Hyeongjewa Jamae

Since Ate Bullet and I were both "home alone" this weekend, we took it as an opportunity to change up our usual Sunday "eat in at the garage day." 

Instead of eating in, we decided and have dinner outside. It was also an opportunity for me to introduce Ate to one of my go-to Korean restaurants, Jeongwon.

Since both of us watch K-drama, there was a lot of K-onversation revolving that, and life in general. It's been a while since brother and sister went out like this, so this was very welcome.

Eomcheongnan!

Golden Moments

When we were kids, Biboy and I were the quintessential "cat and dog." 

Our fights back then were very "kiddie," but epic! Usually, it would be about very shallow things - like toys, games, the TV, stuff like that. These would vary from fist fights, hiding each other's toys, chasing each other down Scout Gandia, and other things that - looking back - make be chuckle.

Maybe it was because we were opposites in a lot of ways. He liked Spandau Ballet while I preferred Duran Duran. He listened to Madonna while I'd listen to Cyndi Lauper. When musicians banded together to help the famine in Africa, he was team "Band Aid," while I was team "USA for Africa." Robot-wise, he liked Mazinger Z while I'm a Voltes V fan.

Not that we were complete opposites, though. We both liked BMX biking, Lego, Questor Magazines, and playing out in the street with the rest of the Gandia kids. We'd spend our summers biking around the Scout area, going to Baraquiel's Bike Shop along Morato, and trying out different "exhibitions" on our bikes.

As we grew older, our "cat and dog" slowly became "birds of the same feather." We got along more, and realized that we have a lot more in common. In High School, we both went to LSQC and he was a batch ahead of me. Because of this, he would protect me from bullying and would often have his classmates to help. In college, even if we went to different schools, we helped each other and had each other's back.

Eventually, we graduated and started working. He worked in Laguna, Bulacan, and eventually moved to Davao City. We would always look forward to his visits to Manila because it was the first time one of our siblings moved away. But it's true that distance makes the heart grow fonder, because we felt closer even if we were islands apart.

In 1996, he got married and made me his Best Man. That was really an honour! I also helped out in organizing his wedding, which was what inspired me to eventually be a part-time wedding planner.

Then, in 2002, he moved with his whole family to GA, which was way, way farther than Davao. 

Just like when he moved to Davao, his move to the US kept us closer. After all, we had Ooma and the Internet. We also looked forward to our trips to GA to visit him, and his trips to MNL to visit us.

Despite the many visits, one stood out the most. In 2019, when I got sick, he dropped everything and flew to Manila to check-up on me. And that meant the world - and the universe - to me. It was one of the reasons why I got better as fast as I did, seeing Biboy and having him around for weeks. 

As Biboy celebrates his Golden year today, it makes me break out in a big smile while remembering all these moments shared together. From our "cat and dog" childhood to our "birds of the same feather, flock together" adulthood. 

These moments make me extremely grateful to have a brother who's worth his weight in Gold!

Happy Golden Birthday, Biboy! Let's celebrate soon!

Biz-y Busy

With no time wasted in walking and commuting, there are actually more hours in a day to work. Although the downside is, this Work-From-Home arrangement basically throws Work-Life balance out of the window. (How can you balance work and life when work and life are now one and the same? Harhar!)

The upside is, there's actually more time to do work. And there's more work that's done. So, above the usual workload that I've been doing, I'm able to do some passion projects during downtime. Projects like layouts, logos and other design projects I can sink my teeth into.

Just like these ones I did for my sibs' businesses:

Because of all these, it seems to me like work is more busy now that I'm working from home.

And I'm liking it that way.

Sib Love!

Last year, we had a mini-sibling reunion in Atlanta with 4 of us present - Kuya Marv, Ate Lissa, Biboy and myself. Ate Bullet wasn't able to join due to the fact that she wasn't able to get her US Visa renewed in time.

This year, another mini-sibling reunion just happened, and Ate Bullet is now in it!

Ate Bullet, Biboy and I planned this HKG trip a little over a month ago, and now we're here!

I just love mini-reunions like this!

Siblings are *insert heart emoticons here*

We're all older now and living our separate lives. Some here in the Philippines, some in the U.S.

We may not see each other that often, but when we get together, it feels like we're back to being kids in that big, old house in Morato.

That's the reason why it's always a joy to get together with my siblings. And whenever we do, I feel like the luckiest youngest brother in the world.

Sibling Revelry: Full House

The last time I shared a room with my brother was more than 20 years ago.

The last time my siblings and I were in the same house together was longer than that.

So, it was such a welcome change to be living with them, albeit only for a week.

We all gathered at Biboy's house in GA for a week, leading up to Jul's wedding. And during that week, it felt like we were kids again, living in Scout Gandia, doing things together.

It was so refreshing to be able to spend the whole day with them. From waking up and preparing breakfast:

to doing the groceries, and eating at mall food courts:

to hearing mass, going to far away outlet malls, and eventually, attending Jul's wedding as a family.

One thing I realized after that week was how much I missed spending that much time with my siblings. In fact, I was having a mild case of sepanx when the day of my departure was nearing.

I'm so glad that we had this opportunity, and I look forward to having another opportunity like this sometime soon.

Bro-dorable!

This photo of Miguel and Javier is just so adorable. I'm especially digging Javier's smile. It's very mischievous. Harhar.

To siblings!

Cheers to brotherhood and sisterhood!

While my siblings and I see each other often, it's usually with the rest of the family. When that happens, our attention would usually be focused on so many things. 

That's why it was refreshing to spend the day with just the 4 of us. And just like little kids, we spent the day just eating, roaming around the malls, shopping, and eating some more.

We should do this more often, and with Biboy in tow, too.

Sibling revelry: The Japan edition

Mom posted this photo of Dad and Tita Evelyn during their recent trip to Tokyo. I think it's an awesome and sweet photo of the siblings.

It's also a photo that's asking for a "caption this." Harhar.

Dress up, Dress down

During Mom's birthday, Ate Bullet and Kevin posted photos of Mom with us on separate occasions.

These two photos were taken 2 years apart, and in two different locations. We're also dressed very differently in both shots. But I noticed that despite the time and location differences, we're positioned in the same spot in both photos.

This must be the official family photo pose then.

Sandbox Siblings

Who says only the next generation can have fun?

Here are the original Regalado-Morales siblings having fun under the scorching sun. At a place called Sandbox, to boot.

Ah, to be a kid again. Hahaha.

Sibling Style

When we were kids, our parents made an effort to dress us alike. This was especially true for Ate Lissa and Ate Bullet since it was easier for Mom to dress the girls up in matching outfits.

In keeping with that tradition, I'd like to present another pair of stylish siblings - Miggy Boy and Javi Davi Doo!

(I'm loving Javi's "Mikayla's-not-impressed" look.)

 (Attention: Stylish siblings ahead.)

(Ate Lissa calls this the "Florales boys" shot)

Gosh! I don't know how much of this adorable-ness I can take!

And still more sibling revelry!

As Mom was about to celebrate her 7th decade in the world, we felt that it was an occasion that deserved a special celebration. And what's more special than a complete family to celebrate with you.

That's why Biboy surprised Mom by flying to Manila for a few days to personally greet her and celebrate this milestone.

It was a very, very short trip - 5 days to be exact. But it was 5 days well-spent. For 5 days, the Regalado-Morales siblings were complete, having dinner, hanging out, exchanging stories, and taking pictures - all together. Just like when we were in Morato. Just like when we were kids. The only difference was, we weren't kids anymore. The siblings are really all-grown up.

Despite that, moments like these will never grow old.

Sketchy stories: The Bollywood edition

Creative people say that there's inspiration everywhere. Even from the most random thing, you can find a trigger that gets your creative juices flowing and pushes you to create something. 

This was the case of the dress that Ate Lissa wore during Pichon's wedding last Saturday.

The story starts at Forever 21. Ate Bullet has a wedding to attend in June and is planning to wear the black, pleated long gown that I bought for her in Singapore. She needed earrings to go with it, and I remember seeing a pair of black, art deco ones at the Megamall store. (More on that another time.)

Immediately, I found the pair that I was looking for.  But just as I was walking away from the rack, there was this other pair of multicolored sparklers that called out to me. It said: "Don't leave just yet. Look at me! Look at me!" So I looked at it. And bought it.

This pair was also a bit art deco in design, thought its vibe was more Bollywood. Maybe it's the deep jewel tones that remind me of India. Immediately, I knew that "Modern Bollywood" would be the theme for Ate Lissa's dress.

With that accessory in mind, it was time to find the perfect Indian fabric. Which would've been easy if we were in Singapore or India. But this is Manila, and this might have been a tall order. So, I went to several Indian shops in search for a sari that can be reworked. Luckily, this Indian silk fabric presented itself to me.

It was perfect. The deep magenta base, a red cenefa, and small brick red patterns - it was very Indian, but still modern. What struck me the most was the paisley edges that echoed the design of the earrings that this was supposed to match.

The fabric was already busy and a bit complex, thus, I thought the design should be simple, classic, but still with a touch of modernity. Which led to this sketch:

A simple, strapless dress with a flared hem. It was classic, and it would bring out the cenefa both at the bodice and the hem. Just to keep it from looking too simple, the back had an open detail to show off some skin and to break the color and pattern.

After showing the seamstress the dress, she immediately knew what to do. And after a few weeks, the modern Bollywood gown arrived.

Like a lot of creative endeavors, this gown looked better than I imagined it to be. The flared hem gives it an edge, and the back offers a hint of sass. It could've been a tad bit more open, though, but the cenefa would've been cut if I insisted.

Just add some "chori, chori," and this gown will definitely go straight to Bollywood.

Sibling Revelry: The relaxed formal edition

Three weeks ago, my siblings and I got all dressed up for my cousin's 18th birthday. 

Today, our other cousin got married, so we had to get all dressed up once again for the occasion.

This morning's wedding had a more relaxed vibe, which reflected on what we wore. My sisters went for a lighter palette and a more laid-back look.

(Spot the difference. Better yet, spot the similarity)

Three weeks after, I think we still clean up nice.

Sibling reverly: The Regal edition

In previous entries, I've talked a lot about my siblings. Last year, when Tita Evelyn spent her holidays in Manila, I talked about Dad and his siblings.

Now that I'm thinking about it, I really haven't talked about Mom and her siblings. One reason is probably the fact that they're big and scattered in different places.

Mom is the 7th among 10 siblings. Yes, the Regalados - fondly called the "Regal babies" - are a big clan. And an "equal" one, too, because among the 10, there were 5 boys and 5 girls. 

As adults, Mom and her siblings were scattered in 3 different places. Mom was the only one who settled in Manila. Five of her siblings lived in the U.S with my Lolo and Lola, while the other 4 settled in Bicol which was my grandparents' hometown.

Growing up, we weren't too familiar with our Regalado aunts and uncles. We'd see our Bicol-based relatives maybe once every 2 years. For the U.S.-based Regalados, maybe once in 5 years. 

But that didn't stop us from being close. Whenever we'd get together, it would always be a lot of fun. I have fond memories of our Regalado clan reunions at the "palitada" in Malinao. Whenever my Aunts and Uncles from the California would visit, we'd stay up until the wee hours just talking and having fun. We'd correspond by letters and cards. They'd send packages of toys and goodies. And we'd always look forward to seeing each other.

Last weekend, Mom and 4 of her siblings got together in Hayward for my cousin's wedding. Uncle Rol posted this photo, and I thought it was such an adorable shot. Even if they're all in one country, Mom lives down South while the other 4 live at the West Coast. Ergo, a shot like this doesn't happen that often.

I love their smiles in this photo. It's so telling of how they love and miss each other, and how they're cherishing this moment that all 5 of them are together. It's just too bad that Auntie Cel and Uncle Coye were both in Bicol when this was taken.

But as my cousin Danny said, next year is the Golden wedding anniversary of Uncle Coye and Auntie Mila, and he's hoping that the 7 Regal-siblings will be together for that event.

That's definitely something to look forward to.

Debutante diaries: My Fair-y Lady

With all the excitement leading to the big day, I forgot to post the conclusion of the "Debutante diaries" series that I wrote. It was basically a chronicle of the dresses that Ate Lissa and Ate Bullet wore for the 18th birthday party of our cousin.

First, it was about the 3 materials that I found in the stash. Then, it was about the chicken scratch that I made and gave the dressmaker.

A few weeks of work and 1 fitting after, here's the fairy-inspired gown of Ate Lissa.

Too bad I can't find a photo of the back of the gown since it was very nicely done. The back was really deep, but tasteful because of the tulle. I'll go back and post it in case I find one.

Like any creative person, there's a feeling of fulfillment when you see an idea go from just a seedling in your head, to a sketch, to an actual finished product. And seeing how Ate Lissa radiated in the gown adds to the feeling.

So, the fairy themed gown is a wrap! Up next, the queen of Bollywood!

Sibling reverly: The formal edition

Tonight, my siblings and I had to get all dressed up for our cousin Alecx's 18th birthday celebration.

And I must say, we clean up nice.

More sibling revelry

This holiday season, it wasn't just the Regalado-Morales siblings that had a reunion.

For the first time in many, many, many years. The Murillo-Morales siblings (aka, my Dad and Tita and Titos) were complete.

Last New Year, the 5 siblings who are spread over Manila, Barcelona and Bicol, found themselves at home, counting down to the New Year, and enjoying their time together. And enjoy they did. After all, they haven't been complete in almost a decade.



The Murillo-Morales siblings are, in chronological order, Tito Ting, Tita Evelyn, Tito Hector, Dad, and Tito Linden. In the picture, we have Tita Evelyn and Dad sitting down, and Tito Hector, Tito Linden, and Tito Ting behind them.

It was wonderful to see the 5 siblings together because you can see how much they enjoyed each other's company after being apart for so long. Especially Tita Evelyn who left the Philippines more than 50 years ago to plant her new roots and raise her family in far, far away Barcelona.



Yup, there was definitely a lot of sibling love this Holiday season. And it was really the best way of spending the New Year. With a reunion of siblings from 2 generations.

Sibling Revelries

My siblings and I grew up in a very tight knit family. One reason why this was the case was because we didn't have cousins in Manila. When we were growing up, our cousins would either be in Bicol, in California or in Barcelona. And because of this lack of other cousins to play with, we grew up becoming both siblings, cousins and friends.


(One of our earlier photos in Morato. I blocked Kuya Marv and yes, I went out of the house wearing that.)

Yes, we had our disagreements and fights while growing up. And those fights were LEGENDARY! (Biboy and I used to chase each other with 2x2 wooden posts.) But as we grew older, we fought less, and appreciated each other more. And we appreciated everything, even the little quirks and flaws that would get on our nerves every so often.

Since Biboy moved to the U.S. in 2001, we made it a point to have our photos taken whenever he's in town. Actually, we had our photo taken without Biboy in 2006, and it just didn't feel complete.


(We were actually planning to add him via photoshop, but that plan didn't materialize.)

Thankfully, Biboy has been coming home regularly the past few years. And that's why we're able to have our usual sibling photos taken each time he's in Manila.


(Our "showband" shot.)

There's this one from 2007.



Then in 2009.



And our latest "Sibling Revelry" photo for 2011.



Whenever we take these photos, it's usually a riotous affair filled with the same banter and "kulitan" as we did when we were kids.

I guess in some aspects, my siblings and I never grew up.