Rainbow [SWF]

@ mirandablue

"Born of the shower, and colored by the sun."  This was my second sighting of a rainbow in two weeks.  I think it's God's way of saying everything is going to be alright.  Viewed from my rooftop (where else?) on late Saturday afternoon, I was facing east and the sunset behind me.  If you haven't noticed, the sun is always behind you when you face a rainbow.  And the rain is in the direction of the rainbow.

@ mirandablue

Someday we'll find it, 

The Rainbow Connection

The lovers, the dreamers and me...

~ Kermit the Frog

@ mirandablue

Posted for Sky-watch Friday

BOTR and memories

Food and memories---there is a powerful connection between them. That's why the smell of freshly baked bread reminds me of my afternoon strolls to the local bakery when I was a teenager where the aroma of baked pandesal wafted throughout the neighborhood, and the texture of cheese brings me back to the cheese sticks I shared with my grandmother under her mosquito net. I am sure you have your own food nostalgia, too.

I had one of those recently when Franzia told me there's a BOTR (Bun on the Run) at Metrowalk. What??!! BOTR--our favorite take out every time we watched a movie at Greenbelt 1. I haven't eaten or seen a Bun on the Run in more than a decade. I loved their sausages, porkloin sandwich and chori burger. And I couldn't wait to have a BOTR once again.

As soon as our order was served, I remember the Greenbelt days [and nights] ten to twenty years back. Sundays when I would read books in National Bookstore for hours because I couldn't afford to buy them. Movies after midnight (it was called Midnight Workaholics) when Greenbelt extended showtime until 2 am. Saturday afternoons when I would sometimes fall asleep inside the theater after drinking The Bar disguised as Sprite. A couple of pervs I encountered in Greenbelt (and some I terrorized!), a couple of dates, the days when I skipped work and wallowed in comfortable sloth at the park by stalking the exotic birds at the Greenbelt aviary.

I breathed in the familiar aroma of pickles and onions, heard the ambient noise, and felt somebody's hand holding mine. I wished my sister was here to share this Bun on the Run moment with me and Franzia. Iinggitin ko na lang s'ya sa pictures.:p

I had Sausage with pickles and onions, Franzia ordered Porkloin Sandwich and Sally had Tuna Cheese with French Fries with garlic cream dip.

And yes, it was as good as I remembered.

Bun on the Run @ Metrowalk

Posted for Our Weekend Memoirs

Caramoan: Island-hopping [OWM]

@ mirandablue

Spent the Holy Week holiday in Caramoan, a remote town in Camarines Sur. I posted some photos in Facebook and 95% of my friends don't know where Caramoan is. Very little is known about this place until recently when Survivor France shot the entire 8th season in some of the deserted islands of the peninsula. 


From the port in Sabang, it takes about 2 hours by outrigger boat and approximately 70 kilometers of mountains and rugged coastline to reach Guijalo port in Caramoan. This is the most isolated place I've ever been to, but I'm glad I went. These photos were taken on the first leg of our island-hopping on Black Saturday. The top photo is Gota Village Resort, said to be owned by the provincial governor of Camarines Sur. Gota Village Resort is closed to the public so we docked at the island across Gota, called Malindog. 


Our first island was a 30-meter stretch of fine white sand---a rock by the shore, limestone cliffs and foliage grace our slice of paradise. I have no idea how many islands are there in the Caramoan peninsula but our boatman said there are 10 must-see islets---except that a few of them are closed to the public. These islets are unexploited and pristine. I hope they would remain that way.

@ mirandablue

@ mirandablue

@ mirandablue

@ mirandablue

More of Caramoan photos in the coming days...

Posted for Our Weekend Memoirs http://ourweekendmemoirs.blogspot.com

Bougainvilleas in bloom [OWM]

Summer is officially here and along with it comes the vibrant colors of nature. Two weekends ago, I was at the Mactan Shangri-la and noticed the lush bougainvilleas in bloom. I love bougainvilleas---they're wild, free and spontaneous. And I would say, they're the official flower of summer.

at the poolside

view from Shangri-la's Cowrie Cove

How's your weekend? Join us at Our Weekend Memoirs

A live plant and Feng Shui

hanging purple flowers in Seattle

I had a hectic weekend and nothing to show for it---except for a more spacious bedroom after I've repacked my "winter" clothes to a bigger luggage. Moving to a new apartment certainly takes a lot of energy and time, not to mention money.

It's been 2 weeks since I transferred to a new apartment. I gave away a lot of old books, furniture, wall decor, clothes, shoes and bags and I'm still left with a lot of junk. As I unpacked a few more boxes yesterday, I realized just how many gifts of plates, bowls, cups and saucers and wine glasses I got all these years. I felt like a newly-wed rummaging through the wedding gifts!:p

The new apartment has spacious bedrooms but the living room, dining/kitchen areas are a bit small. To avoid clutter, I decided to pack the things that are not used on a daily basis and place it in storage. Good thing the apartment building has a small storage space under the stairs. And because I gave away my shoe cabinet, I am now in the market for a shoe cabinet that would fit in the space behind the main entrance. Hayyyy!

My mother wanted to place a stone cast sculpture or an artificial flower arrangement to cover a "dead space" in the corner while I wanted to put an end table and a live plant in that space. It can also be a good place for cable and telephone connectors. Obviously, my mother and I don't see eye to eye when it comes to interior design---she prefers utilitarian while I am more on the aesthetic but functional (maarte daw ako :p). Not that I'd like to plant a tomato or chili pepper on that dead space---although it does sound like a good idea. Tried to explain to her that plants emit a positive energy and because they clean the air, they contribute to the positive flow of energy throughout the house. Naturally, she blamed the idea on feng shui because I mentioned that feng shui doesn't recommend thorny plants in the house---I had this wild idea of collecting cactus.

Talk of positive and negative flow of energy in the house is strange for my mother, too New Age for her. All I want is to make use of every nook and cranny instead of leaving an artificial flower here, a stone sculpture there to accumulate dust and for spiders to live in.

I hope this qualifies for Our Weekend Memoirs.

Weekend with old friends [OWM]

Spent the weekend in Angeles City to see an old friend from NYC---"old" being the operative word (hehehe peace, Arni!). We planned to go swimming at Fontana Leisure Park but we had some "senior" moments and decided to just chill by the hotel lagoon and catch up on each other's lives.

It's good to know that this previous members-only resort is now open to the public. They have an Olympic-size swimming pool, lots of kiddie pools, a pool with jacuzzis, a water theme park, a spa, restaurants and a casino. The rooms and villas are well-appointed, too.

We disturbed the peace by videoke singing...Bailey and Lucky, the dogs, were our attentive audience. And what do old friends do after dinner? Just like old times---we went to see a movie! And yes, we watched Avatar in 3D--impressive!

kiddie pool--my kind of pool

the water theme park
a Malacanang replica?

Do you remember the controversy of Fontana casino during the Estrada administration? Rumors had it that cronies fought over the acquisition of a casino in Clark at Erap's instructions---from Mimosa Regency to Fountainbleau and then Fontana. Personalites close to Erap like Atong Ang, Mark Jimenez, Chavit Singson, etc. were connected to the controversy. Probably the reason why the hotel was designed like a replica of the Malacanang Palace.:p

the lagoon at dusk

Posted for Our Weekend Memoirs

Giant Christmas Trees [OWM and My World-Tuesday]

Two of the giant Christmas trees near my office building in Ortigas Center---these trees are approximately 30 feet tall. They're made up of tiny lanterns and lights, and they're a sight to behold. I love the splendor of these holiday street decor, they definitely make the streets brighter and festive. Took these photos on my way to the mall on Friday night...the traffic was so bad it was faster to walk than drive.

Didn't do much this past weekend but eat and sleep, listened to some CDs and bonded with Fritz. Christmas shopping is finally finished (thank goodness!), gift wrapping is done, a few more parties and I'm taking it easy till the holidays. Can't wait for the long Christmas weekend!

Posted for Our Weekend Memoirs and my first entry to My World Tuesday

A Pagudpud weekend [OWM]

No, I did not go to Pagudpud recently. This photo was taken more than a decade ago when my friends and I went on a road trip to Pagudpud for our summer holiday. This particular beach is at Saud Beach Resort.

I feel nostalgic after I saw this photo and thought about the good times we had in that road trip. About two weeks ago, we got together again after 7 years. A bit older and wiser, and happier, I hope. Jo came home from Canada with her 2 kids after 7 years; Marcel joined us for dinner with her 7-year old daughter. We laughed and talked about old friends, children, my dog, our lives, our jobs and the future. It was great to break bread with you guys again.

Posted for Our Weekend Memoirs

Nostalgia [OWM & WS]

There is nothing special about this beach, in fact, I've never been here for almost two decades. But that weekend after we buried our grandmother, my siblings, cousins and I, had a sentimental yearning to see the beach of our childhood. This is where we frolicked during summer vacations, learned how to swim, chased hermit crabs, watched sunsets and dreamed of the world beyond Guimaras Strait. This stretch of seashore was our playground, from the Kissing Rocks to this rustic resort. Nothing has changed around here except for a wider beach erosion, and the owner as well as the nipa huts got older. The simplicity of life here is achingly sweet and familiar.

stroll to Kissing Rocks

the old Talisay is still standing

my cousins talking about the good ol' days

Posted for Our Weekend Memoirs and Weekend Snapshot

A weekend with Jan-Q and Fritz

 

One Sunday afternoon in September, I brought Jan-Q and Fritz to Bonifacio High Street.  This is Fritz' favorite hangout---he loves to strut and lounge on the grass and watch dogs walking around the place.  This is where I stretch my legs, punctuating my walks with a cold drink or hot coffee while browsing the latest best-sellers at Fully Booked,  or contemplate at the water features around the mall grounds, or check out what's on sale in one of the stores.

Jan-Q, on the other hand, was reluctant to pose for the camera.  He thinks  it was so uncool  and "baduy" that his Tita  was taking lots of pictures.:P  He obliged because of my "near-senior-citizen-status" and  I was paying for dinner (hehehe).

This sculpture makes me think of meteors coming from space.

 I always tell my young nephews that they will  thank me someday for their  cute baby pictures, snapshots of their toothless grin and framed bunny-rabbit smiles, their  rock 'n roll poses and awkward moments in front of the camera, and all the memories that go with the photos.  And of course, they would show me the photos to remind me of their names when I'm a  senile and doddering old woman.:P

Fritz doesn't mind...he loves to lick the camera!

Posted for Our Weekend Memoirs and Weekend Snapshot