Day 212: Ice Cream Mochi

After a visit to the dentist, I get a fine excuse to get myself ice cream.  I was surprised to find ice cream mochi at Rustan's Fresh at Il Terrazzo.  I rarely get to see it at Hatchin, and would often wonder where else to get one.  It was a good thing I decided to get myself ice cream after dinner at Banapple.  While checking the frozen selection, I found mochi.  In four flavors!  So, I got one of each and went on home to enjoy it.  I still have vacation hangover, but ice cream in cold weather can perk me up anytime.

Day 211: A Cafe Affair

My last day in Davao was spent traipsing from one cafe to another.  We had lunch at Tiny Kitchen, where I had one of the best ice cream cakes ever.  Afterwards, we spent the afternoon at Yellow Hauz having coffee and cake.  It was a pleasant way to end my vacation.  I would have wanted to stay longer.  I'm a big fan of quaint coffee shops, and Davao has one after another of them.  Since I can't stay, I would surely love to come back.

Playing music: Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop (Landon Pigg)

Day 210: Mandaya Beach

Mandaya Beach at Pearl Farm.  This last day at this resort is absolutely tranquil.  You cannot beat waking up to the sound of waves crashing.  I often sleep to music so I can wake up to it, as well.  When I'm at a beach, though, I like waking up to the sound of the ocean.  There is absolutely nothing more calming than it.  

I'm not a religious person, but there are several times when I travel that I marvel at gorgeous landscapes and I can't help but pray.  Thanking God for creating such a Beautiful World (Coldplay).

Day 209: Sunset at Pearl Farm

Isn't it gorgeous?  This is what I love about going places.  You appreciate this beautiful world so much more.

Pearl Farm was next in the itinerary.  We decided to stay the night over at one of the Samal houses.  The place is absolutely beautiful.  This was the relaxing interlude of my vacation.  I feel like I could have stayed here for a long time.  I loved everything about it.  The house on the stilts facing the ocean.  Watching the sunset.  The food in Maranao Restaurant.  The house band singing Waterloo (Abba).  The privacy of Mandaya beach.  The electric car!  The sound of waves in the morning.  The flight of birds across the ocean.  The schools of fish beneath the veranda.  Everything is so beautiful.  Everyone is courteous.  I remember walking back to the house on my own from the restaurant and I was greeted by everyone I passed.  The staff, the gardener, the carpenters working on the renovation of one of the houses, the guests.  It was just lovely.

Day 208: Animal Farm and Other Stories

Day two of my trip was a real kick.  We started out early, heading to Crocodile Park, where I saw more birds than crocodiles.  Well, I didn't actively looked at the crocodiles.  The birds are far more pretty to look at.  This one looks very sage-like in the morning.  I was close to offering him coffee.

The main reason we went to Crocodile Park, though, was because it's where the Davao Wild Water Adventure is headquartered.  As much as I would have liked to take pictures while rafting, gadgets were discouraged.  The guides took our pictures for souvenir and that was enough for me.  The experience was amazing!  I did not think that I will like white water rating.  I'm a bad swimmer, you see.  However, it was a fantastic adventure.  My friend and I shared the raft with two married couples (one married for twenty-three years and one newlywed), and I thought it was going to be awkward.  It probably was during the first thirty minutes, but it quickly got comfortable and noisy in our raft.  The guides were terrific.  They were funny and knew perfectly well what to do.  They certainly kept the energy up considering it took us about three to four hours to go down Davao River.  Interestingly, the fun part in white water rafting is capsizing.  I guess, it gives you better stories to tell when you have gone Upside Down (Jack Johnson).  Also, you realize you have a whole lot to be grateful for having survived going under.

Day 207: Cafe Demitasse

Touched down Davao.  First stop is Cafe Demitasse on F. Torres.  On the way there, I noticed that Davao is littered with quaint cafes.  It's absolutely charming.  Since my flight came in late, there wasn't really much to do but catch up with my old friend.  Tonight we relax.  Tomorrow, we Rock and Roll (Eric Hutchinson).

Day 206: Time

This week is the week of the grateful.  First thing to be grateful for is for time.  I'm thankful for the time I'm blessed with to enjoy.  To work, to play, to travel, and to chronicle it all in photographs.

Day 205: Hard-Case Stuffing

Given that I've been trying to get well enough to travel, my Sunday activities were limited to watching movies, medicating, eating, and packing my suitcase.  What was that song again?  Ah... Leaving on a Jet Plane (Chantal Kreviazuk)

Day 204: Keroberos

This is Keroberos from Card Captor Sakura.  I almost forgot to take a photo for this week's theme.  Here's a toy that holds a lo of memories.  Well, it isn't too old, neither is it worth a lot, but it reminds me of good memories.

Back in high school, a friend and I got hooked on watching Card Captor Sakura.  We followed the story like insane little girls.  I don't know what is it about this anime, but it somehow just sold to us then.  It was so bad that we bought it's merchandise, toys, cards, and had the soundtrack ordered.  Back then, it wasn't that easy to get these things.  It has been about ten years since, but every time I see something from the anime, I somehow would end up getting it.  I bought a Kiddie Meal from Jollibee when they came out with Card Captor tape dispensers (it wasn't really useful, believe me).  Every now and then, I'd see something that reminds me of this girlhood obsession, and I sort-of feed it.  I guess, it's my way of not losing touch with that eight-year old in me.

Day 203: Luggage

I'm still too ill to make a decent post.  I also had to skip work today.  I spent nearly 24 hours sleeping.  That may be exaggerating it, but it sure felt like it.  I did manage to take the luggage out to air it for next week.  Don't ask me how, I do not remember being able to do it.

Day 202: The Daily Bread

I wanted solids to eat, after having too many servings of congee and chicken noodles.  I really haven't been feeling well and I've been trying to keep my strength up.  However, it looks like my body just wants to rest.  A couple of hours into work, I was sent home because I was probably more viral than useful.  I tried to make myself breakfast after sleeping for several hours, however, this flu is making me lose my appetite.

I do hope to feel better by tonight.  I still have loose ends to tie up at work before I go on leave.  I still have a class to take care of.  Another reason I want to get better is because I do not want to be ill when I go on my trip.

Day 201: Chips

Snacking on potato chips.  I have no concept of a healthy diet.  Bah!

Day 200: Locked

Lock in black and white.

I am not feeling well.  Therefore, I do not have much inspiration on the 200th post.  I would have liked something more symbolic.  Well, You Can't Always Get What You Want (The Rolling Stones), right?  However, I am still optimistic.  I have to be.  There's no other way to go around it.

Day 199: Stracciatella

The heat feels like summer.  After a long day, I get to reward myself with gelato, this time from Ti Amo.

Day 198: Husky

This fellow was with the folks in the table next to us.  Ain't he adorable?  He's kind of shy, though.

I had coffee with old friends at CBTL earlier.  There was a couple who sat on the table next to us who had this two adorable Siberian Huskies.  This is probably my favorite among all dog breeds.  They remind me of wolves.  They're very smart, too.  Also, they're right-sized.  Small enough to be house dogs, and can grow big enough to be guard dogs.  I would love to take care of one, however, I have to figure out how to take care of myself first.

Speaking of husky, I've been coughing since yesterday and I can hear my voice getting husky.  I feel a fever coming.  I hope I feel better in the morning.

Day 197: Folie's de Mwah

Final encore of Club Mwah's Bedazzled show.

The team from work went to Club Mwah for our off-site event.  For the unaware, Club Mwah is a theater bar in Mandaluyong where majority of the performers are transvestites.  These ladies are amazing.  They probably look more feminine than I do.  Bedazzled is an elaborate show that combines several production numbers with different themes.  Mostly, from musicals.  I loved several acts in the show, the Eartha Kitt rendition of C'est si Bon, a funny take on Maybe This Time from Cabaret, Madonna's Shanti Ashtangi, routines from Dreamgirls, Burlesque and a whole lot more.  My favorite was probably the Chicago routine Cell Block Tango (He Had It Coming).  The performance was fantastic.  It's really worth watching.

Day 196: Foliage Path

It's payday, and I took this on my way to another shopping excursion.  Somebody stop me.

Well, nobody really did and I went home with a bunch of lovely new things. :)

Day 195: Coffee Passport & Eco-Friendly Sleeve

Coffee has always worked well with doughnuts.  Oftentimes, doughnut shops would have good brewed coffee.  The Krispy Kreme in our office building is no exception.  Starbucks is getting fierce competition from this brand for me.  This Coffee Passport is a promo that allows you to collect stamps on every coffee purchase and get freebies at certain milestones.

One of my favorite thing about this brand is how they support and initiate means to lessen carbon footprint.  I was fascinated with their coffee sleeve when I first saw it.  It wasn't your usual cardboard sleeve.  It looked like it was made of some kind of cloth. The print on the edge of it, though, says it's made of 100% recycled bottles and encourages consumers to reuse on their next cup.  I thought that was brilliant!  I've been trying to drop by before they close to get my daily dose of caffeine to get my engine on gear.  Mind you, the coffee's pretty good, too.  Knowing you're contributing to an initiative to go green is an added bonus.

Playing: Somebody Like You (Keith Urban)

Day 194: Make A Plan

My brain stopped functioning by the time I finished my shift today.  I got home tired, hungry and wondering what random thing I should take a picture of.  While waiting for Gosick to buffer (watched it after reading photoparjour's post), I saw this little notebook I got in Baguio earlier this year. I bought it because it says Music and Violin on the cover (I know that doesn't really make sense) and it had cute colored pages.  It was the first time, however, that I opened it on the first page.  The writing says, "MAKE A PLAN", Comic Sans and all caps.

Well, the message kind of struck through my tax calculation-infused brain.  I need to make a plan.  I have been harping about a lot of things, but haven't really gotten around to structuring any of it.  Or, at least, not to most of the ones that probably matter.

Day 193: Illuminated

Light.  Imagine life without it.  I like how a single light can illuminate a dark place.  How a tongue of flame would dance on a wick.  A little bit of it, brightens you.  A little more of it, warms you.  A little too much of it, consumes you.

Listening to There's A Light That Never Goes Out (The Smiths).  All this thought is a result of too much calculation.

Day 192: Cameo

I have a thing for cameos.  I think that the first time I liked a cameo was during one of the Lingo ng Wika in grade school.  We were, of course, asked to come in wearing a Philippine costume.  Back then, the easiest Filipiniana costume you'd find would be the traditional patadyong or the baro't saya.  I do not remember how, but there was a time when I ended up wearing a traditional baro't saya that looked straight out of a Noli Me Tangere set.  Complete with a lace fan, bakya, and a pretty cameo on a velvet choker.  My mother has patterned the entire costume out of a souvenir doll.  What can I say?  My mom has fantastic taste.

Ever since then, I have always been fascinated with cameo pieces.  Chokers, earrings, lockets, brooches, and sometimes even cuffs.  I do not get to wear these pieces often, though.  Maybe it's time to take them out of storage.

Day 191: Lengua de Gato

Snacking on lengua de gato in between highlighting and calculating.  Not that I did a lot of it.  I spent more time watching movies, really.  It's too nice of a Sunday to spend studying.

Day 190: Studying on a Weekend

I took home work for the weekend.  Now, this is something completely unlike me.  I do not bring home work, you see.  I will stay for as long as I can at work, but I will not bring work home.  My downtime is my downtime.

This work I took home, however, is more like studying.  I mentioned about going through payroll and tax class, and next week is the last week.  Meaning, it's the assessment week.  Since, I have a feeling that I am going to be required to go through certification for it in a few months, if not weeks, I decided to nip it in the bud.  Mind you, taking work home is just an intent.  I did not even bring the entire manual, which much too heavy.  I haven't really started yet, since the bed is just so much more inviting.  I need to get at least a chapter done, though, just so I don't waste the effort.

Playing Ocean Drive (The Lighthouse Family) to get my groove on.  Wish me luck!

Day 189: Waiting for the Sign to Change

On the way home, I took a random shot of these bikers waiting for the sign to change.

I have, at several times, probably waited for signs to show themselves to me.  Funny thing is, when I finally get them, I wait for them to change.  Particularly if the sign didn't turn out to be something I favored.  While walking home, I realized that there really isn't any use to waiting for the signs to change when they don't work for you.  You either make it change, or deal with the fact that you cannot change it.  Besides, your life cannot be ruled by the signs you wait for, or the absence of it.

I guess, what I'm saying is This Is Your Life (Switchfoot), you decide who you want to be.

Day 188: Wicker

I love wicker.  I use them to furnish my apartment.  I like their texture and their earth tones.  I've slowly been furnishing my apartment for the last few months, and have been successful in making it look more like a home and less like a halfway house.  I've been partially obsessed with getting furniture and appliance in here.  The wicker baskets have been great accents to the the entire place.  They somehow soften the hard edges of my wood and wrought iron furniture.  They also make great laundry baskets and storage for clothes (those clothes you keep and only take out when the weather gets cold).

I need more of them, though.  I'm trying to get rid of all the industrial plastic I have.  I'm beginning to have an aberration to plastic.  So, maybe I should visit Dapitan for good wicker material Soon (Moonpools and Caterpillars).

Day 187: To Travel

This is my wish.  To travel.  I have an immense fascination with geography and cultures, even as a kid.  I would look at the world map I had for school and try to pronounce all of the countries' names.  I would pick a favorite country for a time and read books about it or watch movies set in it.  I'd pick out phrases in their language and try to pronounce them without sounding like a foreigner.

When I got my passport, I learned how to travel on my own and soak in a certain place's culture.  I enjoyed saying those practiced phrases.  I delighted seeing the people and watching them move.  I adored noticing the difference of the light in different places.  I loved trying their food!  I'm a firm believer of immersing ones' self in another culture.  Preferably, on your own.  It makes you discover so much about yourself, and makes you see the entire world in a different perspective.  Also, it makes you love home so much more.

Among everything I've done, nothing has taught me quite as well as traveling has.  The world is so much bigger than us, and it's so much more beautiful than we can imagine.  Traveling also has a way of making me feel so Alive (Melissa O'Neil).  Ever heard of that idiom that says your excitement is making you feel like you're about to jump out of your skin?  The feeling is similar when I travel, particularly to new places.  It's like a rush.  It can get pretty darn addicting.  That's why recently, I've been planning on trips to places I'd like to visit.  Ergo, the pushpins on the map.  I'm still figuring out which places to go to first in the next three years.  What I'm only sure of is Brazil in 2014. :)

Day 186: Breakfast Reading

This is how I just spent the last couple of hours since I got home.  Having breakfast and reading.

The breakfast being the bowl of corned beef and potatoes, and watermelon for dessert.  The books in the photo are on the reading list for July.  I have read One Day, but I may need to refresh my memory of it's details.  I'm currently thumbing through Room by Emma Donoghue.  I had to start reading through it, otherwise, I might forget about needing to finish it before the discussion starts.  Also, I had to read non-work related literature to clear my head of all the numbers I've been calculating the entire day at work.  I'm back to going through the odious task of rediscovering payroll and tax, and by the sixth hour everything being discussed just sounds like blah, blah, blah...

Winding down with a song about stalking: Goodnight and Go (Imogen Heap).  I know, I'm so weird.

Day 185: On The Way Home

The corner of Ayala and Makati Avenue on the way home from doing grocery.

I have to be proud of myself.  I went out to buy stuff for my place and I did not end up going anywhere else other than the grocery and the drugstore.  Well, I did time it in such a way that those were the only things I'd be able to do.  Still, considering that Forever 21 was right outside the grocery, and all the other stores were just about a stone's throw away, I did pretty well in avoiding them.  Now, I'm finishing up my three-day weekend with a movie marathon and some dinner.

Day 184: Smoked Salmon

After indulging in malls for the last week or so, I decided to stay in and avoid the malls so as to save my bank account.  I've been quite productive.  In between doing my laundry and cleaning the apartment, I had smoked salmon and some fruit.  It sounds like a diet meal, but it isn't.  I like smoked salmon.  I can finish off about a quarter of a kilo of it on my own.  Which is what I did.  Plus, I had ice cream for dessert.  So, no.  I'm not on a diet.

Day 183: Eiga Sai

I have planned on watching Departures at the 2011 Eiga Sai film festival this year with a friend.  However, the influx of people who lined up to watch was just insane.  Not that we didn't try.  We queued up about an hour before they gave out tickets.  There were just too many people who showed up, and we were about 50 people behind the last one who was given a seat.  Oh well, we'll probably try it next weekend or another day within the week.

Day 182: Leftovers of a Good Breakfast

A good breakfast would consist of good food, fine drinks, and conversations with great friends.

I missed having breakfast with some of my friends after Friday shift.  When I moved to the morning shift, we sort of broke the pattern.  When I got back to my regular shift, we got engaged in a whole lot of things on our own.  This time, it feels nice going back to an old habit.