Tiende-Noma

Had been able sneak one get together with FAA Babies, Anna, Ruth and Cathy last Sunday for Ruth and Cathy's Birthday... Quite rare now with Cathy in her jet setting ways... Ruth's mountains to climb and Anna's Fortuitous Events... Of course, majority of other FAA Babies are out of the country...

A very heavy lunch (I really mean heavy) was first in Tiendesitas courtesy of Ruth... had more than we can eat but the food was great and Tiendesitas is such a nice place to eat... Anna wasn't able to join as for the first part due to an earlier fortuitous event... hehe...

After a nice lunch... next stop was Ayala's newest mall Trinoma at the tip of North Edsa to meet with Anna... This was my first time at Trinoma and since most of the shops weren't open yet , it still a long distance (both literally and figuratively) away compared to other Ayala Malls... but the cinema was nice... had coffee and movie here...

At past 7, it was time to head back... and so was another get together... it's time to prepare for a start of a new week...

Good Earth Meeting

Ok the title is so plain... but the story is more interesting...

Forwarded SMS from Mascy and MJ coming from Owen: "Guys meeting later at good earth, rockwell." Meeting... just like old times in MBA when you have a group work then you have to prepare for your presentation... Somehow, since we all have bid adieu to our MBA days, the meeting word came out as a surprise... hehe...

Wasn't really going this time but when I've checked my watch, it was too late for round at the gym but too early to go home... so might as well meet up with Ateneo friends in our usual get together place, Good Earth, while the venue was still in Makati.... As of late, get togethers are more common in QC...

In attendance (like school) were Blue and MJ, Chelsea, Mascy, Cig, Owen(at times Mr. Fulo), Annalie and the new and improved Nikki (about 3 seconds of the old Nikki... hehe)... Quite fun to be back in Rockwell again with AGSB friends... A lot of gatherings to look forward to.... Grad Party, Birthdays, Bora and a lot more... Left past 10 pm... and the so-called meeting was still ongoing...

Done with HP7

I'm finally done reading all 759 pages of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows... and J. K. Rowling made quite a masterpiece... The chase was not only full of mysteries but a lot of revelations; as well... Of course, being the last... it contains the biggest battle scene among all 7 books...

Harry Potter 1 was the first novel I did read... and also took me the longest to read... hehe... even if its the thinest in the collection... and now it's over... the only thing to anticipate is the movie version but I hope they do much better than the last one...

After a lot of heroism and surprises... I'm glad to see an end of a series... It's really quite hard to wait 2 to 3 years for the next book... hehe... and who knows a dark wizard may yet rise after some time and the story may continue... but that's J.K. Rowling's job... hehe...

HP 5

I've reserved tickets for this movie since I was in Taiwan last July 4 via SGV friend Flor... so due to the high demand of Harry Potter in IMAX during weekends at that time... we got a July 22, 2 PM screening date... more than a week after its launch...

After weeks of anticipation, We (Me and AGSB Friends Grace and Alpha) were able to watch Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix finally yesterday... and apparently our anticipation was over hyped as the movie fell short of expectation... the director probably had a hard time fitting in the thick book into a movie... and the big scenes in the book was not as big in the movie version... talk about the death of Sirius Black, which probably had some readers in tears in the book but in the movie it was just empty... but the credit probably goes to J.K. Rowling who has written the book so well that the movie have a hard time duplicating the feat... I also just wished that the scene wherein Fred and George had a fireworks display was in IMAX...

So much for HP5... It's still has been a refreshing day with friends with lunch at the bedscene with Grace... talk about lunch in bed... Sunday Mass with Grace and Alpha... Crocs hunting with Grace... Dinner and Tea at Market Market... Retired at Home at 11 pm after dropping Grace and Alpha in their respective house... now back to HP7...

Pottermania

Finally, after a long wait... Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows is back... There's been quite a queue in Powerbooks Greenbelt last Saturday at 7:01 am... Had to accompany my niece, Neeca, who's on vacation from Hong Kong and after a few days in Manila is on her way to her home province in La Union that morning... Of course, got my copy as well... hehe... so might as well join the early birds in the 7th Harry Potter installments.

After my cousins left for home... I was too exhausted to start reading so had to catch up some sleep first so slept from 9 am til 2 pm... and started reading the book... The rest of my day had me locked in my unit going through the chapters of the book... As of last Saturday, I've finished about 40% of the book... last Sunday was spent for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix movie at IMAX Cinema in MOA...

Hmm... what can i say so far... it has a da vinci like air of chase and mystery... but I'd rather reserved the rest of what I can say once I hit 100%... so have to read on... for the mean time...

Yna in Manila

Had a full schedule towards the end of the week last week since my cousin Mng. Becks, My Niece Neeca and my favorite Inaanak, Yna arrived from Hong Kong last Wednesday... Staying as house guests in our unit in Makati... I'm a frequent house guest in Mng Becks house in Hong Kong over the past few years... Yna is 9 years old now... I sure wish she was the cute little 5 year old kid back at Baguio... though at 9 she has still a distinct charm and remains lovable...

It was my first time really to pick up someone in the airport... so didn't know the procedures really though we were able to pick them up still... it seems that there are more people coming in the Philippines at night as the parking is a bit full... had dinner afterwards at Shakeys in Blue Wave...

They spent their next day at the Mall of Asia where they shopped and watch the IMAX version of Harry Potter... followed them after 530 pm... where Mng Becks spent the rest of the time in the Salon and I toured Yna around the place... Had dinner at Via Mare later...

The last day of their mall tour (hehe...) was Glorietta and Makati Area... for another round of shopping... followed them at 7 pm but was parking was full in both Glorietta and Greenbelt Area... so did the next best thing returned to my office parking space, which is just a few blocks away from the mall and just took a cab to Glorietta... hehe... Had dinner at Tang City in Glorietta later before heading home...

The next day was their time to go back to their home town in La Union... so that's it for Yna's visit in Manila... though they'll still be here until mid of next month before heading back to HK...

Nice Healthy Breakfast

Started a morning habit of having breakfast a few weeks ago... After Jollibee's breakfast meals, I had a nice healthy breakfast this time - Delifrance's All Wheat Choco Banana Pancake... Easy to burn wheat pancake, topped with banana slices and chocolate chips... Yum Yum...

Really wanted to start the day right after several not-feeling-so-well days... as I need to be back to my A-Game as my deadline is fast approaching - half year announcement and another board meeting in Cambodia... Go! Go! Go!

Wonder what I'll have tomorrow...

Out of the Grey Area... at least for now

After being stuck in the Grey Area for quite some time... I've finally finished watching all three seasons of Grey's Anatomy... quite a late bloomer for watching the series... having to start watching only after 3 seasons... finally, I can have some nights with an earlier sleeping time...

With a plot that that provides twist and turns of emotions... from funny and extraordinary cases... to personal and individual conflicts... to those scenes at the elevator (a lot really, seriously!!!)... and to the love and relationship that folds and unfolds throughout the 3 seasons... The stories among existing and aspiring surgeons a difference in terms that it's not the typical good vs. evil drama but it deals with people's reaction to various circumstances in Seattle Grace Hospital...

I'm officially out of the Grey Area... or at least before Season 4 starts... and up next is to be imprisoned on another series I'd be starting soon, Prison Break...

Another Birthday Bash at QC

Birthdays and Birthday Bash have been a common tradition now among Ateneo friends since last year... This time it's Diane's turn to hold one...

Attended Diane's party last Saturday, which started around 9 at Philam in QC... Early birds were Grace, MJ, Steve and Liza... I arrived at 10... Mascy, Cig and Jan at past 11 after watching Harry Potter... and among the last who came were Rocky, Owen and Annalie... Of course, Diane was the host and celebrant...

The night was long and the party was great... foods... friends and the never ending stories... left the party at about 2 am and the party was still ongoing... hehe... After a long party, it was now a time for a long sleep... and until the next party... happy to note that most of my friends would be graduating MBA this year... that calls for a celebration!!!

photos here

Lah Lah Lah - La Union

From Taipei to Baguio, I was then off to La Union to meet my cousin relating to some DFA stuff... it turned out that he went to Baguio and was able to discuss already at our residence... Anyway, the weekend was young so we'll still be sticking to the original plan of going to La Union... but this time on a purely recreational trip...

1045 am, 07.07.07 - we took off from our New Lucban residence on our way to La Union... arrived past 12 noon at our cousins residence in Naguilian, La Union for lunch... After lunch and resting a bit, we took off for San Fernando, La Union for the Botanical Gardens but rain came in the way so we decided to go to the Fiesta Casino at Poro Point until 4pm... Lost P300 here (hehe... quite big for me since I'm not really a gambler...)...

After Casino, we then went to the botanical garden which was a bit far considering the several uphill climbs... On the way, we were kidding that we'd eventually end up in Botanical Garden in Baguio due to the climb... hehe... Arrived in the Botanical Garden at 450 pm which was scheduled to close at 5pm so we just took a short tour around... there's so many plants (of course, as expected) and several animals like monkey, turtle and several species of bird...

Next stop was Puerto de San Juan in San Juan, La Union arriving there at about 6 pm where we caught a glimpse of the sunset... the waves were a bit strong since this is a surf area in La Union... and the sunset was such a delightful sight... The sunset was such a nice view that even after leaving Puerto de San Juan, we entered another resort for another view of the sunset...

It was then time to satisfy the churning of our tummies... and was lucky enough to find one restaurant that was overlooking the beach (the lower part of the restaurant is already the beach) and at the same time boast of a very friendly price, "Inihaw, Ibinalot at iba pa." The view reminded me of Tamshui in Taiwan, where you also have a shoreline view... except that this is a beachfront area...

After dinner, we then proceeded to a bar in Poro Point, the Amber Bar, which was the best we could find but I don't think nightlife, except for the Casino maybe, is prevalent in this area... so had to go back to Naguilian to sleep at our cousins place since it's a bit dark to resume our trek to Baguio... had our good night sleep and then the next day at around 6 am started our way back to Baguio... Arriving home, it was time for my favorite pastime again in Baguio which was sleeping... hehe... woke up at 1 pm, went out for a while and then took the De luxe bus to Pasay at midnight... A long weekend has ended and now starts a long week... hehe...

Pictures available here

Breeze to Taipei

The trip was like a breeze... flying in Wednesday night and flying out Early Friday Afternoon... My shortest visit to Taipei so far... but of course, given a choice, I'd rather spend my weekend in the Philippines especially since I've been in Taiwan for so many times... though I must admit there's still a lot of place worth visiting in this Country...

Anyway, I flew in via China Airlines 5pm of July 4, wed... arriving at past 7 pm at the airport and at the hotel an hour later... After settling down a bit, I went for a walk to the nearby Taipei 101, the world's tallest building to date, and after that had my usual dinner at Mc Donalds (One of my out of the country habits... have a meal at Mc Donalds)... Taipei at night was a nice sight with all its light and the gigantic presence of Taipei 101.. The photo shows a big "I do" sign in the top of Taipei 101... which according to one of my colleagues is that you can actually propose displaying a message in the tallest building.. Of course, this all comes with the usual exhorbitant rates...

The next day was wrapped in meeting and discussing the financials for our half year, which was exhausting yet yielded positive results... Had steak for lunch at Swensens and had dinner in Taiwan's area equivalent to our divisoria where we met few of our Taiwanese customers for a round of drinks... It's been a dizzying round as according to our CEO, you have to toast each other for one round, clockwise then another round counterclockwise... and just imagine everybody is obliged to do that... and the drink was not the usual chinese branded beers, which had less alcohol content but heineken... Anyway, survived this night of drinking with my senses still intact... hehe...

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The next day was short and quick with breakfast and a short meeting with our CFO and before lunch I had to rush back to the airport for my 150 pm flight back to the Philippines... It's one of the rare times that I took an afternoon flight so taking that opportunity, upon arriving to the Philippines, I boarded a cab to the nearby duty free and shop a bit... before finally heading back home in Makati.. which was a brief stop for me... in a while I'll be taking the bus to Baguio where I'm gonna spend my weekend...

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As brief as it is, it was a much productive business trip at work; being able to plan ahead before we close our half year announcement of financial results... and now back to my weekend at home... in the next blog to come...

Our own Big Night at QC

Finally, I was able to attend another AGSB friends gathering during MJ and Gina's joint birthday at Times Street in QC last Saturday... It has been a while since I was able to join... missing several dinners at Cig's bar, good earth and part 2 of the Tagaytay getaway... I sure hope I was missed during those times ... hehe... Anyway, glad to be back in the loop...

Call time was at 8, so was present before 9 and I still was among the first who came... hehe... It was well attended with (in order of appearance... as far as I can remember) Gina, MJ, Owen, Mark, Coleen, Me, Jan, Sig, Grace, Anton, Patrick, Mascy, Diane, Bogz, Annalie, Steve and Liza... and of course, the food provided by Blue's B1 cafe... which was overflowing, and tastes so good... For dessert, Anton brought his home made maja blanca...

Quite a lot of catching up to do... graduation and photo sessions for those who'll be marching this year is upcoming... and of course, a lot of personal stuffs... It was a fun-night and the party lasted 'til about 1 am ... The party coincided with the PBB Big night (where former SGV partner in Charge FAA has been doing the task of handing the envelope to Toni), so we all missed the PBB big night... but then again... we had our big night on our own...