....Big Ben Dinner......

last august 24, i shared a wonderful dinner with a good friend, a high school friend, Rocelyn or Angel, gel is my "Kristine Series Buddy" way back in high school, imagine after 10 years ABS-CBN now have the Kristine Teleserye, hahaha

our dinner can be our little despedida also because Gel we'll be moving in Manila for what she love's to call a Professional Growth for her, but as a friend I support her all the way.....for dinner i had "Fruittied Grilled Pork" and Gel had "Pork Salpicao," started it with a soup, green salad and our main course....

Fruittied Grilled Pork

Salad w/ mango suace

after dinner we meet up with Juvy and Fr. Joy for coffee at Coffee 101.....i just want to share Fr. Joy's love advice to us; 1.) "You complete me" but "we compliment each other"-----wow Fr. joy told us that we are complete as a person, we should not be dependent of the other person for our completeness, and relationship should never be about completing the other person, but instead both of you in the relationship must compliment each other.....well nagising ako sa katotohanan dahil doon, 2.) in life we are in a big (Y)...... we have choices in life, we should be ready and brave to take the risk and to make a choice of the path we have to take so that in the end there is no what if's...........tama nga naman that bravery is important to make the most of what we have, 3.) when you are meant to be with someone, no matter what in the end you will be together.......tama pa rin and it makes me feel better.....maybe time will make it way......

my bundle of joy, our blessing......

never expecting that in the 24 years of my life with only my younger sis with me, that one day, a new bundle of joy will blessed our family...he is a gift from heaven to our family, for me he was the ultimate gift i receive in my 24 years, he blessed our family on the day i celebrate my 24th birthday..........

..........FAST FORWARD.................................2010
our gift, ate's lucky charm, an angel, a blessing......no words can best describe who he is for all of us, he came at the time when my sister is about to enter medical school, which means, financially it will be quite hard for my parents and i am in my 2nd year in law school, here another mouth to feed, a six months old baby boy that my parents have to take care of, but not a single NO came from me and my sister,the moment we laid our eyes to him we just love him and all we wanted is to have him in the family, four years later, he is indeed our ultimate joy

.........................................WE LOVE YOU BRO...........................................................................

W/ PAPA

copy of my comment to superbianca's post......

Happy 7th year to you blog....i just started my blog this month and finally i found a place where i can share my thoughts and experiences with others.
we're of the same age, i turned 27 last february and yes like you i have my own life changing experience in the 27 years of existence....
born in a family where everything is well provided....we're not rich but i would say i am blessed to have the kind of parents that prepared and planned to have a family of their own.
schooled in an all girls- catholic school, i grew up prim and proper and with values that my parents inculcated to us i would say i live life the way it should be.....and being looked up by people i our community, to others what a beautiful life, i have nothing to worry in life, now that i'm taking my LLB though i have a job that pays me well my parents still support my law school and even pay for my apartment, indeed a life to be jealous of for other people....
People didn't see the girl or the lady who struggle all her life to make a name of her own, not just she is the daughter of________,
in college i took up BS Management in UP Iloilo in preparation for someday be in the world of Business, banking where my parents have their investements, Unibersidad ng Pilipinas is the turning point, the prim and proper me became the girl who joined and shouted "Iskolar ng Bayan,Tuloy pa rin ang laban," and the girl who for 16 years have the best amenities in her fingertips, now has to "bomba" for water to take a bath and instead of cd music to sleep her for the night now has the singing of frogs bring her to sleep, the girl looked up having all the values can now be seen in bars until the wee hours and now knows all the best drinks in town, the catholic-schooled girl now goes to school in her pj's or in days she got enough time to prepare goes in her mini skirts paired with colored nails and with full make-up....
those were the turning point, my 1st two years in UP Iloilo showed and made me experience the life that was shielded from me, the reality of life that we need to fall to learn, twas in those days shouting in the streets that i met the real people that they have something to fight for, that life is a war to be fought to succeed, they need to fight poverty, fight for their scholarships to be in school and wait for their monthly stipend to buy for his sick father's medicine.....after two years being with them made me realized that i got to do something because i have so much blessings in life...in my 3rd year in UP i joined a theater group where i honed my passion for acting and this time i was able to help the street children by giving workshop to them every summer until i graduated, i became a volunteer in our orgs outreach activities and at the same time in the last two years in UP i was in the dean's list.....
And now the girl who struggled to make a name of her own has done it....i got employed in government instead of helping out in our family business, and proud to say i am where i am without my parents connection and i do what i love doing most, i am a head of a unit in the office of the governor of sarangani, we conduct provincial outreaches to farflung barangays, it may be beyond what i dreamed of, be in an airconditioned office in a business suit but the fulfillment i have now is more than the comfort that i can have....

fixing a brokenheart in Davao City......

well it's quite late to write about my davao trip, but its better late than never, or is it because i'm healed that i am able to write about it.....haha

my Davao trip was the first trip that i planned and the first ever trip that i spend my own money, because i'm hurting and i'm spending a lot, its a 2 nights and 1 day trip that i took with my sister and cousim Miya, my ultimate travel buddies......

me and my sister arrived in Davao City by 9:00 P.M, but its not yet late to make laag, activity that night; Dinner at Penongs, a stroll at David by Seawall and a "kwek-kwek" and buko juice for a midnight snacks....

1st Day

to start our day.....Breakfast at Dimsun Dinner, a walk at Davao's Chinatown, Check-in at Ponce Suites the Unconventional Center, waited for my cousin and had a full lunch at Dencio's (bagoong rice, mandaragat soup and adobo)....and to let go of all the pain inside i need something extreme, the answer is "D' Excelerator" (extreme zip, extreme speed), i had it in superman style, if only i can fly and soar to let go of all the pain inside, for a minute everything stand still i have my world, "THUD!!!" its the zip break, wake up to the real world.........you cant simply escape, PAIN is still inside.......after taking the extreme, a cup of coffee maybe can ease IT......coffee at Ponce Suites and we explore the unconventional, no matter how unconventional and extreme around us, we still need to keep our sanity, as i tried my best to take a nap after all the extremes.....

Dinner

Dinner at Damusa, Yellow Cab (calzone, potato halves and Charlie Chan noodles)....all i need is to face the things that for a time i tried to avoid, a place full of Yellow,  yellow is still my favorite no matter how much pain that color brings me because at one point in my life it made me smile. well i didn't eat Pizza, our fave bonding but i was able to face the many pictures of pizza around, haha, and whats dinner without dessert, Ice Giants ice cream......hmmp this again reminded me of our yoghurt moments, but try to look at yoghurt has "hurt" on it, haha........well i pray that my next travel story is a travel no longer to fix a broken heart..........

.....cravings....California Maki......

California Maki....love it

living alone means eating alone and eating alone makes you crave for something that makes you happy, happy means eating something that you once have shared with someone you love......and yes last night for dinner i have my cravings answered............

after having my grocery......Rai Rai Ken California Maki here i come.....love it, as i eat i miss my sister, my future doctor and the fun memory we shared with our lil bro in RaiRai Ken Robinsons

....i wanna try it.......

i wasn't tagged but i found this on bianca's blog and felt like answering it.. hehe. so here it is!

three names you go by:
1. maimai
2. myrs
3. mayang

three screen names you have had:
1. Mai Girl
2. Gracy
3. gracymai

three physical things you like about yourself:
1. eyes
2. mole in my nose
3. skin color

three physical things you don't like about yourself:
1. face shape
2. feet
3. knees

three parts of your heritage:
1. filipino
2. spanish
3. ..nothing more!

three things that scare you:
1. losing my love ones
2. to be physically handicap
3. natural calamities

three of your everyday essentials:
1. coffee
2. food supplements
3. facial wash

three of your favorite musical artists:
1. sitti
2. hillsongs
3. urbandub

three things you want in a relationship:
1. openness
2. understanding
3. initiative to make each other so happy


three physical things about the opposite sex that appeals to you:
1. eyes!
2. body
3. shoulder

three of your favorite hobbies:
1. surfing the net
2. reading
3. malling

three things you want to do really badly now:
1. travel
2. have a business
3. eat healthy, be healthy

three careers you're considering/you've considered:
1. enterpreneur
2. something related to politics-consultant but not a politician
3. lawyer

three places you want to go on vacation:
1. greece
2. egypt
3. india

three kid's names you like:
1. miguel
2. sofia
3. pslamantha

three things you want to do before you die:
1. atleast have visited a place in all seven continents
2. put up a foundation
3. volunteer to UN

three ways that you are stereotypically a girl:
1. i love the color pink.
2. i cry easily when watching romantic movies.
3. i daydream a lot about my future.

three celeb crushes:
1. harrison ford
2. charlie sheen
3. hayden christensen

a first with mama.....

i have always been very passionate with traveling, if i have a whole day of relaxation it is a whole day in a couch, watching my favorite travel channel, "Discovery Travel and Living,"

....and how i wish i could be in Samatha Brown's shoes traveling and at the same time getting paid for it, but then my life wasn't planned and designed that way, i have to work hard and save for my travels.....and i just did

my sissy, my cousin Miya have always been my travel buddies, visiting local places. and just recently i have a new buddy my mom, mama dora, see the power of influencing people around you, i would say it was my first biggest splurge in travel, i paid for my own roundtrip ticket, shared with ma in cab rides and dinners and of course our 3-days hotel accommodation, how's that? and bet it was very fulfilling that you are spending your own hard earned cash for something you are passionate of......

on the other hand what make's it more exciting is that i get to plan and research for our itinerary, wee i'm having another business idea in all these.....

Cebu heritage escapade with mama, we left for Cebu City for two reasons; first to surprise my sister on her 25th birthday and second to take a breather and travel......me and mama wants to travel the world but before we take out of the country trips, we must first travel around the philippines and we just started....

an afternoon coffee at Holiday Plaza

leave for Cebu City via davao city thru Cebu Pacific Airlines.....arrived in Cebu City by 10:15 A.M, we first checked-in at Holiday Plaza, Ramos St. Cebu City, i know of the hotel through my research of travel blogs and the like

Lunch at Gerry's Grill

lunch at Gerry's Grill, Ayala terraces, well it's not an authentic Cebuano food hub yet, at that time all we want is to eat.......we feasted and i FEASTED really on Pancit Molo Soup, Bulalo, Grilled Squid, Sashimi, Adobong Kangkong, BBQ leimpo, Calamares, Crab Rice and Adobo Rice, before you react on our gluttony, we had lunch with Tito Leo, my Ma'be, and Lola Auring, i admit it's quiet too much for a group of 5, we are indeed very full after...after lunch we take a siesta in our hotel, we waited for my sister until dinner time....

 after our dinner at Ocean Garden....sis 25th birthday

dinner time

first cebu dinner at Ocean Garden, Lahug City, this is where my sister wants to have dinner, so be it, it's her birthday anyway, though i what something more authentic Cebuano Cuisine.....make a guess, that i ended my 3-days trip not able to get to taste such infamous Cebuano pride.......maybe its a sign, i'll be back..

2nd Day

Start the day with a hotel's complimentary breakfast, wow love it so much, the food taste just like the way we had it at home.....yabang ba.....love the choices of cold cuts and pastries.

After breakfast its time to go.....explore the city and first on my list....anyway the list that made, huhu, i left it at home so asked my ate nene to text me my list, Fort San Pedro 8:00 A.M, haha we were the first visitor for the day, it's just a walking distance from Cebu Port, as we enter, we're greeted by their wonderful staff who even gratefully offer to take our pictures, it's a smaller version of Fort Santiago, going around it won't take long, above its wall is a walkway that centuries ago it was used as watch towers now, both ends has its Butterfly conservation area.......in their information area one get a glimpse of Cebu city's history.........a short taxi ride from Fort San Pedro is the Magellan Cross, it's a must for me, because every photos about Cebu City is seldom seen without the Magellan Cross, it's like you haven't been  to CEbu without visiting the Magellan Cross, in our short taxi ride to it, our manong driver offered to take us around the whole day up to Lapu-Lapu City which we accepted....so that we don't have a hard time looking for a ride,  in Lapu-Lapu city we went to visit Magellan Shrine and have a very fishy lunch at SUTOKIL (Sugba, Tola and Kilaw), after a hearty meal we went to haggle for pasalubong, the accessories that cost you a hundred bucks in malls can be bought at 10 pcs/ 100, wow.....after pasalubong shopping we went to Alegre Guitar Factory, Mama bought one for our lil bro.....after a very tiring we head back to our hotel, Had dinner later at Abuhan Dos famous for their Sizzling Pochero.
3rd Day
Start the day with a breakfast at Abuhan Uno, visit Casa Gorordo and Heritage Park....along the way we passed by the Yap-San Diego Museum

......elementary friend funny experience........

auj, friend since elementary

last wednesday, aug. 11, 2010, i had lunch at Razon's Palabok and Halo-Halo with my elementary friend Augivie, we've been bestfriend since elementary that as we talked now we canno remember how we became friends or how we started to hang-out.....
after nth years of having separate lives, we rekindle the fun that we have at the same time on a serious note, we decided to see each other to talk business.....
......here's the funny part, i chose Razon's, because its a new place to eat in Sun City, a new Urban Community to hang-out for the Gen.San. urbanites. it opened last Aug. 9, 2010, since it's new, a lot of curious foodie wants to try it, and being a foodie myself i decided to have lunch there, since it's lunch time, it got pretty crowded. My friend auj got there first, while waiting for me she saw her bf's friend, she decided to stay with them while waiting for me.....when i arrive there's no vacant table yet so we stay with Paulo's group for a while, i even made additional order for myself for table 9, by the time we had a vacant table we decided to transfer,we informed the cashier to transfer the charging of our order's to our new table......
we then ate and chatted that Paulo's group decided to go ahead, after so much talked and it's already 2:00 PM we decided to pay for our bills and VIOLA!!!! we're only paying P120, WHY??????? let me check......WHAT? the rest of our orders were charged and paid by Paolo, EMBARRASSING, how's that i just met him that time  and haha he get to pay for my food.........what a day!

just another day

it's 11:07 A.M at my office, with nothing to do, i'm waiting for my friend augivie to text me, we are going out for lunch and have some business talks, i tried to make my first post in my blog and BANG it failed......i'v written quiet a long one then.....i wanna cry but i just come to think that it's not meant to be posted just yet, hoping this one will......lol