Events Malditas Promo!!

Plug: New Events Malditas Promo for 2010-2011 weddings!!

i'm craving..

for this

outrageous mississippi mud pie. yum yum

and because i loved everything and had a hard time choosing.. here are some more

and i was also able to try this one as well

mint condition!! i love mint chocolate and orange chocolate. or anything chocolate for that matter. hehe

i also loved everything else about the shop

these are cupcakes. nice diba

in the end, i decided to eat this one there, and got the mississippi mud pie and mint condition to go

its a peanut butter whoopie pie!! yum yum. but i must go back for that mud pie.

if i made you crave, everything is from

~

in other news, i spent the weekend downloading and uploading ebooks to my ipod. i got haruki murakami's after dark and norwegian wood; eva ibbotson's a song for summer and the morning gift; anne rice's sleeping beauty trilogy (the claiming of sleeping beauty, beauty's punishment, beauty's release); sara gruen's water for elephants; and stieg llarson's millennium trilogy (the girl with the dragon tattoo, the girl who played with fire, the girl who kicked the hornet's nest). woohoo..

i've also finished suzanne collins' the hunger games and catching fire. grabe. i think i finished both in less than 1 week. and i'm excited for the final book mockingjay. i'm not really a fan of katniss but this has always been the problem with me when it comes to these installment books, once i start something, i have to finish it. and this goes to the list of books i'm waiting for.

events malditas

a few friends and i are currently dabbling in the events coordinating business starting this year. i think we somehow got the idea when i was organizing/planning my wedding last year up to the early part of this year, while my partner is the ultimate oc (up to the minutest details) when it comes to these things. of course, before we ventured into this, both of us attended an events planning/wedding planning seminar conducted by karen lopez. we're currently in a "soft opening" basis, hehe, hence we are cheaper than most on the day wedding coordinators out there =D and don't ask about our name. don't worry, we're not "malditas" without reason.

aside from on the day wedding coordination, we also offer debut and party planning. if you need our services, here's our contact details:

charisse: 0917-8221722

em: 0917-5943010

robert: 0918-9145357

eventsmalditas@gmail.com

eventsmalditas.multiply.com

we've already handled a few events the past few months, with a few more scheduled for the next months. so no worries about us practicing on your special day. besides, i think we've had enough practice planning our own weddings.

and yes. that's me and dh getting married at the st. john bosco parish in makati. while the "details" photos are from my partner. told you she's okok.

which reminds me, i'll also try to post here a few reviews about some of my wedding suppliers/details.

must haves for killing time

since we live in almost the opposite end of the metropolis (muntinlupa) from where both of us work (me fort bonifacio, dh near robinsons pioneer), it is logical (and quite obvious) that we go through the daily commute together (he drives, whee). and since i usually get out of the office a bit earlier than him, we usually meet someplace for the commute home. it may be either glorietta or robinsons, which are both hazardous for a shopaholic and impulsive buyer such as myself. so here are two of my must haves during these long waits:

1. a book

admittedly, i have already finished a number of books during these long waits. most recently i've finished the first two books of the mysterious benedict society, and is currently reading the hunger games. i know, all these are childeren's/young adult books. but i find that they, along with chick lit books are more relaxing after a hard day's work. gotta conserve what remaining brain cells i have.

2. ipod touch

this is by far the best gadget i ever had. once i got tired of reading, this is the next best thing to pass the time. from wifi to the games. not to mention the free ebooks! eep! the minute i discovered the wattpad and stanza apps, i never looked back! if i want a book, i search through both databases first, and if they're unavailable, that's the only time i buy the books. talkabout saving a lot of moolah! not to mention the ipod is a lot lighter than some books, and is infinitely easier to read. no more page turning! i've read the entire sookie stackhouse/southern vampire series, percy jackson series and countless other novels in my ipod! looveeeeettt =D

june and roy

meet june and roy

they live in their crabitat home 

this is june

while this is roy

~

dh and i met june and roy at lucky hermits, located at the ground floor of megamall when we had our date there last saturday. the booth was surrounded by people curious about hermit crabs, and well, curiousity got the best of us. i have to say, medyo nakakaawa. one kid/teen who was there, got a crab, and when she saw that the crab was hiding out in its shell home proceeded to tap the shell in the counter several times?!

and asked: "te bakit ayaw nya lumabas?"

um duh. its scared out of its wits thank you very much.

anyway, this is a sort of compromise between dh and me. dh has this fascination with fishes and aquariums, and has always had a pet aruana or flowerhorn (or something) at one point or another. until we became a couple. hehe. i'm not really fond of pet fishes. that, plus we don't really have a space for a big aquarium in our apartment right now, plus the maintenance and whatnot.

so this is the compromise. hehe. some perks in having a pet hermit crab:

• 
  
  no surprise gift packs (namely poops, etc.) at home, as obviously they are in their crabitat
• 
  
  the crabitat is a bit easier to maintain compared to an aquarium in terms of filter maintenance, etc.
• 
  
  although i find them a bit icky, they are admittedly quite fascinating to watch

while there are perks, there is still quite a bit to learn about hermit crabs, especially about their molting process, which i'm a bit excited and curious about. but please, no hermit crab carnivorism please. we find our hermit crab info here.

the only downside about them is unlike dogs, you can't really cuddle them (eew!). maybe someday, doggies!!

for prices, hermit crabs at lucky hermits retail for about php 150-180 each. there are painted shells ones but we chose the traditional shells as the hermit crabs change shell homes every once in a while (or when they grow). there are also options wherein an aquarium/crabitat are included, prices for these range from php 700-900 (there is a choice between the usual aquarium or the carrier one) and includes 2 hermit crabs (hermit crabs are sociable, contrary with their hermit name) and some fish pellets for food.

and yes, our hermit crabs are named after tom cruise's and cameron diaz's characters in knight and day. and while we haven't checked yet whether june is really a female and roy a male, we just based their names and assumed their genders on their colors: june=pink, roy=gray/black. yes, it is a bit gender biased, but i don't think i want to check yet their actual genders (follow the above hermit crab link to know how), and this is the most logical and easiest way for their names.

design design

whee. i'm having so much fun with the new blogger design templates. hehe. makes you feel a bit inspired about blogging =D

aging 101

so it looks like i fell off the blogging bandwagon once more.. haay. ohwell. looks like i have to make blogging a habit. considering how short the hours and days seem these past few days (or even months), let's see..

anyway, i just realized that a surefire way to tell if you or your friends are aging/growing/getting old is if you or any of your closest friends are dealing with one or the following issues:

1. pregnancy (i'd just like to say that i'm NOT currently pregnant. that's all)
2. job issues: to resign or not to resign. boss issues. salary issues. all issues concerning your jobs and well it sometimes all stems from the fact that you've been in the same company for the past number of years and is well, stuck in a rut
3. "business" issues: the initial/infancy stages of a business with friends is not really that ideal nor happy
4. "friendship" issues - which mainly involves the realization that perhaps a "friend" is just not really one
5. health and beauty issus, includes fitness issues. suddenly, everyone around you is obsessed about getting fit, which is more or less always involves losing how many pounds
6. wedding issues: some are breaking up. while everyone else is getting married

i'll add some more as they come. haha. oh happy vibes - where art thou??

~

i'm currently watching the wimby game of serena williams and maria sharapova. and i have to say, their screams/grunts are a bit of a turn-off, and not to mention, bothersome.

chaos theory

i heard this quote from the movie with the above title i just saw in star movies. never saw the whole movie, just heard this towards the end of the movie, take note that this is not verbatim:  love is the least random act in the world, because you choose to give it, you choose to receive it.  it transcends blood.  it transcends betrayal.

when oh when would i be able to write like that.  i have always loved the written word.  reading/hearing something good gives me a certain high, and makes me wonder how in the world was the writer able to come up with such an impressive, provoking and just great combination of words.

review: clarisonic mia

one of hubbo's pasalubong from his trip was a clarisonic mia - in pink! ok, this was one of my requests and i'm really really grateful that he was able to get it.  anyways the clarisonic is a skin cleansing system with a lot of good reviews/raves from several beauty bloggers - which got me interested in the first place (ah the powers of advertising).  here's some product info:

product description (from box):

Developed by the lead inventor of the Sonicare toothbrush, Clarisonic "Mia" is professional-caliber sonic skin care for cleansing wherever your lifestyle takes you.  Mia cleanses so well that products absorb better, pores appear smaller, and fine lines and wrinkles appear reduced.  As little as one minute a day, for the best skin of your life.

product claims (from box):
While cleansing is the first step in any skin care ritual, it is often overlooked and undervalued.  Clarisonic Mia gently yet effectively loosens dirt and oil to clear your pores.

• Helps reduce oily areas, dry patches and blemishes
• Leaves skin feeling softer and smoother
• Remarkably gentle for cleansing all skin types, even with sensitive conditions such as rosacea and acne

the mia comes with the clarisonic handle, a mesh travel bag, 2 brush heads (sensitive skin and normal skin), a 30ml clarisonic gentle hydro cleanser, and the charger - which i must say, i find really cool! the mia is waterproof and thus safe to use in the shower, so the handle does not have any holes or plugs or anything. so how do you charge it? the plink charger automatically "sticks" to the handle like a magnet (dunno if it really uses a magnet or something).

product details for the clarisonic gentle hydro cleanser:

A pH-balanced non-foaming cleanser enriched with antioxidants Japanese Green Tea and Vitamin E.  Scientifically developed by Robb Akridge, PhD to leave skin feeling and looking smoother when used with the Clarisonic Skin Cleansing Brush. Paraben free.

Directions: Apply directly to moistened skin or to a damp Clarisonic Skin Cleansing Brush. Massage in a circular motion. Rinse thoroughly.

likes:

• 
  
  i've been using it for three weeks now, and so far, no breakouts! it really does leave skin smoother and i dunno if its my imagination or placebo, but i think it also lessens discolorations and scars
• 
  
  safe to use in the shower
• 
  
  easy to bring even when traveling. i brought it with me to guimaras and puerto galera! love the mesh bag that comes with it.
• 
  
  buying the pink clarisonic supports breast cancer research - it makes us beautiful and also supports a good cause =D
• 
  
  you can use it with any skin care cleanser (as long as its non-exfoliating, and i think they recommend cream cleansers - kaawaan naman if you use the brush with cleansers with scrubs!)
• 
  
  automatically stops after a minute - which is the recommended use. this is really helpful so you don't overuse it - you don't want to look like fresh tomatoes or rub your skin raw
• 
  
  the charger can be used here (110v - 220v), so you don't need an adaptor

dislikes:

• 
  
  expensive! the clarisonic is available in mia ($149), classic ($195) and plus ($225) models. yes, those prices are in u.s. dollars. the differences in the models from what i can understand are:
• 
  
  mia: recommended for travel, has only 1 speed setting, comes with a plink charger
• 
  
  classic: the original model, has 2 speed settings, comes with a charging cradle (which looks really bulky in the product pictures), and i think this pauses every 20 seconds or so so that you'll know when to transfer to another face location (ie 20 secs for forehead, 20 secs for cheeks, etc.)
• 
  
  plus: almost same specs with classic, but i think this can be used for face and body (some recommend just switching brush heads for face and body)
• 
  
  not readily available in the philippines. so add international shipping to the prices above, and you have a really really expensive product in your hands
• 
  
  for the first 2 weeks i used it 2x a day (morning and evening) and it dried out my skin (i have normal to dry skin), so now i use it every evening.  the logic behind this is since i wear some make-up during the day, my face is dirtier at night than in the morning, and if it does help skin absorb products, then my skin will benefit from my night moisturizers
• 
  
  the gentle hydro cleanser it comes with also left my skin feeling a bit tight
• 
  
  you have to replace the brush every three months. before i asked for this, i researched a bit on how to get my hands on the replacement brush heads and there are some in ebay that goes for around PhP 600.  i'll update you on this once i purchase, but since hubbo included 2 extra brush heads, + the other 1 included in the package, that will be a long way off. and if you do know any sellers out there, kindly do let me know =D
• 
  
  it takes a long time to charge! initial charging takes 24 hours, while succeeding ones take 18 hours - not really a good thing if you're addicted to it

that's it.  i do think that this is a nice product to have and my main irk about it is its unavailability and price.

if you're interested and live in the philippines, i think you can get it through ebay or amazon, i'm just not sure about the shipping prices. but if you have a relative/address in the u.s., suggest have it delivered there and then johnny air it to here.

An open letter to Noynoy - HINDSIGHT By F Sionil Jose | The Philippine Star Lifestyle Features Sunday Life

Dear Noynoy,

You are now swamped with suggestions and advice, but just the same, I hope you’ll have time to read what this octogenarian has to say.

You were not my choice in the last election but since our people have spoken, we must now support you and pray that you prevail. But first, I must remind you of the stern reality that your drumbeaters ignore: you have no noble legacy from your forbears. It is now your arduous job to create one yourself in the six years that you will be the single most powerful Filipino. Six years is too short a time — the experience in our part of the world is that it takes at least one generation — 25 years — for a sick nation to recover and prosper. But you can begin that happy process of healing.

Bear in mind that the past weighs heavily on all of us because of the many contradictions in it that we have not resolved, whose resolutions would strengthen us as a nation. This past is now your burden, too. Let us start with the fact that your grandfather collaborated with the Japanese. Your father was deeply aware of this, its stigma, its possibilities. He did not leave any legacy because he did not become president. He was a brilliant and courageous politician. He was an enterprising journalist; he had friends in journalism who can attest to his effulgent vision, who did not profit from his friendship, among them Nestor Mata, Gregorio Brillantes — you may consult them. I cannot say I did not profit — he bought many books from my shop and when he was in Marcos’s prison, your mother brought books from my shop to him.

Forgive me for giving you this unsolicited advice. First, beware of hubris; you are surrounded by panderers who will tell you what is nice to hear. You need to be humble always and heed your conscience. When Caesar was paraded in ancient Rome before the cheering multitudes, there was always a man chanting behind him: “Remember, you are mortal.”

I say to you, remember, the poor — some of them in your own hacienda — will be your ultimate judge.

From your comfortable and privileged cocoon, you know so little of our country and people. Seek the help of the best — and the best do not normally want to work in government and neither will they approach you. You have to seek them.

Be the revolutionary your father wanted to be and don’t be scared or wary of the word “revolution.” It need not be always bloody. EDSA I was not. Your father wanted to destroy the most formidable obstacle to our progress — the Oligarchy to which you and your family belong. To succeed, you have to betray your class. If you cannot smash the oligarchy, at least strive to have their wealth develop this country, that they bring back the billions they stashed abroad. You cannot do this in six years, but you can begin.

Prosecute the crooks. It is difficult, thankless and even dangerous to do this. Your mother did not do it — she did not jail Imelda who was the partner in that conjugal dictatorship that plundered this nation. Watch her children — they were much too young to have participated in that looting but they are heirs to the billions which their parents stashed abroad. Now the Marcoses are on the high road to power, gloating, snickering at our credulity and despicable amnesia.

You know the biggest crooks in and out of government, those powerful smugglers, thieves, tax cheats — all you really need is guts to clobber them. Your father had lots of it — I hope he passed on to you most of it.

And most of all, now that you have the muscle to do it, go after your father’s killers. Blood and duty compel you to do so. Cory was only his wife — you are the anointed and only son. Your regime will be measured by how you resolve this most blatant crime that robbed us of a true leader.

And, finally, your mother. We loved her — she united us in ousting an abominable dictator. But she, too, did not leave a shining legacy for her presidency was a disaster. She announced a revolutionary government but did nothing revolutionary. She promised land reform but did not do it. And most grievous of all — she transformed the EDSA I revolution into a restoration of the oligarchy.

She became president only because her husband was murdered and you became president elect only because your mother died. Still, you are your father’s son and may you now — for the good of this country and people — scale the heights he and your mother never reached.

I am 85 and how I despair over how three generations of our leaders failed! Before I go, please let me see this unhappy country begin to be a much better place than the garbage dump our leaders and people have made it. You can be this long awaited messiah but only if you are brave enough and wise enough to redeem your father’s aborted promise.

Hopefully yours,

F. Sionil Jose

An open letter to Noynoy - HINDSIGHT By F Sionil Jose The Philippine Star Lifestyle Features Sunday Life

newbie cook: sarsiadong tilapia

so i decided to try cooking sarsiadong tilapia for lunch this sun.. did you know that there's no proper recipe for sarsiadong tilapia in the internet? anyway, after googling for how many hours, this is what i got:

after buying the ingredients last thursday, i tried it out today.. notice that in the recipe no water was added, i added some because with the egg, i was afraid that it would become a tilapia omelette instead.  and this is my end product:

doesn't really look appetizing but i'm hoping it'll taste better. inspite of the water, i still almost made an omelette.

little ms.procrastinator

so it looks like i fell off the blogging bandwagon this early.  i've been procrastinating a lot lately, including in work - which is really really not a good thing.  and the fact that i've been nursing a huge writer's block for the past few years (yes, years) now does not help.  which is why i need to haul my ass and write something, which is the point of this blog which i can't even update.. gah!!

so dear hubby (dh) went to the u.s. for work for two weeks last april, and right after he got back, we were busy for the next two weekends with trips to guimaras and puerto galera (see, i had good reason for the silent spell).

anyway, i'll try to do better this time.  i have a few ideas for this blog.  after i take care of some office work..

of requests and trips

i remember making a strange request to my mom: that she wake me up everytime she leaves for work.  my mom was, and still is a working single mother.  so i made that request of her during the summer vacations when us kids would wake up at noon instead of the wee hours of the morning for school.  you see, i hate waking up to an empty room, and i can't seem to get past this fear of not having a "last" moment or kiss with your loved one.  call me morbid but i also had a sickening realization that a number of things can go wrong once one leaves the house.  so i hold on to the hope that saying "ingat" would be enough to keep her safe throughout the day.  these days, i do this through text messaging.  ahh, the powers of sms.

 

a couple of days ago, i also made the same request to my husband.

 

we found out last week that he will be going to the u.s. for two weeks for work.  of course, i have also been on work-related trips for two weeks or more, but this is the first trip for any of us since our wedding last january.  and its different when you're the one left behind.  being the one with the trip, one can get distracted with the excitement and awe of being somewhere new and different.  during my trips, i almost always get homesick during my 3rd or 4th day.  but the one left behind has to deal with your normal everyday routine without the other one - and as it is mundane day to day activities, everything seems to remind you of your partner.  gah, all of this is making me mushy.

 

but just think, i'm still lucky.  its only 2 weeks, while others have to go by with months or even years.  i just hope that my "ingat" would keep him safe throughout his trip.  and i have to refrain from thinking dark, morbid thoughts.

traffic and mexicali's

so we went to st. luke's yesterday for my allergy shots and this was what we went through from slex to edsa to e. rod..

during traffic, i played around with my lumix..

after, we decided to watch valentine's day as we weren't able to watch it last weekend, we watched percy jackson then. the movie was ok, albeit a bit mushy. and since we were both from the south, we headed to greenhills - para maiba lang. where we ate at mexicali before the movie..

is it just me, or magkakaiba how they prepare the food at mexicali's. my beef quesadilla from mexicali's greenhills was fatter than mexicali's the link. i prefer the link's better, because it is easier to eat and hindi nakaka-umay with all the stuffing.

i also bought this case from fully booked for my lumix.. its good since once inside, it doesn't look like a camera so i won't have to leave is somewhere when we watch movies, and not to mention, i also love the color and print =D

first post

ok, here goes.

this is my first post in my nth blog. but this is my first blog as a wife (as a first time wife too, haha). i'll also share other stuff aside from the marital stuff.

anyway, meet our stargazer =D

this is actually not our first plant. we had 2 marigolds from tagaytay a few days before, but unfortunately, both of them dried up due to some unknown reason - hindi ko daw kase kinakausap. baka kase sumagot at matakot pa ako diba. this is actually hubbo's valentines gift. this is his answer to the how many times i've told him how wasteful a bouquet is - ilang hours/days lang ang buhay. hopefully, she'll fare better than the marigolds.

and.. meet my partner in crime for this blog:

its a lumix lx3!! whee! (i do apologize for the crappy pic - i'm still learning the ropes for this camera) i sooper love this camera. it has similar features/capabilities with dslrs without the bulk. i'm trying to do one picture a day, and hopefully i'll be able to post some pictures in this blog as well (i'm crossing my fingers na huwag ako tamarin!!). i'll limit the photos here though to small. to save on space. but i'll also be posting stuff at my flickr page (add me up if you want-emtot =D)

anyway, i'll try to post here regularly. either while tending to my farmville or sending an email through my phone or at work (if i'm free!).