Adorable Little Storyteller

I remember when I was small, I'd listen over and over to a record by the Boston Pops. I love them.

Here's my favorite version of Sleigh Ride by the Boston Pops, to get us kickstarted into Christmas.



You have to watch it. You'll love the guy playing the slapstick or clapboard, or whatever that thing is. :)

Happy weekend! God is good!

Boo Nestle

Our household has been Nestle-free for more than 5 years now.

Read here to find out why Nestle should be boycotted.

When I was still working in UNICEF, we were going around some health centers and a community health worker remarked that some parents in poor communities are deluded into thinking that by giving their babies infant formula instead of breast milk, they are giving them better nutrition. Many of them go into debt just to buy the very expensive infant formula, when the best nutrition for their babies (breast milk) is actually free.

So when you buy your Halloween trick or treat goodies this year, do consider what the Boo Nestle blog has to say.

Inspiration

This made me smile today.

Isn't she just so lovely and happy? :D I love rolled up pants.

It's a rainy day here today and everything feels so fresh and clean.

Happy Friday everyone! xoxo

Photo from thesartorialist.

Happiness Is...

an onion and tomato omelette. With some dried danggit (dried salted fish) and warm brown rice.

Lately I've been making my meals. Our helper can't seem to get the proper taste so I've been cooking more. Good therapy and yummy eats!

I'm thankful for these little simple pleasures.

A Timely Word

Proverbs 15:23 - "A man finds joy in giving an apt reply - and how good is a timely word!"

I've been having trouble writing a proper post. So many things to say, a lot of sadness at times and I just can't get to write about it. Sadness mainly because a good friend told me I was fat. Haha.

Last night I got this text from a client:

"Sorry for late text, just pleased to say the dress and top fit me really well! Thanks! :)"

It was timely and such a blessing.

The part about work that I am most challenged with is following up payments. Oh how I hate it and wish so dearly that someone could do it for me. And lately the unpaid accounts have been piling up and I am struggling with follow-up. And I have to do it or else what is the point of this business, right?

Well, I have to really brace myself and be diligent in getting paid. But last night, getting that text from a client, it just really encouraged me so much.

Payments fill the cash box and allow me to pay the staff and fuel the business. Compliments for a job well done fill the heart and inspire one to keep at it.

Why I Want To Be A Mom (Reason #1)

So I can make this cool Halloween craft to entertain my daughter/son:

Martha Stewart Craft Of The Day here.

Relax

If Scout could talk, she'd tell me that all the time. :) Stop worrying and relax. :)

I spend a lot of time on the road. Not the whistling, road trip kind though. Just the sometimes mind-numbing slow crawl of traffic kind.

Sometimes the traffic is so bad I get to take pictures. It entertains me a whole lot and I also feel I would someday love to look back at these road pictures and remark how things have changed since then.

This and the photo above is the Cubao underpass and the underbelly of the MRT.  Taken one gray September weekday.

Lazy Monday

 

It's not Friday Back To The 80s but this song seemed like a refreshing treat on this warm day.

I am sooo lazy today. Didn't sleep well last night, that's why.

Trying to wake up with Starbucks Via Italian Roast. Tastes like it's brewed.

I'm off to acupuncture in a bit. And hopefully yoga tonight. It's going to be PAINFUL, after being away for such a loooong time.

Other than this sticky laziness, I am happy today. 

Here's wishing you a great week!!!

Prada Spring 2011 RTW

Drool.

Photo from thesartorialist.

"Twenty years from now you will be more
disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So
throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade
winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."-- Mark Twain 

Congratulations, Marysol!!! :) May the next few days, months, years be pee-in-your-pants exciting!

Inspiration

Today I find inspiration in this:

Look closely. Do you see the line scribbling on the pavement?

Here's what the scribbling is about.

How was your week? Mine was intense and hectic. With many pockets of joy. I am in awe of God's infinite goodness.

Trying to catch my breath now and praying I won't get sick. I am soooo glad it's the weekend.

Have a great weekend!


Photo by Michael Nagle for The New York Times

 

God paints beautifully. Everyday.

Photo taken last Saturday in our compound. 

Sweet Day

 The leche flan review came out today!!! Check it out here!

And just now, this:

Rafael Nadal's first US Open win!!! After numerous frustrations due to injuries, he finally has completed the grand slam wins!!!

Someday when we are blessed with a daughter or a son, we will name her or him after this passionate athlete! Haha.

What a great day!

Photo from here.

P.S. What a great challenge from Novak Djokovic. Thank you!

P.P.S. Thank you, H, for telling us about the flan at Segundo Piso! What a discovery!

NY Fashion Week

Wow I just love this photo! I love both outfits but I am most especially smitten with the girl on the left.

My question is, how does one walk long distances in those shoes, especially the stilettos?! Although a long time ago someone sold me at a real bargain a DKNY pair that she bought on sale in the US and those were REALLY comfortable and light. I could walk to the manang selling packed lunch at the corner of our office street and my only problem was getting the heel stuck in those grilled steel ramps. Haha.

Photo from here.

Happiness Is...

... the smell of freshly sharpened pencils.

 Have a great week, everyone! xoxo

I Will Be Better

I WILL BE BETTER
There are women that become mothers without effort, without thought, without patience or loss and though they are good mothers and love their children, I know that I will be better. I will be better not because of genetics, or money or that I have read more books but because I have struggled and toiled for this child.
I have longed and waited. I have cried and prayed. I have endured and planned over and over again. Like most things in life, the people who truly have appreciation are those who have struggled to attain their dreams. I will notice everything about my child. I will take time to watch my child sleep, explore and discover. I will marvel at this miracle every day for the rest of my life. I will be happy when I wake in the middle of the night to the sound of my child, knowing that I can comfort, hold and feed him and that I am not waking to take another temperature, pop another pill, take another shot or cry tears of a broken dream.
My dream will be crying for me.
I count myself lucky in this sense; that God has given me this insight, this special vision with which I will look upon my child that my friends will not see. Whether I parent a child I actually give birth to or a child that God leads me to, I will not be careless with my love. I will be a better mother for all that I have endured.
I am a better wife, a better aunt, a better daughter, neighbor, friend and sister because I have known pain. I know disillusionment as my own body has betrayed me. I have been tried by fire and hell many never face, yet given time, I stood tall. I have prevailed. I have succeeded. I have won.
So now, when others hurt around me, I do not run from their pain in order to save myself discomfort. I see it, mourn it, and join them in theirs. I listen. And even though I cannot make it better, I can make it less lonely. I have learned the immense power of another hand holding tight to mine, of other eyes that moisten as they learn to accept the harsh truth and when life is beyond hard.
I have learned a compassion that only comes with walking in those shoes.
I have learned to appreciate life.
And yes I will be a wonderful mother.
-UNKNOWN

Friday Back To The 80s

No One Is To Blame -- Howard Jones

Love this song, among other lovelorn 80s songs. Heard this on the radio tonight on my way home and thought of young love. High school love is the worst I think. Oh such drama. Oh such pain.

I'm glad the 80s (and all the love drama) are long past. I'm glad I've found a boy to love and who loves me back. :)

Happy Friday everyone! And happy long weekend to us here in the Philippines!

Photo Tips from Nat Geo

How awesome is the photo? When I first saw it, I thought it was from some far away African tribe. Turns out it's from Mambukal, Negros Occidental, a hot springs resort we used to frequent when I was a child. Proof that one need not travel far to experience wildly interesting things.

Check out some more beautiful photos and very helpful tips here.

P.S. I know I've been very quiet lately. Been really busy and also, I have writer's block. I hate it when that happens. I have so much to say sometimes but when I start writing I can't seem to get into the right groove. Ah well.

I think it has something to do with the leche flan review. We're done sampling different flans. We have our ranking. We just need to write an interesting review. Toughest part. Argh.

Hope you are having a good week.

Happiness Is...

A hilarious TV blooper. Had tears in my eyes and couldn't breathe from laughing.

Nostalgia

C's Grade 5 class picture:

My Grade 5 class picture:

We had maroon and white in common. :)

Back to work after a long weekend. I wish we had more 3-day weekends.

Hope you are having a great start to the week!

Friday Back To The 80s

Life In A Northern Town -- Dream Academy

It's going to be a long weekend. After that sad Monday, we all could use a break.

Last Monday was supposed to be a holiday commemorating the death of Ninoy Aquino, the father of our country's present president. Many people were looking forward to a long weekend.

Despite the decision of the government not to declare it a holiday, the day would not be left unmarked.

I got home late afternoon and was able to catch the news. I had seen posts on Facebook in the morning about a hostage-taking in Manila. I was surprised that the problem had dragged on till evening.

Seeing footages of hostages released earlier, I thought the situation would end peacefully.

Then the ugly turn of events. Police struggling with the brother of the hostage-taker. Family members and media crowding around the scene. The brother being shoved forcefully into a patrol car. Then gun shots and the bus lurching forward. It felt like scenes from a movie.

Police hacking their way into the bus. Rapid gunfire inside the bus. The bus driver escaping and running to safety, shouting to media that everyone inside was dead. No sign of movement inside the bus, even after cans of tear gas had been thrown.

I was so horrified at the turn of events I had to call C who was still in the office to watch the events with me. It was so surreal and horrible.

8 hostages died and the hostage-taker was felled by a bullet to the head. After a long and slow ordeal in heavy rain. What an ugly thing.

I have no more words to describe what happened and not enough words to describe how I (and most Filipinos) feel.

We too mourn your loss as if it were our own.

Happiness Is...

... waking up refreshed, excited and raring to go. Much like how I feel after a cup of joe. He he he.

Have a great week!!! Big hug!!!

Photo from here.

P.S. If you are curious why a cup of coffee is called a cup of joe, here's an interesting thread.

Marcel The Shell With Shoes On

I don't usually post on Sundays but this one had to be shared right away! I love the part where she's on the phone.

"My one regret in life is that I won't ever have a dog." Awwww.....

"We won't fight unless we're provoked." Stop it!

Things Found On The Web

In Finnish, mahtava means awesome. Awesome!

In Filipino, mataba means fat. Uh-oh. He he he.

Photo from houseofmilk via candychang.com.

Oh boy.

Wishing you a sunny weekend. Be grateful. Give thanks. Give praise.

Photo from here.

Friday Back To The 80s

Well, this isn't really from the 80s. More of like from the 70s. And this post is late. Was out the whole day and had no chance at the computer till now.

Caught a James Taylor special on tv and it just made me weepy. I am such a sentimental fool.

I think if you love how words are put together and you love making simple things special then you most probably love JT and this song. :D

Oh Julia

I only read Eat, Pray, Love because Julia is in the movie. :D She is my mostest favoritest. :D

Photo from everythingfabulous.

Now I'm off to get my hair lopped off. Teehee. UPDATED: My appointment got moved so I have no business driving far today. Haircut will have to wait. I am going to try full bangs this time. Teehee.

Mrs. Cold -- Kings of Convenience

My current favorite song and group. So easy on the ears. Perfect for this gray weather.

:D

Photo from woostercollective via thehouseofmilk.

The Great Leche Flan Adventure

 C and I have recently been tasked to write a little article on leche flan for an online city guide.

I should've learned from high school that you don't volunteer ideas unless you are prepared to take on the task yourself. Haha. My friend edits the city guide and was asking for ideas on what food Top 10 they can feature next.

For the past few weeks I have been obsessed with leche flan. No, I am not pregnant now. I am just a dessert fiend and I have recently fixated on leche flan.

So I suggested they write about leche flan, posting the suggestion on their Facebook page, hoping their Facebook admin and not my friend would read it. Alas she read it and a few days later she wrote to me asking if we could write the Top Ten. Reimbursible.

What, eat leche flan for free? Who's crazy enough to agree to that?! Come on!

So now we have a list of 18 Filipino-themed restaurants that we know or assume to have leche flan. We have to come up with an article by Sunday. What a tough job. Phew.

My taste buds are quivering in anticipation. My pants are sighing in defeat. Haha.

Photo from here.

Missing Running

I miss pre-race night when I almost can't fall asleep, super excited and worried I won't wake up to the alarm.

I miss leaving the house while it was still dark and seeing the EDSA street lights still ablaze.

I miss warming up in the holding area with other runners.

I miss gun start and the smell of sun block all around.

I miss conversations I have with myself, especially on hilly portions where I have to ignore the pain and take the next step and the next and the next till I'm on flat terrain again.

I miss the anxiety of the last kilometer when I don't really even know if I can make it to the finish.

I miss the thump thump of blood in my legs after I've crossed the finish and I walk to the water station to cool down.

I wonder if I'll run that way again.

Happiness Is...

A personalized menu which includes Big Delicious Cookies. I hate you John Mayer. :D

Have a great rockstar week, everyone! :D

Photo from here.

Giving Back To Him Who Gave More

I recently discovered that morning, just after breakfast is the best time for me to do my computations. Be it computing for the cost of finished pieces or, in the case of this particular morning, computing for tithes to be given on Sunday.

I remember Denzel Washington saying in a magazine interview a long, long time ago that he was a Christian, a tithe-giving Christian. I love that description. To me, it is a mark of a seriousness in one's faith. A determination to obey.

I am far from an ideal Christian, that I will tell you. But I thought I'd share with you this little experience I had today as I was computing for my tithes.

Payments were kinda slow the other week and this week I had a number of trips to the bank for deposits. So when those checks started clearing and I'd see my account balance increasing, I was ecstatic. I began thinking of things I could buy with the surplus. Haha.

Finally this morning I paid my bills. Sobering experience. The list of things I could buy dwindled as I realized the surplus wasn't that big. Haha.

Then came the computing of the tithes.

Like I said, payments were delayed last week so I had a lot to compute today. As I went through each piece to compute (I go by the tithe on your net income principle), and the list of amounts to tithe got longer, I started to feel blue. Bye-bye nice account balance. Haha.

But I wasn't going to let my selfishness ruin the beauty of what I was doing. So I sang Ron Kenoly's Give song. Give and it will come back to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over. Give and it will come back to you. When you give, give to the Lord.

I felt much better. I was after all giving to God who owns everything. He doesn't need anything we have to give. We give back as thanksgiving for the blessings we have been so generously given. We give back to make room for blessings to be received. I am weepy now as I write this.

So finally I tallied the total tithe (I just couldn't resist the alliteration) and came up, expectedly, with a higher than usual figure. I thought of my account balance and subtracted the tithe amount from it and knew that the balance was more than what I need. By this time the list of yummy things I wanted to buy had become unimportant. My perspective had been changed.

Tithing, I believe is more for us than for God. It teaches us to depend on He who owns the universe and reminds us that it is not by our strength or ability that we are able to have that money in the bank. Tithing is my offering of thanks. My song of gratitude for the fullness of Life He gives.

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.

Malachi 3:10          

We have tested the Lord on this promise and He has been faithful. I will tell you that when we are obedient with tithing, we have not wanted for anything. Not for anything at all.

And with that I leave with you with Ron Kenoly and the wonderful song on giving. Have a great weekend! Give!

 

Friday Back To The 80s

A friend of mine has been convincing me to buy these Sperry Topsiders. It's nice no? A cool update on an 80s classic. I'm not inclined to get a pair though because it only reminds me of a crush I had in high school. He was a few batches ahead of me and little freshman me was smitten. He wore green topsiders and my friends and I codenamed him Green. Hahaha. He was tan and had deep dimples and had a shy smile. It was a big school and I'm sure he didn't know I existed. Haha. Young, sweet, bitter love. Don't you just love that?

Have a great weekend! Kisses!

Hair How-To

A few posts ago I featured a picture of a high hair bun that I absolutely love. Today I came across this picture from Happenstance.

It's the high bun haunting me again. Finally I googled it and found a wealth of ways to do it. In my previous post, I joked that maybe the girls have a teacup in that bun.

This how-to proves that some of those buns do have something in them!!!



Since I don't have those kinds of supplies with me, I searched some more and found this girl's amazing You Tube site! Here's her version of the high bun:



Awesome!!! She has so many hair how-tos! I wish I had the time to experiment. But at least today I have a new hairstyle. Yay!

Photo from here.

The Love of Swimming Pools and Cool Freebies

Free photo of the day from National Geographic!

I am a Facebook fan of National Geographic so I always see updates. I must confess though that I only scan the title and the first paragraph and the photo. Rarely do I click on the link to the whole article. Too lengthy! But this made me sit up and notice (and click).

Thank you, Nat Geo.

I so LOVE swimming pools. Something about water. It envelopes you in a world of your own, drowning out all noise except the bubbles you blow into the water and the slapping sound of the water against your skin. A tub of bliss.

Pick out your free desktop photo here!

Happiness Is...

A surprise dockside picnic in the middle of a truly hectic week.

Read this post and was relieved someone articulated what I've been feeling for the past week. Too busy. Too noisy. Too many things on my plate.

As I am thankful for the increase in workload, I do admit I am having a hard time adjusting.

I was telling C that I used to have so much free time I could go to the nearby mall at odd hours, several times during the week. Just to go to the grocery or have a crepe and coffee afternoon. Gone are those days.

Now it has come to a point I have to ask the sewers to label each piece we produce or I will forget who it is for. Haha.

Lest God think I am ungrateful, I'd like to make it clear that I am very happy with the new projects. I am immensely in awe with how God has blessed our work. So many exciting things to do. Like making clothes for a gay guy who has, according to him, stopped buying clothes for men! :)

I constantly pray that our work will bless not only the people we employ but also our customers. May we make clothes they will keep for a very long time in their closets. Clothes they will cherish and wear till they are threadbare. :)

Have a great week everyone!!!

Photo from here.

Happiness Is...

A wedding as happy and as carefree as this:

Max, Margaux, & The Marvelows from Shark Pig on Vimeo.

I've been terribly busy. Hopefully I can write more soon. We celebrated Gemma's birthday last Saturday. She's one of our sewers. It was simple but that day touched us immensely. Will tell you more about it soon.

In the meantime, enjoy the video and have a great week! xoxo

Video by Sharkpig. Coolness.

Back To The 80s Friday

Something from my childhood. :)



Have great Friday everyone!!!

The Fruit Garden

This was our breakfast last Sunday. Focaccia bread from Bizu and this mango lavender jam from The Market.

Nothing like butter and jam on warm bread.

We just recently discovered this line of homemade jams. They are locally made by French people (haha) using traditional French techniques. That's what the store literature said anyway.

There were lots of flavors to choose from, one of which was mango ginger. I would've chosen something safe like mango orange but I was feeling brave and chose with my heart so I chose mango lavender.

Unlike the cheaper brands you get in the grocery where you hardly see fruit and just feel it's flavored gelatin, this jam is all fruit. Not too sweet and the lavender is just such a pleasant complement to the mango. Ahhhh. Perfect. Now I'm hooked and can't wait to try their other flavors. They have 20 now!

And aside from buying ingredients from local farmers, they encourage recycling! One can go to their weekend market booth and turn in the empty jars. 

Check them out here.

The Woman -- blog entry by jhnmyr

Beautiful. You just have to read it. Don't worry, unlike me, he writes really short entries. :)

http://jhnmyr.tumblr.com/post/839361907/the-woman

Eat Your Heart Out, Jason

Oh won't you please check out this adorable little boy. Oh to be young again and have that passion and tenacity. :-)



In case you don't recognize the song, it's I'm Yours by Jason Mraz and here's the original version.

Hey, Soul Sister

Favorite song nowadays. Take a listen. Nice driving music or for walking alone to the coffee shop.

Hope you are all having a great start of the week. xoxo

I Love Lucy

I love that she's put-together in a nonchalant way. One of the best fashion tips I've read is this: make an effort to dress up, check in the mirror before you head out and forget about it soon as you step out.

Very difficult to do but possible. I think the key is to wear what you're comfortable with. Take baby steps when you experiment (one element at a time so you're not overwhelmed). Take pains to put together the look till you're happy with it. If you like what you see in the mirror, close at that and forget about it. Nothing worse than constantly fidgeting, adjusting and checking your reflection every chance you get. So not cool. And so not fun!

Have a great weekend!

Photo from here.

Friday Back To The 80s

Another 80s classic from John Hughes.

And quoting Mrs.Roxy66 who commented on the youtube video:
"When we were innocent, wanting to be in love, and hoping it would be like a John Hughes flick. Painfully sweet..."

Have an awesome Friday!

Book Loot

There's a super sale at Powerbooks and these are what we got over the weekend. I would've loved to browse some more because the prices were just ridiculously low but I was starting to get a headache from being in a crowd. I know, I know... I'm a sale wuss.

Look at how different C and I are when it comes to reading material. Hahaha! He refuses to even touch this lovely Peter Mayle book. And what kind of dreams will you have if the last thing you read before dozing off is about hiring and firing?! Hahaha!

Lippy

Lately I've been thinking of lipstick. I don't have much makeup because I usually don't put on much, except when I'm meeting a client.

I've survived with a small lipcolor set given to me by an aunt. Plus several tubes that I got as giveaways from events. Which makes me realize I haven't paid for lipstick for several years already! Wow.

I would love to wear the color this girl is using. 

But according to an article I read, the best way to find the right shade for you is to pull down your lower lip and check the color just inside the lower lip. Your lip color should be close to that color. Hmmm.

If I follow that advise, the best color for me would be a soft pink. Some more hmmm... I'm not too sure about that.

I'll have to do lipstick research one of these days.

Photo from here.

Il Pleut

It is raining while I write this. Soft, steady rain.

The neighborhood kids have been herded off into their homes. I just caught the last few minutes of their play noise.

Yesterday was doctor day. I've contemplated the whole day if I should continue chronicling this part of our journey.

A month and a few days ago, when we were at the immunologist's office, a girl said hi to me. She asked if I was Makescoffeenervous. I was surprised. She said she had been reading my blog. It was a sad time for me (I was waiting for miscarriage number 3) but that girl encouraging me to write some more cheered me up.

In case you are reading this, my LIT classmate, I'm saying hi and wishing you are well. I'm writing about this in case you and someone like you will be reading someday.

On to the story.

Our doctor is Dr. Angela Sison-Aguilar. She is an Ob-Gyne and Reproductive Endocrinologist. She was recommended to us by Dr. Lara Aleta, our Immunologist.

So yesterday C and I went to St. Luke's Global. Long but decent line. I like this clinic. It's simple, straightforward and the staff AND doctor are very pleasant.

When you talk to Dr. Aguilar, although you know there is a long line outside, you feel as if you are her only patient for the day. She looks you in the eye when she talks to you. She knows what you are there for (no need to explain at each visit). She laughs well too and we love laughing with her.

Still a lot of unoccupied doctors' offices in St. Luke's Global.

We made these pants! These are my favorite now, along with these weather-beaten loafers. 

After the talk with the doc, we had dinner at Via Mare (sorry no pictures as we were both just starving). Then we walked around and got some dessert and bread from Bizu.

Don't you just love the seating area?

Yes, I am trying to avoid talking about what we talked about with the doc. Haha. I thought I'd entertain and literally sugarcoat with images of pastry and pastels.

Okay. So we can try again. The doc asked us to go for follicle monitoring and I shyly asked if we needed it since I ovulate like clockwork (Yes I do, believe me. I've got 9 years of trying not to get pregnant using the BBT tucked under my belt. I know when I usually ovulate.) She laughed and said no need. And proceeded to give us a list of dates when we needed to do the deed. Hahahaha!

When I get pregnant again, we have to see her right away so we can have the following immediately:

1. Booster lymphocyte immune therapy (LIT) shots
2. Heparin shots (daily for the first trimester)

Heparin is to prevent blood clots. Reading up on this, I found out that blood clots (usually at the placenta, hence blocking nutrients to the fetus) are the body's autoimmune response to infection.

The doctor also said that if I have any spotting, we will have to do IVIg or intravenous immunoglobulin, a blood product administered intravenously.  It contains the pooled IgG (immunoglobulin (antibody) G) extracted from the plasma of over one thousand blood donors. One thousand blood donors?! Can I please have an echo effect here? One thousand blood donors?! 


According to the doc, with my profile, any spotting is bad. Most pregnancy books will tell you that some spotting during pregnancy is normal. Not in my case. 

With the third pregnancy, I had spotting very early on. Had my old doctor been more careful, we could have done something that early. Ah well.

Honestly I feel so tired just writing about this. 


Last night as I was brushing my teeth, I was thinking how incredibly funny that we have to have scheduled sex to do this. Most people, they just have sex and get a pleasant surprise two weeks after. 


But then C put things in perspective (as he always does). Some couples go through worse. 


So yes, I feel that I've been robbed of some innocence in this whole baby-making thing. But I am thankful. And hopeful. 

So doctor's orders: lotsa sex. Our poor neighbors... Hahaha!

Please help us pray for provisions and also that we won't need the IVIg. They cost Php100k a pop. The daily heparin injections are already costly. Thank you.

Little Things I Wish For

To be able to put my hair up in a pile like this.

I can of course put my hair up in a pile. But not THAT high. This requires really long and really thick hair. Unless she's got a tea cup in there. Haha. Happy Tuesday!

Photo from here.

Happiness Is...

...only this separating you from the lovely sun and sky.

I wish you a great week with plenty of sunshine, laughter and surprise kisses!

Photo and a lot more lovely ones from here.

Ba Noi's

We were supposed to go to the OB last night but the doc had to leave early for an appointment. We were very frustrated, to say the least. Plus C had to take care of a tiny emergency at work.

The plan was to go to the OB and go home early to enjoy a homemade oriental salad.

But sometimes our plans just go haywire on us.

Thank God for new places to eat at!

Ba Noi's has been on our mind for a week now. C's officemates have been trooping to this small Vietnamese restaurant for lunch for several days now.

I like Vietnamese food because of the fresh, simple and clean taste.

Perea Street, I discovered, is lovely at night. Quiet and almost homey. You don't even hear the traffic in neighboring Paseo.

There was a waiting list at Ba Noi's but thankfully there's a courtyard outside where you can sit and dangle your feet.

Ba Noi is paternal grandfather in Vietnamese.

In this restaurant, one is encouraged to use the hands and play with food.

And play we did. First we had Fresh Spring Rolls. Great way to awaken the palette. The peanut sauce could be a tad bit more peanut-y but otherwise this dish was good.

Then we had Shrimp Pomelo Salad. As suggested by the little how-to brochure on each table, we piled lettuce, shrimp, pomelo, chicken strips and sweet sauce on the shrimp cracker. I also added some wansoy. This dish was divine.

Then we had Deep-Fried Catfish with Salad Greens. C loves catfish. In Ba Noi, we learned that the best way to eat this dish is to debone the catfish, drizzle the sweet sauce on it and mix with the greens. Or you can also wrap the fish meat with the lettuce and make it like a roll. Yummy.

Eating this type of food, it takes a while for you to realize how full you are. C kept asking if we should order some more. Good thing we didn't! We felt so stuffed and the iced coffee was just a perfect end to the meal. You have to order this one soon as you're seated as it takes a while to make.

We had a great time playing with our yummy food. Ambience is alright. Simple and clean, like the food. Service is great. Food is "to come back for".

Photos by Flexi S. Sarte of clickthecity.com.

Happy weekend everyone! Don't forget to go to church and thank God for His provisions and safekeeping!