My Rockwell Urban Bazaar Experience

Last Sunday morning, Me, Alvin and Wowa went to the Urban Bazaar at the Rockwell Tent. Just like any bazaar, there was an entrance fee of Php 100 which includes a raffle stub for some prized given away while the bazaar was on going.

Anyways, right after we went it, we saw this store selling organic beauty stuff. Mama, who is such a sucker for anything that can make her skin look younger, smoother and whiter, immediately checked it out. It was the V&M Naturals Store. Sa dami ng pinakyaw ni Mama for me and her, I think V&M deserves its own blog entry kaya wait for it! =D

Pero, right after buying tons of oils and creams, Mama got hungry so we went back to the mall and ate at Zaifu, a Japanese Restaurant. I love Japanese food so I sat there agad and ordered.

Prices at Zaifu are similar to Nihonbashitei

But the servings are smaller but delicious also. See this tuna sashimi? Red na red ang color, so fresh!

Ofcourse as usual, steamed gyoza

And Tonkatsu, i love!

We also ordered California Maki, two gigantic bowls of Ramen and house tea. I wasn't able to take picture anymore because we were so hungry already!

Nomnomnomnomnom...

After eating, we went back to the bazaar.

..and saw these super duper cute glasses! I forgot lang the name of the store..

The Cosmopolitan Store was on sale. Everything was buy one take one for Php 750 only!! Ay I went crazy because they have such unique designs! See the different sando's with bibs? I love them!

FYI, Cosmopolitan has also a space a The Ramp in Glorietta.

At The Apartment store, there were racks and racks of nice clothes for only 250 pesos! I bought this dress there na super cute, you won't believe na yun lang ang price =)

I also got some nice polos from TOP PICKS. It's a bit pricey for a bazaar but a girl should invest in crisp white polos =) You can view more items at the Top Picks Multiply Site (just click it here!)

Another store that we bought from was RAIN. I got here the shawl that can be used in so many different ways. Ano nga the term for that? It's at the tip of my tongue eh! My nose is bleeding na for trying to remember that term! Anyways, the shawl costs Php 380 only kaya super sulit! Here in this picture is the owner of RAIN. She's so pretty and mabait!

You can view RAIN's accessories, clothes, shoes and treatments at the Rain Multiply Site (just click on the link!)

A very happy me at the bazaar!! =D

Anika and the Sunflower

It was the town's fiesta at Alvin's parents' house so last Sunday, after shopping at the Urban Bazaar, we picked up Anika at home and went to their house.

We made her wear her fisherman's hat because medyo umaambon. And then Tatay asked me where was the famous sunflower headpiece. When he found it, he placed it around the hat and there, cuteness was oozing last Sunday! =D

Anika was wearing a romper from Googoo & Gaga, Fisherman's Hat from Baby Zara, and Sunflower hairpiece from Sassy Hairsies =)

Anika in Black and White

I like photography. Most people agree agad because I am a narcistic person and I love being photographed. But what they don't know, I like being behind the camera as well. Growing up with a photography fanatic for a father, i think it rubbed on me too. I don't like taking photos of nature, animals or things because it bores me. I love taking photos of people. I like catching their facial expression and moods at that moment.

When I got married, Alvin and I bought our very first DSLR. Di na ako umepal sa paggamit because hubby was very interested in learning photography. I let him be and just posed and posed for him with Anika na lang.

However, the other Sunday, Alvin was the one holding Anika and I was the one holding the camera. Switched places hehe.. I had fun taking pictures of our little princess and I posted the photos here.

Please excuse theses amateur-ish photographs especially the blurry ones. The camera's settings are so complicated for an impatient frog like me =)

Do you see a hint my talent there? No? Yabang.

Hehe.

Nostalgic Moments Final Part

For this last part of my four part Nostalgic Moment, I shall dedicate this to my daughter, Anika.

Dearest Anika,

Here is Nanay and Tatay's love story in photos. I made this for you in case I forget some of the details of it. You will see here Anak, what happened up until we had you =)

Nanay and Tatay were on a date in this photo. I'm not sure if Tatay was still going out with that girl or I'm still going out with that boy, but all I remember was, Tatay was so pogi and so mabango when he picked me up at home *haaay...*

April 2008. This picture was taken when we went to Batangas. This is a very important time Anak because it was here when Tatay stopped making pakipot to Nanay =) Tatay realized here that Nanay now is a good girl and is a marrying kind pala =)

This was taken in the Carluega Church. It was here where Tatay asked God for a sign if we were really meant to be. Tatay is very sigurista that he knows na nga he loves me pero still, he asked for divine intervention. Buti na lang I felt like hugging him after we prayed. That was the sign God gave.

June 8, 2008. This was our trip to Baguio. I was expecting your Tatay to ask me to be his girlfriend officially in this trip. Nanay was so feeling that she was getting angry already because it was taking so long for Tatay to ask her.

Finally Anak, Tatay asked me na pero not the way I expected him to do it. We were sitting in this garden making kwentuhan when out of the blue, Tatay made pahaging na he likes to be committed already. And then I asked him, "Tayo na?" habang kinikilig. And then your Tatay replied, "Kaw may sabi niyan ha". Nyerk! Kaloka diba Anak?! But still, I didn't care as long as finally and officially, Tatay was mine again! =) 

Im sorry Anak I can't center this picture! Anyways, this was taken at the Diamond Hotel. Tatay took me there for dinner for our first monthsary. It was so romantic sana until I found out that he already took somebody there before! I made tampo but he gave me nice shoes from Dumond so okay na ako. I also gave Tatay a gift the night before and he was so touched. It was the first time somebody gave him something for a monthsary or any ocasion for that matter. Ka-awa siya. After that, I continuedly gave him gifts until he said tama na because it was magastos na for me =)

Anak, this was the night your Tatay proposed to me at the 19 East in Sucat. There were no pictures while he did it (before a Side A Concert) because it was your Wowa's responsibility to take pictures. However, that night, it was your Wowa who was making tili when your Tatay proposed on stage, in front of all those Side A fans. She forgot to take pictures tuloy. So anyway, theres the nice ring and flowers he gave me.

The proposal was a surprise and somehow I got surprised too. I really didn't expect it pero I had my hair curled and I was wearing nice clothes that night. I promise, it was all a coincidence!

After that, I continued making wedding plans (continued because Nanay already created a wedding website way before Tatay proposed). And finally, the wedding came.

Nanay made sure she looked extra nice that day because she was so nauseated because I was already carrying you.

It was one of the happiest times of my life Anak.

Here's Nanay and Tatay with your Ninong Toots and Tita Elaine. They're next to get married!

After seven months, Nanay and Tatay were like this in the receiving room of the delivery room of Manila Doctors. Note that Nanay was still smiling in this picture. When I was wheeled inside, I was crying and screaming for 36 hours because you didn't want to come out.

Thirty six hours and 9 centimeters, Dra. Gomez decided to open me up to get you. Can Nanay just say that you look so adorable even if you were still coating with all that goo in this picture.

Documentations were made and you were good to go for cleaning! Look at those feet! Ang laki!!

You had a photo op with Nanay pala, I wasn't aware! I was so groggy that time. After seeing this picture, Tatay didn't believe me that I didn't know daw because I was smiling daw here. I said, automatic yun kay Nanay basta may camera nagsasmile (concious or unconcious). 

This was the first time Tatay saw you. He didn't know what to do because you were so small. He just poked you na lang with his finger.

Now, here you are, a super cute baby girl!!!

And that's how you came to this world Anak =)

We love you sooo much!!!

Nostalgic Moments III

Third of the four part Nostalgic Moments..

If there is one thing that I am grateful for while growing up, that is being able to play volleyball all the freaking time. In the streets, at the school courts, summer leagues, school year leagues, national leagues, name it, I have played there.

When I learned that I was having a baby girl, aside from the typical wish of a mother that her child be normal and healthy, I prayed that Anika will love the sport like I have.

Volleyball has been good to me. It was my outlet in my youth. For someone like me who came from a broken family, I turned to volleyball. For someone like me who is so papansin, I thrived on the feeling of being good in something. Volleyball was it. And not everybody knew that volleyball also prevented someone like me to enter into drug, sex and violence which was very common in the 80s and 90s.

My CSA Volleyball Team with Coach Grace Vita. We treated each other as sisters then and up until now =)

My Ateneo Graduate School of Business Team =)

If Jordan had the number 23, I had the number 10.

Finest form from 10,000 years back =)

Best Server Award at the Inter Ayala Companies League

My Best Tosser Award from the Inter MBA League. After 16 years, I retired na when I received this award. Eto lang talaga ang gusto ko makuha eh! haha!

Good Times!

Nostalic Moments Part II

My travels:

My Cebu trip with Alvin. We went there to attend my volleyball varsity teammate, Carissa's wedding and went to Plantation Bay just before the wedding. It was soooo nice there!!!

My Cebu trip with Mia. One word, crazy!!!

Because my dad worked for this airline (and soon retired), we have always traveled everywhere almost for free. I am forever thankful for those experiences. I've been to HK, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Los Angeles, Arizona, Montana, Las Vegas, Spain, Austria, The Netherlands, Paris, Florence, Rome, Vienna, Germany and Luxembourg. Since my dad lived in Amsterdam in 1997 (i think), we have been going back and forth there to visit him. But my most unforgettable one was the last trip I had there. I stayed in Amsterdam for at least 5 months in 2004 (mainly for health reasons) and I had a blast! Now, I miss taking trips to my dad's place. Because of work and mommy duties, I cannot go to Amsterdam for just even a week like I used to.

Series of pictures of my last trip to Europe.

Notre Dame Church in Paris. Always na lang under renovation when I visit it.

Moulin Rouge in Paris

Ay may nasingit! haha! With Colby and Troy Montero at the APO Hiking Society concert that my dad arranged in Amsterdam.

Isa pang showbiz pic na nasingit! With Tito Buboy and Tita Nanette (same concert) and with Leah and Sonny, our good friends in Amsterdam

Outside the Louvre Museum in Paris

Sacred Heart Church in Paris which was totally amazing! It's located on top of this hill with a terrific view!

Inside Louvre Museum

The old Louis Vuitton store in Champ Elysee, Paris

One of the super many canals in Amsterdam

In front of the Madame Tussaud Museum which I never went in and now I wonder why.

In front of the Mona Lisa which until now puzzles me why it's so famous. If you've seen it in books, it still looks that way in actual. Really no big deal!! =p

St.Stephen Church in Austria. Nothing historically special. I was just roaming around waiting for Papa's meeting to end. I just love the architectural look of it.

These are all that I have saved! Other travel pictures are with my dad. Hmmm, I'll ask him for them nga so I can post them all here too! 

Haaayyy.... Memories!! =D