31 January 2012

IS HE THE ONE?

Did I instantly know that Hubby was The One? No. We weren't even talking as friends (only as distant colleagues) before our supposed "blind date." But after that date, I did wonder - Could he be the one? The question crossed my mind because (1) He got me talking sharing. I trusted him with personal stories on that very first date. A first in my dating life. Actually, a first in my life. All my friends know it takes awhile for me to open up. But with J it all just happened naturally. (2) On that first date, we enjoyed talking to each other so much na halos mapagsarhan na kami sa Uva! As in nakaligpit na lahat ng tables and chairs, except ours. Kami na lang ang customers sa resto. Ang dilim na. And the staff was giving us that "Hindi pa po kayo uuwi" look. Lol. 

So when did I know for sure? When we were already boyfriend and girlfriend. Our relationship revealed that He was more than I prayed for, the Life Partner I'd want to grow old with. For details, read about our altar date vows.

Glamour Feb 2012
All about Valentine's Day
and Men, Men, Men.


Glamour's February 2012 issue has an article on this - Is He The One? I got to read it on the train, sitting beside my dear Hubby. Sa sobrang relate ko, I asked him to read it too (first time for him to read Glamour, hehe). We had such big smiles after finishing the article, mukha siguro kaming sira sa MRT.

Here are bits from the article, dedicated to everyone who's still on the search...



IS HE THE ONE? Actress and comedian Ali Wentworth spent years dating the wrong dudes--but meeting the right one, George Stephanopoulos, set her straight. OK, Ali, share your secrets!


"One of the women wanted to set me up with her friend George...  'Absolutely not. I am not being set up - ever,' I replied. Blind dates sounded like unmitigated hell.

But I am a woman who enjoys a good story. I like to tell them at dinner parties, to strangers on the bus, anywhere I have an audience. (I am an actress, after all.) So when I was in New York for work a few weeks later, I decided to call George Stephanopoulos...I spent my professional days taking risks, so why not do so in my personal life?

He wanted to meet for dinner. I said coffee. We settled on lunch. I thought Barneys was the ideal place; that way if the date were a complete disaster, I could still buy my Kiehl's face cream. I had very low expectations.

We entered the store's bustling restaurant at the same time and were seated in the center of a cacophonous room. And what precipitated over the next hour was, for lack of a more precise word, cosmic. I had never met George, but I felt such ease talking to him. I didn't put on a show or try to be a better version of myself. There was a profound coziness. He was like a down comforter I wanted to live in. And he got me: He understood my humor, my observations and my beliefs the way someone from your own tribe does. It was more than the fact that we both ordered crab salad; it was the feeling that we were home.

And that is how you know: It's never the surface stuff -- Oh, I like sandy beaches and stormy nights too...Nora Ephron got it exactly right with that famous line from When Harry Met Sally..."I knew the way you know about a good melon." It's instinctual. It's from the gut.

We were engaged after two months and married after eight. And during those planning days, I didn't care where we lived, how many kids we had or whether our decor should be modern or traditional. I just knew I wanted to spend my life with George. When you know for sure, you don't dwell on the fantasy of the union: What will my wedding dress look like? Should we serve chicken or fish? What will we name our twin girls and boys? You focus on how he makes you feel -- empowered and beautiful..."

--

How can we not relate to a love story about GEORGE and ALI, who also met on a blind date? *wink*


PRICELESS?



I've always loved Mastercard's "Priceless" campaign.

When I saw this outdoor ad
(yes, sa sobrang successful ng campaign,
yun pa rin talaga ang ginagamit nila until now),
ang nasabi ko lang ay 
"Kumusta naman ang pose?"

Ang pagpapakatotoo, priceless.

30 January 2012

HAPPY FEET

Today's funny sight: feet on display at the fish spa! Lol.

Very interesting window display at The Shoppes

Have you tried this? I know we have it in Manila, at the Ocean Park. The fish is supposed to eat off dead skin from your feet - tama ba? It's by far the most interesting window display we've seen here in SG.


TODAY'S COMPLIMENT

Today's simple joy:
a compliment on the job I used to do:

"You made it look so easy.
Ang hirap pala."


29 January 2012

HAJI LANE

First trip to Haji Lane: Last year's dinner at Le Bistro Parisien, see here.

We went back to see the street in a whole new light (in broad daylight!). We so agree with JP, it has the same vibe as Cubao X in Manila. What's in there: boutiques selling one-of-a-kind fashion items, made-in-Japan bike shops, unique furniture stores, indie record bars, restos, tattoo parlors, bakeshops, you get the drift. To read more about Haji Lane, check their website.

Nearest MRT: Bugis (green line)

To Haji Lane from Arab Street.
Love the graffiti.

BluJaz Cafe

An Egyptian Resto

Mexican Tiles

More awesome graffiti.

We must try this Mexican place soon.
(It was closed the day we were there.)


Piedra Negra

Stencil Art

More dresses, bags, shoes, etc.

Ommmm...

You've got mail!

That's me!


My Fat Lady bakeshop
(Parang dapat "That's me!" rin ang caption dito. Lol.)

WELCOME THE WATER DRAGON

Mga eksenang Chinese New Year 2012 (aka Spring Festival) around Singapore...

In Chinatown
Red Overload


At the River Hongbao
Lights Off


Lights On


At the Esplanade
Installation in the Esplanade Lobby.
And the gorgeous lanterns along the Outdoor Theater.


In Sentosa

Spring Flower Festival
It was hard to take photos dahil over-crowded talaga!




Along Orchard



In Sengkang, and more from the River Hongbao
Dragon Arch at Compass Point, Sengkang;
Dragon made of porcelain plates;
Among the many rides sa River Hongbao "perya"
(May perya!)

Pahabol pic: The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands

Raise more Red Lanterns

CNY thoughts: Nakakaaliw ang astrology and feng shui, especially the bits I can understand (and afford - LOL). But we choose to entrust our lives in the Hands of God. The Father is far more powerful than any trinket or charm or animal.

OVER MCDO's SALAD

Nagpapanggap na healthy.
Grilled Chicken Salad at McDo (SG).

Does McDo serve salad sa Pinas? Di ko maalala. Here, meron kasi. I know I have healthier options (yung totoong healthy) pero sige na, ibigay na ang 'A' for effort. Haha.

Anyway, over my McDo Grilled Chicken Salad and Hubby's Double Cheeseburger, we discussed Manila updates. Funny, we never ask for them but people are volunteering info. Dumarating kahit hindi namin hinihingi. Lol.

Chika Minute!
  • Sad: More people have turned into monsters. 
  • Bright side: Thank you, God, for delivering us from evil. 

  • Sad: Wicked wolves are still so into us daw. Fish nang fish! 
  • Bright side: Kami pa rin ang nasa headline ng mga balita sa mundo n'yo? Wow. We've moved on, matagal na, and you still can't let go. Pathetic. Ugh.
  • Bright side: People only rain on your parade because they're jealous of your sun and tired of their shade.

  • Sad: Were you really my friend? Hmmm.
  • Bright side: Now I know better.


On to healthier stuff...

28 January 2012

MOSI CAFE

Mosi Cafe along Haji Lane

And so the search for the best (and cheapest) kebabs and shawarma continues...

We tried Mosi Cafe, along Haji Lane (nearest MRT: Bugis, then walk to the Arab Street area). It's the first Moroccan Cafe in Singapore. Hubby had Chicken Kebab with the pita bread on the side (yes, hindi wrap like the usual shawarma). I had Beef Kofta with bread and salad. Our orders were both good. But mine's more flavorful. Mas powerful yung spices nung kofta. As usual, Hubby had his meal with his favorite Coca-Cola, while I tried the Vanilla Milk Shake (milk is best with spicy food). Total bill: SGD30 (around Php1050). For their menu, check the Mosi website.

Here's to more food discoveries! Yum!

CHICKEN DONER KEBAB

The Kebab Guy made sure he was part of the photos. Hehe.


Hubby and I love shawarma and kebabs. We're currently on a search for the best (and cheapest) here in SG. We chanced upon a stall at the River Hongbao this week. Signage said: Turkish Chicken Doner Kebab, SGD5 (that's around Php175). Masarap naman. But we both agreed it'd be best to explore the Arab Street area.

Kebab Guy: 
Where you from?

Us: 
Manila, Philippines

Kebab Guy: 
Kebabs taste different there because they put curry.

Hubby and I looked at each other 
with the same thought bubble: 
They do?

We just smiled at him and said his kebab's good. 
Totoo naman.


After he walked away to attend to the next customer...

Me to Hubby: May curry ba ang shawarma at kebab sa Manila? Sa lahat ng natikman natin (Behrouz. Mr. Kebab, Hossein's at yung mga sa kanto-kanto), parang wala naman. Nilalagyan ng hot chili and garlic sauce, pero curry? Echoserong palaka.

(O baka naman meron nga, di ko lang alam na curry pala yun? Enlighten me. Lol.)


27 January 2012

HOW SWEET

SARAP!
Current juice of choice:
Sugarcane Juice from SG hawker centers

I'm currently into sweet drinks: Honey Milk Tea (as blogged earlier) and Sugarcane Juice. If I grow really big, I only have me to blame. Yes, hindi ko sisisihin ang drinks. I take full responsibility for my actions. Hehe.

I know we also have this in the Philippines (Hello, Negros!). But sadly, the juice is not readily available. Mas buko ang omnipresent sa Manila, right? Here in SG, sugarcane juice is sold in almost all hawker centers, for around SGD 2-3 per cup.

The drink's health benefits: it's a natural diuretic and a natural coolant. Perfect for SG's humid weather.

The juice is triggering childhood memories. Sweet summers in Nueva Ecija, early '80s. Afternoons with my Mom, Titas and cousins, at our dear Ima's home. Kinakagat, nginangatngat at sinisipsip namin yung tubo (sugarcane) for the ultimate sugar fix.

Buti na lang may juicer na ngayon! Lol.