The Best Accidental Eats in Italy

The one thing I was wary about on booking a tour is being locked into eating at the most touristy places on the map. The great thing about Contiki that maybe some wouldn't appreciate is that they keep all the lunch dining choices open, and offer some included as well as optional dinners. I ditched the optionals except for the Rome one, and after trying the included dinners twice (not that great) I skipped the last one as well.

Me and a group of tour friends got a little more adventurous and decided to forage for meals on our own. Although at times it got taxing on our tired walking-around-the-whole-day feet and out huge appetites, I must say we came upon some highly recommended local flavors in the best cities in Italy!

Birreria Centrale in Piazza di Cimatori, Florence for beautiful interiors, juicy Florentine steak and authentic Chianti Classico...

The best gelato store in Florence: Vivoli (ok this was recommended by the Contiki tour guide):

I passed the wonderful restaurant Trattoria San Toma on my first night in Venice and though it was already closed, it looked so charming because it was open air seating in a secluded little square bounded by a church and some old Venetian buildings. And of course I remembered the name of the square easily! Piazza San Toma. Going back the second night was difficult, it was a 45 minute walk from Piazza San Marco through winding streets and bridges but it was worth it. The elderly Italian waiters were perfectly charming, funny, jolly and oh-so-Italian that they even broke into song while taking orders. The pizza and pasta were pretty good and the best touch was the roving musicians which even had the kiddie diners dancing.

Some really tasty Osso Buco in La Carbonara, Campo dei Fiori, Rome:

The best ever porchetta sandiwch from Cantina Foresi by the Orvieta duomo, washed down by a frothy capuccino!

Pisa: Perfect for Camwhoring

One of the funniest sights that greeted me on my Italy trip was my first view of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, accompanied by scores of people posing to pretend that they were hugging/kicking/supporting/kissing/lifting/holding/etc it. There are natural habitats for camwhores after all!

Of course I tried to do my bit, but I think I could have been more creative if we had enough time and I wasn't competing with tons of other people for the view. Still, I'm proud to have this classic photo now!

Santorini Lady

As i wandered though the small streets an shops at the heart of Fira, Santorini's main town, I didn't actually have it mind to buy anything. I was looking for a dinner place, I had already lost the shopping urge (yeah right), and most things were too expensive anyway. Most of the shops were selling jewelry that I was dying to buy, if one piece hadn't cost as much as the budget of my entire trip.

Then I stumbled into a gift shop called Gorgona, attracted by the beautiful glass pieces at the window especially by a glass lady in orange and yellow that I had seen displayed there. I almost walked away until the shop owner brought out another piece, this glass lady detailed with the black Santorini lava and white gold. Each piece is unqiue, and this was made by an artist named Efrosini who lives and works in Naoussa, one of the biggest cities in Greece after Athens. After furiously computing in my head, I paid for and her shipped to Malaysia...I didn't dare carry her along with me.

I wondered what made me like her so much when my usual color palette are the lighter turquoise and gold shades when I realized she reflected the colors of the gorgeous Santorini sunset.

New Camera

Thanks to the generosity of Super F, I was able to get myself a Fujifilm S6500FD for a fraction of the price. It isn't a full-fledged DSLR but so far after using it over the weekend, I can see a big improvement in the photos I took in terms of colors, depth and sharpness. It takes pretty good night photos too, I haven't been too reliant on the flash and have been able to depict "real" colors rather than too-bright faces at night.

I also found an free online photo-editing tool called, Picnik. If you have the time and patience to wait for the upload and download from your PC, its cool to create effects like changing your photos into Vignette, Cinemascope, Lomo, Holga-ish or spot color. I did discover though that its faster to get photos for editing from a photo site like Flickr or Facebook rather than uploading from the PC.

Check out my newfound artistry:

Sultan Abdul Samad building near Merdeka Square


Cooling off at the KLCC park pool


Petronas Towers view from Menara KL

Travel Planning - Europe edition

As the take-off date for my short European jaunt gets closer, I can't help but get excited. I thought so hard and long about this (and for such a short trip -- 3 weeks) that now, just 16 days away, I feel I'm already prepared. For someone who usually packs for a trip the night before its pretty unbelievable!

I've mentioned it before, I just love travel planning. Its convenient to hand everything over to a travel agent especially if you can afford the best. But I can't so its lucky for me that I find it more fun to see what other options are out there and put together my travel package on my own terms.

The internet also makes things so easy! Here are the sites I pore over to help me out:

• Air Ninja - lets you find a discount airline for your destination or comparison check between regular airlines as it also links to Expedia, Orbitz, and Travelocity.
• Octopus Travel, Venere.com, Trav.com and Hotels.com all help book the best deals on hotels.
  
• Trip Advisor - Lets you check location and hotel reviews and sometimes links you to rates. Its invaluable because it lets you filter hotels based on your travel style (singles, honeymooners, seniors) and also your budget.
• Lonely Planet and Contiki also helped me choose my getaway places, like Italy for my detour between Norway and Greece, and Santorini for my Greek Island escapade because it lists the interesting sights and activities.

Anyway I was able to use Trip Advisor to help me decide on my free-day-in-Rome hotel, the Della Torre Argentina for only Euro 60 a night (a bargain for a hotel in the city center) , as well as my little Santorini hideaway, Hotel Antonia in the heart of Fira for only 33 euros a night!

With my new pseudo-DSLR camera courtesy of Super F arriving this week and my Schengen visa freshly approved as of today, I'm really all set to go!

Mmmmm...Chocolate

Reposted from Klue. This is an interesting try for Anton's visit next weekend. I love chocolate!

*************************

Today I skipped lunch to visit Theobroma Chocolate Lounge in Pavilion, after hearing a positive comment from reader puppylee at our earlier article. Yep I was super gung-ho about it as I'm a huge chocolate fan.

The store is located at Pavilion's Connection wing, below GSC Cinema and next to Dome Cafe. There weren't many people when I was there, but I liked how the store looked with its wood finishes and high-backed leather (or is it pleather?) chairs. Also like the lights and the display counters. Everything looks bright, clean and comfortable.

There's loads of choco drinks on the menu, from hot to iced to ice-blended. Also available are pancakes, fondue, waffles and stuff of that sort. If you want something more substantial, there are pies, quiches and salads to pick from.

Oh and besides drinks, you can get the most yummy looking chocolates there. All imported from Australia, apparently.

Picture above is but a small sample of what's available. You'll be spoilt for choice when it comes to picking out the ones that you want.

After staring at the menu for quite a bit, I finally decided on the Ms Coco Frappe which is made with dark Belgian chocolate. Too hard to resist.

Looks good, don't it? One sip and I was in choco heaven! Because it was dark chocolate, the drink wasn't overwhelmingly sweet or nauseating. I thought the dark swirls that you see in the picture was merely chocolate syrup but it turns out they were chunks of rich Belgian chocolate. After slurping down the drink, I spent a good 20 mins scraping off the chocolate with the straw. Damn greedy but you don't waste chocolate, right?!

If you're wondering about the prices, it's competitive with cafes like Starbucks, Coffee Bean and the likes. If you're thinking about visiting Theobroma, particularly the Pavilion branch (I know 1 U's branch is open but I haven't been there yet - any comments?), maybe you'll like to go on Thurs as the Pussycat Dolls will be making an appearance, as I gathered from the banner.

Theobroma Chocolate Lounge (Pavilion) is located at C4.05.02, Connection Level 5, Pavilion KL.

Climbing Down (Part 2 of 2)

Still smiling!! I must look good in photos!

I thought gravity would be my greatest ally just propelling me forward. Yes, I would have to take the same 6 km trail going down, but “down” was my operative word. How hard could it be? Again my overestimation of my skills got the better of me and I refused a porter for my bag. Butgoing down 3,300 meters of mountain is TOUGH. Especially if you just climbed it the day before. Thankfully during the descent it did not rain. After less than 2 km I gave up on my bag and handed it over to another generous colleague. It took less time to go down but midway I started dragging my feet at the back along with the 2 other trip-mates who were having a difficult time. It was even more embarrassing because I was a 30(ish)-year old single girl and they were both older, 2-time moms. My knees shook and threatened to give way with every step and by the time we reached the last 500 meters I was attempting short, crablike movements to alternate the weight on my feet. The last 100 meters consisted of steps going up, the worst torture of all after climbing down so long. Two guys I was with picked up one of my arms each and half-dragged me up the steps.

All of us had difficulty taking steps up or down immediately after that so it was difficult to get up and down the bus, up the hotel steps and so on. But what a relief to get into a hot and strong shower! We capped off the evening with a big buffet dinner at the Shangri-la Tanjung Aru, handing out the official certificates for those who made it to Laban Rata, and those who made it to the top which were about 5 from our group. I proudly help up my own certificate which counted my 3,300 meter ascent to Laban Rata and mentally added the 400 meters more that I climbed to the Sayat-Sayat check point (they should have certificates for that too!). Everyone ached and groaned for days after that but it was all we could talk about for a while, so in terms of a team-building experience, it was drastic but it worked.

My precioussss...evidence

I just wanted to share with some tips that I wish someone (like our more knowledgeable guides!) could have told me for it to be a better experience:

1. Wear waterproof everything! Jacket, pants, shoes and especially gloves. Buy one of those flimsy disposable raincoats which can also help shelter your bag. I wish I could have worn waterproof gloves rather than those lousy knit ones which weren’t much help against the rain and cold.
2. Hire a porter especially if you haven’t really trained for the climb. It will be the best RM 70 you’ve ever spent.
3. Kota Kinabalu bring to mind beautiful beaches and tropical breezes which is why I didn’t believe it could get that cold on the mountain. It does. Invest in warm clothing.
4. Wear good hiking shoes. My rubber soles ripped off before the climb down…your trusty Nikes wont hold up no matter what those guides say that its ok to wear them.
5. You don’t need moisturizer.
6. Check for the best time of year to go. We didn’t even bother about the weather but apparent when we went (June) is right at the start of the rainy season. Earlier in the year might be less chance of rain.
7. Train, train, train with cardio and strength exercises 3x/week for a few months before you go. Otherwise, do a more leisurely climb by staying 2 nights at Laban Rata. Book early because rooms run out fast.

Good luck on your climb!

Travel Bug on Overdrive

In the 1st quarter of the year, I stuck pretty much to home territory (a.k.a KL) wondering where I would end up next. Then suddenly a series of trips kept me busy and away for the second quarter, starting with a vacation Siem Reap, then Phuket, Bangkok (one trip for work and another for play), business in Islamabad, a company trip to Kota Kinabalu (specifically Mount Kinabalu), a conference and party weekend in Hongkong (perfectly timed with my birthday), plus a couple of trips to the Philippines which included a Boracay getaway.

Right before I left for my Manila vacation in late June, I got a hold of some good news. I was being sent to the company HQ in Oslo to deliver a presentation there. Ok, the thought of giving a presentation has me quaking in my shoes and Norway is a sub-arctic region, but I'd never been there. It was also a gateway to Europe and I considered taking a few extra days for a little trip down west since I had always wanted to explore other places since my last visit in 2002.

While on vacation in Manila, I kept on checking my email (and having my friends check it!) for the other bit of news I was waiting for. And finally got. An academic paper I wrote was accepted to a conference in Athens. Get this...the conference was only 2 weeks from my Oslo trip. I was able to apply for a week's leave from the office and picked my European detour between Norway and Greece: Italy!

I've booked a Contiki tour through a local travel agent and though she was the most tactless one I've ever encountered ("Are you aware that Contiki is a tour for youngsters?"), her attitude hasn't dampened my enthusiasm for my upcoming trip through the cities of Rome, Venice and Florence. I also have a little time to pass through Santorini island right before heading off to the Athens conference.

During the trips I will get to meet up with my high school best friend who now lives in Gothenburg, Sweden, because its 4 hours away from Oslo by bus; as well as my mom's ex's youngest son (my ex-stepbrother?) who lives in Athens. Throughout it all, I will be armed with a new pseudo-DSLR camera generously sold to me by a friend for a token fee.

You can just imagine how excited I am--- and I'm totally grateful about how everything is falling into place. Its been one wonderful surprise after the other and I'm breathless with anticipation as to what's next . The Europe countdown begins!

Climbing Up (Part 1 of 2)

Before the torture

When the office told us that our next company outing would be a climb to the Mount Kinabalu Summit, I envisioned an energetic trek through wild rainforest and dazzling views, taking pretty pictures along the way. I did not expect the extreme conditions that only a mountain climbing neophyte and non-athletic person such as me could truly feel. Mount Kinabalu is the highest peak in Southeast Asia, standing at 4,095 meters above sea level. Climbing it is like clambering up the steps of 9 Petronas Towers stacked on top of each other.

Climbing through East Malaysian rainforest

The climb to the peak started at the base at 11:00 am, and we were told we would have to climb 6 kilometers to the Laban Rata rest house at 3,300 meters asl. I thought, 6 km is nothing, I can run that in less than 1 hour. Apparently climbing 6 km is not the same! I huffed and panted my way though the 1st 45 minutes, feeling every cigarette I’d ever smoked in the past years. I ambitiously thought I could carry my backpack up the mountain because it was effortless on level land, but after a kilometer, I gave up and handed it to the nearest generous person who offered to carry it for me. Embarrassingly enough, it was my Norwegian boss.

Soundtrack: "Getting Harder to Breathe" by Maroon 5

The 6 km stretch upwards has about 5 stops where you can stop for water and to eat a snack. Snacks are all you’ll have the energy for, surprisingly, I was even too tired to eat lunch though I was stark raving hungry. I dumped my moisturizer-in-a-ceramic-jar as well as my full bottle of sunscreen by the 3rd stop, wondering where I thought I was going when I packed them…the beach??

No time to eat but still time to smile

To top it off, rain started pouring down throughout the 8 hour climb. I had invested in a very expensive climbing jacket, but scoffed at the garbage bag looking raincoats some fellow-climbers bought the day before and as a result my pants got soaked through to my underwear. Add to that, the mountain temperatures of about 12 degrees celcius. But at a certain point, there was no turning back. The only way to go was up.

I sighted the welcoming lights of Laban Rata in the fading dusk by 7:30pm and half crawled to building steps. I was just so glad to get there before it got totally dark. The rest-house was littered with tired climbers of all nationalities. I was so easily pleased to the point of giddiness by the chance to sit down, rest my wobbly legs, and eat a proper meal! Then I went into the room I was sharing with another colleague, and disappointedly found that the heater would only kick at 8pm. My lips were already blue, and that was the first time I'd ever seen them that way ever!

I couldn’t shower and sleep because it was too cold. They got us out of bed at 2:00am to complete the last 2.7 kilometers to the top by sunrise. With my freshly heated shoes and jacket, I though the remaining distance didn’t sound so bad. After all I had already gotten that far. Again I was mistaken! The climb is even steeper, with sheer rock face where the only way to climb is by clinging to ropes. The only light on the path came from headlamps and torches of the climbers.

Yep, thats the rest of the way up.

At below 10 degrees celcius, drizzling rain and with wet knit gloves, I had to give up at km 7, 3,600 m asl past the Sayat Sayat check point which is the last rest stop. I stayed near the Sayat Sayat peak to watch the sun rise over the expansive views across Kota Kinabalu. That's when I saw the distance we had climbed to get to where we were and I was just amazed.

Grand views from Sayat Sayat.

To be continued...

Rockin' Hongkong

Guess who I ran into at the Music Matters 2008 conference in Hongkong? MiG Ayesa and the We Will Rock You band performed a few songs at the Day 1 conference party. And now I have a photo with him! Weeee!

Rewind to Angkor

My traveling of late has been devoted to beaches, big cities and Buddhist temples which is why stepping into ancient Khmer courtesy of the Angkor temples in Siem Reap was an entirely different turn for me. It was true what they said. At the sight of the Angkor Wat temple which I first saw in the late afternoon before sunset, I juct couldn't comprehend how something so intricate, big and beautiful could have been built centuries ago.

I arrived in Siem Reap with my travel buddies mid-morning, and instead if braving the burning sun, we decided to first tour the Old Market in town, enjoy at US$6 massage, and then check into our lovely and conveniently-located hotel, the Bopha Angkor.

As we were there on Friday and planned to leave on Monday, a US$40 pass (all you can temple watch for 3 days) seemed appropriate for our needs. Then finally, took to the Angkor Wat temple, which is the main temple to visit, the biggest and just overwhelming on sight.

We ended the day with dinner at Amok restuarant on Pub Alley, a restaurant that claims "The Best Amok in Town!". I disagree, there were other equally good if not better Amok (a coconut curry dish) in more affordable places. Then we went to bed early because we planned to get up in time for sunrise at the Angkor Wat.

I didn't think I could do it but I did...wake up at 4:30 am (or maybe 4:45?) to get ready in time for sunrise at the Angkor Wat. There was quite a crowd along with us, and you could really feel the group spirit as everyone waited for the sun to break the horizon.

Of course my newly bought camera's battery died before the sun rose in the sky, but seeing it was good enough. Nak, our guide for the day told us that the sun rises over the middle tower during summer solstice (last March 21-23 in 2008) and I imagine that's a sight to behold.

After sunrise we trooped to the Bayon Temple at the center of the Angkor Thom. I thought this was the most beautiful temple even if it's not the biggest, for its intricate carvings and the large stone faces which look peaceful and smiling at the same time.

Thankfully, the camera on my phone was surprisingly good so i wasn't left out of the frenetic picture taking.A long siesta back at the hotel recharged me and my camera battery and we headed for the Ta Prohn, where parts of Tomb Raider was shot. Of course we could not help but attempt Lara Croft poses, but its ok as I'm sure all the other tourists were doing the same.

The last site we visited was the Terrace of the Elephants, where ancient kings addressed their military troops and royalty lounged in their super duper sized swimming pools.

Our last full day in Siem Reap was VERY full...we started the day at 7am with a 45 minute drive to Bantay Srey or the Temple of Women. They say its small so it was probably built by women, and the sandstone is colored pink/orange. Even back in those days, there was gender stereotyping!

On the drive back the photographer boys took photos of the roadside villages and kalabaws while we checked out the local fare, palm fruit, which tastes like a young, juicy coconut (probably because they are related).

Finally suffering from temple fatigue, we took a break by taking a ride down Tonle Sap to the Floating Village. Its amazing how people are able to live their day-to-day lives on the river! Possibly, a river with crocodiles because we saw a lot caged at the river stop-over.

After returning from Tonle Sap, we went straight to the Angkor Thom area for another round of photos by the afternoon light, and a much-anticipated sunset view over the summit of Phnom Bakeng and an elephant ride (my first ever!) down to the bottom of the hill.

As with all the other nights, we ended with dinner in the Old Market area and drinks at Pub Street.

For more photos of my Angkor adventure, check out my flickr set. Even with my non-professional photography skills, you can see why Siem Reap established itself as my not-to-be missed vacation to take.

Rock & Roll Musical

"We Will Rock You" at the Esplanade Theater was definitely worth the weekend trek to Singapore and almost worth losing my camera over. The first musical I've watched (and I've seen many) where I felt like, and could, sing along, clap my hands and stomp my feet to the music of Queen sung with loads of energy and talent by the cast. Most notably by Filipino-Australian Migs Ayesa who plays the lead role of Galileo Figaro, the stellar Bohemian couple who play Vic and Oz (won't reveal the full character names because they are so hilarious), and of course the super-hammed up and striking performance of lead villain Killer Queen.

I loved the humor which was so contemporized, because in Planet Mall which is the futuristic setting of this story, Rock and Roll may have been killed by American Idol. Galileo Figaro can't possibly bring back rock music because, alas, he didn't even win Rockstar INXS. I also almost forgot that Queen did the soundtrack of Flash Gordon and they were even able to work that in. The only vocals which I thought were not strong enough were those of the female lead, Scaramouche, and the guy who plays the head of the Ga Ga cops (and is dressed like the Merovingian from The Matrix), but, they weren't bad.

My only regret, besides losing the aforementioned camera in the Aeroline bus going home, was that I should have gotten closer seats. However, the production team did make a show that could be seen to the top of the Esplanade rafters, and the stage was filled with visuals top-to-bottom, as well as the entire theater with music, which just goes to show you how professional this production was. Its extended til April 27, after which the show tours to Hongkong in May. Catch it if you can.

In My Kikay Kit

Row 1: MAC Mineralize Skinfinish powder, Laura Mercier Undercover concealer, The Body Shop Shimmer Waves Bronzer

Row 2: Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer in Sand, Dior Addict Lipstick, The Face Shop Greatist Macara Curling + Lash

Row 3: Sue Devitt Triple C-Weed Pressed Powder, MAC Lipglass, MAC Cremeblush

Row 4: Dior Addict Plastic Gloss, Nars Eyeshadow, Hard Candy Eyeshadow palette

Low Key Dining

Yes the place may have formica chairs, plastic table tops, no air-conditioning and the clientele dressed mostly in their best housewear and slippers, but add in fabulous food and you get a dining experience that will keep you coming back again and again in your favorite flipflops.

Here are my top 10 picks for low-key dining, and not only has the food been great, but the memories of bonding sessions at these places are even better. Actually I wrote this because I started getting homesick (or food sick?) and I suddenly realized I had forgotten some of the names....I actually had to ask friends! It was quite a trip to remember these..but now I'm craving for the food (and the company), especially those that aren't here in KL...

(I know the list is kind of random, but if ever you find yourself in any of the cities/countries I mentioned, its worth a stop especially if you’re looking to get the most bang out if your buck!)

Newton Hawker Centre, Singapore – sate, stingray and cereal prawns mmmmm

Paubaji stand, the Strand (beside the Ganga River), Kolkata – open air, yellow lighting, and a sin-free spicy vegetable sandwich. You can also try hot sweet tea from the friendly tea vendor…after which you unceremoniously dispose the ceramic cup onto the river shore.


Midway Grill, San Juan, La Union – comfort food at its finest – liempo, baby back ribs and sweet spaghetti, perfect after hours of surfing.

Victor’s Lechon Manok, Tarlac – for what else but they’re yummy lechon manok!


Procy’s Bulalo, Mahogany Market, Tagaytay – steaming hot bulalo, and the best thing is…you can ask for extra marrow!

Sri Ananda, behind the Bangsar train station, Kuala Lumpur – the best ever chicken tandoori I’ve ever had. Goes best with their garlic or cheese nan.

Dencios anywhere in the Philippines – sisig, crispy pata, pork BBQ, laing and San Miguel Beer, my mouth is watering just thinking of it.

Wee Nam Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice Restaurant, Novena, Singapore – in a place where Chicken Rice is famous, this is the best of the bunch, so good that even the Prime Minister of Malaysia, (and myself!), have gone for a meal.

Dampa, Libis, Ortigas City, Philippines – buy the crab fresh and have them cook it buttered, and then add an order of halabos na hipon, its out of this world

Gurney Hawker Center, Gurney Drive, Penang, Malaysia – tons and tons of stalls with fried oysters, all manner of “mee” (noodle) dishes, Rojak, and laksa – though I have to mention that my best ever laksa experience was is Khatulistiwa café in Kuching, Sarawak.

Balancing Act

Having worked for about 8 years in jobs that included long and tedious working hours, I’m blessed with a job right now that allows for a balanced life. And as with all former workaholics, I wondered, what the hell do I do with a balanced life that allows me to go home at a reasonable time and have full weekends? Yes I was bitching for quite a while. Not being used to “balanced living” I was at a loss. But I think I’ve adjusted better --- I’ve learned that there are other things to work on and it’s not necessarily your job. Some of my hobbies may seem geeky, but then when you’re living independently, you do learn to embrace your geeky hobbies! Here’s what I’ve found out about myself so far.

1. I love travel planning, for me its half the fun of taking trips! It’s about imagining where to travel, coming up with imaginary travel plans, and then booking a real one. So far I’ve investigated Spain, Beijing, Bali, Hanoi the Maldives and finally booked me and my friends on a Phuket vacation.
2. I like going to the grocery and figuring out what new things to cook up besides tortang talong, beef steak and stir fried chicken. I have come up with my own invented recipes that I have feeling only I can eat.
3. I’m addicted to the internet. I admit it—I’m a chatting and social networking junkie. Working in an online company for almost 5 years just ingrained in me that bad habit of being online most of the time, even at home.
4. I like to hang out at home watching DVDs and reading books…a luxury I didn’t have much time for when I started working. It’s nice to remember what it was like to be the book and TV addict of my teenage years.
5. I’m happy to have the time to go to the gym, capoeira class or swimming/tanning at the pool…admittedly I’ve only been slightly athletic in the last 3 years of my life, after I started surfing. I may possibly be in the best shape of my life. Still, having the time to work out doesn't mean it’s easy to kick myself to go and actually do it.
6. I am an excel nerd because I’m into calculating and re-calculating my monthly budget…and figure out ways to make up for all that extra-shopping I never plan on doing.
7. I love spending time with friends and that’s always been true even as a “workaholic”. But now its about expanded possibilities and different opportunities. Its one of the best things in life in a new setting!
8. I’m into finding new hobbies and revisiting old ones: I bought myself a set of artists color pencils, watercolors and sketch pads. Yes I would like to try painting and sketching again. I’d like to go through my photos, print and frame or put the best ones in an album. I’d like to try white water rafting in Kuala Selangor, kite boarding in Kuantan. Actually a lot of the new things I’d like to try and places I’d like to go I look up on the internet. (Ok, I’m trying to defend the geeky internet habit!)

So I’m no longer a workaholic but am I busy? Yes! Busy finding other things to do in life besides work. It's a fulfilling and full time occupation in itself.

Cool Disney Ads

Check out the new ad campaign shot by Anne Leibowitz featuring celebrities as characters from Disney's best loved stories. I love Disney!

Beyonce, Lyle Lovett and Oliver Platt, Alice in Wonderland

Scarlett Johansson as Cinderella

David Beckham as the Prince of Sleeping Beauty

You can view the rest of the ads here.

One Wedding and a Family

Surprisingly, I only attended one wedding in 2007 and it was a very important one because it was my sister’s. The wedding was beautiful: the mass held in Chapel on the Hill, Tagaytay officiated by Fr Ben Nebres SJ, with the full accompaniment of the Ateneo Chamber Singers. The reception was at the Filipino-Spanish style bed and breakfast at Balai Indang, Cavite. The wedding itself was wonderful enough, full of touches thought of by the couple themselves, and you could see many heartfelt contributions of their friends. But what struck me the most was seeing how much family was a part of it.

And it isn’t even family in the strictest sense. Our family is unusual, all women, not many close relatives but several close friends who are considered to be family. This wedding showed how this family is bonded: from my grandmother who is bedridden and can hardly see or hear but wished so much that she could go…to my aunt who has nothing to give but knitted a set of glass holders for the newlyweds home…to the ninang who had trouble walking but journeyed all the way to Tagaytay in extreme traffic…to the other ninang from overseas who brought a piece of English luck and her full support…to an uncle who lent his car for the wedding even if his father died the day before…to my mom who was giving it her all each and every minute. Finally of course, the groom and the newest member of the family who was totally dedicated to the ceremony and of course, hi new life together with my sister.

Weddings are really much more than just the frills. I’m glad to have been a first hand witness to a wonderful one in all ways.

You can check out some of the official photos here (they are fabulous!), and details of the wedding preps here.