education and my eight years of marketing & communications experience. The opportunities for growth are daunting, and yet worth getting both hands and feet dirty. I have never been so excited about work.

Where all the magic happens.

My office, although this is old news. Office is under renovation, so I am currently sardined with six other officemates in one of the few remaining functional rooms.

As if a career wasn't enough, I am also back in school. Yes. Writing a screenplay and it is unfolding ever so slowly. Loving my new thesis adviser, though. Would be unfair to divulge his identity as he has no knowledge of this blog, but let me just say that for my personality, crazy work sched and erratic communication habits, he is just the mentor that I absolutely need to get this much delayed stage of my life over and done with. In another life and on a more level playing field, I think we could actually be very good friends.

Ministry. Ah, yes. The feeble attempt of flawed humans at expressing their faith towards a BIG majestic God. Most days we hope it actually counts for something. And sometimes, in His grace and mercy--and definitely not of our doing--He shows up in spite of us, and makes those feeble attempts worth something. This is one such case. Eight months, and still counting. :) And hey, if you're ever in Fully Booked - High Street on a Wednesday night, do come by and join us. We have good music and donuts (Thank you, Krispy Kreme!) And we do not bite.

And finally,

After almost six years of wedded bliss, we have decided to try for a baby next year. It is by far the scariest decision I have ever had to make.

Whew.

As you can see, all guns are blazing in this season of our lives. What can I say, I'm getting old. There is no other way to go, if you think about it.

Switchfoot rocks Manila!

2007-09-13T17:38:00.001+08:00

I know, I know. Long absence and all.

BUT.

You’ll forgive me when you see the pics I’m posting. Whoo boy, this week has been nothing short of amazing. I lot has happened the past two months, but this one takes the cake. So the rest of my life will have to wait another blog entry. hehe.

The short of it is, I got to be Artist Liaison for Switchfoot at their recent concert last Monday (September 10th). Awesome, awesome guys. Extremely down-to-earth. I’ve seen them three other times in SF, but they are definitely better now. Not some rehashed gig. Totally rocked Manila. A friend said it best, “It’s like I fell in love with Switchfoot all over again.” hahaha. So true.

Oh. And Jerome is now on my list of Pinoy heroes. Definitely.

I’ll let the photos speak for themselves. Read and weep, loveys

Testing out a new home.

2007-06-15T10:20:00.001+08:00

I'm almost certain, but not fully. And so I need your help.
Check out my new home and let me know if I should take that final jump.

Oh, and don't mind the layout, or the blank pages. I'm not done with it yet ;)

:)

The perfect time to blog.

2007-06-13T15:19:00.000+08:00

Been stuck at home by obligation the past two days. I underwent surgery last Monday for my third molar (an odontectomy, for those in the know). It was growing horizontally so it had to be drilled, sliced open, then removed. Sweet huh? I've never had any serious work done on my teeth EVER because I've never had cavities, so you can imagine how terrified I am the day of the operation. And I'm not crazy about needles either. Ayayay.

Good thing my dentist had me on headphones watching The Devil Wears Prada. Still, it was hard to concentrate, what with the sound of the drill and the constant shower of blood, saliva and shards of teeth sprinkling out of my gaping-wide traumatized mouth. God knows how much of that was on my poor dentist's face. Ugh.

I don't think I'll ever want to be a dentist. Ever. In my lifetime or the next.

Which brings me forward two days, at home, on bedrest. Half my face is swollen, and the toothache is a killer. I'm told these are signs of healing. Funny. Did I mention that when I'm better I'm supposed to go back to have my other third molar operated on?

The only upside to my anguish is that my current diet consists of ice cream and all things cold. Yay! The very things I'm supposed to avoiding in my normal diet. Bebs got me a gallon of FIC Sugarfree Mangoes & Cream... and expressed his commiseration by finishing it. Hmm.

He owes me another gallon.

Meanwhile, check this out: Visual DNA kuno. I do like how it got me. (Thanks to Patsy for the link).

Read my VisualDNA™

Better than life Project Launch Night

2007-06-06T17:46:00.000+08:00

A big THANK YOU to all those who came to the launch of The Better than Life Project. You guys are so so awesome! :) Traffic was horrendous last night causing a delay in the show, but we're glad you guys braved through it and stuck it out with us.

For those who didn't get to join us at the first gig, do come to the next shows! We still have the remaining Tuesdays of June.

Here's a glimpse of last night's launch:

From left: Wowee on keyboard, Pido on guitar, Radha, Chedie and Noah (hidden) on vocals), Top on guitar, and Bebs on bass.

Chedie (of the defunct Smokey Mountain). Amazing pipes this girl.

Radha, another crazy lady. She can BELT like nobody's business.

The master himself, Noel Mendez, and my Bebster.

More photos HERE

The Better than Life Project LIVE!

2007-06-03T19:05:00.002+08:00

Shameless plug, but all for a good cause...

I need your support guys! :)

My husband Bebs is launching his music album THIS Tuesday at 19 East (along Sucat Highway Service Road). He did all the words and music and got his musician friends to sing them. Some of the artists include Barbie, Jay Durias (South Border), Naldy Gonzales (Side A), Top Suzara, and MANY MORE.

Anyway, I know it's a work week, but I would absolutely appreciate it if you guys could come and watch the show. It starts at 930pm, so you can actually come earlier and have dinner there. Their food is good AND the place is pretty ;) There's an entrance fee of P250, but consider it a good investment for a concert featuring some of the country's best musicians from different bands. Not to mention, the proceeds of the CD sales go to a non-profit organization that feeds street kids in Manila.

The show will run every Tuesday of June at 19 East, so please do invite your friends to come. Also, the CD is available for only P250. I guarantee the music is good . Here's the CD artwork so you know what to look for in the music stands:

PLEASE PLEASE do come. Support local music. Support my husband. hehe. And pass the word around!

Do let me know if you guys can make it. Text or email me so that I can expect you.

See you all there!!!!

One hundred and one reasons

2007-05-18T12:17:00.000+08:00

...for not posting, all of which spell the four-letter word: BUSY.

But it's good to be home. Although I forget how excruciatingly hot it is here. Someone has GOT to invent a portable airconditioner. Like one of those gigantic anti-freon cooling contraptions they have at those al fresco restaurants in Greenbelt. Only much smaller. Something you can attach to your phone maybe and packs a good two horsepower charge. And lasts the whole day. I'd definitely buy that over the iPhone. That, or my friend Kira says global warming might actually cause the Philippines to snow one day. I'll take either one.

But yes, all in all it's good to be home. Check out our recent Holy Week beach trip with JJ and Raffy to Subic and Batangas, summed up in our weekend's toys: a 115-ft yacht & her seven-man crew, a chopper, a speedboat and a suburban. Surreal.

Thanks to JAC's good graces for the lovely weekend.
And J for coming home with a bang.
Click on photo to view album, Holy Week 2007.

Never use your cellphone in the shower.

2007-03-12T16:21:00.000+08:00

...Yup. that's pretty much the short of it.

So now I've a new phone with zero contacts.
Please be a dear and email (or text) me your contact number/s.

Thanks, loveys. Highly appreciate it :)

Two truths and a lie:

2007-02-23T14:13:00.000+08:00

1. I enjoy meeting different kinds of people.
2. My eyefolds are fake.
3. I love wild rides.

So, wanna give it a shot? :)

Happy 2nd Birthday, South City!

2007-02-05T22:48:00.000+08:00

About a thousand people showed up at Bellevue last Sunday.
How awesome is that...

My ever so handsome husband and his Alembic

Grooving during rehearsal with Bebs and Dani.
(Note to self: buy a VISIBLE shaker next time!) If you can't find it, it proves my point..

More photos HERE, care of Jamie.

Happy New Year!

2007-01-02T16:58:00.000+08:00

Wow, this is a personal record. Two months of silence, how about that? Not that it was intentional--you know I would have kept in touch if this internet situation wasn't so sucky. But great news! We (accidentally) discovered this cute cafe near the house that offers FREE WIFI, baby!!! Woohoo!

Just for this reason, I will wholeheartedly plug our amazing find:

If you're in the South, check out Bona Coffee; they've got great service, place is very well designed (warm and cozy, and quite rustic in appeal), and the homemade muffins! Those things are well worth their 50bucks (there's an oven tucked on one side of the cafe where all the baking goodness happens). Check out some of their sandwiches too: Tuna Wasabi, Spanish Sardine and Onion, Crabstick Mango and Cilantro... Yum. For post-dinner fun, you can also try their Drunken Desserts: low calorie ice cream with your choice of liqueur. Ayayay. My ultimate fave though--what keeps me coming back, besides the free wifi (naturally), is their mango juice. Quite like a shake, and no sugar added. Perfect for the sweltering heat of Manila. And, not as fattening (or atleast I'd like to believe).

Ok, enough of all things caloric.

I still can't believe I'm back home. Manila has been fun the past two months--save for my wallet having been stolen while Christmas shopping. That was a bummer. All my IDs, credit cards, Singapore & US Dollars, gone. Pesos too. Some pictures which I treasured: a 1x1 ID photo of my grandmother, another 1x1 of Bebs (when he still had hair), and another (bigger) photo of Bebs with our friends Jan and Pebs during his first year in Frisco. That was the first pic he sent me when he left the country six years ago. My beloved Body Shop card is also gone. I got to use it once here, but there goes all my points. Sigh. Sad that some of our kababayans have to resort to stealing to enjoy Christmas. My sis also lost her wallet while Christmas shopping two years ago. She had to bid her year-end bonus adieu. Ouch.

I'm praying for a miracle, though. Realistically, I know the money won't likely be returned, but I do hope my cards and wallet are found. I actually dreamt I received an overseas call informing me that someone had found my wallet. He shipped it to the States since it was the address on my ID, and get this: all contents were intact! Moolah, cards, everything! Wouldn't that be nice...

Anyway, my apologies to my dear Manila friends if we haven't hooked up yet, or we've seen each other less than we should. You can imagine how hectic it is being home after four years. I'll be here maybe till March though, so there should be enough time to squeeze something in.

Time to sign off, my slice of chocolate chip banana bread was just pulled out of the microwave, and you dont want to keep that waiting.

Love to the San Fran peeps! Miss you guys oh so much!

Manila, baby!

2006-11-09T17:46:00.000+08:00

We're in Manila! After four looooong years (six for Bebs) of absence, I'm finally back in my homeland :)

The downside is, we have no internet access where we're staying. So apologies if I haven't kept in touch. I'll definitely try to keep in touch as much as I can (hello internet cafes!), so for those in Manila, email me!

Vancouver Favorites

2006-10-17T15:06:00.000+08:00

I know, I know.. I've used the excuse one too many times, but I really have been busy. Really. And I miss you too ;)

I should be a little more free this week, so I'll post a more decent entry very soon. So much to tell! Meanwhile, I've compiled some of my recent favorite shots of Vancouver, which I hope you'll like. I'm buying time, can you tell? HA!

Enjoy! I'll catch you all later. Promise.

Click on photo to view entire album, aptly titled,
"Vancouver Favorites".

p.s. It's better to not watch the show and just click the photos one at a time. I find the show Dotphoto sets up to be very distracting.

Btw, friends in Manila, look out for me in November. We MAY be going home end of the month. Woohoo! Can't wait. :)

The Grouse Mountain Experience

2006-09-22T14:58:00.000+08:00

One month and still checking out sights! This place never ceases to amaze me.

Click on photo above to view
The Grouse Mountain Experience

And yes, those are real live bears, not some calendar cutout.

One final update before I call it a night: a day after our unforgettable "Peppy" experience (hehe), we found ourselves a new home. Whoopee!

A cozy fully-furnished new basement suite with a wonderful British mid-50s couple as our landlord. Every now and then the wife asks me, So ah you se-UH-led awlright?
(In English: So are you settled alright?) Hehe. Absolutely adorable.

Come back soon, I've got a lot more photos to post. ;) Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Just when you've seen it all...

2006-09-11T11:59:00.000+08:00

Funny story.

The background: Seeing that we are extending another month here in VanCity, my husband and I start to scour the internet for short-term budget rentals with immediate availability. Challenging task, but I go ahead and dutifully put out my inquiries on Craigslist, making sure to emphasize that we "are a young couple from San Francisco... church workers, and very responsible, friendly, peaceful and tidy." The goal was to gain from the landlord a liking and semblance of credibility to us, their future tenants, and FAST.

So I get a reply today in response to one of the inquiries I placed: It's shared accommodation (meaning landlord still has a room in the house), but all utilities are included and the backyard is huge and lined with apple and plum trees. More importantly, rental price is WAY CHEAP: half price from the going rate--the lowest among the "millions" I've checked.

At this point I'm thinking, Sweet deal! This is too good to be true.

Boy was I right.

Landlord: So you mentioned you were church workers?

Me: Yes, my husband headed the music department for our church in SF, and we're currently in town helping another church here... blah blah blah. (Building our credibility and trustworthy points here).

Landlord: Well, I'm a photographer, and I do different kinds of projects--

Me: That's Great! I do photography myself, although I don't really do it professionally yet. I'd love to see some of your work! Do you have a website up?

I'm kissing butt at this point, can you tell? But I really should have let him finish.

Landlord mumbles something about his stuff still stored in some server, ergo no website. Then the clincher: Yeah, well, as I was saying, I do different kinds of projects. A lot of glamour stuff, y'know... and I do erotica.

Erk.

Landlord continues: So... I don't know how you guys feel about that, being church workers and all.

I wasn't prepared for that. At all. Landlord must have sensed my hesitation.

Landlord: But hey, it's not like my stuff is displayed in the house or anything.

A little iffy, but hey, I honestly had no problem with it. That's his life; if we didn't have to see it, then he can leave that in his server, right? I look over to Bebs, but he's busy minding the road. I make a quick judgment call.

Me: Well, we might as well take a look at it. We're on the road now, maybe we can come over and see the place?

He gives his address, and fifteen minutes later we're in front of the house. Humble. The backyard was refreshing though. Fruit trees, just like his ad promised. We approach the back door.

Me: Hello?

Landlord comes out, and I finally put a face to the voice.

For discretion's sake, tatagalugin ko na from here on:

Dude (and I mean duuuuuuude), yung mama... mukha talaga siyang pang-erotica. Complete with bigote! Kulang na lang leopard prints! Ang bahay pa may amoy. Ang labo. I couldn't quite put my finger to it, parang it was a mixture of yosi, incense, and days-old body smells. Ayayay. Yung kwarto pa na dapat sa amin, may naka-hanger sa cabinet na chipipay faux fur coat na pambabae (complete with frill trimmings!) At ang bedsheet! Mukhang kaka-photo shoot lang dun sa kwarto. My oh my oh my, kill me now... as in KEEEELL MEE NOWWW!!

So the short of it is, we are still on the hunt for a place. Hahaha. Duh.

If you've got downtime at work, help me search the web for rentals: Short-term (1-2 months), available now, double occupancy, all utilities included. Preferably downtown.

And yes, I'll pay a premium for CLEAN. And privacy. And fresh air.

More of Vancouver

2006-09-07T03:41:00.000+08:00

Second week and counting!

Here are more photos of Jericho Beach, Lynn Canyon, Lighthouse Park, and breathtaking Vancouver sunsets:

Click on photo above to view gallery

We miss you guys! :)

Vancouver in pictures

2006-08-26T16:27:00.000+08:00

After hours and hours and loooong hours of upload time (I currently don't have internet of my own, so am only stealing bandwidth from the neighbors. hehe), I finally got my photos up!

This is a week's worth of Vancouver sightseeing, so my apologies if the order's a little messed. I must say though that this temporary home of ours is undeniably one beautiful place. Painfully expensive (13% tax! Are you kidding me?!), but pretty nonetheless. Not to mention the Asian food here is saraaaaaaap!

Anyway, without further ado, I present Vancouver:

Click on photo to view entire album.

Feel free to comment :)

Waxing sentimental.

2006-08-18T12:56:00.000+08:00

Finally! My first blog entry in Vancouver. :)

It's officially our first week here in Canada. I have to apologize, it's been terribly hectic since our arrival. We've been running back and forth, I haven't really had the time to sit and write something decent. I do have TONS of photos to share, though. Every day we get to see a little more of this place and I must say the rumors are true: Vancouver truly is beautiful. There's a lot about it that reminds me of San Fo. But no matter how pretty it is here, I have to admit my heart is still missing home:

My favorite workmates who made the daily grind bearable

Our kooky Bridgepoint family. No more Sundays with you guys...

Church isn't the same without the Macs and the Mics: Our two favorite families

The inseparable duo Maria and Ria. We miss your laughter :(

Our SF family who took time out of work to send us off on D-day

Our surrogate mom. Visit us here SOON!

My Guingona sisters and our dear Tita Dina

Sigh.. the next time I'll see these kids I hope they'll still remember me

And our beloved kolokoy barkada:

Sigh.. no more Mendo, Shasta and Vegas gimmicks. Sniff :(

This was taken at our last night in SF (after all the crying, that is)
I miss you guys!

My dearest sisters. I wish you were here :(

No more kikay days with you Pebs...

And the inner circle.
It's not the same without you guys.

Great, now I'm all sentimental. I'll get to the Vancouver pics in my next post, I promise. I just wanted to let you all know how Bebs and I truly treasure your friendship. You guys are family to us and it was extremely difficult to leave you all. I know we'll see each other again, when, I'm not sure. Nevertheless, thanks for the memories. You guys made our SF stay the best it could have been. Kampai, dudes.

Leaving my heart in San Fran soon...

2006-07-28T23:44:00.000+08:00

Our coolest godfather hosted an intimate, unofficial going away dinner for us the other day. T'was also my first time at his new Eichler home, and I was extremely impressed at how they had dressed up the place. Beautiful. Very contemporary and zen-ish.

Someday we'll have one of our own :)

Appetizers and drinkies with Tita Dina, Ninang Bids, Ninong Buds, Bebs,
Carol and J. Don't worry, no one got drunk that night.

Bharwanis with our coolest ninong sa kasal.

Check out the Sanchez' Eichler home. Beautiful.

Love the wooden beams and the color scheme.

Enjoying a bit of downtime under the stars.

The only things lighting our dinner table

Ria, Jackie, and our charming host.

Tita Dins, my photography tutor Jopet, and Maria

Nikki G and singkit Bebs

Ninong Buds test tasting one of his exotic beers.

The rest of our beverages. We barely touched these though.

Sigh. I'll miss you guys...

So. If you haven't heard yet, we are moving to Vancouver in August. It's Canada or bust this time around, but we may be seeing you Manila folks sometime soon as well. Not sure, but yeah, possible.

Keep us in prayer :) This ride is gonna be a long one...

The Official Moving Away Garage Sale

2006-07-27T11:38:00.000+08:00

This is it, folks. The Official Moving Away Garage Sale.

All GREAT CONDITION items.

Various household items, computer accessories, smaller furniture, appliances, pillowtop bed w/ boxspring, 47" widescreen projection TV, kitchen items, even canned goods, and lots of good quality clothing and shoes.

Only this Saturday, from 10am to 1pm.
Great Prices. EVERYTHING MUST GO.

(For security purposes, I will not be posting my home address here,
but message me if you want to come by and I'll send it to you).

NOTE: Those who've called dibs on some items, we need you to come pick up your stuff before Saturday so it doesnt get mixed up with the rest. We don't want to accidentally sell them to someone else, so best to get them ASAP. Call bebs or me to schedule the pickup :)

p.s. I've got new photos. I'll post them this week for your viewing pleasure.

Garage Sale!

2006-07-21T02:43:00.000+08:00

Hola peeps.

The short of it is, we're moving (sniff, sniff), so we're selling 90% of our stuff.

If you are looking for awesome bargains on good condition house items (most of which are in GREAT condition, btw--We take good care of our stuff), click on photo below for a look at some of our wares.

Please note, this is just the first batch of pics, so there are tons more for sale. I'll schedule an official garage sale so that people can come by and pick stuff out.

Also note that some of our friends have already called dibs on some stuff. If you find something you're interested in, email me and I'll let you know if it's available.

Click on photo above to view items for sale.

Lake Shasta pics

2006-07-15T08:29:00.000+08:00

Man, talk about long overdue.

Four-day, three-night long weekend at Lake Shasta last 4th of July summed up in 300 photos.

3 0 0.

It took me HOURS to fix, upload and put captions on these pics, so forgive the delay. Don't worry though, I've (sort of) cut it down, so hopefully it won't take that long to view them.

Click on photo above to view gallery;
See July 4th long weekend at Lake Shasta Album.

Other shots from Lala's & Raffy's cams:

Enjoying dinner atop the houseboat.

Honestly my first attempt at a bikini. One word: terrifying. Hahaha.

I Shot pics of him sleeping, so this was really just payback.

Hahahaha...
Touche, my friend.

Just arrived at the houseboat.
Check out Gelo flexing.

2nd day: Morning jam with Bebs and Gelo (behind).

Riding the waves with Carol. Squeal factor: priceless.

Tubing on our last day.
This was crazy fun, although I ached all week from our two crashes.

Check out my album, I posted a little under 250 pics.

Have a great weekend everyone!

---

p.s. I just found out that the slideshow can only view a maximum of 200 photos. You'll need to view the rest of the shots manually.

Hung over.

2006-07-05T14:10:00.000+08:00

Back from an AWESOME four-day, three-night long weekend at Lake Shasta.
Absolutely a vacation away from the stresses of life :)
I've tons of photos, I will post them soon. I need to get me a bit of rest for now...

Random shots

2006-06-29T16:31:00.000+08:00

Some shots I took over the week with the new toy...

We were driving downtown during the Gay Pride celebration
and we came across this lady. We weren't quite sure if she was
part of the costumed crowd, or simply just sported a unique personal style...

Bebs driving my car on a hot summer day.
hehehe. My AC's busted.

Flowers on the street.
Nothing special really, you just had to be there.

I need to get out and take more pictures. The long weekend ahead should be a good opportunity, since we're heading up to Lake Shasta on a houseboat. Ten great friends and lots of grilling... Ooh boy, this is gonna be one fun holiday :)

Memorial Day weekend pics

2006-06-23T09:07:00.000+08:00

Delayed, as usual, but as they say, better late than pregnant. I mean, never.
Hwehwehwe.

I gotta find me a new joke, that one's getting old and it almost got me in trouble.

Moving on... Here are pics from last month's Memorial Day weekend. We hiked at Mount Tamalpais one day, and picnicked at Napa the next.

The hike in Mt. Tam

Signs leading to Cataract Falls.
These signs are tricky. We must have gotten lost three times during the hike.

Two miles to destination.
Check out the beauty surrounding us.

Abok and Tala

Carol and JJ.
I like this shot.

Finally found Cataract Falls!

The Bharwanis taking a break

Picnic in Vi Sattui Winery

Here's the group at our usual Napa hangout, Vi Sattui.

The Bebster with pretty Talababy.

Good times.

The girls (with singit Hawkins).

The boys... And Marimar. Ha! Nice one :)

Happy happy na! Hahaha.

Tons more photos HERE. Click on the Memorial Day Weekend 2006 Album.

Roadtesting the new toy.

2006-06-19T12:26:00.000+08:00

Photos as promised!

I didn't take as much as I usually would have (seven--or eight, apparently--games of volleyball will do that to you). Nevertheless, it was my first time alone with the D70 and I loved every minute of it :)

Gelo, Lala and Hawkins getting the party started!

A glimpse of the SC beach activity.

Lifeguard on duty
(this guy was cute, by the way).

What's left of the Natural Bridges.

The boys:
Jorjan, Hawk, Bebs, Gelo & J.

And the girls:
Moi, Tala, Carol & Pebs. Where's Lala?

Jj sets up his end of the net.

Heave ho, Gels!

Pebs checks on the height.
I love this shot.

Guilty pleasure. Heehee.

Jorjan plays Tomtom for the Aycees.

Cutiepie Gabbie.

The rest of the pics are HERE. Also, here are a few more photos via Lala's cam:

Lunching on seafood and chicken inasal. Yum.

Beach volleyball time!

Hahaha. Check out the birthday girl go.

Happy birthday indeed.

2006-06-18T17:07:00.000+08:00

Just got home from the Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz, where I celebrated my 28th birthday. Apart from baking in the sun from having played seven games of SERIOUS beach volleyball, I can really only sum up the highlight of my special day in one photo:

I am one happy camper.

Many thanks to my extremely wonderful husband for insisting on gifting it . Thanks for everything, hon :) You absolutely made my 28th superb. The beach trip, the seafood extravaganza, all the crazy planning. You and me :) I'm sure all this has no relation to your hints on wanting a Rob Allen on your bday, but I'll buy you a little happy in August just the same. Promise ;)

Have a great weekend, folks! I'll post the beach pics tomorrow.

And happy Fathers Day to all the dads in the world! Please make them feel special tomorrow.

Dark Season amidst Spring.

2006-06-06T08:42:00.000+08:00

June's supposed to be one of my favorite months.

For one, it's my birth month (Can't get any better than that, really). It's also perfect swim weather: the sun is out, weekends are rain-free, thus, the pool season. And, it marks the passing of the year's first half and the start of an intensely zealous countdown to Thanksgiving, Christmas and other long (read: non-working) holidays.

This year, though... Sigh. It's been a dark season for us. I can't say it won't be memorable, because no doubt this period of stretching is truly one for the books.

I just don't know how this month will turn out. I'm holding my breath for an outcome I don't know and my insides are constantly turning--from stress, anxiety, fear of the unknown... you name it.

I've a thousand and one questions, but the Answer chooses to remain silent. I have no choice but to surrender. It's all I've got so I can only hope against hope that things will come together somehow.

Don't worry, you will find the answer if you let it go
Give yourself some time to falter, but don't forego
Knowing that you're loved no matter what
And everything will come around in time

The new nikkerbockers site.

2006-05-26T15:26:00.000+08:00

Currently working on my new site. It should be live soon, so keep watch.

Have a great weekend everyone :) And don't forget to catch X3!

May in pictures.

2006-05-19T06:52:00.000+08:00

Warning: photo overload.

My almost month-long in absencia has gotten me in quite a predicament. I now find myself with the dilemma of having to squeeze in three weeks worth of photos into one blog entry.

Nevertheless, here they are. It's been action-packed, so I'm sure you'll be entertained :)

Richard & Tala's combined birthday bash:

Tala and Richard celebrating their big day together in Coyote Point...

Where we picnicked...

Enjoyed a bit of muni-muni...

And some reading...

Not to mention american dodge ball
(apparently we've been playing it wrong in the Philippines).

And capping off the day with a little crazy at Rich's pad.
(Joe being the crazy one, and Abs sporting the magnum)

Then there were our Saturday hangouts at Crepes A Go Go:

If I'm not mistaken, we've spent three Saturdays here with the Quilas to date.

And that one Saturday where this car fell prey to a chemical sabotage
by some anonymous schmuck.

BUT, there's justice in the world. A camera across evidently caught the culprit doing the deed (literally). Check out the note posted on the car by the owner.

We also watched four concerts in two weeks:

The Bebster and I with Caedmon's Call at An Evening of Compassion.
Other artists in the show include Geoff Moore, Bebo
Norman and Hyper Static Union.
Great uplifting concert. We went home having sponsored our second son, Edin:

Aww, how can you not sponsor this boy?? He's such a cutie :)
Edin is 5 years old and lives in Guatemala.

While we're at it, here's our first boy:

Bryan, also 5, from the Philippines.
I believe he hails from Davao.

Check out Compassion International for more information on giving kids from all over the world a shot at Life.

..Now, back to concerts:

We caught Mute Math at Slim's the day after. Man, these guys are phenomenal.
Think punk rock with a mix of electronica, and a strong hint of Police. Hayop, man.

Vocalist Paul Meany and his backside, with his keytar.

South Border was also in town that week for their SF gig. We took them to see Mute Math with us and watched their concert the day after. I misplaced their pics somehow, I'll post them as well when they're found.

This is the last of the gigs we watched: Bass Solo Night at Freight & Salvage in Berkeley. Artists featured were Michael Manring, Jean Baudin, Jeff Schmidt and Dave Grossman.

Jean Baudin's 12-string bass. What a monster.

Mr. Manring himself and his No.1 fan.

Other weekend gimmicks:

Frolicking at the Foster City Park.
Naks, pang Prudential Life ad! Lol.

This is when Richard decides high-waist jersey shorts are in.
Unfortunately, Tracy doesn't agree. Neither do we, dude.

Our most recent weekend gimmick with the Quilas:
Enjoying the spring season by the pool at home.

The pics above should lead you to their corresponding photo galleries. Hopefully it should buy me another month or so of absence ;)

The church kids go to town. hehe.

2006-04-28T00:43:00.000+08:00

Hello peeps!

It feels like a lot has happened the past few weeks. Short of it is , I made new friends (Hello Maggie and Trish!), closed some doors, opened new ones (read: got a new job (that was the good news by the way ;), jumped back on the fitness wagon (TKB, I've missed you, and Badminton, here I come! haha), and scores of other things. Life's been good, everything's smooth sailing. I could get used to this. ;)

My posts are never complete without photos, so here are shots from Nikki G's birthday bash at Blush. My battery died early that night, so most of these are taken by Ria.

Birthday girl Nikki G with the Bebster.

Clockwise from left: Jackie, Maria, Jopet, Ria and moi.
Yay, I'm not the oldest here. hehe.

Kooky girls, and it's all Hana's fault. Ha!

The result of Hana's kookiness. heehee. Crazy night.

Check the rest of the pics HERE.

Who says we church folk don't have fun eh? ;)

Eeking with glee.

2006-04-13T04:29:00.000+08:00

I'm very happy today.

Just peachy; and you could tell if you saw the huge grin on my face. Unfortunately for you though, I ain't telling. Not yet, atleast. So you'll have to wait till, say, month end.

In the meantime,
YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

--

By the way, if you don't have plans for Easter, do join us at Bridgepoint. We're rocking it out this Sunday ;)

Another one bites the dust.

2006-04-11T14:38:00.000+08:00

It's the Hawkins' turn!

Just when I thought the madness was over, in comes Hawk's blackout partEY. Haha. Good times, I tell you :)

Best wishes go out to the man who is to me the epitome of maginoo pero medyo bastos. Lol. The bastos part really needs no explanation (hehe), but you can't get any more maginoo than saving a little girl from catching fire (at our wedding, no less) , and at the cost of a burned welted hand. Major points indeed.

Happy birthday, Hawkiepoo! Thanks for looking after the Bebster way before I even knew him. :) We love you bro.

Kisses for the birthday boy as he says goodbye to his twenties
(Looks like JJ also wanted in on the action. Haha ;)

Peninsula crew represent.

That low angle with the Bebster.

Full coverage of Hawk's Blackout party HERE.

So who's next? ;)

Semi Veg... and a rather strange night.

2006-04-04T15:04:00.000+08:00

Soooo lovin' the new Outback TV Ad:

Click photo to view commercial

Hahaha. I'm semi Veg alright.

--

Ever been awakened at such an ungodly hour (say, 3:40am) by the shrill, piercing monotony of the fire alarm? I would have been really pissed, except that Bebs stepped out the door and actually did see smoke escaping the opposite wing. And boy, did it reek. I couldn't put my finger to it, but if you can imagine a mixture of burnt rubber, oatmeal, and some gaseous poison, that's as close at it would get. A whiff of it was enough to get me out of bed... admittedly after a countless Babe, get up naaaaa! hehe (not cute, by the way. If you hear the fire alarm, seriously get up and GO).

So there I am, half-asleep and ready to curse someone out, yet mustering all efforts to get to that place of lucidity. Meanwhile, Bebs, fully alert and with all mental faculties in check, prepares our coats and enumerates a list of what to save. I only remember grabbing my bag and our passports, while my husband closes the door behind me, lugging two attaché cases of important documents, bills and other papers. Heehee. Thank God for husbands.

We get to the ground floor and the lobby is teeming with residents in their nightwear. Strangely enough, none of them packed as much as we did, in fact only two others carried a small bag with them. That's cause they're citizens, Bebs whispers. Hahaha.

The firemen arrive within minutes, and after investigation determine that someone on the third floor (our floor) left their stove on. All third floor residents, please come up so we can inspect your units. Bebs heads back up with the rest while I'm sitting at a corner eavesdropping on the older women discussing the unpleasant sonance of the fire alarm and our doorbells for that matter. Right on, ladies. Have them change those wimpy bells, please.

Bebs and the rest of the 3rd floor are now back, although the firemen can't seem to figure out who the culprit is. Meanwhile, we're informed that our floor seems to be safe and that we can now head back to our units. Uh, so we DON'T get to give dirty looks to the smarty who left his stove on and kept us from our much needed zzz's? I knew this story was going to be anti-climactic.

We're back in bed at about 5:00am--right where we all started--and now the whole hullabaloo is all a blur. I still don't get why it all happened, but I wasn't about to waste another minute of my sleeptime wondering about the meaning of it all. Needless to say, I'm glad we're all safe and burn-free.

Sigh. Chalk it up to one of them weird days, I guess.

Happy THREE OH, Raf!

2006-03-31T13:49:00.000+08:00

And yet another cause for festivities, not that I'm complaining. ;)

I tell you, everyone seems to be having their birthday, and/or turning 30. Haha. This time it was Raffy's turn to hit the triple X. My coverage of the merrymaking isn't complete though, but it should help save our birthday boy some dignity. Wink, wink.

With my two baldies: the Bebster and birthday boy Raffioli Gorgonzoli,

aka Raffiki, Gorgi, Ply Li boy, TKB baby, or simply, Raf.

The entire group at some bar in Union Street (I forget the name).
Very BH 90210, don't you think?

Check out the rest of the party photos HERE.

Happy 30th Raf! We love you like a brother, and look forward to more adventures in the years to come (Hopefully geography won't be an issue eh? ;)

--
Addendum: Interestingly enough, I was checking archives and realized I had posted a similar greet for Raf last year. Only goes to show we mean the brother part. Naks.

A weekend in the city... and other ramblings.

2006-03-25T02:06:00.000+08:00

Yay! Met some new friends over the weekend...

This is Boo, the chunk o burnin' love Bull Mastiff I fell in love with at first sight.
Man, this guy is HUGE.

And then there's Getty, the adorable Golden Retriever.
Unfortunately the clicks kept him from keeping his eyes open.

Boo with his master. Didn't get his name but he was nice; somewhat reminded me of Jim Carrey because he was so animated. Plus ofcourse he was cool with our stalking his dog so that's plus points in my book.

Here we are enjoying the (lately elusive) sun in Crissy Field.
Rain, rain GO AWAY. Please :)

Strangers yet friends in Crissy Field. Check out the Golden Gate Bridge at back.

Boats taking advantage of the beautiful weather.

After having met new friends, we hung out with old ones...

The Quilas and Bharwanis at the Roastery in Union Street.
(Now I know what my bad angle is...)

Meet Bebo's godchild, Gabbie and her pet Tamagochi (spell check?).

More pics of our weekend HERE.

I may have bumped into Vanessa Carlton while stalking the dogs (Note to self: move to a pet-friendly apartment on next lease!). I tell you the resemblance was uncanny, except she had those oversized superstar shades on, which MEANS a third of her face was was partly tinted, which REALLY means it probably wasn't her. But then I researched her on the net after and apparently, she resides in both New York AND San Francisco.

So yes, I may have actually met her. Kewl.

--

Notes worth mentioning:

* MUST WATCH: V for Vendetta by the Wachowski Brothers.

Remember remember the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason why gunpowder, treason
Should ever be forgot...

I was blown away by this film. Absolutely brilliant! Go watch NOW, you will not be disappointed.

* MUST LISTEN: Speak for Yourself by Imogen Heap
(Primary vocalist of the defunct group Frou Frou).

Enjoying a growing fascination for Electronica, and recently acquired Imogen Heap's latest album. The instrumentation is interesting and her voice is something else. Different. I like it. Get a copy, all songs are good. Also look out for Zero 7, and their popular single When it Falls. Great chillout music.

--

I'm realizing that I'm starting to prefer European music over American. Seems like a sweeping statement, but think about it: Sting, U2, Annie Lennox, Coldplay, Jamie Cullum, Dave Matthews, Peter Gabriel (And did I mention Imogen and Zero 7 are both from the UK?)... Versus what, formulaic Hollywood pop? Can't help but think their music is less cookie cutter (to borrow my husband's favorite term).

Ofcourse there are exceptions to the rule. I've my own list of homegrown faves who are far from the formula. Sarah Mac is an absolute original (although she's not exactly American. hehe). Then there's Shelby Lynne, Tori Amos, Nichole Nordeman, John Mayer...

I just wish mainstream didn't have to be so pop, y'know?

Ode to Juancho.

2006-03-16T16:01:00.000+08:00

Okay, these pictures are WAY overdue.

Let me just say that the beginnings of March seemed to me like one seamless party after party (after crazy party!), all in celebration of JJ's big THREE-OH.

And rightly so; the guy is everybody's leading man. I can't think of anyone who deserves three birthday bashes. We're talking about the man who looks after everyone else, and will go so far as to make sure his friends have their futures in order.

So, to our then disconsolate Bestman (hehe), our brother and dear friend, we're glad you had the 30th birthday you hoped for, and then some. We love you bro. And we Juan Cho! Hahaha.

Click on each photo to view entire album.

JJ's surprise party (complete with tears!).

Party bus, baby!

In Absencia.

2006-03-10T11:12:00.000+08:00

There's a reason for my absence. Turn up the volume and find out...

Btw, I've got tons of photos ready for sharing. Will post them soon, promise. ;)

How do you conquer Monterey & Carmel?

2006-02-16T10:43:00.000+08:00

The only way possible: With good friends.

Click on photo above to view the gallivantings of four fogies
in search of... good photo opportunities. Hehe.
(What can I say? We're simple people with simple joys ;)

I miss you guys already :) You momoys should have stayed LONGER!

Tahoe, baby!

2006-02-14T10:10:00.000+08:00

The photos are up!

A peek at our weekend of snow, FOOOOOD, karaoke and good company :)
Click on image above to view the entire gallery.

Here's a bonus:

Our shameless rendition of Toad the Wet Sprocket's All I Want.
Lol. Knock your socks off :)

Awesome weekend, guys. I had such a blast. :)

Oh Happy Day

2006-02-11T05:09:00.000+08:00

I did this video for the Youth in church, I thought it would be cool to revive the all-famous Oh Happy Day from Sister Act 2. It's actually a bit dated, I must have done this a year back. Anyway, chew on it while I post the rest of the pics ;)

I'll be gone this weekend. A group of us are heading to TAHOE BABY! for more fun in the snow. I'll try my hand at skiing as well (or snowboarding, which ever chooses me). I'll definitely have my camera, so I should have coverage of the road trip when I get back.

Till then, have an awesome weekend people!

A Bridgepoint Valentine party.

2006-02-10T14:40:00.000+08:00

Join us if you're in the area.

This guy is GOOD.

I still need to upload more pics of last week's Monterey/Carmel trip.
Coming soon, promise.

All Nics rule. hehe.

2006-02-04T05:49:00.000+08:00

I know this movie has been out a while, but I only watched it recently and enjoyed it so much that I thought I'd recommend it. The film isn't perfect; some lines were definitely a little preachy, but I guess that's the whole point of it. Plus ofcourse it's written and directed by the Brains behind one of my all-time favorite films, Gattaca, Mr. Andrew Niccol himself. That enough is worth the watch.

Props to Jared Leto, who did an amazing performance. No doubt one of our better actors, unfortunately underrated, but he'll be noticed soon enough.

In other news, we just came back from Monterey and Carmel with the newlywed Filarts. Fun fun fun! I'll post the photos soon, keep watch ;)

The mac is back.

2006-01-31T12:51:00.000+08:00

Whoa, it's been a while. How is everyone? This month's been bustling with so much activity, I haven't had time to post anything decent.

Here are a few of January's highlights:

1) I woke up one Sunday morning, looked at myself in the mirror and realized I had had enough of the same old. So in an attempt to look different, I grabbed a pair of scissors and chopped my bangs off. No hesitations.

That may have been the most impulsive thing I've ever done to date. What's worse is that it was also my first experience at cutting hair... so you can imagine the huge laugh my stylist enjoyed when he laid eyes on my messed-up bangs.

Two words: never again.

2) Good friends from Manila are here!

Jons and Ces have FINALLY tied the knot (Welcome to the club, momoys! Wahooo!), and are in town for their honeymoon. It's been three years for me and five years for Bebs since we last saw them, so the reunion has been swell.

Some roadtrips since their arrival: Weekend snow fun at Angel's Camp, Pasadena night-out with Weedge for Brazilian food (and that huge-ass brownie sundae), and majorly craaazy roller coasting at Magic Mountain.

And yes, I've got pictures ;)

Click on pic to view entire album.

3) WE TURNED THREE!

Yup, third year of marriage and still going. :) I'm really no expert at the whole marriage bit, but it's all been an amazing learning and growing experience. I'm grateful grateful grateful for such a wonderful husband. Always a good thing to find your bestfriend, partner in crime, and that sweeeeet lovin' all in one person (Insert all cheeky gushing here ;). Needless to say, it's not always a bed of roses. Still, the sparring's worth every penny. Naks. Hahaha. :)

I'm getting cheesy, I better end before it gets out of hand. Night, folks!

The 2006 Vegas New Year partEY.

2006-01-09T17:01:00.000+08:00

Once upon a New Year's holiday in Vegas...

Finally! The photos are in... Mine atleast ;) I have to say this trip was the best New Year's so far, what with the carlot parties, 24 marathon, and all the lost and found drama that happened. Haha! Only in Vegas, I tell you.

Thanks to all those who made this trip the ultimate happenin' holiday. I had such a blast. :)

Cheers to 2006! Here's to another year of big leaps, fulfilled dreams and living BIG. It can only get better, baby.

Click on Beautiful eyes Bebster and made-up Nikker
to view the craziness of our New Year in Vegas.

Enjoy!

Happy happy!

2005-12-30T12:25:00.000+08:00

Hello all,

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

This is just a short note to greet everyone an awesome Holiday. We're currently in Las Vegas right now spending New Year's (second year in a row). I'll post some pics when I get back since Internet access is scarce, but meanwhile hope you all have a great New Year's!

Lots of kwento when I get back next week :)

Some days...

2005-12-22T09:35:00.000+08:00

Overheard from a teenager on our walk back to the car from Albertson's:

"Oh wow, this is so awesome. I can already smell Christmas!"

That was two weeks ago. In the dimly lit car lot, she could actually smell Christmas. Amazing. You should have seen her too. Despite the dark, I could clearly make out the smile on her face. It was such a genuine excitement, and I felt so envious.

I wasn't in such a joyous mood that day due to an unpleasant incident at work, but the girl's remark kinda hit me. It's funny how feeling the Season was so much easier when you were younger, and so elusive as you actually got older. So many aspects to it, really. For one thing, feeling isn't so much the point any more when you're an adult, especially when you've come to understand the real Reason for it all. The holidays now extend beyond mere tinsel and lights and big presents.

Honestly though, some days I seriously feel like life would be so much simpler if our senses just sparked the emotion and have that be enough. Just like when we were kids. We see the Christmas tree and the colorful decor, and automatically it triggers some "happy signal" and we're instantly excited. That's all it seemed to take. You see the sights, and you feel Christmas.

I wonder how life would be like if we remained that way... Living life with no expectations from you, no obligation to dig deeper, and no urgency in making life count. Just excitement and happiness based on what is seen and what is told us.

Honest questions I'll never know the answers to. What I do know is that this adult life needs working at, and that there is no stopping till.

...I do wish we could take a breather from the toiling every now and then.

Alanis doublebills with Switchfoot.

2005-12-15T07:55:00.000+08:00

Two awesome performers in one concert. I didn't think it was possible, but thank God Radio Alice put it together. I must say that gig more than made my evening.

Alice in Winterland presents:

SWITCHFOOT, baby!

And the phenomenal
ALANIS MORISETTE, no less:

Saved the best for last, ofcourse:

Four happy ducks after a phenomenal Wednesday night rockout.

More of the fun stuff HERE.
That gig was so awesooooooooooome.
I think I may know now how I got the sore throat ;)

Crazy sick.

2005-12-14T07:05:00.000+08:00

And not the good kind. Sigh. :(

The flu bug has gotten the better of me yet again. I haven't been sleeping very well because of it either. Sleep at 1230mn, wake up at 230am, force myself to go back to sleep at 3, wake up again at 5.. and so on and on, until it's actually time to be up.

It sucks, I'll tell you that. I can hardly breathe from the clogged nose and my thousand and one meds aren't helping any. The coughing's nasty too; my poor throat's taking such an awful beating from it. This needs to go down soon, as the Christmas concert is nearing and I can't afford to still be ngongo come weekend. Help, Lord! I can sure use a miracle right now.

In other news, I have some photos to post from the Alanis and Switchfoot concert last week. This whole fever-flu-cough thing's been keeping me from doing a lot of stuff, but I should be able to upload them soon. I also have a video clip of Alanis rocking it out. It should knock your socks off.

Also, I got to watch the long awaited Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe over the weekend. Hmm.. It was a good attempt, although I feel they sacrificed much needed dialogue and background explanation in order to cram the movie in two hours. They should have extended it another thirty minutes, or a full hour even, to make the film well-rounded. So much was lacking for me. Some of the sets too were a little too unreal, in fact they looked exactly like that: sets.

The kids were definitely a redeeming factor though. Lucy and Edmond are great and very well played. Great character development. No complaints on the Witch either and Liam Neeson as Aslan's voice. He was perfect, although he needed more lines in there.

All in all, it's still a must-see. It might leave a lot of questions though to those who may not have read the book or seen the old cartoons. Still, it's worth watching.

Thanksgiving weekend in pictures.

2005-12-02T09:23:00.000+08:00

They're finally uploaded! Complete with captions too (hehehe).

As promised, here are the pics from last week's four-day Thanksgiving Holiday.
Click on the photo to view the entire album.

Uhm... Don't mind the momoy behind us.

Project: Better than Life

2005-11-29T04:53:00.000+08:00

I'm back!

The four-day weekend has been action-packed to say the least. We enjoyed two wonderful Thanksgiving celebrations, survived a ten-hour After Thanksgiving sale, road-tripped to Winsor for an overnight, and capped off the Holiday with an old friend's belated birthday-cum-reunion.

Don't worry, a juicy detailed account of the above will follow... maybe in my next post. I just need to set aside time to upload photos and write out the entry.

Meanwhile, here's a draft of the promotional video I made for Project: Better than Life. It's the Bebster's brainchild, one he's been working on since the start of the year. The endeavor will bring together Philippines' top musicians for a musical undertaking that will benefit the underprivileged children of our country. All the songs will be written by Bebs and performed by the artists. Huge undertaking, but it'll be awesome.

AND, bass extraordinaire Mr. Michael Manring himself will lend his mind-blowing talents for a bass duet with Bebs. Woohooo! And they're using my song too! That totally can't get any better. Definitely a milestone to go down the anals of Bharwani history.

Anyway, without further ado, here it is (just keep in mind it's still a draft):

Let me know what you think of it ;)

Bloody Sunday.

2005-11-19T12:16:00.000+08:00

I finally found a way to upload my videos! Yeba.

Here's a rough clip of U2's Sunday, Bloody Sunday. I used my Nikon cam, so it's obviously not broadcast quality. Still, it's major kickass. You can imagine how great of a time we had watching them.

Enjoy!

Uno, dos, tres, catorce!

2005-11-12T06:34:00.000+08:00

They really need no introduction. These guys are an icon. A legend. They have, in their own way, changed the face of the earth with their music, their statement, and their beliefs. There are only a few of them out there, but these guys are undoubtedly one of Youth's better influences.

U2 is definitely up on my list of modern-day heroes.

AND, I finally got to see them last Wednesday. Yeehaw!

I must say they were nothing short of amazing. The concert totally rocked my socks off. The stage direction, lighting and effects, the performance--EVERYTHING went over and beyond my expectations. I couldn't have been happier with the turnout. Truly worth the big buck investment.

Eat your hearts out, kids.

Tons more pics HERE.

And speaking of beautiful music, Switchfoot hits SF again in December. If that isn't awesome enough, they're actually double-billing with.... are you ready?

ALANIS, baby! Woohooo!!! I can hardly wait.

Better buy your tickets before you miss out ;)

Slight: A reunion of sorts.

2005-11-05T02:13:00.000+08:00

Reasons to skip the 24 DVD marathon and drive an hour and thirty to Davis on a Sunday afternoon:
- Cause for celebration: Dave finally proposed to Brenda. Yay!!!
- Haven't seen the Slight folks for what seems like an age now. Definitely miss those guys.
- Check out Dave and Brenda's beautiful new home. (Sigh. I love their place; it's so full of character. Beautiful).
- 14lbs. of teriyaki beef and juicy chicken breast on a hot grill. Need I say more?

Grilling at D&B's 1/3 of an acre backyard.

Loving the hammock (behind the bbq-ers).

Brenda and a blurry Dave in our discussion of Netflix,
Michael Savage, and other strange subjects.

Dennis and Lucille. Yep, he's taken, ladies. haha.

The man and his form
(...after having downed two servings of applie pie a la mode
AND my sundae).

Sinking into the comfy papasan.

The original Slight, their significant others, and new friend Kam.

This was fun! I love these guys. We should definitely do this again.

Disgracing Marilyn...

2005-11-03T10:42:00.000+08:00

First off, let me just say that I am extremely embarrassed for myself. Lol. BUT, for the fun of it, I'll post them just the same.

Ladies and gentlemen, here are last weekend's incriminating evidence:

Yep, that's Marilyn (in drag) and Elvis.

Elvis and his posse.

Marilyn and Richard Simmons.

The boys: Rick James Rich, Tennis Player Joe, Pirate JJ, Elvis Bebs, and Hawk the bunny.

The girls' table.

Elvis gets his groove on.
With Hawkins and Raffiki.

... And so does Marilyn.
With Carol the wench and Tennis player Joe.

The girls with Hawkins.

The king and the wench struttin' their stuff.

Kids and other small talk.

2005-10-29T05:24:00.000+08:00

I almost forgot I had these pics.

The kids at church recently presented a special number, and they were just too cute! The mothers were naturally beside themselves; I guess they didn't know whether to shed tears or squeal in delight. Understandably so, they did both.

Check them out:

Awww... Their mothers should be so proud.

Wave, kids!

This is my little boy, Jakey (he actually claimed the mic as his own. heehee).
He's Pastor's son actually, but everyone knows he's ours ;)

Check out the other cutie up front and center.
He's the tiny one dressed like he's heading to work. lol.

One of the few times in the song number where he actually did the actions.
Most of the time he just stood there and stared at the mommies. Heehee.

In other news,

...My office notebook crashed. Yes, the pretty one. I just finished reformatting it, and it looks like I'm missing some very important documents. I should be freaking out, except that I'm too exhausted from all the stress I went through this week. But yes, I am peeved. It'll probably hit me in a bit.

...Funny how Halloween's such an occasion here. Everyone, young and old alike, dress up for it and actually spend money to become someone he or she's not--for all of one night. Last year, I put on my first costume of sorts (read: HUGE afro. Believe me, it's a costume if it costs as much as a good pair of jeans), and I have to say it was fun seeing friends getting creative and dressing up for the fun of it. There was Raffy the Catholic school girl, Joey as Neo (but ofcourse), and Bebs the Reggae man, among others.

Well, this year, I believe the Bebster and I may have gone overboard. Heehee. We're going as Elvis and Marilyn, baby! Yeehaw. We've ordered the costumes and have yet to purchase the wigs, but this weekend should be interesting. Now, if we actually had somewhere to go...

Don't worry, I'll post the incriminating photos next week. ;)

Anyway, enough of small talk. Have a great weekend everyone! Be good, and don't drink and drive.

I'll catch you all in November.

Well, Hello Treo.

2005-10-26T07:00:00.000+08:00

The Blackberry is out, and the Treo 650 is in.

I just got it today, thanks to the big Boss. Still tinkering with it, as it's quite different from the Blackberry. But it looks like I'll adjust pretty quickly. Hehe ;)

Ah yes, definitely enjoying the perks of working for a big fish.

Homay gulay

2005-10-25T09:58:00.000+08:00

Now THIS is an awesome concept.

Finally(!) an opportunity to pick the brains of these celebrities. Hopefully though, these Hollywoodies actually have something to say.

Then again, if you have HIM standing in for your Advanced Composition class, I just might actually go back to school for such an opportunity. Oh my gosh, those forty lucky ducks sooooo got it good that day. Talk about a welcome surprise.

Go ahead, check out the video. I almost bawled my eyes out from envy. This guy's definitely in my list of all-time favorites. Extremely cool, sexy and unbelievably brilliant. Homay gulay talaga.

Ayayay. I love him.

Well well well...

2005-10-20T03:20:00.000+08:00

Looks like the ghosts from my past have come back to haunt me.

And
all
because
of
one
blog entry.

Check out the unfolding drama on my comments page.

This world is nuts, I tell you.

The original party man hits SF.

2005-10-12T15:52:00.000+08:00

His reputation precedes him. So much so that when Bebs and the rest of the guys reminisce the good ole days, stories of party gimmicks, free cover charges and just sniffing out the fun places were almost always attributed to Paul.

And so the ultimate party man visits the Bay Area. After taking China by storm, Paul reunites with his childhood barkada (five years after) only to continue the partEY. He's only been in SF a few days and he already knows more bars than I do, and has in fact already planned out this week's happy hour and clubbing itinerary.

I dunno, I can't seem to keep up with him. Either I'm getting old, or I'm really not much of a party girl. All of the above, maybe? I'm glad he's in town, though. I've never seen a character with such a zest and hunger for fun.

The gang at Thirsty Bear: Paul's 1st day.
Clockwise from left: Bebs, Paul, Joe, Bic, Raffy, JJ, Carol, and moi
(Side note: goodness, I'm so kuba).

The Bebster and Paulacious, five years after.

Moving on to Voda.

The reunion.
(Check out Joe's slutty pose. Wow legs).

Moi, Joey, Carol and Bebs.

All other party pics HERE.
I realize my blog is too small for Paul's gimmicks ;)

Surprise, Ed!

2005-10-07T16:03:00.000+08:00

I loooove surprises. Especially good ones.

The other night, our good friend Fe gathered the group to surprise her hubby Edward on his 38th birthday. Haha, he absolutely did not see it coming.

He came in, turned on the light, and got the shock of his life.
Surpriiiiiiiiise!!!
Heehee. Check out the poor man's face. Classic!

Prequel: The gang while waiting for the birthday boy to arrive.

Paporma with pretty boy Joey.

Mike, Raf and the Bebster... trying to hide their hunger ;)

Dessert! Mike, Em, Bebs and Fe.

Clockwise from left: Busog Bebs, mudslidden moi,
picture-ready Joan, a satisfied Fe, and what looks like a still shocked boitday boy.

Edward lookin mighty happy.
Really, with a Mondavi and chocolate cake,
what more can you ask for?

All photos HERE.
Happy 38th, Edward! Hope you had as much fun as we did :)

Doing the tourist thing (again) in Vegas.

2005-10-03T15:01:00.000+08:00

Howdy, folks! Hope everyone had a great weekend.

I'm still without a voice, although there has been some progress with my health. The fever's definitely left, unfortunately it has now transferred to Bebs (poor baby). The cough, though, is just as obnoxious as ever, managing to intrude into my every conversation. Ayayay. In times like this, I wish I knew a bit of sign language.

Other than that, my weekend was perfectly laidback. Bebs and I picked up dinner at Jack in the Box (bacon bacon cheeseburgers and an unhealthy portion of curly fries. Yum), and decided to stay in and catch a few DVDs.

Side note: Let me just say that Be Cool does NOT come close to the wit and flair of Get Shorty. I'm not saying it wasn't funny (hey, with Vince Vaughn, the Rock and Cedric, how can it not be hilarious?). Sadly enough, it just didn't do its predecessor justice.

Now, this entry is getting more and more chop suey, so let's move on to the photos as I promised.

The Venetian in all its glory.
The foyer (below the clock) is the exact spot
we watched the fireworks last New Year's.

The museum at the Venetian on your left. Very pretty at night.

One of the singing boatsmen and his gondola
inside the Venetian. Bebs and I should do this next time.

Strawberry shortcake, anyone?
If Bebo shares, that is ;)

Treasure Island.
Unfortunately, the other pictures taken by those nice tourists were blurry.

About to enter the spectacular Wynn Hotel.

Check out the gi-normous flower fruits
that greet you when you enter the Wynn.

Excellent lanterns. Very beautiful.

By the waterfalls at the Wynn. Picture perfect.

So much more photos here, I just need to label them during my free time.
Have an awesome week everyone :)

Got sniffles?

2005-09-29T15:55:00.000+08:00

My health has called for a timeout.

I'm currently down with a bit of the flu, evidenced by two trash bins worth of green gooey phlegm (gross...), and a growing dependency on Vicks cough syrup. To my memory, I may have already chugged two bottles to date.

Oh, and my voice is shot. That's the awful part. I would have gotten away with the slight fever and cough, but without a voice, I can't even take work calls. Good thing the Bebster's been game enough to answer them for me. He's been willing to drop by the office for a few hours and man the phones while I do the rest of the dirty work.

Come to think of it, he's been so good with all the other things. Package mailouts, flyering and saturation... He's been so gung ho with work and soooo supportive. For that I am grateful. I don't think I could have made it through the roadshow and the aftermath without him.

Anyway, enough drama. I've got pictures! These were taken from our last trip to Southern California (Read: free time in-between events).

Kodak Theater at night. Pretty, huh?

The Bebster and I on Hollywood Ave (yet again).

We finally found Griffith Park! Kewlness.

A Dave Matthews tribute band we caught
in one of the bars at the Gaslamp District in San Diego.

I've got tons more photos HERE, so feel free to browse. I'll post my favorite pics from Vegas in my next entry.

Have an awesome weekend folks!

Opa!

2005-09-23T07:12:00.000+08:00

Was re-reading my last entry and boy, was I upset.
Sorry bout that, folks. I guess I just needed to vent.

Anyway, moving on to happy thoughts...

As promised, here's my first batch of pics:

Click on photo to view entire album
Taken at the Belmont Greek Festival on Sept. 5th.
Real fun experience, way cool church.
Thanks to the Guingonas for taking us :)

Indignantly yours,

2005-09-22T14:31:00.000+08:00

I was going to post my new photos today, till my chat with an old friend a few minutes ago.

My heart broke. Unbelievable, some people. I can't believe we can be so cruel, and heartless, and insensitive, and WITHOUT LOVE to those closest to us. What is wrong with us?

So a mistake was made. And yes, so let's call it what it is:
Sin. Offense. A failing. Whatever.
It is what it is. It was what it was. It happened, it was done, and there were consequences. By no means am I making light of the whole thing and calling the act trivial.

The point is, it didn't end there. Forgiveness was asked, and God gave it. As he always does.

So haven't you ever heard of MERCY?

If HE whom we claim to follow shows us forgiveness, shouldn't we then learn to forgive? Besides, this isn't about the sin anymore. It shouldn't be about the sin anymore. And it wasn't even done unto YOU.

Therefore, you have NO right to pass judgment on others. NONE.

It's a shame we act this way, and yet brand ourselves as followers of God. Sometimes I wonder what Christianity really means to us. What does it mean? Is it just about a bunch of rules to you? Doing what's told you? Not doing what's bad? Showing others what's right and wrong, good and evil? Is that ALL there is to Christianity? Taking sides?

Haven't you heard of GRACE?

And let me tell you, there's a reason why it's there. Unlike our delusional proud selves, God actually knows we're sinners. That we're weak, prone to evil, and we fail. But because of Jesus we have hope. That we can actually be better than ourselves.

THANK GOD THERE'S HOPE!

THAT'S why He gives us grace.
And THAT'S why we need it.
THAT'S why we ought to GIVE it.

I'm no saint, honey. And neither are you.
You claim to know Jesus, and yet you've done this so many times before.
To me. To others. And still it continues.
Time is way too short to keep believing you're own little lie.

So PLEASE
Get off your HIGH HORSE
and please, please
for the love of God
PLEASE
WAKE UP!

2005-09-18T16:27:00.000+08:00

Two weeks have gone.
One more day, and I'm back in San Fo (Boy, do I miss home...)
It's been a good trip though.

As promised, photos when I get home.

Hope everyone's doin well. See ya'll soon :)

More alive than ever.

2005-09-13T18:12:00.000+08:00

Okay, three more shows and I should be home.
Things should go back to normal.

Just one thing, though:
I will be back.
And this time, with a vengeance.

You have been warned.

I'm still alive!

2005-09-08T15:49:00.000+08:00

Yes, I am still here.

The roadshow has started and I've already gone through two events in two cities two hours away from each other. Really, there hasn't been any time to blog. I get home at midnight, get up the next day and am already burning the lines contacting my attendees. It's been my sched the past few days, and it'll be my routine till next week.

I've got a handful of shows left, but I promise to post something more decently when I get back. And pictures, too, ofcourse ;)

Till then, chew on this:

A million footsteps, this left foot drags behind my right
But I keep walking, from daybreak 'til the falling night
And as days turn into weeks and years
And years turn into lifetimes
I just keep walking, like I've been walking for a thousand years

Walk away in emptiness,
walk away in sorrow,
Walk away from yesterday,
walk away tomorrow

If you're walking to escape, to escape from your affliction
You'd be walking in a great circle, a circle of addiction
Did you ever wonder what you'd been carrying since the world was black?
You see yourself in a looking glass with a tombstone on your back

Walk away in emptiness, walk away in sorrow,
Walk away from yesterday, walk away tomorrow,
Walk away in anger, walk away in pain
Walk away from life itself, walk into the rain

Now I’m suspended between my darkest fears and dearest hope
Yes I’ve been walking, now I’m hanging from a dead man's rope
With hell below me, and heaven in the sky above
I’ve been walking, I’ve been walking away from Jesus' love

Walk away in emptiness, walk away in sorrow,
Walk away from yesterday, walk away tomorrow,
Walk away in anger, walk away in pain
Walk away from life itself, walk into the rain

All this wandering has led me to this place
Inside the well of my memory, sweet rain of forgiveness
I’m just hanging here in space

The shadows fall
Around my bed
When the hand of an angel,
The hand of an angel is reaching down above my bed

All this wandering have led me to this place
Inside the well of my memory, sweet rain of forgiveness
Now I’m walking in his grace

I’m walking in His footsteps
Walking in His footsteps,
Walking in His footsteps

All the days of my life I will walk with you
All the days of my life I will talk with you
All the days of my life I will share with you
All the days of my life I will bear with you

Walk away from emptiness, walk away from sorrow,
Walk away from yesterday, walk away tomorrow,
Walk away from anger, walk away from pain
Walk away from anguish, walk into the rain.

- Beautiful and moving words from one modern-day philosopher whose music I truly enjoy... Dead Man's Rope by Sting.

If you haven't gotten his latest CD yet, get it already.

Kapoy...

2005-08-30T15:44:00.000+08:00

The question isn't what to do, but what to do first.

Event invitations: check.
Postage for mailing: check.
Supplies purchase: check.
Email replies: check.
...all 116 of them: not quite.
Bills: check.
Bookings: check.
Sanity: Well... Still there, but dying a slow death.

I don't think I'll ever run out of things to do. Should be a good thing, except that there is just way too many things on my plate right now. So much so that I had to forego lunch just to get all of the above squared away. Third meal I've missed now in lieu of that four letter word: work.

Come to think of it, I have been missing out on a lot lately... rest, sleep, sanity, joy. Eight hours of work doesn't seem to be enough anymore. I'm not even counting obligations at home yet.

Ugh. I've become that kind of person.

A bit of a plug...

2005-08-27T02:01:00.000+08:00

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Bharwanis in Napa

2005-08-25T02:47:00.000+08:00

It was the perfect time to whisk the visiting Bharwanis away from their shopping marathon and take them to Napa for some wine and cheese. We took them to two of our favorite wineries, Vi Sattui and Niebaum Coppola, and spent a relaxing Saturday enjoying the scenery.

Check out ze pics

Happy birthday babe!

2005-08-22T17:10:00.000+08:00

My Bebster turns 31 today. Woohoo! I just succeeded in pulling off his surprise party last Saturday, with the help of family and friends. I've actually thrown him two other surprise bashes in the past, but he always seemed to find out about it before they happened. Since then, I swore I'd pull the ultimate surprise on him, and hoped against hope it would be this one.

He seriously had no clue. Hee hee. I had Pastor Ed call for an "urgent meeting" at the new Center, and got all our friends to gather before we arrived. Everyone who dearly mattered to him was there. His bestfriends honored him and his mom gave a few touching words.

It was perfect. They were all so generous too; they brought so much food, while my inlaws prepared their Indian specialty dishes. Yum. I gotta learn how to make those Kebabs and Curry.

I was worried he might have gotten suspicious with his mom and sis constantly poking me and whispering about the plans. Not to mention all the cooking we were doing, and the fact that it had to be done before Saturday. A lot of other details came into play that made the surprise a little more complicated (and STRESSFUL) than I had hoped, but in the end it all worked out. Thank God for all that event management experience from my PR days.

Unfortunately, I was too exhausted to take pictures, so I'll leave it to the others to send me what they have. Will post them when they come.

Coldplay LIVE.

2005-08-20T18:30:00.000+08:00

Watched Coldplay a few hours ago at the Shoreline Amphitheatre, and they were absolutely ROCKING. I love this band. The concert was just excellent. Awesome video direction, impressive gimmicks, and that Chris Martin... Oh man. Great falsetto, wonderful singing, and oh, so funny. Quite the charming Brit.

Downsides:
- The concert was pegged to start at 730pm, but Coldplay came out at 930pm. Concerts don't usually start that late here, so the wait was loooooong. And chilly (The gig was outdoors).
- Who was that horrid opening act? The male vocalist was alright, but the chick was a disappointment. She must have been nervous, I don't know. But her vibrato was all over the place. Then again, they just opened for Coldplay, so that must count for something...
- I didn't bring my camera. Sniff. Terribly missed out on SO MANY photo opportunities. The night sky was clear and beautiful tonight too. Tsk, tsk.

Nevertheless, the concert was awesome. I totally enjoyed it.

Come on, yeah
Oh, oh yeah
Come on yeah
You know everything's not lost

Gotta hit the sack now. It's a big day tomorrow, but I'll tell you all about it later. ;)

The Bharwanis invade California.

2005-08-18T07:36:00.000+08:00

Hey ho people,

Quite delayed, but here are pics of the Bharwani vacation-cum-reunion (all over) California.

Just a warning: It's four pages worth of images, AND I'm hardly in half of them, seeing that someone's gotta be the official photographer.

I know some of you are already disappointed. Haha. ;)

Click on the pic to view the rest of the album.Bebs and me at the Kodak Theater in LA.

2005-08-14T12:34:00.000+08:00

We're currently on the road back from LA, my third trip this month. This time though, it was for the benefit of my inlaws who wanted to meet up with the Bharwani clan based in Southern Cal.

Ironically, in Bebo's five years of residence here, he's never once hooked up with any of them. And so this trip was both our introduction to family we never knew we had.

Pretty cool. And all this time we thought we were alone.

Anyway, still an hour to go before we reach home. I'll post pics from our weekend soon.

On family, and that second wind.

2005-08-09T03:52:00.000+08:00

My inlaws are in town. Arrived last night and are bunking at the Bharwani pad for the next three weeks. That's Bebo's mom, aunt, sis and four-year-old niece, along with their sangkatutak na maletas, kikay kits and pasalubongs.

Based on last night's living conditions, I can tell you that we have temporarily junked form over function to accommodate two queen aerobeds, luggage of all colors and sizes lining up our walls, and the wide array of shoes tiling the kitchen floor. I seriously have never seen so much stuff in our studio before.

And it's absolutely great.

You see, I'm one of the fortunate few blessed with a wonderful extended family. You always seem to hear about inlaws invading your married life and making it their goal to make you miserable. Not the case with me, though. Bebs' family is a kind-hearted, supportive and generous bunch. Not to mention FUNNY. His mom is a riot. She cracks me (and everyone else) up, and she doesn't even know it. Amazing. She's definitely a keeper.

And I'm glad they're here. Both our families have been such an encouragement these past few weeks, I'm just truly grateful for the support. This "crazy stuff" that's happened really dampened our spirits for a while, but the Minister of souls pulled through for us--as He always does. He spoke His Truth, comforted us in our time of need, and now he sends family to root us on to continue the race.

As for me, I'm back on my feet again. Got my groove back, and raring to have a go at it. This year ahead will be an amazing ride. I know it. I'm not sure where it'll take Bebs and me, but I'm at peace with that now.

Besides, I really already have everything that I need.

Stress on high doses.

2005-08-06T06:45:00.000+08:00

Man, this week has been crazy. And I notice I seem to keep saying that lately. The days have just been getting faster and faster. Busier and busier. One after the other. All of the urgent and important you can possibly think of, piling one on top of the other. Like it's not going to end.

It's like life throwing curve balls at you. On fast forward.

And it's not like you can put any of them off. Everything demands attention; everything needs to be done. You'd think Friday would serve as a pause button till the following work week arrives, but no. Something had to have a deadline today. In fact, everything's got a deadline. Everything's a deadline.

Man. When it rains, it sure pours.

And sweet, sweet
sweet surrender
is all that I have to give...

Capping off the SoCal experience.

2005-08-02T03:31:00.000+08:00

The bad news is, my camera died on our last day in San Diego, so there was no documenting our final hurrah. Nevertheless, here are visuals of our SD trip...

Click on photo to view album

The good news: I still have a few shots from last week's trip which I had forgotten to download from my camera. Click on the photo below to see them.

All photos of our SoCal trip can also be accessed HERE, just choose the Southern California album.

I'll blog more decently later, right now work is calling. Enjoy the pictures, I'll be back...

Leaving my heart in SD.

2005-07-31T12:15:00.000+08:00

We're at some gas station right now somewhere in downtown San Diego, basically filling up before we head out to the 5 for our 8-hour drive back home. I'm going to miss this place. Bebs and I got to walk around the city more this time around, and I must say I really really like it here. Less bums downtown, better weather, and swimmable beaches!
Ah yes, that's definitely one up from Frisco.

Anyway, we should reach home at 5am, with a bit of time to freshen up for church. Till then, g'bye SD. I had a blast.

Just venting.

2005-07-29T10:05:00.000+08:00

Sigh. You know you're working too much when you drive back to the office after 7pm for even more work. What joy.

I'm actually trying to catch up on a few things before Bebs and I drive back to San Diego later tonight for the last leg of the Expo. With all that's happened these past few days though, I'm finding myself quite reluctant on going despite my infatuation with SD. There are just way too many things to think about right now than taking an out-of-town breather (even if this trip really is primarily for work).

Life. What is it all for, really? Why do we even do what we do? AND WHERE IS THAT FINISH LINE? Seems such an elusive idea right now, a pipe dream...

Ah, well. Don't mind me. I guess the road incline's starting to tire me out.

Experiencing SoCal.

2005-07-27T14:42:00.000+08:00

It's been a full weekend. Much to tell, so many places seen. I feel like we've been gone so long.

The short of it is, my event went well, and Bebs and I got to enjoy some quality couple time road tripping (and beach hopping) around San Diego and Los Angeles.

Received really serious news though while we were away, but that development we've rested in the hands of a Big God, so I won't bother you with the details.

Anyway, I've captioned all photos, so I'll leave the storytelling to these images. Just a bit of warning, btw: It's five pages worth of shots, so make sure you've got extra time on your hands.

Enjoy!

Click on photo to view entire album

4th of July photos

2005-07-20T02:40:00.000+08:00

Hello all,

Bit delayed, but I finally uploaded them.
Without further ado, here are photos of our 4th of July weekend.

Click on image to view entire album

Speaking of which, I'm heading to Los Angeles again this weekend for work, and I'm taking Bebs with me (Yay!). Bruce Hornsby is also having a concert in San Diego, so we're driving the extra two hours to see him. He's been a favorite of mine since Cebu days, and Bebs is an absolute big fan as well.

Incidentally, the Bebster has never been to San Diego, so this trip should be fun. I can't wait to take him to the Gaslamp District.

Will post pictures when we get back :)

Burying one's self in art.

2005-07-16T07:32:00.000+08:00

Not really much for conversation right now. The introspective side of me has won out these past few weeks, and I can't say I'm complaining. I've been finding comfort and solace in Sarah Mac during these periods of quiet, so I'm thankful for the company.

Anyway, I thought I'd share some photos I took the past few weeks. Just stuff I came across which were worth capturing. Stuff that didn't need words. Anyway, here they are:

I've also uploaded a few new categories on my photo site, one of which is entitled Families - Up Close. I've got a favorite one there of Tito Jack and the girls, which I've posted below. Feel free to click on said photo to view the entire album.

Btw, I'm trying to figure out how to post the video Raf and I made for Tito Jack's memorial service. It's about 5gigs though, so if anyone out there knows of a way, I'd gratefully appreciate the info.

Hmm... I guess that's it for now. Do have a wonderful weekend, guys. The old Nikki should be back soon. I promise :)

Lows.

2005-07-14T02:16:00.000+08:00

Work booboo
Death of a loved one
Saying goodbye
World turmoil
Inner struggles
Why questions
When questions
God questions
Uncertainty
Frustration
And that ugly feeling of helplessness.

Sigh.

Someday all of this will serve as change agents in my life.
But right now, there is only that gray cloud.

Bittersweet.

2005-07-07T04:52:00.000+08:00

That's what this weekend has been.

On the one hand, it was the Fourth of July holiday, a long weekend celebration which found us on a six-hour drive down Highway 5 with friends for a much-deserved R&R in the City of Angels.

Then the tragic news.

A dear, dear man, whom we have considered part of our San Francisco family, had gone to be with the Lord after a two-year battle with cancer. He had passed on our first day in LA, just after we visited him and his family.

I'll have to shelf the July 4th photos for now. This post is for my Tito Jack.

To the gentle giant

who was just about One of the kindest

you'll ever meet in your lifetime:

The world truly has lost a great man.

We'll miss you, Tito Jack,

although you're probably more alive now

than we'll ever be.

We love you.

And we'll see you soon.

Remembering Tito Jack:
* On his birthday
* Thanksgiving last year
* Raffy's account

The world of royalty-free.

2005-06-30T03:12:00.000+08:00

Call it generous. Or restless. Or simply wanting to take my craft to the next level.

Whatever the case, I recently decided to offer some of my better works to a free stock phototography website.

I was a little apprehensive at first, considering,
1) You never really know where your hard work will end up;
2) You possibly may not get the credit rightly due you, and;
3) Who am I kidding, it's gratis--when you could be making money for it.

After much debate, and spending huge amounts of time admiring the site's photos and studying the art, I figured, what the hey, how else am I going to get my work outside of this Filipino network? My world now is way too small to be contented with the little that I've done. Besides, other stock photo sites charge fees just to be a member. I have to do this if I wanna get anywhere with my camera.

Sure enough I signed up and submitted--Oh, I don't know--a good thirty photos, maybe? Fortunately, nine of my work have now been approved, while the other twenty-somethings are still pending. You see, a group of administrators reviews your work and chooses which ones get to go on the site. This process takes a while since Lord knows how many hundreds of images they check everyday. Once it's online though, fellow photographers then rate your photos and leave comments based on your techinique, composition or whatnot. You'll also be able to track how many people download your photos, while being able to dictate your usage restrictions.

I tell you, it's exhilirating to find a Photo Permission Request on my inbox. Gone are the days when all you looked forward to were Friendster requests. hahaha. It just warms the heart to know that your work has caught the fancy of some bloke on the other side of the world.

Like the request I got this morning for this picture:
"please, image is for my desktop!thak you"

Aww, he's putting it on his desktop... Now this flattery I like :)

Reward to a long day of chores.

2005-06-28T00:47:00.000+08:00

After such a fun-filled Friday night at the city, Saturday found us devoting much of the day to the unglamorous tasks of general cleaning and laundry. You can imagine what a stark contrast that must have been to the other night's activities. Needless to say, it was well worth getting (literally) down and dirty for. The pad is now spotless, dust-free and enveloped with the fresh aroma of cinnamon cider. Ah, I just love fragrance oils. :)

Ofcourse, when you've worked hard indoors the entire day, it's but natural to get out and unwind. Good thing Mr. Master Party Planner himself (JJ to you) called for a little hanging out at 850 Montgomery.

...You didn't think I was going to leave the camera at home now, did you?

My boys.

Shaggy and bald, in this case, is a great combination. :)

Star sighting! Julio Capatilio, Redford White, Vic Sotto and Paquito Diaz (or Chito Loyzaga?). Hahaha.

With Mike Lolololojo!

Salsa with lovebirds JJ and Carol.

Well, we're not much of a dancer, so picture na lang. hehe.

Poster boys and girls. (Truth is, the lighting was bad so color adjustment was necessary ;)

PartEY, SF style.

2005-06-26T01:30:00.000+08:00

PartEY is right!

Had a blast last night at Butter with the guys. I hardly really go clubbing, so it was a welcome change.

We had a few occasions to celebrate:
1) Em's birthday two days ago
2) Owen's visit from the Philippines
3) And well, my belated birthday (...Or probably just a self-imposed celebration ;)

Regardless, we had a fun time. The place was bursting with beautiful people. Naturally, we did a bit of sight-seeing, plus spent an inordinate amount of time pressuring Owen to pick up some girls. Hehe. No action there, but the teasing was well worth it.

Incidentally, my husband got picked up on! Lol. While I was seated beside him, too. Too bad I missed it (Was in the middle of texting my mom when the whole thing happened). Would have definitely wanted to witness that...

Oh my god, babe, a girl just picked me up!
[Notices that my face is sunk deep into my cellphone]
Baaaabe, I just got picked up!
[Continually taps me on the knee like a madman]
I can't believe you missed the whole thing!
Hahaha. You should've heard the excitement in his voice.

Apparently, the woman came by and danced on Bebo's knee, then walked past and motioned him to leave with her. The poor Bebster simply waved in reply. Lol. By the time I looked up she had already disappeared into the crowd. Shucks, I would've wanted to see what the white chick looked like.

Well, no pictures there, but I do have tons of the group:

The two boitday gels.

The boys.

The girls this time.

Look at the camera, momay! With party man Owen, and Bebs & Joan (in back).

The birthday girl Em with Owen.

The Bebster (all washed out) with the ladies.

Resting muna. JJ, on the other hand, seems to be feeling the groove. hahah.

JJ and Joan.

Hmm.. Someone sure is gigil. Moi with Joan and boylet Michael.

Ah yes, with my partner-in-crime.

Group shot.

Another group shot.

Dozens more photos HERE! Enjoy :)

Work and some perks.

2005-06-24T04:11:00.000+08:00

Well, whaddaya know... There are actually greener pastures outside of the Nokia camp.

Yes, I have a new work phone ;)

A smart phone, mind you. The Big Boss issued me a Blackberry 7280 so as to "have access to email while on the road". Hey now, I'm definitely all for that. Besides, do I look like I'd turn down unlimited wireless internet (GPRS, WAP or other)? After this, I'll never miss another Ebay auction again! Hahaha. (My husband must be having a coronary right now. hehehe). Just kidding, hon. It only means my work will be haunting me wherever I go. But who's complaining, right? I think at this point the benefits outweigh everything else. ;)

Speaking of work, the company had a booth at the Fiesta Filipina last weekend. Talk about crowded! The Civic Center was packed with excited fans of Wowowee (Don't ask me, I didn't create the name. But for the oblivious--in this case, like me--it's one of them ABS-CBN game shows). Some pinoy celebrities were present, but the event "worthy of note" (and I say this quite loosely) was the Pinoy Idol competition the Fiesta hosted late Saturday afternoon.

OH.
MY.
GAWD.

And I mean, oh my gawd. Now I don't mean to bash. Maybe (just maybe) there was a problem with the monitor, and the singers couldn't hear themselves at all... Maybe, I don't know. But, MAN. That was tough to sit through, to say the least. I'm thinking more along the lines of TORTURE, really... But well, best to end now before I get any hate mail from the contestants. Hehe. But yeah, it really was something.

Ironically, I was three tents away from my previous employer (can anyone say Regal Films?). Twas good to see old faces again (bosses and all), although they looked just as how I left them a year ago. I wonder what that means...

Twas quite the long weekend. Got home dead tired from Day 2 of Fiesta at 630pm Sunday, found my way to the bed (read: plakda), and was out faster than you can count to ten. I actually woke up at 930am the following day.

Hmm... Note to self: Might need to revisit that last statement about benefits outweighing the work...

Catching the early morning crowd. Trust me, it gets crazy after this.

The beautiful City Hall as backdrop.

Regal babies! With former officemates Steph, Mitch and Tiff.

Holding the fort with laptop (and Pringles) as company.

Hey, hey! Bumped into Louie just when we were packing up.

Post-Birthday entry.

2005-06-21T15:46:00.000+08:00

Yo ho ho,

The Nikker is back! And a bright and feisty 27-year-old at that. Yeehaw! :)

Sorry for the absence, friends; It's been a supremely crazy work schedule. And my birthday wasn't bad either. ;) My darling hubby took me out for some eat-all-you-can ribs (my fave) for lunch at a Mom&Pop resto he discovered on the net. Then he hosted an intimate Strawberry&Nutella crepe party for me at J's pad that evening, where Bebs and I cooked atleast ten sinfully glorious crepes for our closest of friends. Somewhere in between, we got to enjoy the perfect afternoon weather by the pool, hung out at Bebo's favorite music store (where he drooled over a few of his dream basses), and watched Batman Begins (which was AWESOME, btw. Christian Bale rocks! And quite the hottie too. hehe). Absolutely a birthday well spent. :)

Naturally, I've got pictures to immortalize my special event:

Ze boitday gel and her man (whistling like nobody's business. hehe) on ze way to get some ribs.

My reaction when Bebs told me he forgot the directions to the Ribs place at home. hwehwehwe. (No worries, we found the resto after a trusty call to 411).

The Bebster at Gelb. Check out the look of drool in his eyes (if there is such a thing).

That's a Rob Allen, baby! Acoustic fretless at its best (or one of them, atleast).

We almost missed Batman Begins for this...

Swimming! An afternoon to ourselves by the pool at home.

A photo op before we look like one of them wet ducks. hehe.

I had a bit of time on my hands after swimming, so I took the opportunity to capture the beauty of Woodlake, our home for about ten months now.

How the greens look at 6pm. Don't you just love summer? :)

One of the little cement islands by the lake.

Ah yes, this is the life. I seriously love this place.

A duckie (or mallard, rather) in its element.

The little island on the left is what we have dubbed Bebs' new office. He comes here on some afternoons with powerbook and cellphone in tow, and simply does the rest of his work from here.

Erm... This is what's left of the Strawberry&Nutella crepe. Obviously our friends loved it. hehe.

I had such a blast! Big thanks to all those who greeted me via Friendster, emails and text. Truly appreciate the greets, guys. :)

Lastly, let me leave you with a strip I have entitled, Color me happy. Thanks to my Bebs for such an awesome birthday.

I can't tell you all enough how good I have it :)

Forget Mr. Hawaiian Tropic; You can aim higher!

2005-06-17T05:01:00.000+08:00

Good grief, what has this world come to?!

Thanks to Pow for the link (That's boxer-writer-handsome BACHELOR Pow for you; He who, one day, aspires to win the prize himself. hehe) .

CSS trouble.

2005-06-16T13:21:00.000+08:00

Hmm... Is it just me, or is my blog layout a bit messed? Strange how lately the tables don't seem to be aligned properly, when I never changed the code.

Does anyone out there know what I'm talking about? Are the tables on my blog layout a little askew? Do let me know, I wanna find out if it's just my browser settings, or if other people actually see the problem.

Thanks guys, appreciate the help. :)

A hectic 1st week of June.

2005-06-12T17:52:00.000+08:00

It's been a busy week. We've never had so many guests file in and out of the studio, which consequently also means that we served our Strawberry & Nutella crepe the entire week to all the visitors (Such uncanny timing too; I just knew there was a reason to having perfected the dessert a few days prior).

Anyway, it's hitting such an unholy hour and I still have to wake up at 6am tomorrow. So let me leave you with a few photos for now, and I promise to post something more decent next entry.

'Night, folks!

From left: That's Butch (Bebo's brother-in-law), Jai, Bebs, moi, Manj (Bebo's sis) and Nissie.

Aww, whatta cutie! Bebs with his nephew Babu (whose real name is Haniel; He acquired the unique nickname because he was extremely hairy at birth... Apparently, the parents connected the hairy-ness to a baboon. Awww.).

Uncle Bebs proudly sings as Babu air drums. Man, this boy's seriously got good rhythm.

Bebs with his sister Manj, and family.

Nica, Mommy Eunice and Naia (my godchild).

The Montecillos with the Bharwanis.

Of music that inspires... and a bit of crepe.

2005-06-07T02:07:00.000+08:00

Everyone knows Friday's not a particularly wise day to get on the road during rush hour, but we drove through Livermore anyway (a two hour drive that afternoon) for the Jars of Clay concert. We've actually seen them before, but they were definitely worth watching again. And sure enough they still blew me away. They left their bassist and drummer home this time though, so it was a quieter, more intimate set. Awesome nonetheless.

The nice thing was, we got to talk to the band after the show! Dan Haseltine (the vocalist) remembered one of my good friends from their recent Manila concert (he was one of the organizers) so we had something to converse about... for all of two minutes. hehe. They signed our CDs as well and we got a picture in. Yay!

Since the gig, I've been listening to their new CD, Redemption Songs, non-stop the past two days. For those of you who haven't come across it yet, it's a collection of beautiful ancient hymns set to modern music.

Now, I may have always loved the Standards, but admittedly never really gave centuries-old church tunes the time of day till this album. Interesting to note that what people sang about hundreds of years ago imbibe a message still so applicable today. Songs that speak of a Hope and a Future despite surrounding circumstances. As Dan described it, it's the Hope that keeps you restless and forward-looking; and yet it is that same Hope that gives you peace. Amazing.

When sins and fears prevailing rise
And fainting hope almost expires
Jesus to Thee I lift my eyes
To Thee I breathe my soul's desires
Are You not mine, my living Lord
And can my hope, my comfort die
Fixed on the everlasting word
That word which built the earth and sky...

- Excerpt from Jesus I lift my Eyes

Get yourself a copy of the album and read through the words. They really are so beautifully written. Worth the $15 investment, trust me. ;) I also found the lyrics online here for all of us netheads.

--
In other news:

Bebs has successfully mastered my favorite dessert in the whole wide world: strawberry & nutella crepe! Yeba! We decided to forego dinner last night to set up the Bharwani Test Kitchen. An hour and one box of strawberries later (plus five heaping tablespoons of Nutella and a grand total of about 800 calories each), we downed four heavenly crepes without so much as a guilty bone in our body. I couldn't be any happier that night. ;)

Have an awesome week ahead, guys!

First-hand witness of change.

2005-06-04T05:52:00.000+08:00

Early this year I had shared about a bet Bebs made with three other friends to lose 20lbs. after a given time period. They had initially agreed on April 1st as their deadline, but later on extended to June 1st for their own reasons (read: more time, simply put).

Now, I don't know much about the others, but Bebs sure worked hard the past months and seriously took on the challenge of putting his physical disciplines to a test (We're big believers of the truth that if you succeed in conquering your own body--its whims, lusts, and hundred caprices--honey, you can overcome anything). And by golly, let me tell you that these months were far from just being a battle of lost pounds. It was a struggle for sanity, and of life goals. The weight loss was merely the first step to achieving even bigger dreams.

Well, as you know it's two days past the due date, so consider this your Official Results report. The short of it is, one of the four conceded a month before finish line, and another on the day of the official weigh-in. Which ultimately came down to a fight between the Bebster and Raffioli. The good news is, the last men standing finished with a tie (Congrats guys!!!), and earned for themselves the honor and respect of having overcome such a tough discipline for us 21st generation folks. Not to mention glorious new bods, and a sumptious $50 dinner at a restaurant of their choice.

It's definitely not over yet, but let me present to you with pride the fruits of the Bebster's blood, sweat and tears.

Before
Photo taken Jan. 29, 2005

After
Photo taken June 1, 2005

I am definitely one proud momma. :)