Initially (for two or three months), my wife and I were living in my parent’s two-bedroom unit in Manila, which we shared with my brother and sister. Despite subtly telling (through word of mouth, my mom’s to be precise ) our wedding guests that monetary gifts are preferred as the said unit where we plan to stay is already quite full of stuff, we still got A LOT (great) (again, thanks a lot). The “gifts” ended up taking more precious area in that already tiny space. So one night, feeling terribly claustrophobic, I (we) decided to get our own space. Thus our current apartment.

When we moved to our apartment, we hurriedly filled it with stuff that we need. And since we already spent so much for new TV and ref, not to mention the one month advance, two months deposit for rent, we became quite stingy and bought two, just two :-[) , plastic chairs, much like that pictured on the right, only it’s green.

My wife and I were talking the other one night about our dream house and what we want/need for our current apartment. You know, stuff that matters. Wifey was saying that she wants (read we need) some nice cutlery (silver cutlery) and maybe a good set of China (think Corelle). And when she asked me what I want, I said:
Alam mo, gusto ko lang, upuang may sandalan!
So yun na. Bumili na kami, kahit pa used. We’ll be picking that two-seater sofa (love seat) tom. Hay salamat! :beurk:

Happy weekend!

Medyo naguluhan ako ng konti kung anung klaseng lansangan ang aking ilalagay rito. Pero napagpasyahan kong ilagay na lamang ang isa sa pinakabago at pamosong lansangan dito sa Maynila, ang Bonifacio High Street. Medyo nawiwili kaming magpunta rito dahil bukod sa medyo malapit sa amin ay hindi ganon karami ang tao. Marami pang mga puno at halaman.

Ang litrato sa itaas ay isa sa mga parking areas sa High Street. Mula rito ay tanaw mo na ang mga nagtataasang mga gusali sa lungsod ng Pasig. Oras ng pananghalian nyan at sobrang init ang sikat ng araw. Ito namang litrato sa ibaba ay isa sa mga nagkalat na art pieces na makikita sa lansangang ito. Maganda hindi ba? Maraming mga tao ang nagpapakuha ng litrato dyan.

Ito ang aking lahok para sa linggong ito ng Litratong Pinoy na may tema na Lansangan. Tayo na at tignan ang iba pang mga lahok ng mga partisipante dito.

And what’s funny is that these people don’t really know you. And yet, they give this unsolicited advice of what you should strive to be. They have this fantasy of what you should become. If only it wouldn’t be gauche to tell them to mind their own business.

The world demands conformity.

They want us to be in the same stupid hole like they are in now. Miserable.

So what if am insouciant. I want to do it my way. Learn from my mistakes. No matter how painful and expensive.

I know that it will take me ages to put myself together. But that’s fun part of the ride! And I wouldn’t miss it for the world.

I’ve been battling the sniffles since Thursday. And what perfect timing. Just when I have tons of work.

Anyway, wifey went to meet a friend last Saturday and came back with this.

(Photo Source)

Royce’ Nama Chocolate: Champagne. One of the best chocolates I’ve ever tasted in my life. So much better than the Goya chocolates that my jologs taste buds have been used to. Don’t bite/chew. Just let it melt and coat your tongue. And close your eyes. Chocolate heaven. =(

I traded a long weekend for a ton of work this week. I have four files, at the minimum, waiting for me in the office. And that’s just last week’s load. Add that to this week’s work load. :beurk:

I’m going to be busy, busy, busy!

And to help me get through this week are the Christmas ham (my favorite! :love: :8 ) that we bought last weekend over at Shopwise, which we will be having for breakfast later (YUM!)

and the prospect of relaxing by kicking some zombie ass when we get home as I play Plants Versus Zombies, provided wifey will let me. She’s grown quite addicted to whopping zombies! And I’d be lucky if I ever get some game time.

The game’s quite easy. You collect suns for points, which you then use to buy plants. You strategically place the plants in your backyard to prevent the acttacking zombies from reaching your home. As you level up, you’ll have access to more powerful plants, which have different uses.

So if ever you have some free time (lucky you!), or while waiting to harvest your potatoes at Farm Town (I think I’ve left mine to rot ), check out this game called Plants Versus Zombies.

Heto na! Merienda time na! Tiyak kong gugutumin at mabubusog (pwede ba yon? ) tayo sa mga handa ngayong linggo. Sino ba naman kasi ang pasimuno at nagka-ideya na gawing pagkain yung mga tema?! Hanubayan! :

Ang unang litrato ay ang paborito kong pagkain mula sa paborito naming restaurant na Café Breton, ang Chicken Run. Apat na piraso ng tinapay na may thinly-sliced grilled chicken breasts, tapos asparagus, tapos yung creamy sauce na hindi ko alam kung ano ups: pero napakasarap, at konting kamatis. May coleslaw salad pa sa gilid! Madalas kong ginagawang ka-partner nito ay calamansi juice.

Kadalasan, dahil medyo busog pa ako sa dami ng aking kinain noong tanghalian, eh nagiging meryenda na ang mga desserts. Itong nasa itaas ay ang crêpe sa Breakfast at Antonio’s, isang all-day breakfast restaurant sa Tagaytay. Masarap hindi ba? May ice cream at tsokolate pa! :8 Kape naman ang swak na partner nito.

At itong huli naman ay gawa ni misis. Noong una nyang ginawa yan eh medyo pumalpak. Pero noong pangalawang ulet eh napa-Wow! kaming lahat. Kitang-kita naman hindi ba? Parang kung sinong pastry chef ang gumawa! Hindi ko alam kung anu tawag dyan :love: , basta ko na lang kinain. Yung mga ganyang ka-gandang cake eh hindi na pinatatagal at dapat nang upakan! :

Nagutom ka ba o nabusog? :beurk: Ito ang aking lahok para sa linggong ito ng Litratong Pinoy na may tema na Merienda. Tayo na at tignan ang iba pang mga lahok ng mga partisipante dito.

Syempre, syempre, pagkatapos ng Almusal, ilang oras lang ay kasunod na niyon ang Tanghalian. : Huwag na kayong magtaka at pagkain na naman ang tema ngayong linggo. Kung hindi nyo pa pansin eh pagkain ang tema sa buong buwan ng Agosto. Kay sarap! Ang mga lahok ko ngayong linggo ay kuha noong kaarawan ni Yuan, pamangkin ni misis, noong nakaraang buwan ng Hulyo.

Ang unang litrato ay karaniwang nakikita sa mga handaan: pritong lumpia. Pero kakaiba ito. Mas masarap at mahalimuyak. May halo kasing basil ang lumpia. Ang litrato naman sa ibaba ay calamares. Gawa naman yan ng pinsan ni misis. Present yan sa dalawang nakaraang handaan (praktis daw muna), at dahil patok rin naman, mukhang palagi nang magkakaroon nyan.

Ito naman ang pinakapaboritong chicken ng pamilya sa buong mundo. Lahat yata ng bahay dito sa Pinas eh may turbo, hindi ba? Kaya naman simula ng ginawa ng misis ko ang turbo chicken na yan mga tatlo o apat na taong nakaraan eh always present yan, mas orasyon man o wala. Peyborit! Patok na patok! Laging ubos! Agawan pa sa wings at balat yung ibang tao dyan! Ehem! :aie:

At itong huli syempre ang paborito ko sa lahat: hipon. Para sa akin, hindi kumpleto ang handaan kung wala nito. Kahit nga hipon lang ang handa masaya na ako.

Nakakabusog Nakakagutom, hindi ba? :beurk: Ito ang aking mga lahok para sa linggong ito ng Litratong Pinoy na may tema na Tanghalian. Tayo na at tignan ang iba pang mga lahok ng mga partisipante dito.

Today, I feel a bit embarrassed (and outraged). And it’s all because of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Ayoko. I’ll admit it, I voted her. She was different then. Now, I can’t even say anything “nice” or “clean” about her. It even feels weird (offensive?) saying, nay writing, her name and the words “nice” and/or “clean” all in the same sentence.

As we all know, she went to the US. Then, Cory died. So she and her entourage went to Le Cirque to have a simple dinner. No big deal, right? Except this restaurant is the watering hole for the rich and famous, and that their dinner costs US$20,000, or roughly Php950,000.
No matter how unpopular or corrupt a president might be, when she goes out on a foreign trip, she carries the colors of her country, much like a national sports team marching with pride with its country’s colors on the opening day of the Olympics.
-The Manila Mail

With the world in financial trouble, and with millions of hungry fellow Filipinos mourning the death of a beloved former president, as a public official, the head of the state no less, that was very inappropriate. I expected even a bit of delicadeza.

(Photo Source)

The rapacious little Ayoko must be very proud of herself. She even made it to the New York Post’s Page Six.

That money could have helped so many people. What were you thinking?! What would the great Diosdado Macapagal say? Tsk! Tsk!

And here’s something that’ll kick you in the nuts. Sen. Lito Lapid said he might as well have stayed home. With no photo op with US President Obama, he apparently found the service terrible and was not impressed.

Anu ba naman yan! Pagkain na naman! Siguradong gugutumin na naman ako sa pagbisita ng mga lahok ngayong linggo. Naalala ko yung temang Tuyo ilang linggo na ang nakakaraan, ginutom ako dun! Mas lalo yata sa tema ngayon na Almusal. Aatakihin yata ako sa puso. :8

Gaya ng sinabi ko ilang beses na, almusal ang pinakapaborito kong oras ng pagkain. Kaya nga higit kong kinatutuwaan ang mga breakfast buffets at mga restaurants na may all-day breakfast.

Ang unang litrato ay kuha noong umaga ng kaarawan ko noong nakaraang taon. Alam ng aking asawa ang mga paborito kong pagkain sa almusal kaya naman gumising sya ng maaga upang iluto ng mga ito: fried rice, bacon, malasadong itlog, at dilis flakes mula sa Cebu. At syempre, mas masarap kung ang inumin sa umaga ay mainit na tsokolate, lalo na kung medyo malamig at maulan tulad ngayon. Ito naman ay kuha noong nakaraang buwan sa Choco-late de Batirol ng kami ay magpunta sa Baguio.

Ito ang aking mga lahok para sa linggong ito ng Litratong Pinoy na may tema na Almusal. Tayo na at tignan ang iba pang mga lahok ng mga partisipante dito.