Friday, December 31, 2021

FMM: Fruits of the New Year

Today's Friday Magic Madness song goes back all the way to the 50s! Back to 1956, to be exact.

And it's inspired by two things:

One, my Christmas Wrapping theme that I wrote about yesterday.

Two, our boat of New Year fruits. All 13 of them! 

So, without further ado, here's Little Richard's hit, "Tutti Frutti!"

Have a fruitful 2021 everyone!

Thursday, December 30, 2021

Christmas Harvest

Of course, we can't end the year without the requisite post about this year's Christmas wrapping theme!

After 2020's back-to-basics theme, I wanted this year to be more vibrant, more colorful and more hopeful. Since 2021 was a year when people were able to adapt to the new normal and things started to pick-up, especially near the end of the year, it was something that I wanted to reflect in this year's wrapping.

Basically, it's an homage to the fact that 2021 was, and the wish that 2022 will continue to be - Fruitful!

First, I was able to harvest these fruit-themed wrappers in the middle of this year. Thank goodness for The SM Store's call-to-deliver service and they were able to find the right quantity and had it delivered to me. (Oh look! A free plug!)


Then, the ribbons followed the fruity hues as well. Again, ordered online through Michelle's Lace and Ribbon Shop.


The cards came next. And just like in previous years, the theme was so inspiring that I ended up designing 4 different gift cards.


Now, thanks to Shopee, I found these fruity erasers which were a perfect fit for the theme.


After all the elements were there, it was time to get wrapping.


Et voila! A "Fruitful Christmas" for 2021.


Before we welcome 2022, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!


Wednesday, December 29, 2021

LFLTAT: Hall Pass

"Annie Hall" is truly a breakthrough and an unforgettable film.

Aside from sweeping so many awards in 1978, including a Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Actress award in that year's Oscars, another thing that "Annie Hall" is known for is the film's fashion.

Diane's "masculine-feminine" dressing became a trend after the film came out, and even decades after. Even until now, this film has inspired that kind of androgynous and carefree way of dressing.


Something that I was able to recreate for less than a thousand, thanks to sale pieces from Kashieca!

The key piece is this plaid, high waist pair of pants. The waist is cinched and the legs are wide, which is something that looks very 70s.


The top is a boxy button down with a plaid detail on the sleeves. That perfectly echoes the fabric of the pants, in a very subtle way.


Together, this outfit actually rang up to less than P700! And actually, if I wanted to, I could've found a matching pair of shoes for less than P300.

But I'm happy with the ensemble as it is, so the shoe will have to be a pass for now.


Tuesday, December 28, 2021

Numbers game

Was randomly adding items on my cart, clicking here and there without double checking anything.

Then, as I checked out my shopping cart, this is what I saw:

My bill is composed of 4 consecutive numbers!

For that reason alone, I clicked "complete purchase."

Oh, the fun with numbers while online shopping.

Monday, December 27, 2021

Sushi Love

It's so apt that the Sushi Bomb that Elsie gave us for Christmas came in a heart container.


Why? Because we love it!

Actually, we've been ordering from this brand - Aiko Sushi - for years now. Not only is it great, it's also made by Elsie's fam. In fact, it's named after her niece - Aiko - who I've met a few times.

Family made food is always a labour of love.

Sunday, December 26, 2021

I say yeah!

Aside from the Songs of Songs verse that I wrote about a few days ago, another one of my favourite Christmas readings is the one that was read during today's Christmas Day Mass.

This is Isaiah 9:1-6.


The part that really gets me is the verse's description of our Lord Jesus:

"For to us, a child is born,

to uus, a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

Beautiful. Just beautiful.


Saturday, December 25, 2021

A Family Christmas

Our Christmas celebration for 2021 is more special because of family.

Last year, it was just Mom, Dad, Ate Bullet's family and myself. This was due to the fact that it was the first year of the pandemic and gatherings outside your "bubble" were discouraged.

This year, Kuya Marv and family are able to join us, which is awesome because I've only seen them twice this 2021. So, spending Christmas with them is truly a blessing.

And speaking of blessings - family, health, among others - let me take this time to thank Him for all the blessings he has given. Especially the blessing of family.


Merry Christmas, from our family to all of yours!

Friday, December 24, 2021

FMM: Taking it easy

For a change, this year, I'm not doing last minute Christmas wrapping for tonight's family get together.

Yes, that's a big thing! For me at least.

There were years when I'd miss parts of our family dinner because I'm in my room doing a lot of last-minute wrapping. Mostly for family gifts.

But this year, I was done as early as Tuesday. So, I have time for this Friday Magic Madness song from "The Commodores" featuring Lionel Richie, of course! And the song pretty much captures my mood tonight:


It feels so good to just take it "Easy."

Thursday, December 23, 2021

These are my Salad Days

No, this isn't a post about Spandau Ballet's "Gold."

It's about that time of the  year!

Yes, it's time for me to make my yearly contribution to our Christmas Noche Buena table.

Fruit Salad!

This never grows old.

Wednesday, December 22, 2021

What the "F"?

"Comforter" should be an easy word to spell, right?

Apparently not.


This is the real "F-P deficiency."

Proofreader, please!~

Tuesday, December 21, 2021

Grand Birthday!

Today is Ate Lissa's birthday!


This year, she's celebrating her birthday with 3 grandkids, after welcoming Adrianna early this year.

And yes, Carl, Jamie and Adriana surprised Ate by flying to TX to celebrate with her.

Her birthday's going to be grand!


Monday, December 20, 2021

Beautiful Song

One of the readings for tonight's anticipated Misa de Gallo is one of my all time favourites!

The reading from Song of Songs 2: 8-14 has been a personal fave since my high school days. As a writer, there's an instant and lasting appreciation for beautifully written readings and verses. And while the bible has a plethora of those, this one is very visual and elegantly written.

"I hear my lover's voice. He comes running over the mountains, racing across the hills to me.

My lover is like a gazelle, like a young stag. There he stands beside the wall.

He looks through the window and glances through the lattice.

My lover speaks to me. Come then, my love; my darling, come with me.

The winter is over; the rains have stopped; in the countryside the flowers are in bloom.

This is the time for singing; the song of doves is heard in the fields.

Figs are beginning to ripen; the air is fragrant and blossoming vines. 

Come then, my love; my darling come with me.

You are like a dove that hides in the crevice of a rock. 

Let me see your lovely face and hear your enchanting voice."

Reading through it, every line brings to live vivid images in my head. It's such a romantic story told with such simple eloquence.

No wonder this is one song I'll listen to again and again.

Sunday, December 19, 2021

Printed Matter: Slipper hit!

Not only does Plains & Prints come out with beautiful dresses and prints, they’re names are equally beautiful and thought of as well.

This is “Tsinelas”


And this print of a native, local slipper celebrates something truly Filipino. It's the centrepiece of this equally fun, flirty and fashionable dress.


Their Holiday 2021 collection is filled with so many beautiful dresses that are a hit, No wonder Ate’s closet is quickly filling up with them!

Saturday, December 18, 2021

Sweet childhood

These 4 products - all neatly in a row on Shopee - pretty much defines my childhood.

Yes, they're the sweets that I'd buy in our neighbourhood sari-sari stores - owned by Aling Ensa and Mommy Gallegos. They would have Haw Flakes, Choc-Nut and Tarzan arranged neatly in bottles, which always made me smile.

Stay Fresh, on the other hand, was something I'd buy in our school canteen in Claret. It was my "dessert" after recess or lunch.

Then, when we'd go on a supermarket run at Hi-Top, Tops, Queen's or Unimart, we'd buy them by the pack. Yes, all 4 of them.

Now, because of this sighting, and post, I'm putting these 4 in my cart as well.

My cart is going to look sweet in a bit.

Friday, December 17, 2021

FMM: Schooled

And just like that, tomorrow is the last day of classes. Again.

I've been teaching online for 2 semesters, and as much as I've gotten the hang of it, I'm still looking for the thrill of teaching face-to-face. Seeing my students. Looking at their reactions. Hear them throw around ideas that turn into brilliant concepts.

Hopefully, we'll go back to that mode of teaching soon. But right now, we discover the different ways of teaching and embrace them.

Which is the inspiration for this Friday Magic Madness song. An old song from Sesame Street about the different ways you get to school.

Soon, we'll find our way back to school.

Thursday, December 16, 2021

And so it begins...

Honestly, I miss hearing anticipated Midnight Masses IRL.

Part of the office tradition is for our group to go down to Ortigas Park to hear the mass there. After that, well, we go back to the office and resume working. Harhar!

Just like last year, this year's masses will be heard online. Beginning today.

Praying and hoping that by next year, we'll be back to doing our tradition.

Wednesday, December 15, 2021

Yes, I agree!

This prompt from Lazada made me smirk and shake my head at the same time.


I can almost imagine a comic voice saying those lines in a very deadpan way.

Yes, there's definitely something very wrong about it.


Tuesday, December 14, 2021

Confessions of a Goya Chocoholic

Just like any kid, the Morales kids (all 5 of us) were into chocolates. From the eldest to the youngest, chocolates were always something that we’d buy, share, and have readily in the fridge.

 It helped a lot that we had relatives in the US and Spain. This ensured that we had a steady supply of chocolates - imported ones at that. Back then, brands like Hershey’s, Nestle Crunch, e Musketeers and Snickers were rare and only available in PX stores. And Unimart. But luckily, we had these regularly. 

And we also were fortunate enough to enjoy “premium” US chocolates like See’s and Whitman’s.

But even if we had our regular fill of these imported brands, my favourite chocolate as a kid was a local brand called Goya.

I’d always badger my parents to buy me the iconic Goya chocolates like Goya Cubes, Silver Cup, and coins. And even if there were imported ones at home, I chose to indulge in Goya.

As I grew older, I never outgrew my love and loyalty for this brand. In fact, I bought a tall glass jar and filled it with Goya, and placed it in our living room so that visitors (and household members) could share my experience.

Then, as if by providence, when I joined Catalytx, one of the accounts assigned to me was - of course - Goya! And because of my childhood love for the brand, I treated the account with the same passion as I treated the brand as a kid.

Last week, I found out that Goya had a new variant with yogurt and berries.

YOGURT. AND. BERRIES.

Yes, my 2 faves combined with my childhood fave!

Needless to say, I searched for it with the help of Renee. And today, this was delivered:


I guess it’s pretty obvious that even after decades, I’m still a Goya chocoholic.

Monday, December 13, 2021

Toys for the baby boys

Back in the day, I'd buy a lot of baby toys for my nephews and nieces. I'd relish going into toy stores and baby shops and walk away with a stash of fun stuff for them.

Now, my eldest nephew is 31 years old, while my youngest nephew is 14 years old. Needless to say, I don't buy as much baby toys nowadays.

Yes, I do have 3 grandkids - well, grandnephew and grandnieces - but they're in the U.S. So, as much as I'd like to buy them toys, I'll have to wait until our next trip there.

Luckily, a number of my friends gave birth this year, so this Christmas, I got to indulge in one of my favourite shopping chores - baby toy shopping!


While there are a lot of brands out there, my choice are my go-to brands like Vtech and Fisher Price. They worked for Jul, Carl, Kevin, Princess, Miguel, Kurt, Kai, Toni, Noah and Javier, and they work for this new generation of tots.

Oh, they joy of buying a baby toy!

Sunday, December 12, 2021

Oh what a lack of difference a year makes

Last year, I wrote about this glaring error on the Lazada site. Apparently, "ruffle" isn't such an easy word to spell.



More than a year after, they still at it!

When I checked their site, the same product was still there, and the same typo is there as well.


Proofreader, please! (After all, it's been a year!)

Saturday, December 11, 2021

Part of a Heritage

Riy Halston is a legend. His designs defined so many decades, including the70s and 80s.

During that time of excess, he went the opposite direction and went for designs that were streamlined, feminine and luxe.

Even though he’s gone, his legacy remains, thanks to the Halston Heritage brand. This Pret-a-Porter brand is true to the vision of its founder, coming out with dresses that are both classy and classic, but with a fashionable twist.

Just like this beautiful column gown with a literal twist on the bodice.



I’ve been eyeing this gown for a while now, and it’s about time that this heritage be part of my sister’s closet.

And speaking of heritage and 80s, today is Dad's 81st birthday!

Happy Birthday Dad! 

Friday, December 10, 2021

FMM: High Rankin

 Kenny Rankin is one of my go-to singers when it comes to easy listening ditties. We spent many an overtime and overnight work at Adformatix with his classic "On and On" playing in the background.

Aside from his unforgettable melodies, the lyrics of his songs are also beautifully written and almost lyrical. 

Just like our Friday Magic Madness song for today. A Kenny Rankin classic from 1974:

"Pussywillows and Cattails." 

The title alone is lyrical. And when you get to the whole song, it just gets better and better.

This is what I miss about old songs. They don't make them like they used to.

Thursday, December 09, 2021

A Walk in the Parker

It's kinda bittersweet looking at the December 2021 Cover of Vogue USA.

The sweet part is because it's SJP on the cover!!!

Sarah Jessica Parker is in the house! (Or cover!)

The bitter part is because I know this issue will be hard to find here in Manila, so I'm trying to figure out how to get it.

And speaking of SJP, if there's one video of her that I watch on repeat, it's this collaboration video of her and Kleinfeld. As a huge fan of surprises, this video is simply a thrill.

Oh, SJP! How will I get thee?

Wednesday, December 08, 2021

This day is Immaculate

Yes, it's the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary.

It's been 2 years since my last mass to celebrate this Feast Day. I'm missing hearing masses on December 8, usually at 6pm in Megamall with Mark. Hopefully, this time next year, everything will be back as it should be and we'll be hearing physical masses again soon.

Also, today is the birthday of a few friends of mine. And one thing they have in common? They're all named "Concepcion."

Once again, Happy Feast Day, Mama Mary!

Tuesday, December 07, 2021

Make a note

Last year, while looking for a supplier for stickers, it led me to this page called Crafts & Ink. They had a lot of nice sticker designs, so I contacted them to check if they could do the design we had in mind.

It was a pleasant surprise when the owner contacted me because she turned out to be a former student of mine. This was her business, which made me even more confident to pass on our requirements to her.

Since then, I've been getting stickers from her regularly. Then, last week, I asked her if she also made notecards. Particularly, a design that's been in my file for months - a note card with toile du jouy border and a simple script monogram.

After answering to the affirmative, my note cards are here!

This is going to make writing notes a lot more fun!

Monday, December 06, 2021

Paneer or far

Indian food is a go-to for both Mark and me.

Whether it’s nearby like New Bombay in Podium or Naan in Mandaluyong, or far away like the Naan-all-you-can restaurant in Roppongi or the Indian restaurant near the ADBI Tokyo office, we both enjoy a good Indian meal.

Unfortunately, we haven’t had an Indian meal together in a while. But I got my fix of Naan and Masala a few weeks ago, thanks to Ia who sent New Bombay my way.

But the past few days, i’ve been craving for Indian food again.

Which led me to this:


Instant Palak Paneer!

Mark and I usually order this at New Bombay and it’s great! Now, I’m wondering how the instant variety would taste like.

Let’s see how it goes.

Sunday, December 05, 2021

Twice as nice!

The great thing about Mom and Dad celebrating their birthdays just 9 days apart?

A double celebration! That’s twice the fun, in one!


Happy Birthday Party, Parentals! Nice (double) party!

Saturday, December 04, 2021

Printed Matters: Tres Chic part deux

Yes, another day, another beautiful fashion illustration of 3 chic ladies:


And yes, on another equally chic Plains & Prints dress!




Needless to say, their Holiday Dress collection is a home run!

Friday, December 03, 2021

FMM: Parental Party

Because of Mom and Dad's photo from the birthday dinner last night, I suddenly remembered the very cool, fun and groovy group from the 60s - The Mamas and Papas.

They have so many awesome hits - one of which I even wrote about last year.

And since today is a Friday, it's time to bring back the Mamas and Papas. And today's FMM hit is a very danceable ditty from the 60s which is perfect for a party. Just like Mom's birthday yesterday, and Dad's birthday next week.


Listening to this makes me want to just get up and dance.

Which is the entire point of the song.

Thursday, December 02, 2021

Great at 78!

Yes, My Mom doesn’t look like she’s turning 78 today. But she is!


We had our usual garage dinner to celebrate it. Mark and I had food and cake delivered, and the fam enjoyed it!


And yes, I obviously still don’t know how to take a selfie.

Happy Birthday Mom!

Wednesday, December 01, 2021

Which is ‘Wich

I'm not one to subscribe to food trends, but when it comes to Chicken Sandwiches, I'll make an exception.

Chicken Filet Sandwiches are my jam! From Chick Fil-A to KFC's Zinger to Popeye's Spicy Cajun Sandwich to Chili's Buffalo Chicken Ranch Sandwich, I'll be content eating any (or all) of these on a daily basis.  

So, it was with much interest and curiosity that I finally tried the much written about new entrant to the Chicken Sandwich competition - Jollibee's Crunchy Chick'nwich


Among local fast food joints, Popeye's is the one to beat. It's the standard when it comes to crunchiness, flavour, additional fillings, mouthfeel, among others.

So, how does Chic'nwich compare?

Not bad!

The chicken was huge and protruding from the bun. Even the fun was different from the usual Jollibee burger bun - it was firmer, shinier and more packed. The chicken itself had the right amount of crunch and a good skin-to-meat-ratio. The flavour was a bit wanting for me, especially since I like the full-on flavour of both Popeye's and Zinger.

The pickles were a nice touch and it added the occasional sour bite.

So, was it worth the hype? 

Well, it's good. But it's not something I'll crave for. Yes, it will be part of the repertoire, but it will be a few notches below my go-to sandwiches.

Gosh! Writing about this made me crave for Howlin' Rays Sando again!

Tuesday, November 30, 2021

WATN: Going to Anwar

Because of that "Scent of a Woman" post a few days ago, it got me to thinking.

Where is Gabrielle Anwar now?

She was a fixture in many Hollywood films in the 90s, and among her iconic roles is in this Al Pacino film. Who can forget her tango scene?

Now, I'm going to search online to see what she's been doing now, especially her work on TV and films.

And hopefully, I can watch her again soon.

Monday, November 29, 2021

Getting Wiig-gy with it

Kristen Wiig is so hilarious!

From her sketches in SNL to her films like "Bridesmaids." "Zoolander," and "Whip it," she always makes me laugh so hard.

Among my Kristen Wiig sketches on repeat is this SNL sketch entitled: "Liza tries to turn off a lamp."

I've seen this so many times and still laugh at all the same places.

That's the hallmark of true comedy.

Sunday, November 28, 2021

Scent of a Woman

No, this isn't a post about the 1992 film with Robert de Niro and Gabrielle Anwar. Though admittedly, I l'm a fan of that film.

This post is about one of the dresses that caught my eye in the Holiday 2021 Collection of Plains & Prints. The "Orange" dress from "Bahaghari." 


The interesting detail of this dress is this flap of a woman smelling a flower on the other end of the dress.

It's such an artsy and dress with a festive colour. Which is why Ate Bullet is wearing it today as she celebrates her birthday!

Happy Birthday, Ate Bullet!

And yes, it's a 2nd "scent" post in a row.

Saturday, November 27, 2021

Scent-sational

When Mark and I were talking about Christmas gifts for his colleagues, he came up with this great insight.

Since most people are staying and working from home, we should give something that would make their home and work space a bit more relaxing and soothing.

Which led us to the thought of giving out scented candles!


The Warm Cotton candle smells divine! It reminds me of my favourite scent from Clean.

And speaking of being reminded, it just occurred to me that my Birthday gifts for Mark were items that were designed to make his work space at home more relaxing and soothing.

You know what they say about great minds...

Friday, November 26, 2021

FMM: Gotta Love It!

No, this isn't a post about Church's Chicken. (Also known as Texas Chicken.) But yes, that was their tagline at one point.

This is a Friday Magic Madness post, so this has to be about an old song.

And in this case, it's a song from 1981 from Billy Preston and Syreeta.

Presenting, "Love."

I'm not sure why, but this song is embedded in my memory and it would pop up every so often. Particularly the verse that Syreeta sings that goes:

"Alright. When love was within our reach. We were blinded by our dreams of being free."

Whenever this part of the song plays in my head, I immediately have to search for the song and listen to it again.

Like today.


Thursday, November 25, 2021

Traveling Tastebuds

While it isn’t as easy or simple to travel, it doesn’t mean that my tastebuds can’t do it for me!

Today’s afternoon snack is composed of my favourite drink from HKG, and Mark and my favourite Snack from JPN!


Yes! Vita Lemon Tea and Onigiri in the house!

Hopefully we can travel again to those countries and try the legit thing soonest!

Wednesday, November 24, 2021

Some kind of One-derful

No, this isn’t about the 1987 film with Lea Thompson and Eric Stoltz.

It’s about the fact that when you get older, you get excited about the most domestic things. And in my case, doing groceries excite me.

Especially whenever I find great deals.

Observe:




Each of these items are just one peso each.

ONE.

PESO.

EACH.

P11 For Limited Edition Listerine and Sparkling Fruit Soda!

And that’s my One-derful story for today.

Tuesday, November 23, 2021

Amalfi Feels

The Amalfi Coast in Italy is one of the most picturesque places that I've seen.

From the serene, blue waters to the old, European style houses lining the bay, everything is just so photogenic.

And this dress from Plains & Prints captures that feeling perfectly.


From the different shades of blues, to the cenefa print of homes, to the overall silhouette - it's all so coastal chic. 

In fact, this dress would look great while walking in that actual location!

Kudos to Plains & Prints for this Amalfeels!

Monday, November 22, 2021

Kasugai High!

Kasugai is one our go-to snacks in Japan.

We'd often buy it at Donki or at our favourite snack store in Nakano Broadway.

Suddenly, I'm missing our Kasugai runs and snacking on them at random parks. Was looking for it at the Daiso Japan online store, to no avail.

Even a quick scan at Shopee and Lazada yielded no results.

Gosh! Hopefully it'll be available soon!

Sunday, November 21, 2021

Hui will miss this!

Another iconic and favourite food shop of mine in HKG is closing down.


Hui Lau Shan is one of my go-to places whenever I'm craving for something light and sweet. And their Mango Sago is an icon in HKG.

That's why it was such a thrill when they opened shop in MNL. But last year, their store in Ortigas Center change names. And now I know why.

Gosh! That's one less restaurant to visit the next time I go to HKG.