Hong Kong Concluded My 2008!

Who would ever thought that out of spur and a never-ending stream of skype conversations with Oig...

a wholottaprayers&work --

in less than 6 months of planning and saving up to spend Christmas and New Year's together as a family-- we kicked it off in Hong Kong and definitely pulled it off!!!

Friends ask me when I got back and having the usual "huling hirit", "pahabol" reunions and catching up sessions...inuman...kuwentahan...kamustahan...kanchawan...kainan...

and then

pauses...
like enjoying every flavor in the palette

now reaching a deeper level of conversation kuno kasi tapos na ang kamustahan -- you know! ,

ana dayon, "What was the best thing that happened to you in 2008 Juan?", and in a blink of an eye, I always say that

spending the holidays with my family in HongKong

Then they gave me a rebuttal of questions or indefinite statements like "Why?" or "Oo naman, nasa Hong Kong kayo and nagbabakasyon! So, that must be fun!?" --

yeah! most of what they said was true and REAL to me! Who wouldn't have fun right? But I must say for the record that it was a 2 week vacation of pure temperamental and prized bliss! and just thankful and blessed that we were able to afford to do such luxury but, it was definitely more than that....

a stria of glorious reconnection occured....
reuniting happened
and a strewned family was again bonded&sealed

Frankly, everyone in my family were humbled and joyful that we were able to pull it off because, that was definitely where the fruits of our desire, hard work and determination in 2008 combined -- a collective effort rather than the "idya idya". And what highlights it; it is garnished with people who knew me from the very start and confident enough to know that they love me dearly -- even though at times I become reckless with their feelings -- I'm still convicted with that...and thus makes it more a memorable and life changing trip!

In addition -- my fiance was able to see me how I am with my family (which really matters) and see my family without pretensions and inhibitions and really spend time with them -- they now love her even more and accept her as part of our family! It was something that I would thank and be proud of my family as well.


We were able to travel, go around, go camwhoring, chillaxing, partying, steadying, reminiscing and surprisingly spend and splurge for 14 days in Hong Kong, Kowloon, Stanley, Ngong Ping, The Peak, Temple Street, Macau, Ocean Park, Fortress and everything on it!!! Definitelly after a year of not seeing each other -- being reunited with the family is definitely a reward. Surprisingly, we were still able to connect and converse on the same level after all the things that each member went through for the past 351 days of 2008.

Gio is still Gio, Ate is still ate, Enzo is still Enzo. Juan is still Juan.

Though I may say that we've all matured in time, we got to learn to value more our relationship with each other. Something that we're thankful and feel blessed about! Containing everything that I've experienced in Hong Kong forfeits the entirety of the experience. Thus, there are things that are better left unsaid. But just like the Lopez's and the Zobel's, "What's in the family, stays in the family!" ehehehe....

Hong Kong definitely concluded my 2008! Kampai! great memories yo!

How I Do it My Way...(Romance 101)

This is why I say, "She's all mine!"

Learning Sansrival...

The last time I was in Magic Farms (sometime like two week-ends ago) with my fiancé, Rica was simply a busy and a much needed trip. I always get excited every time we go to the farm because there’s always something new and something to look forward instead of soaking ourselves with the “laid back” life here in Davao. In the farm, I feel productive and more energized. I sometimes feel that I simply belong there. In the farm, being laid back is a façade for it seriously entails a lot of hard work and determination to exist there. That’s why; whenever we’re there – it’s not only pure vacationing or money spending or act like aristocrats and “hacienderos” …it’s more of having participation and contribution to the bigger picture of things.

Anyways, Rica and I decided to leave Davao on a Thursday night to arrive Mambatangan early morning. We intended to be there a day earlier for us to catch Burpie Sarraga -- who is currently having her culinary studies in ISCAM and was going back to Manila on Friday afternoon after having a week long vacation in the farm and a great sister. Apparently, the bus driver drove too fast; we arrived there earlier as expected. It was during the "wee hours" of the day, the crows were still sleeping and the place was all jet black. We were grateful for Burpie (struggling with insomnia) for waking up Jun (Bambina’s fiancé) to request to pick us up in the highway. Thanks to you guys!

Moving on, as soon as we got to the main house, Burpie welcomed us in the front door. As soon as we entered the house, I immediately noticed the long wooden table filled with dry and wet ingredients calling me.

“Unsa imo himuon Burp? (What you making Burp?)” I curiously asked.
“Sansrival geng!” Burpie uttered.
“ATAY! Tudlu-a ko bih aron kakapa na ko ani pagbalik namu Dabaw (LIVER! Teach me so I can copy it when I get to Davao)” I persistently asked her.

“O bah! (Sure thang!)” Burpie answered shortly and went on with another topic.

We arrived there at 430 a.m., toked up a little bit and went through the next 4 hours with a lot of stories, MANUAL beating of egg whites to make meringue and a whole lot of baking and power napping. Four days ago, I did my first-ever SANSRIVAL. It was pretty home-style which needs a lot of cost cutting with the ingredients but all in all, it was simply a good start!

Now I understand the value of measurements…hehehe… Cheers!

__________________________________________________

SANSRIVAL

* Meringue
* Pounded cashew and walnuts
* Butter icing
* Powdered sugar
* Vanilla
* Almond syrup

1. Make meringue.
2. Place meringue on a non-stick tray or simply grease an ordinary tray with lard and line wax paper on it. Place meringue on top of the tray about 1.5 inch thick.
3. Preheat oven and cook meringue for 1 hour at 135 Degrees Celsius.
4. Remove from oven when meringue is golden brown.
5. While still hot, remove meringue from tray and cut it in half to have a double layer cake. (Number of layer depends on you)
6. Now put one layer first then spread an ample amount of butter icing on top of it. Sprinkle with pounded walnuts and cashews.
7. Put another layer and cover top and sides of trimmed 'SANSRIVAL' with the remainder of the cream mixture. Sprinkle with pounded cashew and walnuts.
8. Put in the Freezer to chill.
9. Serve after an hour.

Mom's Birthday (2008)

Originally, we were all craving for Tong Yang Pot Noodles food at Chimes Specialty Store. The shabu-shabu experience, the works, etc. Unfortunately when we got there tired and hungry, it was still CLOSED. We tried to ask the "bantay" to let us in but refused our request to wait there until they open again (it's just an hour wait but, there were a lot of reasons thrown so we declined). So, we ended up at

Cafe Mediterranean "Flavors of the Sun"

surprisingly was a good detour! The food prepared for us definitely flirted with our palettes! What an experience!

The food, service and ambiance were A-ok! Though the waitress who attended us first, let's call her "Cindy" was like in a hurry when taking our orders. She was like babbling more than 50 words in 10 secods that would totally make you pant with her too. To calculate 300 words a minute more or less. hehehe... Tell you, you'd be amazed like us! We were all trying to calm her down and laughing it all off rather than being annoyed. Imagine this, we were ordering our usual starter, main course and a cup of jasmine tea to be served after the meal. And then Cindy, a girl with a tiny frame and very innocent looking starts to open her mouth. Viola! She started yapping in a cute Visayan accent rendering English words and repeats your order and then suggests another one like a promotion or something and then reads your order again to confirm it...pakapin! also asked for our drinks! hehehe...what a multi-task, right? In less than a minute she got our stack of order.


Though it took like the usual 10-15 minutes of waiting... my sister and I went out and bought a cake from Red Ribbon (just 20 steps away) had it dedicated with "Happy Birthday Mom!" (with a big heart) and went back to Cafe Mediterranean. As soon as we got back, I automatically lit the candle and sang loudly the usual "Happy Birthday Song" while walking back to the table. I can see mum's big smile but was asking to keep the singing down coz there are like people over there too. But knowing me, I never cared and continued singing louder after the "sita" to keep it down. I saw the waitresses and the staff singing along with us in their counter and greeted mom after the song. What an add-on!

Once they started serving our food, we had fun enjoying their dishes. We had a lot of food like kebab meals and their all-time version of New York pizza on pita bread and I forgot the rest. I'm just happy with my mum being happy that afternoon. Everything was simple yet thought-off. To my mom, "Happy Birthday and we wish you only the BEST!" We love you! Cheers!

Humbled...

To give everyone a prologue on how I’ve met my fiancé. Let me sum it all for you.

Rica and me met two years ago during Razorback’s concert in Damosa Gateway. I guess that was around Octoberfest of 2006. During that time, she was busy with her cousin and cousin-in-law organizing their Night Hunt on the succeeding week and, I was asking her magazine to be one of our sponsors on our upcoming Ultimate Frisbee Benefit Event. It was such a great night to forget – uhmmmm…. not really that romantic but definitely, I FLIRTED with her (both intoxicated on a humid October Davao night…thanks to Aris Japitaña of GSM) coz apparently she told me she was Mexican (hmmm…fetish! Hehehehe…) and a great fan of Cecile’s lug lug (not knowing a week after we were MEANT to meet again through her cousin, Eliza Magno who is apparently a good friend of mine and Cecile’s are my aunts’ bakeshop – so, our first date was in Cecile’s Malvar branch three weeks after). And to top it all of, our first meeting happened to be photographed and printed on Roger Layson’s article at the Daily Mirror in 4R (what do you think now?) hehehehe…was it all coincidence? Hmmm…I don’t think so…coz I don’t believe on that.

Honestly, looking back at it, kinikilig pa rin ako! Hehehe…

From that day on, our relationship budded to something deeper and perfectly brewed. We’ve been living together for more than a year now and good thing though; everyday was always a new day for us! “We’ve learned the art of complimenting each other”. On our first year anniversary was the time I gave Rica a 'promise ring'.

There are a lot of romantically spine-chilling ways I can think of on how to formally propose to Rica. With her audacious, strong and “hard as a rock” persona – within her is a soft and genuine heart that is worth feeling affection for. She basically described herself like that – someone who looks tough yet mushy within (reminds me of M&Ms though). In a recent survey in the US, over 80% of women (and men) who were proposed to said that the proposal was "less romantic" than they had hoped for.

Though I must admit I am a hopeless romantic. I pictured out my proposal to Rica as something you watch in chick flicks and just sweeps the girl off her feet. Only focusing on the girl and no one else. Something that would leave everyone teary eyed and just dumb founded and a very comforting sigh and heartfelt contentment. I originally intend to do it with “the works and shit I know of you know”, with flare that makes it amazingly special and a lot of vanity! (A rock and a rain of flower petals) But, I must say last Sunday caught me off guard. There are just things you don’t have control. And I should learn to accept it. I must say what happened last Sunday includes us in the 80%. It wasn’t really quite I was expecting to happen or planned initially BUT IT MUST BE DONE.

Our formal engagement announcement was a HUMBLING EXPERIENCE for me.

I am not saying that we or I was rushed to make a formal proposal to be witnessed by her family and her mom whom just had a short vacation in Davao. I am not saying I was or we were coerced but, with the limited resources I am enjoying now, vanity wasn’t my friend that night. I actually felt frustrated about it since, you guys know how “all out” and “galante” I am as a person, but what happened last Sunday just made me feel limited in proposing. I felt there should’ve been more I have done to make it more romantic. But, I can’t afford anything as of the moment. I believe that what makes the girl shut up are diamonds. Seriously, I must learn to accept and learn the value of being HUMBLED in what I have – and that is all LOVE. What my fiancé just said, “I feel that it was good to see that everyone that night was sincerely happy for us”. And it just lightens me up!

But, on that crazy day – it was all worth it. Nevertheless, now we both know that our friends and family sincerely RECOGNIZE our relationship, legitimately BLESSED by our parents and with certainty FOUNDED by the love we’re taking care of. The only missing thing is the blessing from the LORD. So, without further ado, I would like to announce as early as now and ask you guys to mark your schedules and prepare your beach wear on 2010. It’s going to be different this time. We will do everything our way.

It’s going to be one intimately rowdy beach wedding-partey yo!!! Cheers to all!

*This blog serves as your invitation! Hahahahaha…(cost cutting with the invitation printing expense)