randomness over the weekend
---

krispy kreme is opening in manila... november 16, 2006 at city center, fort bonfiacio global city. just thinking out loud, palaos na ang gonuts and the like, then krispy kreme is soon opening pa lang. well, i am sure there would be loads of people that will be in line just to get krispy kremes. lam naman natin ang mga pinoy, they would definitely do that.

---

my horoscope for the week ahead

travel is a likely probability this week. plan to get outside of your daily routine or surroundings and grow through new and different experiences.

i wish i could travel... either for business or pleasure, basta travel, maybe to a familair place if everything i am expecting happens soon. i hope yun na nga yun.

---

just this morning, i was in the office, to present some ideas we had, and still i have so many things to do. we got the pitch, therefore dozens of work will come pouring on me again. i dont think it will ever stop, but just looking at the calendar (malapit na kasi ang oct 20) keeps me too damn happy and excited.

anyway, i left around 1pm already and went straight to the citylink to do some major shopping.. first i went to marina square, suntec city, and soon after raffles city.

i got dad and cho shirts from topman (where else?!) of course i got one for me as well. i bought ags a tommy hilfiger slip on shoe (my present to her for her upcoming birthday), and last week i got mom a nine west bag (a present as din cause mom's birthday is coming up na din) anyway, i was looking for somethings to buy for me as well, but i dont think may gana pa akong umikot since ang bigat ng laptop na dala ko.

but what kept me really happy is i ate late lunch, around 330pm at SUSHI TEI, i ate the following:
- sashimi salad = pretty tasty, i really liked this one. it has tuna, salmon, white fish, squid, etc with orange/lemon sauce.
- salmon maki
- baked salmon maki
- iced lemon tea

mukha ba akong salmon??, i hope not, but i tremendously enjoyed my time alone eating at sushi tei and i love the ambience, its a far cry from sakae here in SG. i love the dim lights, the excellent and fast service.. i had a wonderful afternoon, and only costed me around $16.

hay naku, if i have family and friends over, i promise to take them to sushi tei.

MY HOROSCOPE

aquarius

look for the silver lining or the pot of gold and you will find it today. a chance meeting will bring you closer to something you've wanted for a long time. money is in the picture and a chance to get ahead looks good.

---

sino kaya ito? magpakita ka na sa akin.. :)

i want to thank you for overwhelming opportunities you have bestowed upon me.
i may not see things too clearly, but i believe that there is a plan
now, i see how things are planned and mapped out for me,
it is only now that i realize it, but it feels like it was destined to be.

i might have high hopes, but its you who gave me this hope..
i might face failure, but i am sure that with you by my side,
you will only bring me what is good for me,
at the right moment, at the right time.

this ride had been such a challenge for me
but i never doubted that there will a come a time, i will see through it
i believed that you wont give me this, if i cant handle it.
i believed that i know i am on my way to something much better.

whatever is in-store for me, i cannot wait to see..
i will only be grateful for this encounter you have given me
it might be scary and again uncertain
i might be a fool to repeat this all over again..

but what you have showed me, is that i still can trust in someone
someone who must be my guide, and listen to every step i take
someone who believes in me, that i can do it.
and that is you.

i miss home


yesterday, our business manager bought cake cause two of our officemates are celebrating their birthdays. ting and wan. ting is our senior writer, she's pinay and came from harrisson communications. and wan is a dtp artist. happy birthday to both!




thanks to joan for sending this to me. :)



thank you to everyone who made life here easier for me, by remembering - sending SMS, emails, pictures, calls, etc.
THANK YOU

BLANK/BLEAK

starting from now on, maybe i should keep things to myself na lang muna. the more i answer to these stupid questions, the bigger the whole i am digging to bury myself. i-shoot ko na lang kaya ang sarili ko dun para matapos na. and maybe i should keep away from all the situations where i feel like i'm trapped and there is no way i couldnt answer all their questions.

also i feel like i am stuck in the middle, that any wrong move, ill just fall down instantly. i hate this feeling, but maybe i should make things work for myself na lang and not be so conscious about all these. but then again its easier said then done. usually, i am just sitting there and being my passive self. just absorb everything i could, and then throw it all away.

the thing is, people keep bugging me, and i hate that. so what if i dont want to join for dinner and go to pubs and bars til the early mornin.. so what if i just wanted to go home and sleep.. so what if i dont want to go drinking the whole night.. i'm appreciative of the kindness that is being shown to me, and honestly it is more that what i expected people here to be. but more often than not, i want to be left alone. its not that i dont want company, but tinatamad lang talaga ako, and i dont enjoy these things as much as you guys do.

if i already have a previous engagement, what do you want me to do? ire-arrange ko for you. and the tough part is i cant disclose where ill be going cause most of you weren't invited. and even to follow from the dinner to your gimik will be hell for me. malayo, and di din naman ako mageenjoy. so thanks but no thanks.

you can call a priest, the next pope, the one that is hard to invite, you can call me any name you want, but thats okay. all i really want is to sleep and stay at home.

my first gimik in singapore
------

i did a lot of first last friday - the first time i was super happy in the office, that i think this happiness of mine, rubbed off to people. haha, this is not the usual me kasi sarcastic talaga akong tao.

so after office, i met fritz, mich, lester, mechie and selwyn, we ate dinner at THAI EXPRESS in BISHAN (the same resto that ainee and ena ate in last july) the food was good but it was so damn hot and spicy. pinagpapawisan ako habang kumakain. but anyway, it was all fun, it was like having a friday dinner group. last friday, i wasnt able to join them last last friday in DIN TAI FUNG in raffles city.

after, lester and i met my officemates to catch a movie called "THE BANQUET" in the Cathay, featuring ZiYi Zhang. The movie is quite nice, but quite boring and depressing. boss paid $9.50 per ticket, and she treated the seven of us. The Cathat is the uber-chic cinema in singapore. i mean i liked that place, i've never been to one that looks like that. it looked like a theater kasi, with red and gold walls. cool.

so after, we decided to have BEN & JERRY's, and went karaoke singing, they asked me to sing some songs, so i sang in english while all of them sang in chinese, and hokkien. so i sang "selfish" by NSYNC, one of my favorite songs, that i could listen over and over again. and they requeted me to sing "CANT TAKE MY EYES OFF YOU", so i gave them that with my own belting rendition. JOKE. hahaha! it was an easy song, next time ill just sing that.

arrived home 5AM!

---

so here are some of our plans for the next few weeks ahead:

we are planning to go eat at SUSHI TEI (www.sushitei.com.sg) in the PARAGON on the 29th. dream ko ang sushi tei. at least ive got something to look forward to. so i hope all of us can go grab dinner there, together with fritz officemates paolo and chris, selwyn and mechie - para mas masaya mas marame.

next friday, pinoy office people are asking if i want to go "inuman" with them, cause its his kuya's bday. ang problema hindi ako malakas uminom, and mas gusto ko pang umuwe. i better think of an excuse.

planning to have bbq with officemates, pero parang hassle gawin eh. so next time na lang.

DIN TAI FUNG
Voted as worlds top ten best restaurants by the new york times (WTTBRBTNYT). DIN TAI FUNG is known for their xiao long bao or simply put dumplings. i had dinner at DTF, twice already. One with my cousins, and the other one just last wednesday with my immediate boss.

I highly recommend their fried rice which is all good, especially the one with pork chop. Also one of their best drink is the sour plum juice which is okay as well. Although i really cant differentiate it with other chinese restaurants, cause all of them are the same for me. I mean how different could it be, right?! But anyways, i enjoyed the place, its not that cheap though. 2 of us eating easily cost $44. Just searh it over the net and you can see how famous it is. We were actually making fun of their line - "WTTBRBTNYT"


TEA SHAKE HUT
Lately, my boss and i would go out for lunch together, for the past few days we've been going to BUGIS. And this restaurant offers the best mee siam with chicken wings. it just tastes so good, and they are also famous for their bubble tea and milk shakes. Its just a little store, but a lot of people would queue for a seat. Buti na lang we have lunch around 3PM na so no queue for us.


CRYSTAL JADE KITCHEN
Boss went to treat me ulit in Crystal Jade, ate chicken rice and char siew (aka asado) hahaha! It was normal, i actually cant distinguish the difference anymore. For me, its all the same. Maybe i should try exploring other restaurants naman.

---

For the past two days, for reasons that i dont know why. "Without You" by Charlie Wilson keeps playing on my mind. All of a sudden ill just hum the song out of nowhere. I haven't been able to listen to that song for years now. Weird right? Ewan. I just can't understand why all of a sudden i need to sing that song again.

---

Lester, a friend from HS is staying with me right now. He'll stay for around 10 days, kaya ang kwarto ko parang basura. HAHA! So many things lying on the floor but its cool. I mean, we'll be going around Singapore over the weekend, help him shop for pasalubongs. HAHA! Hey, i need to shop na din cause im going back in October, need to buy mom and sister a present.

---

I'm happy, so happy right now. Everyone in the office was saying that i look so happy today -- and the reason is dahil 1 week nakabakasyon ang lolo! YAY! Love you LORD!

nagweekend ba?
------

today is sunday, 4.50pm - and guess where i am?? - in the office. fixing tomorrows presentation. arg! to look at the brighter side of things, at least i am done with my part. hay. life is crazy here. i will leave by 5pm though. bahala na sila!

SATURDAY - i woke up 12noon, grabbed lunch, swam for about half an hour, and prepared to go to SEASONS VIEW in BISHAN. mechie, my kinakapatid kasi was celebrating her birthday and inited us over for bbq. so i gained 3 more acquaintances, mga friends niya, they were very nice and accomodating - sharing their horrible experiences and stories. there are 3 (2 guys and 1 girl) of them renting a pad, all college friends back in UP.

naalala ko tuloy dati, ang pangarap namin ng mga "12" ay mag rent ng apartment na magkakatapat, and live in another country, parang FRIENDS talaga. funny how things pass us by, its been 2 years since we've all graduated, some are in ho chi minh, california, manila and me here in sing. hahaha!

---

anyway, before i went here in the office, we had lunch at SWENSENS (www.swensens.com.sg). its ala fridays but their specialties are ice cream, cakes and ice cream cakes. hehehe! i ordered the barbecue chicken which was so-so, and the peanut butter ice cream, that is soo good, just hated the caramel cause it was so sweet. otherwise it was perfect.




---

with so many things happening and so little time, i was just wondering if people feel the weekend too? cause i dont.

can you just go to hell?
------

i was so happy yesterday, i thought that even with all the work my mood will still be up. well, come 12.30mn and still being in the office, i surrendered.

putang ina kang matanda ka! ang bagal bagal mo! everyone was out by 6pm, and i stayed pass midnight just to wait for you finish the whole damn thing. ito pa, sana if you were focusing on your freakin materials, daldal ka pa ng daldal. arg! gusto ko na ngang gawin yang kung marunong lang akong mag freehand! WTF?!

and this is a kababayan - he is already getting into my nerves. feeling ko dededmahin ko na lang ito for he next month. lalayuan ko ito kahit lapit ng lapit at dikit ng dikit.

this is what i get most irritated about:
1. on different occassions, he keeps asking me about my salary, and other people's salary. --> dude, live and let live. what is your problem. i dont ask for your salary, dont you get the point.. what is wrong with you. gusto mo ba sabihin ko straight to the point.

2. he waits for me in the evening so we can hitch a ride home --> ok, since the place where we live is near that is okay, but please. mas gusto ko pa kasama ang iTON ko, nakakarelax, di katulad mo daldal non-stop!

3. he asked me if i want to share a room with him, kasi he's renting. --> baka masiraan ako ng ulo, i am in the best place right now.

i guess, dapat layuan ko itong taong ito. feeling ko mapapahamak ako sa kanya. i am not like you, sorry to say that. on some occassions, i want to be alone because i choose to. after work, i dont want to go anywhere else but home. (qualifier - dahil ayaw ko sayo) ayaw kitang samahan papunta kung saan saan. nakikisama lang ako, but beyond that, wala na, nothing!

going back to the good ol' times
------

what im thinking right now is that food will always be my saving grace. aside from my faith that is. it will be the only thing that will keep me happy, excited and satisfied. one look at it, and everything would turn out to be alright. if i would have time to even glance at what im eating.

anyways, right now i've decided that to keep me perky and anticipating.. ill be focusing all my energy to food and trying out new food. i have tried so many in the past month that i was here, but i havent even been posting things kasi i feel wasted every single day. i gotta keep up i guess. so ill be reposting things - trip to chinatown, clark quay, and other foodie finds.

and to start this new chapter, a tribute to the best places in manila..


BREAKFAST @ ANTONIO'S
sunday breakfast was spent here, i think this is where we heard the news about wowowee's stampede that caused hundreds of people to die. it was a good yet heartbreaking breakfast. akala ko nga joke lang, kaya lang when i read it in the papaer, totoo pala. so this will always be in my memory.



AMICI'S PASTA & ROAST CHICKEN
this italian-school-canteen is what i miss most about going to office in makati. i usually get just pasta, but my last two visits, i also get roast chicken, at least may kahati ako.. share the calories ika nga. and i would usually get ensaymada's for take out too.



BON GIOURNO @ CLIFFHOUSE
this place also serves good italian food.. we went there last february for cheryl's birthday lunch. i loved the vegtables, and the pasta. it looked organic kasi. feeling healthy lang ako that time.



BIG BUDDHA @ GREENBELT 3
i think this was when i went back to manila from singapore, for my 10-day holiday. i think we nwere supposed to eat at CPK, pero nauwe kami dito, naisip ko sana nag SENTRO na lang pala. anyway, kahit saan naman masaya pa din, and i love their steamed lapu-lapu with garlic.



COLD ROCK
the next time id go there, ill order cookie dough. i wasnt aware that it was their best seller, so kung ano-ano pinagoorder ko dun. next time...



BROWNIE FACTORY @ TAKASHIMAYA
i think everytime i pass by this place in the city, id buy and eat some. kaya nga butete na ako ngayon. cant stop drooling over these brownies - a wide array of flavors, from raspberry cream, goey chocolatey, macadamia, just to name a few. and i think theyve got over 20 plus flavors that you can choose from. brownie haven it is.



FAT MICHAEL'S pancake with ice cream
ayay yay! a crispy-sided golden brown pancake with vanilla ice cream on top. i miss eating at fat michaels - but then again, di muna ako babalik dun for a year. hahaha!



SONJA'S CUPCAKES
i think the serendra shop is still not yet operating. but i do hope by the time im back in manila on october, they're open na. so i can grab a box and go.. haha! love these cupcakes.



AMICI'S GELATO
best gelato for Php35 per scoop. haha.

more to whats been happening...
------



THE SOUP SPOON
www.thesoupspoon.com
had lunch at the soup spoon yesterday. i wasnt really a big fan of soups, i am in love with desserts and chocolates, but never soup. but i can say that my lunch yesterday was quite filling and fulfilling. there were a lot of people queueing just to get in. there are also many flavors, but i tried the clam chowder, $5.80 for the regualr bowl. i also ordered half smoked salmon sandwich, with side salad and iced tea -- i kind of paid $10.50 for the whole meal. they call it the souper meal. corny noh?! haha. but well, i think i am coming back for more.



CCUP Luxury Gourmet Cupcakes
www.c-cup.biz
this is like sonja's cupcake but triple the price. i havent dared to call up and order just yet, because first, it is closed until the 7th of september, and minimum order would cost $40, inclusive of the $10 delivery charge. they offer 7 kinds of cupcakes, the specialty, CCUP signature (white chocolate cheesecake packed with cranberries) would cost $7. and the rest, would cost $3 each. other flavors include; tempt me not, black tie event, tickle me pink, buried zest, green with envy, and isle love you. arg, mukhang masarap lahat. so people in singapore, call them up at +65 9229 6109, i will surely call them up one of these days.



BAKERZIN
www.bakerzin.com
bakerzin
sorry, no pictures to share, just look at the link. i ate here 2 weeks ago, and the place reminded me of bizu. they offer a wide range of pasta, lamb, beef, and pork entrees and the best part -- they offer desserts, cakes in particular. i had a lunch meal, that costs about $20+, inclusive of pasta, drink, soup or dessert. i recommend: OTAH BRUSCHETTA $9.50, LINGUINI VONGOLE $12.50 and yes, WALNUT CHEESECAKE $.540 per slice, and it was soo good.


newton hawker center
this is a hawker place that a lot of foreigner go and visit. i ate here with bon and tere, 2 weekends ago. we got chili crab $24, small fried oysters with egg $4, fried rice $8, and chicken wings $1/pc and sugar cane juice $2 per cup. this place is okay but quite expensive, the only advantage of going to newton rather than in east coast, is that it is nearer the city.

------

i guess i just need a little more time to get back to my normal self. things have been rough for me lately, but i am getting by. i just think i need to go back to my old hobby of trying out new places and eating out, so i would take things much lighter. maybe one more month, and things will be back to normal. guess what, i am also adapting a thing i coined as "smile-all-you-can". and i guess its been working pretty well for me. im hoping for the best.


------

saw angel's, julette and kaye's blog regarding marj's despedida. and i am so envious of them. i miss all the fun, although am sure that if nandun ako, hindi din ako pupunta sa mga ganyan kasi nga isa akong dakilang loner at anti social. hahaha! pero still, i miss all those things...
- i miss julette, kaye, and our food trips/adventures altogether - brazil brazil, jt's manukan, heaven and eggs.
- i miss julia and ching in the morning (with jollibee iced tea sa veranda)
- i miss arguments with angel and paulo, kung sino ang pinaka-spoiled at mga walang katuturan.
- i mss joan and pau's kwento, misadventures of joan, lunch out at cibo, amici, etc, etc.

grabe, i miss my family, laughing with them, laughing at them. i miss manang and yaya - they do things for me, esp ironing. i miss being sarcastic and channelling all my negative energies around. haha! i miss people understanding me, without me even explaining my side. ahhh.. i miss so many things.

i remember a certain someone saying to me, that baka next time pag may friends nako dito, kalimutan ko na sila at hindi ko na sila pansinin. - isa lang masasbi ko diyan, I DONT THINK SO! it would take a lot of effort and energy to do that, and unfortunately i just dont have the time.