Daydream Believer

Some quick updates!

2012-02-17T18:38:00.001+08:00

It's all set and I am excited! Aia and I are heading to Hong Kong tomorrow evening and it's gonna be so much fun. Hopefully I have enough money for shopping. But without a doubt, I'm looking forward to Disneyland the most. And maybe also the food.

Cat has also promised to meet us at Langham place on Sunday for lunch. She said, and I will hold her to it, that she's treating us to some dimsum. I can't wait. I freaking love dimsum.

Oh! Also, due to Cebu Pacific's piso-fares, my family was able to book flights to Seoul for the end of the year. I know we have like 10 more months to go, but I am beyond thrilled over this. Except, it's gonna be winter. And I don't think I was made for frigidly cold weather.

And lastly, by the end of the month, we can finally move into our new house. It's just about done and I can't wait to start buying stuff for my room. The entire house is pretty much compact and functional, but it's still pretty. Can't wait!

Almost there... :)

Hong Kong Itinerary

2012-01-25T14:12:00.003+08:00

I'm traveling to Hong Kong next month with my sister, Aia! I have just started to draft our itinerary for the 4-day trip and since this is going to be our first time in Hong Kong, I'm really not sure of where to go and what are must-sees. I have a friend in Hong Kong who we also have to meet up with sometime during the 4-day stay, I'm just not sure of her availability yet, but she did promise to take us out for some dimsum. Haha.

The itinerary I've drafted is very basic and is definitely flexible. We'll see how it goes...

Acuatico Beach Resort

2012-01-16T18:23:00.001+08:00

Spent two days with colleagues at the Acuatico Beach Resort in San Juan, Batangas. Despite the hell we went through getting there, the trip was fun and so worth it. The food they served alone was worth the insane ride we had to suffer through.

Another awesome thing about Acuatico was their impeccable customer service. Hands down, one of the best I've ever encountered in this country. My officemates can attest to this. We really did feel special, from the moment we were handed our welcome drinks until we were ushered back into our coaster.

Should I have the opportunity to return, I definitely will. Two thumbs up!

P.S. This just really reminds me how freaking awesome this country is, politics aside. And there's still so much to see.

It's More Fun In The Philippines

2012-01-06T15:12:00.001+08:00

The Department of Tourism finally came up with a new slogan to promote tourism in the country. "It's More Fun In The Philippines" -- straightforward, unpretentious but spot-on. Now, everyone's been making their own versions of lists stating why it's more fun in the Philippines... Being the lazy ass bum that I am, I will instead just post photos. Haha. I hope this showcases why and how it's more fun in the Philippines.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-03T09:39:00.000+08:00

We welcomed the New Year in paradise. Surrounded by family, relatives, and too many foreigners, I had the best holiday ever in the gorgeous little island of Boracay.

There are really no words to describe the beauty of the island and heart of its vacationers, but the best thing about the trip was being able to have shared it with family. And extended family.

Happy new year to all who stumble across my blog from time to time and may the coming days bring you more joy and blessings.

More photos under the cut.

Mendoza cousins at the top of Crystal Cove

The breathtaking view from under my umbrella

One of the many vanity shots

Orange, mango, banana and calamansi juice -- taste of summer

Just after sunset

Homemade Ddeokbokki

2011-11-29T10:18:00.000+08:00

After having tried the ddeokbokki with cheese at Shin Dang Dong, my sister Aia decided we can easily make it at home. True enough, after reading how it's supposed to be cooked online, we headed to a Korean convenience store and bought the necessary ingredients.

What we cooked was actually ddeokbokki with ramyeon and cheese - otherwise known as rabokki. The ramyeon is optional.

What you'll need:

Rice cake
Fish cake
Chili paste
Vegetables (whatever is available, like cabbage or carrots)
Garlic
Onions or leeks
Ramyeon (optional)
Cheese
Soy sauce
Sugar
Crab sticks

It's the most simplest thing, really. All you have to do is boil about a cup of water with around 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and a tablespoon of sugar.

Once the mixture starts to boil, add in the rice and fish cakes. Prior to cooking, I soaked the rice and fish cakes in water for about 15 minutes. Not sure if it's necessary - but I had read on someone else's blog that that's the way to do it, so I did.

Cook for about 4 minutes on low heat. I would stir every now and then just to make sure it doesn't stick to the bottom of the saucepan. Then add the vegetables, ramyeon, garlic and onions, and about 4 tablespoons of the chili paste.

Once the ramyeon is cooked, add in the grated cheese. Use about 3 tablespoons. It's really up to how creamy you want your ddeokbokki to be. Also optional, you may add in some crab sticks, which I did at around this point.

Stir until the cheese completely melts.

Best if served with a side of kimchi. Heh.

Happy eating!

Symphony of Parols

2011-11-28T16:03:00.000+08:00

Christmas is in the air in Makati City!

Since we don’t have any other holiday between Halloween and Christmas, Christmas decors go up as soon as the ghosts and cobwebs are swept away. But the city of Makati takes it a step further with their lights and sounds display at the Ayala Triangle. It's so pretty!

This video was taken last Friday night when my officemates and I passed through the Triangle on our way to dinner at Kaya.

Now the weather better follow suit. December is a few days away and it's still so freaking hot in Manila. What.

Our Fill of Korean Food

2011-11-16T11:26:00.001+08:00

Being fans of Korean food, Aia and I tried the Korean restaurant Shin Dang Dong in A. Venue last night before we headed home. I read about this place on some random tumblr blog and decided to give it a try. Shin Dang Dong is known for their ddeokbokki which you yourself can cook at your table. But they do have the regular bibimbap and ramyeon on their menu as well.

Unlike myself, Aia likes ddeokbokki. I'm not its biggest fan. Maybe it's the spiciness, or maybe it's the rice cake itself... I don't know. Nonetheless, Aia and I decided to give it a try.

Cooking the ddeokbokki at our table

Cheese, ramyeon, and dumplings to be added

Almost there...

I'm starving at this point

Et, voila!

Their so-called good for 2-3 people would fit 4-5 people if you're not that into spicy food and have drowned yourself in iced tea. And that's why I told Aia to just order it mildly spicy. But no, she wanted it spicy. Which meant we took half of it home.

Next time we eat here -- and there definitely will be a next time -- I'm going for mild. Or you know, give something else on the menu a try.

The house that desperation built

2011-11-08T17:15:00.001+08:00

Yesterday, we went to go visit the construction site of our future home. The men working on it sure do work fast! They started about a week ago and the foundation is all set and the walls are coming up. They expect to be done with the structure by December. And then it will take about two months to paint the house and put the finishing touches in place. Fingers crossed, we get to move in by February.

Needless to say, my mom is super excited.

Tagaytay Weekend

2011-11-08T13:58:00.003+08:00

During the weekend before Halloween, my office mates and I headed south to Tagaytay and enjoyed an overnight stay at the Windy Ridge. The bed and breakfast was nothing special, but we had the most amazing time scouring the city for delicious food and gorgeous sites.

All photos in this post are courtesy of Catarina Chan.

Pinakbet Rice with Lechon Kawali at Antonio's Grill

At Calaruega

The view from Calaruega

It was my first time at Calaruega and the view was spectacular. I couldn't get over how gorgeous it was up there. Were I Catholic, I would love to get married in this place...

Crepes at Cafe Breton

We enjoyed massages at Sonya's Garden

A trip to Tagaytay is never complete without Bulalo

Breakfast at Pancake House

A visit to Serenitea at Solenad 2 completes our trip

Clearly, it was a food-filled weekend. Which means, I have to go on an intense crash diet before our Boracay trip. I don't think I can do this. Gaaaaaah!

Doggone Sunday

2011-10-17T10:34:00.003+08:00

Headed to Bonifacio High Street with family yesterday after Sunday Service and we bumped into four baby English Sheepdogs. Yes, those are BABY sheepdogs. They were just around a year old but they were so huge!

I definitely wouldn't want to have one as a pet (I mean, imagine how much shampoo and dog food they must go through in a week! Also, imagine all that fur on everything you own...) but they are just too cute for words.

I realize, though I love dogs, I'm just not cut out to be a dog-owner. I hardly take care of the dogs we already have and leave it up to my sister and dad to do all the work. It's just too much responsibility. And we know how lazy I am. Sari jokingly mentioned yesterday that were I a dog, I'd probably be a Shih Tzu -- who are known for being fairly lazy. And she's right.

It would probably be best to give me a pet rock. Or you know, a Tamagochi. The reset button is there for a reason.

The house up in the mountains...

2011-10-03T11:43:00.000+08:00

Just saw the floor plan for our new house... I am excited about finally having my own room... But the new house will be so far from the rest of the city. The thing I like best about where we currently live is that it's so accessible to everything you'll ever need. The new house? Not so much.

Yet... MY. OWN. ROOM.

Needless to say, I'll be looking through room design ideas from here on out. Heh.

I'll need money for all the pretty things I'll need in my new room... O_O

S.E.O.U.L.

2011-09-29T15:12:00.001+08:00

Because I have an overwhelming amount of video footage from our Seoul trip in my phone (that and the sheer reluctance to let go of the experience), I made this amateur video montage thingamajiggy. Using Super Junior and SNSD's S.E.O.U.L. Song as its backdrop, this is merely a glimpse into our Seoul experience.

Also, given that I have absolutely no video editing skills to speak of, this was made using Windows Movie Maker. Hahaha. Cheers!

I've got Seoul but I'm not a Seouldier

2011-09-13T14:01:00.006+08:00

So... Seoul was gorgeous. The weather was perfect. The food was delicious. The shops were plentiful. The transportation system was extremely efficient. The neon lights were superfluous.

We spent the first day shopping. Well, mostly shopping. We went to Dongdaemun, Myeongdong and Namdaemun. Good thing we had perfect cloudy weather because we walked almost the entire day. By nightfall, I was totally wrecked. Perfect for some soju-drinking - which we pretty much did every night.

Myeongdong

On our second day in Seoul, we started with the Gwanghwamun Square and proceeded with visiting the Gyeongbokgung Palace, the nearby town of Samcheongdong and then Insadong. Later that night, after a quick stop at Lotte Department Store, we headed down to the Cheonggyecheon Stream. Love the place! There was a street performer who was surprisingly talented. He set the mood right for the many couples sitting by the stream. So for day 2 in Seoul, again, too much walking. But there really was so much to see we couldn't just stop.

Hyangwonjeong Pavilion at the Gyeongbokgung Palace

Rain's handprint at Star Avenue, Lotte Department Store

Cheonggyecheon Stream

The next day, we slowed down a bit and started our day by visiting N Seoul Tower on Namsan Mountain. It was such a gorgeous place perfect for couples - which, believe me, there are in abundance in Seoul. People from all over the world have visited the tower to lock their love here. It's cheesy, yes - but extremely beautiful. After spending a good couple of hours at the tower's viewing deck, we headed to Hongdae - Seoul's university area. Filled with little clothing shops, food stalls and people filling up its streets and alleys - I fell in love with the place. More boho than the rest of Seoul, Hongdae is just right up my alley. Notable place of the day: Coffee Prince Cafe (I love you, Yoon Eun Hye).

Love Locks at the N Seoul Tower

Hongdae graffiti

At the Coffee Prince Cafe

On our last day (bawls) in Seoul, we returned to the one place we couldn't leave without saying goodbye to: Myeongdong. Shops upon shops upon shops, Myeongdong has got to be on the top of my favorite-places-in-Seoul list. Hongdae is a close rival for this much-coveted spot. Heh. We had originally intended to go to Gangnam after Myeongdong, but that was a no-go once we actually realized how freaking huge Myeongdong was. Later that night, after a quick stop at the guesthouse, we had to head for the airport. Sadness.

More of Myeongdong

On our way back to Incheon

Seoul experience in a nutshell? We swiped my credit card a few good times. We ate a lot. We walked too much. We had so much fun. Now the only question left is, when do we return? Soon, I hope.

Till we meet again, Seoul... Stay fabulous.

Excitement Is An Understatement

2011-09-05T11:23:00.000+08:00

“Hwajangsili eodieyo?”

I think I’m all set for this trip. That’s really all I have to know. HAHAHAHA. Just kidding, but yeah... I've got my Korean money, I've got a Korean Phrases App installed on my phone... All that's left for me to do is to print out our flight itinerary, our 4-day schedule, the address of Sunshine Guesthouse, and that's pretty much it.

Tomorrow, I should check up on the weather forecast for the last time so I know what to pack. I'll probably over-pack, as is always the case whenever I travel. Do I sound excited? Because I am. I really am. I actually dreamt of Korea last night. Ugh.

I should focus on work.

Remembering Michael Jackson

2011-09-02T11:51:00.002+08:00

It's been awhile and I, along with most of the world, am missing him and his wonderful music.

His birthday just recently passed and I feel compelled, somehow, to say something. But I don't even know where to begin. All I know is that Michael Jackson was a huge part of my life and is one of the reasons as to why I love music so much. He's also one of the reasons I started dancing. He was a great artist and is sorely missed.

On the day of his passing, this happened:

Karla: T, oh my gosh. I just heard. For some reason, I think you're the only person I know I should offer condolences to.
Tia: My dad woke me up with the news and I've been crying since 6:30. But it's cute that you thought of me.
Karla: Dude, I think we all knew you'd be the most affected. Marco's a fan but now he's just like, "Really?" I hope you're much better. Talk to you later.

Like a perfect flower
That is just beyond your reach
Gone too soon

Born to amuse, to inspire, to delight
Here one day
Gone one night

Like a sunset
Dying with the rising of the moon
Gone too soon

Samsung Galaxy S -- Yowza!

2011-08-15T18:10:00.003+08:00

So I did originally plan on buying the Galaxy Ace but I somehow ended buying the Galaxy S. A little bit more expensive, but it's got a 4-inch Super LCD screen, 1GHz processor, expandable memory, 5MP autofocus camera, 720p HD video recording at 30fps, etc etc.

I also have a pretty locked screen wallpaper. Look at Rupert looking all serious and shit. So much pretty.

It's new so, needless to say, I'm in love with it. And I probably spent way too much time downloading apps and games. Ahhhh, the joys of owning an Android phone.

P.S. I've also spent an insane amount of time playing around with the Little Photo app. Tis so much fun. Heh.

I Haz Korean Visa

2011-08-12T16:09:00.003+08:00

After days of trying to get all the requirements together, and then finally lining up at the Korean Embassy in McKinley Hill, I finally have it in my very hands.

Last week, Katia and I visited the Korean Embassy to apply for a tourist visa and were told that after just 5 working days we could pick up our passports. So earlier this afternoon, I headed to the embassy to receive our visas. Was I nervous of being denied despite reports from other friends that getting a Korean Visa was easy? Of course. You never know. I could've been the first casualty.

But alas! We're approved to travel to South Korea. :)

If my excitement for this trip in the past couple of weeks was intense, actually having our visas in our hands has just pushed my excitement off the charts. This is insanity. I can't wait to start packing for this trip. Sadly, I still have 4 weeks to go before then.

Sir Marlon, you makes us proud. More powers to you.

2011-08-08T13:36:00.003+08:00

Marlon Rivera was one of the best teachers I had in college. He taught Visual Communications and it was a brilliant experience for our class. He is now also an award-winning director, to add to his growing list of vocations (i.e. fashion designer, creative director, writer, stylist, etc). He recently won the Best Director recognition at the 2011 Cinemalaya Film Festival for his first full-length film, Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank.

Karla and I took Marlon's class together our senior year in college, and we've been trying to score tickets to see the film ever since it came out. Luckily, since the film did so well with the festival's audience (bagging nearly all major awards - Best Direction, Best Screenplay, Best Actress, Best Film, Audience Choice), it's now being commercially released in theaters nationwide.

You should definitely try to catch it in theaters while you still can -- as Karla and I did over the weekend. We met up at Eastwood City on Saturday and laughed our asses off the entire time. Eugene Domingo was brilliant, to say the least. JM de Guzman and Kean Cipriano reminded me so much of AB Comm majors from Ateneo, thus making the film twice as funny.

But needless to say, the biggest thumbs up goes to Chris Martinez for a flawless screenplay and Marlon Rivera for fantastic direction.

"Check na check!"

Darren Criss takes on Broadway

2011-08-02T01:48:00.002+08:00

After much speculation, they've just officially announced that Darren Criss of "A Very Potter Musical" and "Glee" fame will be taking over the lead role in "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" by early 2012.

The Huffington Post reports that Darren will be replacing Daniel Radcliffe for a limited 3-week stint starting on January 3 after the British star plays out his final "How to Succeed" performance on January 1.

"Daniel gives an extraordinary performance eight times a week and we knew finding someone to fill his shoes would be nearly impossible. When we learned of Darren's dream of performing on Broadway we knew we had found our Finch but presumed his "Glee" schedule would eliminate any chance to work with him," said director/choreographer Rob Ashford.

We - Gleeks and Potterheads alike - are all currently in an emotional roller coaster right now. Couldn't help but revel in my proud mama feelings and everything that comes along with it. But here's me wishing Darren the best of luck. Break a leg, Darren Freaking Criss!

Tickets for the run are already on sale.

Our Seoul Itinerary

2011-08-01T14:17:00.003+08:00

We're trying to squeeze as much of Seoul as we can into our 4-day schedule. It'll be hard to commit to the itinerary but it's worth a try. This should be much better than just going with the flow and wasting time while we're there.

Are we too OC? Yes? Oh, well.

Anyway, I told Katia that on each day, if we get everything done early, we can return to places we've already been to should we want to re-visit. This should really not be a rigid schedule. And as much as I could, I made sure that places we need to visit on a per day basis are adjacent to each other to avoid wasting time in trains and buses.

This is probably the best itinerary I can come up with at the moment. Although I'm quite certain that this is pretty much subject to change.

Philippine Azkals, We Believe!

2011-07-29T11:14:00.003+08:00

I was at Rizal Stadium last night and screamed my lungs out when the Azkals put their first goal in. It was just right before the end of the first half and I had absolutely no idea what was going on before I saw the ball go in. It was intense.

With all the flurry and the screaming and the goosebumps, I had no idea who had scored the goal. Good thing my best friend, Karen, gave me a call and gave me the deets.

As it happens, Karen is Aly Borromeo's cousin and was supposed to watch the game with me at the stadium. She had driven home from work to get her tickets to the game from her aunt. But due to horrible traffic, she arrived home way past the kickoff, and so she just decided to camp out in Aly's room to watch the game on tv. So I yelled to her over the phone, "Did you see the goal?! Sino yung naka-goal?!" Stephan Schrock. Unfuckingbelievable.

We may have lost to Kuwait, but it isn't over. This is only the beginning. We have a long way to go to qualify for the FIFA World Cup (2018, here we go!), but with continued support, I believe we can make it happen.

Carbo Loading at Gotti's

2011-07-25T11:32:00.000+08:00

Over the weekend, my sisters and I have eaten at Gotti's Ristorante twice. Gotti's is a mid-range Italian restaurant located in Megamall's The Atrium. And because we love cheap thrills, Gotti's has always been a go-to place for us. I'd recommend the Sundried Tomato Pesto, the Shrimp ala Pobre or the Frutti di Mare, the Dirty Fingers, and their Quattro Formaggi. Also, don't be fooled by their "serves 2 to 3" pasta serving size. They have pretty big servings so we'd normally split their regular-sized pasta two ways and just order a salad or an appetizer also to share.

All this talk of food has just succeeded in making me hungry. Sadly, I only know of one branch of Gotti's and it's not in Makati.

Harry Potter to be replaced by Harry Freaking Potter?

2011-07-25T11:03:00.001+08:00

After the news came out that Darren Criss has been in talks with Broadway producers to replace Daniel Radcliffe in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, I couldn't help but imagine him doing the choreography to "Brotherhood of Men."

If Darren does end up on Broadway to do this musical by early next year... I shall then proceed to cry endlessly for not having the funds to fly all the way to New York City for this amazing occurrence.

Source

History of Rap (Parts 1 and 2)

2011-07-21T14:29:00.000+08:00

These two men just owned it. I've been watching both videos all day long. They need to make more rap medleys. Seriously.

American Idol Live in Manila (20-Sep-11, Araneta Coliseum)

2011-07-20T10:47:00.001+08:00

I would really want to watch this show if only for Casey Abrams. But I've spent way too much already and I have the upcoming trip to Korea. And the ticket prices are insane!

Ticket prices:
PHP12,000 (USD279) - VIP
PHP11,500 (USD267) - Patron A
PHP10,000 (USD233) - Patron B
PHP7,500 (USD174) - Lower Box VIP
PHP5,500 (USD128) - Lower Box Regular
PHP3,500 (USD81) - Upper Box A
PHP1,500 (USD35) - Upper Box B
PHP700 USD16) - General Admission.

Call Ticketnet at 911-5555 or online at www.ticketnet.com.ph.

David Archuleta Live in Manila

2011-07-19T09:52:00.001+08:00

Photo by Maria

By some stroke of luck, we ended up trading in our Lower Box and Upper Box B tickets for 4 second row Patron seats. Unfortunately, expecting to be seated miles away from the stage, none of us had proper cameras. We had to rely on camera phones. Ah, well.

No one screamed louder than Ramona, that's for sure. But seeing as she's celebrating her 17th birthday not 2 days from now, I'll give her that. I'm deaf in one ear but I'll consider it as a birthday present to her. I had bequeathed upon her my sense of hearing.

My mom was also beside herself with utmost flailing and dancing around. At one point, she even urged my younger sister Sari to get closer to the stage -- Sari refused. To which my mom said, "Paano kayo magpapakasal kung ayaw mo man lang lumapit sa stage?" Clearly, my mom isn't quite as in touch with reality as we had expected her to be.

All in all, we had a pretty kickass night. David Archuleta is a top performer, and such a sweet kid, too. And damn, he's growing up spectacularly. Did you get to see those hands? I stared at nothing but those hands. Okay, maybe also his face and his butt. I am a perv. Not sorry to say. :)

P.S. I had to steal a photo off of tumblr for this post. I'll try to post original media as soon as my sister uploads her stuff.

Ace!

2011-07-18T11:03:00.002+08:00

I really do need a new phone and so I visited a couple of gadget shops yesterday and found the phone I want. I'm now saving up for a Samsung Galaxy Ace.

It's the newest smartphone from Samsung with the following features:

3.5" display
800MHz processor
5MP camera with LED flash
Android s.s (Froyo)
WiFi
Multi-touch zoom
Document reader + editor

Want it. Now.

Aziatix

2011-07-16T10:17:00.000+08:00

Earlier this week, I was randomly flipping through channels when I saw this music video on Channel V. The song was catchy with amazing R&B vocals and an impressive rap hook, but the guys in the video were clearly Asian. Perhaps Korean-Americans, I remember thinking to myself.

For some reason, at half past 3 in the morning, the urge to try to find out who they are came over me. After a couple of keyword searches on Google, I found them. They're called Aziatix (silly name, I know) and the song is entitled "Go". Below is the music video I accidentally caught on TV.

For over a decade, it did feel like home

2011-07-15T10:30:00.005+08:00

My sisters and I met up last night at Greenbelt 3 to watch an 11pm screening of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. Since we arrived there right after work, we had over 3 hours to wile away. After wasting enough time eating dinner, hitting up Timezone, and basically running out of things to do, we finally headed towards the cinemas.

Sari poses with the movie poster

I don't want to go into a full-blown movie review -- not just because I don't have the time, but also because my inability to detach myself emotionally from the entire franchise would do the film a great disservice. Let's just say I think they did the best they could with the what they had, limitations and all. I'll tell you this much, though: for almost half the time I spent in the theater, it seemed as though my tears were inexhaustible.

I'll just do a rundown of the notable things in the film.

The Nazi-esque marching of the Hogwarts students sent chills through me.
Not even 5 minutes into the movie, tears threatened to pour as we see the very first shot of Snape.
Helena Bonham-Carter as Hermione playing Bellatrix was brilliant.
Ron in his disguise during the Gringotts scene... UNF.
The moment all Romione fans have been waiting for was a bit of a letdown.
Minerva McGonagall is a force to be reckoned with. I literally clapped after the whole Piertotum Locomotor scene. "I've always wanted to use that spell."
Ron's attempt at Parseltongue, hilarious!
The scene in the Room of Requirements, Crabbe is now black, and they killed off the wrong person.
The Malfoy family -- they win my heart.
Lavender Brown, apparently, dies. Fenrir Greyback is to blame.
Alan Rickman deserves all the awards. ALL. THE. AWARDS.
From the moment we see Voldemort with Snape (you know which scene I'm referring to) and all throughout The Prince's Tale, I was a puddle of tears.
Fred's scene was truly lacking, yet I cried so hard.
Neville's bad-ass moment could have been more bad ass.
Molly Weasley's epic scene did not turn out to be quite so epic.
I would've liked to see Voldemort witness the deaths of Nagini and Bellatrix.
It wasn't perfect, but it was a fantastic way to end the series.

And thus, it has ended...

But then again, not really. Years from now, I will still re-read and re-watch the books and the films. We'll still have Hogwarts in our minds, in our hearts. I will definitely read the books to my future kids every night before they're tucked into bed. And when they're old enough, they can read the latter scarier books on their own. Harry Potter is a classic and will be around forever, no doubt about that.

No one could've said it better than Jo Rowling herself, "Whether you come back by page or by the big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home."

Annyeong haseyo!

2011-07-13T11:01:00.000+08:00

Samcheong-dong Bukchon, Seoul

My sister, Katia, and I will be heading to South Korea in about two months from now and to say that I'm excited is an understatement. I've been researching endlessly about places we definitely need to visit and hoping we'd be able fit them into our 4-day itinerary.

I really want to see Samcheong-dong and just get a feel of the traditional Korean culture. And not far from here is the Gyeongbokgung Palace - the main and largest palace of the Five Grand Palaces built by the Joseon Dynasty. Aside from these two places, I also want to see Insadong and maybe, if we still have money for it, Lotte World.

Now to find a cheap guesthouse to stay in... Oh, and I still need to schedule a trip to the Korean Embassy in The Fort to apply for a Visa. Exciting!

It All Ends

2011-07-12T16:19:00.002+08:00

Two more days before they start screening Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 in cinemas nationwide. Although it says July 15 on the poster, it comes out on the 14th here in the Philippines. To say that I'm excited is inaccurate. But since I can't find the right words to describe how I'm feeling right now, let's just use that underwhelming word: excited.

We're already planning on watching the film in all three formats: 2D, 3D and IMAX. On opening day, I'm getting my sister to line up for tickets at Promenade for a last full show 2D screening. On the second day, we already have four tickets for a 3D screening at Greenbelt. Hopefully, we get our hands on IMAX tickets over the weekend.

Sadly, Harry Potter is my past, present and future.

New Girl Group: Blush

2011-07-12T14:25:00.001+08:00

The first ever Pan-Asian girl group, Blush, with Snoop Dogg.

I saw their music video over the weekend and I thought it was a new western girl group until I really got a closer look at their faces and realized they were all Asian. The track, and its video, features Snoop Dogg and is reminiscent of the early Pussycat Dolls sound.

Blush consists of Natsuko Danjo (Japan), Alisha Budhrani (India), Lee Ji-Hae (South Korea), Victoria Chan (China) and Angeli Flores (Philippines).

The New York Dream

2011-07-12T13:58:00.001+08:00

So this was the goal. Still is, to be quite honest. But I may have moved the deadline a bit further down the road. Not now, certainly not in the next year or so. Right now, I have things I need to do and matters I must attend to. New York City will still be there when I'm ready for it.

I heard it pop!

2010-08-20T08:30:00.001+08:00

Ran after the stupid shuttle cock and ended up landing badly on my ankle instead of on my foot. The pain was so bad, I couldn't breathe or cry. I was most probably hyperventilating and gasping out nonsense. A bottle of hot water, a bag of ice and a swirl of people around me, and the next thing I know I was feeling relatively better sitting on the sidelines with my iPod in hand.

Now, after my 2-day bed-rest, my ankle is still swollen but I'm up to my neck with ibuprofen, I don't even feel it anymore.

God, I missed the internet.

I heart my family

2010-08-02T11:39:00.002+08:00

The family that drinks together... stays together. Or you know... gets drunk together.

As a going-away party for Julia, we all got together for dinner and drinks. We had Filipino dishes (complete with street food!) and a San Miguel mobile bar. Our family is kind of awesome.

I've never had so much greasy squid and chicken balls in my life. But omg omnomnomnom.

But the best part of the night was definitely the usual round of the Ultimate Mendoza Cup -- a very intense game of Charades. Hahaha! Charades is a major part of every family get together. What can I say, we're a bunch of dorks.

But Charades is better when tipsy. :)) I mean... Nilubos namin yung open bar until midnight...

Oh, and... our parents are awesome as well.

My mom and my aunts... and the flaming tower.

LMAO

OMG FAKE!

2010-07-27T09:12:00.001+08:00

Apparently, there's someone on Facebook using my sister's photo as her profile picture. She's also stolen my sister's bio from Twitter.

Who the hell is Samantha Barreto? First of all, that’s my sister in your profile picture. Secondly, that’s not how we spell our last name. And lastly, get a life.

I mean, I took that photo. Those are my boots. I don't know anyone named Samantha Barreto.

This photo of Sari, our mom and Aia was taken during New Year's Eve. That poser needs to get a life and stop stealing other people's photos and bios.

In my annoyance...

I've reported the person, and my sister has asked others to report her as well. If you could help out, that would be amazing.

Oh my God, oh my God, you guys!

2010-07-15T09:13:00.001+08:00

Life has a funny way of working out for you. It's beautiful, isn't it? It's even more precious when it's most unexpected.

As you all know, I'm struggling just to make ends meet. What with a family to support and a sister to put through college... Also, I've made a commitment to be more diligent in my tithing. And so, little luxuries have had to take a backseat. So when I learned about the local staging of Legally Blonde The Musical, I was disappointed and I knew I had to miss out. I couldn't spare the Php 1,000+ to pay for a ticket.

Last night, I received a text message from my aunt asking me if I was with my mom. Apparently, she'd been trying to call but my mom's phone was out of bounds. Due to the Luzon-wide blackout, my mom hadn't had the chance to recharge her phone's battery. I had to lend her my phone so she could call her sister.

And now we have 5 tickets to see Legally Blonde on Saturday night!

According to my aunt, she bought the tickets for her family, but it turns out that none of them could make it. And aside from herself, the only one who really wanted to see it anyway was my cousin Adi. So she bought 2 tickets to the matinee showing, and gave the 5 extra tickets to us!

So last night, amidst our dark living room, I squealed in delight and flailed with Aia, who also was dying to see the show. She also pointed out to me how lucky we were since we were already planning on saving up to buy tickets for ourselves with what little money we had. Now we don't have to spend anything.

Awesome. <3

And so, before sleeping last night, I watched the DVD of Legally Blonde The Musical until my laptop decided to run out of battery.

Rain, rain, go away.

2010-07-14T09:25:00.004+08:00

Because I have a huge window that looms over my bed - which wouldn’t close because our house is freaking old - I had to evacuate to the living room last night and ended up sleeping with two other people on our sofa. My bed is now drenched. So dear Basyang, please leave. I want to sleep on my own bed tonight. Thank you.

American Idol Season 10

2010-07-09T10:57:00.000+08:00

Nicely done ad for the Season 10 American Idol auditions.

But the fact that they actually have to advertise the auditions, shows a dwindling confidence in their capacity to attract a talent pool for this last season. No more Simon Cowell to judge your every little flaw, y’all.

Taking the midnight train going anywhere

2010-07-06T16:50:00.001+08:00

They tell me it's not so much about the destination but about the journey. I get that. I really do. And I'm trying to enjoy my journey as much as I can. I'm learning and laughing, singing and crying, loving and losing. I'm filling up my experience bank with centavos and pesos that will someday amount to millions. I will have amassed so much.

But, my destination worries me. And I cannot help but obsess about the future. Which is futile, I know. There's really no point in stressing over something I have no total control over. All I can do is work on the here and now and pray that it brings me somewhere I can be happy and content.

...

But how long will it take me to see even a glimpse of that happily ever after?

New Blog

2010-07-06T15:16:00.001+08:00

It's been awhile since I've used blogger, and so I've purged all my old posts and revamped this whole blog. And though I may spend more time on tumblr - due to it's convenience and reblog function - I hope to be able to consistently update this site.

Sadly, I've been writing less and less now. Life has been redundant to the point of mundane, and there really isn't much that excites or irritates me now. I'm basically a shriveled up soul in a quickly-fattening body. Writing, which used to help me swim through the monotonous drumming of my daily life, has now become too tedious for my humdrum mind. It's a shame, really.

Ah well. I sense change coming. I'm crossing my fingers. This may very well be the first step towards that change.