MWAH!

"Be with a guy who ruins your lipstick,

not your mascara."

-- Glamour, September 2012

MWAH!
Out on a date at Cyma, Shangrila Mall.
My lipstick: Perpetual Plum by L'Oreal.

THE CHANCE AT A MOMENT

The London 2012 Olympics has come to a close.

Amidst all the event highlights and lowlights, one tweet won gold for me --

"What will never change about the Olympics:

the respect I have for someone

willing to invest four years

for the chance at a moment." 

-- sports business analysts Darren Rovell

Relate. Relate. Relate.

I'm no athlete. Far from being one. But I know how it is to invest and commit 'everything' to a dream. Yes, for the chance AT A MOMENT. 

Sometimes, you wish the moment could last longer. But once you realize how glorious the moment was, you know it's more, more, more than enough.

Everyone who risks is a winner.


Cheers to us!
A

BEING BRAVE

"If you had a chance to change your fate, would you?" 

-- Princess Merida, 'Brave'

Photo taken by Hubby, from today's movie date. 

Brave's storyline was a little bit...underwhelming. 

But it touched me because I'm still in my "reflecting over life" birthday mood. What a year it has been! Exactly twelve months ago, we bravely took the big leap into the great unknown.  

Fade in music:

"What a journey it has been

And the end is not in sight

But the stars are out tonight

And they're bound to guide my way..."

Hope the past twelve months have been as exciting, as blessed, as awesome for all of you. 

"Some say our destiny is tied to the land, as much a part of us as we are of it. Others say fate is woven together like a cloth, so that one's destiny intertwines with many others. It's the one thing we search for, or fight to change. Some never find it. But there are some who are led." -- Princess Merida

Bold and Brave

A 

AWESOME!

MY CURRENT READ

"Polar ice caps are melting, hurricanes swirl in the seas, wars are heating up around the world, and the job market is in a deep freeze.

Whoa. It's getting pretty ugly out there.

That's why one chilly spring night I started a tiny website called 1000 Awesome Things...

I never imagined that writing about finding money in your old coat pocket, the smell of gasoline, or watching The Price Is Right when you're at home sick would amount to anything.

It seems like maybe these tiny little moments make an awesome difference in many of our rushed, jam-packed lives. Maybe we all love snow days, peeling an orange in one shot, and popping bubble wrap.

Maybe we're basically all the same...

With so much sad news and bad news pouring down upon us, it's fun to stop for a minute and share a universal high five with the rest of humanity."

-- N.Pasricha


Among the awesome experiences listed on the book, these made me say "So true!":

1. When cashiers open up new checkout lanes at the grocery store
2. Having a whole row to yourself on the plane
3. Being the first table to get called up for the dinner buffet at a wedding
4. Finding out your birthday is on a Friday or Saturday
5. Using hotel lobby bathrooms when you're out walking around
6. Taking your bra off after wearing it for hours
7. Waiters and waitresses who bring free refills without asking 
8. When the thing you were going to buy is already on sale
9. Finding your keys after looking forever
10. Finally remembering a word that's been on the tip of your tongue for so long
11. The smell of frying onions and garlic
12. Finding money in your pocket

And the list goes on. I'm still reading the book. And you know what? I'm actually not in a rush to finish it. I'm savoring the list. Ninanamnam ko talaga, haha. It's such a happy read!

***

If I were to come up with my personal list, I'll definitely include our recent AWESOME experiences (that I must blog about, in detail, soon):

1. The realization that our 'wealth' is not in the form of SUVs or designer bags, but in being able to afford  our Singapore Adventure and a very comfortable 'career break.'
2. No-alarm-clock work-day Mondays. 
3. What tops working in your SG home, in your pajamas? Earning SGD in Manila! 
4. Enrolling in not just one but three film schools. So happy for my Hubby!
5. A viral campaign for a shampoo brand. A TVC for a pain reliever. So proud of you, Baby!
6. Applying for a Junior Management position, and getting hired for a Senior Management position. In an industry I've been eyeing. So excited!
7. Our new worlds: film, advertising, retail, marketing, events. 
8. Our parents telling us how proud they are of us. *sniff, sniff*
9. Spending time with someone so young and inspiring, as she wins over the Big C.
10. Seeing a family stay so strong throughout their grieving. 
11. The comfort from having strong family ties. 
12. Tita Time. 
13. Road trips that allow you to have long, heart-to-heart talks with best friends. 
14. Welcoming and ending each day with your Life Partner. 
15. Living the truth in "God's Plans are greater than your dreams." 

TRULY AWESOME!

Thank you, God. 

A TIME FOR EVERYTHING

There is a time for everything,
a season for every activity under the heavens:

a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

-- Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8



We enjoyed our time in Singapore.
Now, it's time to pursue new dreams.

-- A & J

LIVE FULLY RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE

With an expiration of less than twelve hours,

what does Jesus count as all most important? 

"And he took bread, GAVE THANKS and broke it, 

and gave it to them..." (Luke 22:19 NIV).

Jesus offers thanksgiving for even that which will break Him and crush Him 

and wound Him and yield a bounty of joy.

As long as thanks is possible, then joy is always possible. Joy is always possible. 

Whenever, meaning-now; wherever, meaning-here.

Thanksgiving is the evidence of our acceptance of whatever He gives. 

Thanksgiving is the manifestation of our "Yes!" to His grace.

-- a few of my favorite lines from my current read, 

Ann Voskamp's 

"ONE THOUSAND GIFTS: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are."

PERFECT TIMING.
Thank you to KLG and The Today Show
for the recommendation.

'Thank you' are among my favorite words. My Gratitude Journal is among my most valuable possessions. That's why I easily gravitated to the book One Thousand Gifts.

Living in gratitude is easy through good times, tough through bad. But because I've experienced the truth in this -- The holy grail of joy is not in some exotic location or some emotional mountain peak experience. The joy wonder could be here! Here, in the messy, piercing ache of now...(Ann Voskamp) -- I choose to give thanks, no matter what.

As the book reminds us, Jesus revealed the secret to happiness, through his own example. In his dying hours, He still chose to give thanks. (Mamamatay na, papatayin na, nagpapasalamat pa rin.) The greatest thing is to give thanks for everything. He who has learned this knows what it means to live.


Today, I'm especially grateful for:

1. Our Amazing Adventure. Wow.
2. Thank you, God, for the wonderful opportunity. 
3. Thank you for all the life-enriching experiences.
4. New perspectives. 
5. The next chapter. 
6. The new road.
7. New Dreams
8. Stronger Faith
9. Our marriage. 
10. Our families. 
11. Tita Time!
12. Our friends.
13. Good health.
14. Our lovely home.
15. Our quiet little life. 
16. Freedom!
17. Current work set-up. (Pwedeng ganito?! Bongga.)
18. Because it can get too hot -- Thank you for cold showers, the swimming pool, the air con, and finally some rain!
19. Successfully crossed-over to advertising after doing TV for more than a decade. 
20. The opportunity of crossing-over into another dream industry. *praying*
21. The reminder to be cautious as to who you let into your life. 
22. Ikea
23. Today's errand was finished in less than an hour. We're pleasantly surprised. 
24. Thai massage. Pinoy dinner. American Idol.
25. Jessica Sanchez. We're in awe of the girl's talent. She's been making a lot of people, especially Pinoys, happy and proud. Final results in a few hours!
26. Be grateful that God doesn't grant us everything we want. Instead, He provides us with everything we need. 
27. God's Plans are greater than our dreams. (I never imagined I'd be where I am now. Again, pwede pala 'to?! Bongga.)
28. Thank you, God, for loving us the way you do. 

Try starting your own Gratitude Journal. List everything you're grateful for. Not of gifts you want but of gifts you already have. That's the dare to LIVE FULLY right where you are. 

SANDS SKY PARK

We've seen Singapore from the Flyer. It was a gorgeous, breathtaking view of the city at 42 stories high, 165 meters above the ground.  

Out On A Date at the Singapore Flyer

One wet weekend, we decided to top that by going up 191 meters above the ground, 56 stories high.

Out On A Date at the Sands Sky Park

Here's the amazing view of Singapore from the Marina Bay Sands Sky Park. Nope, definitely not for those with acrophobia. 

Coming soon: Gardens By The Bay

Wet Weekend at the Observation Deck

The Singapore Flyer is the tallest Ferris wheel in the world.

The lotus-inspired ArtScience Museum

The world's longest elevated infinity pool

The Louis Vuitton Island

All the time we were up in the Sky Park I was singing the Carpenters' song --

"I'm on the top of the world lookin' down on creation

And the only explanation I can find

Is the love that I've found ever since you've been around

Your love's put me at the top of the world."

Hubby to me: Kaya umuulan eh.

LOL

We were actually considering booking a room at the MBS for the weekend. But the new me (on kuripot mode) won over. Saka na ang luxurious hotel room escapades. OK na muna sa Sands Sky Park. 

Tickets to the observation deck: SGD20 (Php640) each for adults, SGD14 each for children

High on Love (hope you are too!),

A

POPCORN PICKS

Out on a date at the movies: 21 Jump Street, The Avengers, Dark Shadows

21 Jump Street: It was so much fun watching this. A very nice surprise. I enjoyed it more because Hubby was laughing out loud, bentang-benta sa akin, pero mas benta sa kanya! Lol. I liked Channing Tatum better here than in his recent romantic drama The Vow (that one disappointed me). Mag-comedy na lang kaya siya? Among the movie's best moments: Johnny Depp's cameo ( FYI, in case you're too young to remember, he was part of the TV show.)

The Avengers: As expected, it was a crowd-pleaser. A blockbuster spectacle. I loved every moment of it! And I'm not a comic book / Marvel fan. The story, the action, the visuals were very exciting for me. Hubby's reaction as soon as the credits rolled: "Pambata." I guess I'll forever be young-at-heart, hehe.

Dark Shadows: "Family is the only real wealth." We're fans of Johnny Depp and Tim Burton so we enjoyed their reunion. I have never seen (or heard) of the TV show so it was easy for me to appreciate the adaptation. It's no  Edward Scissorhands (A classic in our book.) but I won't go so dark on the reviews naman -- it's getting a lot of flack especially from the TV show's fans. It had its moments.

Liked anything you've seen lately?

ANDY WARHOL: 15 MINUTES ETERNAL

"In the future, everybody will be world-famous for fifteen minutes." - Andy Warhol 

Hello, You Tube! 

Out On A Date at the Andy Warhol 15 Minutes Eternal
ArtScience Museum, Singapore

No photography allowed inside the exhibit.
So sa entrance lang kami nag-picture.

Hubby and I will be eternally grateful for having the chance to see the Andy Warhol: 15 Minutes Eternal exhibit at the ArtScience Museum. It features the largest collection of iconic works by pop artist Warhol, including Jackie, Marilyn Monroe, Campbell's Soup, Silver Liz, Time Capsule 51, The Last Supper.

It was such an overwhelming experience. We've always been Warhol fans. I love how he saw the beauty in everyday, ordinary objects. Pieces that we only got to see in books and the internet were 'in the flesh,' right before our eyes! Amazing.

The most revealing piece for me: The Time Capsules. They are boxes containing meaningful items collected by Warhol throughout different periods of his life. Although various studio assistants handled the boxes over the years, few people recognized the mass of materials as anything but "Andy's stuff." The boxes actually reveal new and important information about the artist's life. But only one box is open for viewing in this exhibit -- Box #51, which contains fashion magazines (including Vogue and Glamour) and fashion books.

There's a gift shop at the museum selling Warhol reprints. But Hubby and I opted to buy shirts from Uniqlo instead, see here.

Andy Warhol's Shoes
I have a hard-bound journal and stationary with this print.

The exhibit will be up until 12 August 2012.

Ticket price: SGD15 per adult (around Php480 each)

For details, visit the ArtScience Museum website. 

HO CHI MINH CITY SIGHTSEEING

Limited Days + Tight Budget = DIY City Tour. That's a travel formula that works for Hubby and me. We say no to tour packages. And yes to research, long walks and the possibility of getting lost (part of the adventure!).

I'm sharing five of the city spots we got to see during a long weekend in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. All these are located within District 1 (where our budget hotel was also situated). We would have wanted to explore the city more but due to time and budget constraints, we stayed in one district. The perks of that decision: we got to enjoy leisurely walks and long delicious meals.



(1) The Reunification Palace
135 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

It was the presidential home and work place when Vietnam was divided into North and South. Today, the palace marks the end of the war, just like the fall of the Berlin Wall, as the North Vietnamese tank crashed its gates in April 1975.

It's now a museum. Open daily. 7:30-11:30am; 1-5pm.

Entrance fee: VND 20,000 per head (that's less than Php50)

The Reunification Palace's facade

Inside the Reunification Palace. Very '70s.

(2) The Notre Dame Cathedral

No. 1 Cong turong Cong xa Paris Street. 

A mere 5-minute walk from the Reunification Palace.

Built from 1863-1880, it's over one thousand five hundred years old!

We're charmed by the cathedral's French colonial beauty.

(3) The Central Post Office

2 Paris Commune Street, District 1

Right beside the Notre Dame Cathedral.

Me to Hubby upon reaching the entrance: "We're in Paris!" 

It's one of the oldest buildings in HCMC, built between 1886 and 1891. But the more interesting tidbit for me: It was designed by Gustave Eiffel of the Eiffel Tower. Wow. 

It looks more like a 20^th century railway station in Europe than a post office in Asia. Agree?

The phone booths bring you back in time.

Such pretty tiles.
(Those are my "super sulit sa lakad" black ballet flats. Very comfortable pair from Zara.)

Viet Comm. Post, pay phone, cell phone. 

(4) The Saigon Opera House

Along Le Loi Avenue

Around three blocks away from the Central Post Office

Lovely French Colonial architecture.

(5) Ho Chi Minh City Hall
86 Leh Thanh Ton Street
A block away from the Opera House.


Another charming French Colonial building.

In front of the City Hall is the very pretty Ho Chi Minh garden square.

Eavesdrop on a conversation from this date:

• My photography-enthusiast Hubby to Me: Gumagaling ka ng kumuha ah. 
• Me: *kilig* I have the best mentor kasi. *kiss*

Yes, our marriage's motto is "Love your own." And I'm unabashedly cheesy. Hehe.



Anyway, we'd love to go back to HCMC for a tour of the Mekong Delta, Saigon River and the Cu Chi Tunnels naman. God-willing...

HO CHI MINH CITY FOOD TRIP

Hubby and I have always liked Vietnamese food, ranked as one of the healthiest cuisines in the world. Our favorite pho place in Manila: Pho Hoa (we're neighbors with the Shangrila Mall branch). 

After trying authentic Vietnamese meals during our Ho Chi Minh City holiday, we loved the cuisine even more! Everything we had -- from side street stalls to restaurants -- were really good. And very affordable, perfect for budget travelers like us. Our Manila pho experience was raised to the next level in HCMC, sarap x 10! 

Now to the main course of this entry...

We ate in one of the side street stalls, just like the locals. Yan ang eksena sa Vietnam, nasa kalsada kumakain. Karinderia, is that you?

Our first Vietname meal: Pho with beef meatballs. Pho: a noodle soup with a rich, clear broth made from a long boiling of meat and spices. Typically served in bowls with spring onion, slices of semi-cooked beef and broth. Vegetables and herbs are also added. (Wikipedia)

2 bowls of pho + 2 Coke cans + 2 glasses of sugarcane juice

VND 120,000 (around Php250)

I was intimidated by all the zeroes at first. "What?! One hundred twenty THOUSAND?!" But I got the hang of it after this first meal, hehe.

We loved the Banh Mi. That's the Vietnamese baguette with pate, Vietnamese mayo, cold cuts, jalapeno, pickled carrot and cucumber slices. It's among the more visible street food -- almost every street corner has a Banh Mi stall. This one was only VND14,000 (less than Php30).

Pho for breakfast at our budget hotel. They serve buffet-style breakfast (American, Chinese and Vietnamese), hindi lang naman ito.

If Manila has Jollibee, Vietnam has Pho24.

The Chicken Pho was so good. Far more flavorful than the bowls in Manila.

Fresh lemon juice. Perfect for the heat.

Claypot Meal: Shrimp Rice. Very good. 

Hubby doesn't like seafood much (ako ang into seafood) pero dito natuwa siya.

Fried Spring Rolls. So fresh!

Our version of a Happy Meal!

We saw a lot of Pho24 branches around HCMC. We tried the one in Vincom Center, near the Opera House. 

Vietnam has a rich coffee history. Coffee production is among the country's major source of income. It's a haven for coffee-lovers as local cafes are found everywhere, as in everywhere. Not Starbucks ha, local cafes. But since Hubby and I are not coffee drinkers (we love tea!), we tried an ice cream shop that serves coffee -- para hindi hardcore kape. 

My iced cocoa. Ang tapang! Hubby had to finish it for me.

Hubby's iced coffee. We tried the local coffee. Hubby liked it.

They're into people watching. Nakaharap talaga ang cafe tables sa kalye. Very relaxed ang pace and vibe ng buhay dito (Must be the French influence? They know how to enjoy the art of doing nothing. Love it.) 

I needed ice cream. It was too hot! (And hindi ko kinaya ang bitterness nung cocoa drink.) So we shared an order of banana split.

Bach Dang Ice Cream branches are found everywhere.

Nam Son is among the local favorites daw. Mukhang totoo because the place was packed. Go here for your steak fix.

Starters.

Their hot sauce was really hot. Just as we like it.

We had Beef with Rice, VND 55,000 (around Php113). It was so good. The beef was so tender. Ang sarap ng timpla. Even the rice was perfect, parang butter rice.

I had Pepsi and Fresh Lemon Juice. 

Uhaw much? Ang init kasi!

Hubby in the background, hehe. He doesn't like having his picture taken so hanggang ganito na lang.

Nam Son is located at 188 Nam Ky Nghia, HCMC.

Another popular HCMC place according to the blogsphere: Au Parc, a French restaurant.

Address: 23 Han Thuyen, near the Notre Dame Cathedral & the Reunification Palace

Date shot: Us, waiting for our table.

Au Parc's very charming interiors!

My French Tips (DIY) at a French resto. (Blogged about this on My Little Black Book of Style.)

Fruit shake. It was a fusion of aloe vera, mango and lime. Loved it!

My bolognese was good. 
VND 115,000 (around Php235)

Hubby's garlic and herb cheese sandwich was even better than my pasta. 

VND 85,000. (around Php174)

The Chocolate Nemesis was OK.

VND 65,000. (around Php133)

Our bill was almost half a million...dong! Lol.

Around Php850.

We really went for the popular (and down-to-earth) food joints. So we also tried Pho 2000.

Its signage says "Pho for the President" because Bill Clinton ate here when he visited Vietnam.

We lowered our expectations because the locals say the place is overrated. Sikat lang dahil kumain si Bill Clinton dito. So we were pleasantly surprised when our orders -- seafood pho, porkchop rice and fresh coconut juice -- tasted really good. Yey! 

Bloggers were raving about Pho Hoa Pasteur so we tried it too. 

Walang pinalampas? Haha!

Generous servings of chili and lemon. Andyan lang, hindi na kailangan hingin. 

We both had the Pho Gan (beef tendon). And it was pho perfection in terms of serving size, freshness of ingredients, burst of flavors, tenderness ng beef, sarap ng sabaw. A must-try.

Guess what we saw going to Pho Hoa Pasteur along Pasteur Road? Jollibee! Sa Singapore walang Jollibee. Buti pa sa Vietnam meron. 

Another cafe we tried: Cafe La Mode. Pang budget traveler talaga.
Syempre may Eiffel Tower sa logo since Ho Chi Minh City was once a French colony.

I tried their coconut ice cream. Hubby had a scoop of chocolate. OK naman. Homey.

We enjoyed watching the street scene below, from our cozy cafe corner.

According to the Lonely Planet travel quiz, I'm a Global Gastronome type of traveler (aka Matakaw). So imagine how *happy* I am to have enjoyed another foreign country's good food while traveling on a budget!

Glory to God.