Last meal of 2009

Sorta. C and I went to Myron's a kickass steakhouse. 

We first had the salad with scallops.

That we shared

Though C finished it.

I ordered the steak, Bianca style (the slimmest cut) topped with foie gras.

Let's just have a close up on that livery goodness.

EGAD.

C got the Franco cut, which is twice the thickness of mine.

LOOKATTHAT.

And the happy man with all the different sauces.  He couldn't choose.

(L-R) Chimichurri sauce, peppercorn, mushroom and shiraz reduction.

DROOL.  DROOL. DROOL.

This was my plate. I was proud of how hungry I was.

C was happily eating away.

"Do I LOOK like I'm sad?  OR that this is a bad busog? (A "bad busog" is the code for when you're so full you can't move and it just puts you in a bad mood. hahaha!)

Whatta champ.

NOW he's busog. hahahahahha!

Happy new year everyone!!!  I hope it all turns out well for you guys and that you have a great time celebrating!!!  :D  See you all on the other side of midnight. :D

PS. for those who need a bit of help with those pesky resolutions, here you go! http://moninavelarde.com/newyears/

The QLE awards

It started out as a little protest against not recognising some of the Philippines' great musical acts, undergound or otherwise.  So these three chaps (whom I am very proud to call friends) decided to put up one of their OWN awards, without the awards show.  The basic rule is that, if they like it (the song, the band, etc) then it wins.  It's a very subjective sort of thing, but if you know the taste in music these 3 have, you'd have to agree with most of their decisions.  Heck, it'll at least make you listen. :)

Here is this year's cut: QLE AWARDS

A challenege

The same friend that wrote that beautiful piece in the last blog of the passings of this last year, has issued a challenge to the rest of us:

 "Herein lies the challenge - and perhaps the peace - write down ten things you are grateful for this 2009."

Even with the embarrasment of sounding selfish, here I go...

I don't know how, but I'll try and do this. 

1. I'm glad I got to play abroad this year in Singapore, Saigon and Hanoi.  In Singapore, the food and hawker places there were AWESOME.  Oh and IKEA IKEA IKEA.  And the sprained right ankle that became "Barney".   And in Vietnam....the banh mi and the catfish goodness.  Good friends, and crazy nights.

2.  Because of all the traveling perhaps, I'm eternally glad to have been able to learn the true nature of people when shoved into a small breathing and traveling space together, and to maybe try not to do a repeat performance of THAT.

3. I'm glad that I can still play drums and I'm now in a band full of friends.

4. I am grateful to have a home of my own.

5. I"m glad that I've learned that I'm stronger than any health scare that can come my way, even if I get confined in the hospital.  In the end, it really wasn't so bad, since the meds were kickass.

6.  I am grateful for my family, that despite their own crazy, psychotic, nutty, stubbornness that stems from all of them being so darn smart, I see my own shortcomings, potential and normalcy.  Because of this, I'm becoming closer to my siblings and understand them more.

7. I am grateful I got kittens this year.  They've changed my life enormously and are a source of great furry comfort without me having to ask them to give it.

8. I am grateful that I know when a job is making me feel bad about myself, made to feel guilty for thinking I should strive more to reach my full potential, making me feel guilty for my background, and allowed me to stop thinking for myself.

9. I am grateful that because of that awful job, I now have one that is challenging, engaging and with people whose opinions I value and respect. 

10.  I am grateful that C and I can still laugh even with everything that has been thrown at us this year, either together, or individually. 

I guess that wasn't so hard.  :)  Thanks Gang :)

If I ever become a mom.....

...............I will strive the utmost to look like THIS with my daughter, if I have one. :)  So cute and cool. :)

Nice post Christmas chilled out grooves HERE, courtesy of my lovely cousin. (Labyoo Pixiepatu!)

A Christmas song from one of my favorite local bands (and they were with us in Singapore last year), HERE

Thanks to Ashton Kutcher's twitter for THIS GEM

One of the best tributes to all we lost in our little artsy-fartsy-activitst-rebel-underground world this year in Manila, my friend Gang explains their memories all so beautifully HERE.  I admit, I didn't know all of them, and some only peripherally, but this is enough to have made me shed a few tears today in remembrance of all we've lost this last year. 

I'd just like to add one more.  It's time I did.

This was my cousin, Mike Ledesma.  He died on October 14th in his sleep.  We were technically not cousins, but my only sister in law was his mother's younger sister, aka his Aunt.  Since I lived with my sister in law and my brother for a long while, he and his brothers would always be around.  They were like brothers to me as well, and since Mike and I were the same age (I was older by about 7 months), we'd more or less hang out with the same people through our schools and whatnot. 

The months, and even the few years before he died, we weren't as close as we once were.  But whenever we'd see each other, hugging would ensue. 

This was the last ever picture I have of him and with him.  He was such a kind heart and a fun crazy guy.  And to him, I will always say, "I LOVE YOU MORE CUZ". :D

Christmas Eve Morning

YAY!  Ok ok FINE, I'm not such a scrooge anymore.  hahaha!!!  It caught up with me, just today.  So whilst I listen to my Motown-does-Christmas-songs tracklist from HERE, I will try and blog since I seem to have neglected this spot for a while.  MY BAD.

I got one of my "wishlist" things from  THIS POST.  I got my PHONE!!!  YAY!!!  But now the challenge begins with trying to move all the contacts from the old one to the other.  Perfect holiday chore as one of my FB friends said.  hahaha!!!

Some pics of the phone (that aren't mine):

FRONT view via

BACK view (with the little purrrty pinky swirls!!) via

*sigh*

I've also gotten a lovely coffee maker!!! 

Thank you to C, who, after endless hinting on my part, GOT IT. :) 

Thanks hon!!! WOOTWOOO!!!  Had my first cuppa from it this morning with E.  Egad.  I got a little too excited and made it as strong as a horse's kick in the head.  WOOHOOOOOOO!!!!

You can control the STRENGTH of the coffee!!! AHLAVEET.

I had lovely gifts from my new officemates too!!!  A lovely Pixies live CD (thankies Belle!!), a great pair of headphones (I sorely needed a new pair! Thanks to my 'daddy' Rafa) and this gigantic bucket of Mojito mix (nice one AJ).  LOVELY.  AHLAVEET!And we had the bestest Kris Kringle I've ever done in my life!  We picked out names (there are only 5 of us) and once we got our 'baby" we had to go through an ipod on shuffle, and whatever track it landed on, that would be the theme of your gift to your baby.  Just in case, you were given two chances with the track.  hahaha!  I got Reggie, and the song of the Kings of Leon, "Pistol of Fire".  So I got him this realistic looking gun that is really a lighter with blue flame.  HAHAHAH!!!  IT even had a stand!  Then of course a water gun just to put out the flames.  :)  I got the lovely headphones from Rafa, whose song was Depeche Mode's "Enjoy the Silence" :)

I'm thinking that since this Christmas I would like to be steady and quiet, that New Year should be steady still, but I would like to kick / shove / push / throw away whatever's left of 2009 into oblivion.  Considering the bad year everyone had, I think that's the best way to go.  Maybe get a room somewhere and ask everyone to just come if they're in town and BYOB?  That would be cool :)  Let's see.

Also, I thought I'd get the phoenix tattoo I've been wanting from Sarah as well.  It is a symbol of ressurection, of surviving, of the cycle of birth and death so why not?  I got both this year.  The color can wait til another time.  :)  It would symbolize a lot.

Just to post some little somethings I've happened upon during my blog reading today:

THIS POST really caught my eye. INCREDIBLE JEWELRY!

THIS POST from a favorite blog of mine, Elephantine had this lovely picture in it:

Please note the constellation cross stitching.  It has been giving me ideas for stuff to do next year.  :)

A discovery of a new BLOG.  So classy, yet raw and original.  I love it. :)

Now to prepare lunch and tackle the formatting of the new phone!!! :)

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE :)

Trying to get into the holiday spirit PART DEUX

An alternative to all those grating and usual Xmas carols.....

http://daptonerecords.podbean.com/2008/12/14/soul-santa-by-jbx/

Again.  My Anglophilia is hitting me with these pics:

http://blissfulb.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-sister-went-to-london.html

*SIGH*

Weekend thoughts: 5 things

I am so happy that the end of the year is near! :) 

Even so, I had some thoughts today that I thought I'd put down in my blog.  A friend of a friend who's into all these new age things like reiki masters and feng shui told me once that I should have separate journals and each one should only be used for certain things.  There are way too many to mention, but then there is a part there that I would like to do.  I would like to list all that I'm thankful for, want/need, and everything I would like to eliminate.  He said for me to be specific when listing these thing down.  I thought I'd try this exercise today and keep to 5 things each.

TO ELIMINATE

1. I would like to eliminate my temper.  It is like a hurricane on steroids over stupid things sometimes. 

2. I would like to eliminate people who annoy me and bring about said temper, but I need to work with.  EX: our doorman.  I asked him if I could stow my old fridge in the ground floor behind the stairs PLEASE?  With batting eyelashes.......his answer?  SILENCE.

3. The dirt on my floors and in and around my flat in general.  Yes, I like cleanliness.

4. My falling hair.  There seems to be more than usual :(  Maybe because of all the meds I've been taking?

5. Any more sickness.  I don't like being sick.  I don't want to be sick.  I want to be able to start next year UP AND RUNNING!!!

WANT / NEED

1. I would desperately want a new mobile phone.  In particular, this one:

via

I would very much like it in white and pink as well. 

2.  I would like headbands from THIS SITE.  I already love her blog. :)  In particular, I would like

the Marci

the Rachel

and the sadly sold out Olga. :(

Then again, I should try and experiment on making this on my own.  HMMMM.....There's a thought.

Where was I?  Oh yeah....

3. I would very much like (and in some cases need) to look this cool and put together:

via here and here

Love the hair, love the pants, love the rings, love the jacket.  LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT.

Does this mean I have to move to Stockhom?  I wouldn't mind. :)  Then again this whole SITE is fab.

4. I want everything from THIS SITE.  Will settle for this pillow with all the lovely ladybugs:

via and you can buy it HERE

5. I want and need to have my health back, without any complications and such. NO TO SICKNESS!!!!

THANKFUL FOR

1. The year is almost over.  My breathing out will soon happen.

2. My (sometimes stupid) kitties.

3. That I have a flat to live in with its lovely neighbors and friends who share their food.  Lots of it.

4. The Internet.  I needed distractions today.

5.  What is left of my health.

I have one more thing to be thankful for:

6. I hope and pray that this is the bottom.  Therefore, there is no where else to go but UP. :)

That wasn't so bad.  I actually kinda liked it.  Here's to Monday!!! :)

Wallpaper and Santas

THIS IS SO SO COOL :)

SKETCHY SANTAS HERE

Coocoo-kachoo. 

Have a great weekend :D

My mother

My mother is a very, very misunderstood person.  She is loving and wise, quirky and funny, as well as forward looking, innovative even, but traditional.  Others may think of her uh, differently, but I will always see her as Mommy.

I was inspired by THIS blog and its entry.  Also because I've been hanging around my family so much, I thought why the heck not.  Also, 8 is my mother's favorite number, aside from the size of her shoesies. :)

1. Your hair is your crowning glory.  However weird your clothes are, if you're hair is neat, you will look neat.  (My dad said that a measure of someone's cleanliness and hygiene is if their nails are neat and clean.)

2. Every woman should have good posture.  It also shows your confidence when you have none. 

3. There are different kinds of strength and sometimes, it is really, really quiet so it is mistaken for weakness.

4. You can shut someone up with a look. (In tagalog, "makuha ka sa tingin")

5. Every woman should learn how to depend on herself. 

6. You can never love too much.

7. Makeup can be taken off with Ponds Cold Cream and be used as overall body moisturizer.

8. There is always, ALWAYS hope. 

I love my mommy :) 

via

Thanks to Frostwinterheim :)

Yes.  I likey.

via

This just makes me think of dragon scales.  PURRRTY. :)

I'm loving THIS SITE too :)  I would like to go shopping there :)

So many pretty things today. 

Loving on this Thursday

I AM LOVING THIS ALL OVER THE PLACE!!!

both via

I LOVE IT.  :)

Ay...I like

Hay.  I likey.  Simple and elegant almost. 

via

And I like THIS little fortune teller  from Cup of Jo. :)

via Swissmiss

Across the Universe

I'm officially in love with the movie "Across the Universe".  It was my soundtrack for the weekend and made me feel better about the world.  Why wouldn't it?  The songs are all by the Beatles!!! :)  I'm a Beatlemaniac.  I love their songs, if not all of them, then ALMOST all.  I can't think of one song I don't like actually, nor can I think of JUST ONE FAVORITE.  *sigh*

I know I'm late in the game with this movie having been released a couple years ago, but better late than never.  :D  Now I'm bordering obssession.  hehehe!

I heart it.  Or rather, STRAWBERRY IT.

via

And who knew Evan Rachel Wood could sing?  I like her voice, even if I'm not a big fan of her in general.  I love her version of "If I Fell".  It adds a whole other layer to the emotion of the song in her version.

They all look so happy.

via

Then there was this other chica who I'm pretty sure I have a girl crush on.

via

TV Carpio.  She played Prudence, who turns out to be a lesbian.  She sang the best remake of "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" ever.  EVER.

But. BUT. BUT.  I am truly, madly and deeply in love with this fellow:

via

Jim Sturgess.  I liked you in "21".  I fell in love with you in "Across the Universe".  *sigh*

The cameos of Bono, Eddie Izzard and Salma Hayek were genius too.  Bono's version of "I Am the Walrus" is, was sheer awesomeness.

There.  I'm done sharing the strawberries I have for this movie.  *sigh*

New York or London?

I've lately been feeling the wanderlust more than usual.  I guess it's because also of the season.  This season doesn't seem right to be all hot and stinky.  I would like to be in crisp cold weather.  Autumn, I miss that season.  All the colors, the brisk walking that comes with it, the golden hue to the world. 

Of course when it comes to places, the two favorite places I have lived comes to mind, which are New York City and London.  I miss them both.  Now that the wanderlust has taken over, I'm trying to imagine myself where I'd rather be.  My heart is in London, my soul is in New York. 

I guess I'm just a traveler.  In my head.

Though recently the desire to move out of this country has taken hold of me.  Again.  But I think that sadly, this may be permanent move, IF I do move.  I'll give myself til next year to decide and save up.  After all the troubles of this year, I need to save up first. 

For now, before I make any decisions, I will just look at pictures. 

via

Though it does seem different without the twin towers.  :(

via

Aaaaaaaaah London.  And the Thames.  Wow, what I wouldn't give to go back.  Then again, I have nothing right now.  But then, well, you know what I mean.

*SIGH*

Trying to get into the holiday spirit

This is what started my brainstorming. 

via Apartment Therapy

I wanted to do something for the holidays.  So I decided to make these snowflakes instead.  I'm not into religious figures around my home at anytime of year, especially during the hols, and christmas fairy lights would just wreak havoc on my electrical bill, so I settled for snowflakes. 

It's cheap, DIY and pretty. 

TOOLS

Prototypes

First one using the 'snowflake' fold

First few ones

more....

and the finished front door.

I decided to do it on my front door because my walls are made of cement and I was doubtful that I could push in the thumbtacks into it. WARNING: Your thumbs may ache after all the tacking. :)

Happy holidays!!! :)