Looking Hot So Far!!!

2nd day of January and am still feeling the joys of XMas...  

Weather's been great..  Chilly breezes with the sun shining..  Enough to wake up in a good mood...

FIrst Selfie of the Year... and so it begins again!!!

 

First day was spent with Juju...  Running around here and there - starting with seeing GioGio off at the airport.. Watched a few planes fly off and took the obligatory shot with Open-chang...  Then it was off to TRU just to check out the latest goodies...

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2nd of January!!!

Today started off pretty good, too...  Great weather...  

And a couple of surprise packages in the mail!!!

December issue of the Philippine's Men's Magazine, GARAGE, with tom Rodriguez of My Husband Lover's fame on the cover...   and as an added bonus, burning up the back cover with his newest endorsement ad, for Bench Body....  I knew I wanted this issue when I saw someone posted about it on FB...  but am so glad my cousin found me a copy and sent it on to me....  HOTNESS!!

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With the magazine package, I got another box that contained 3 of the most precious Rosaries from the Holy Land...  gifts from friend, Isabel Casas....  such a sweet thing to think of me when she visited Jerusalem a couple of months back....  Thank You so very much!!!  They will make great additions to my ever - growing collection of rosaries....

Happy Holidays!!!

In just 4 days it will be XMas...  Been counting the days...  So I should not be surprise and yet, here I am still trying to figure out how time could have flown by so fast!!!  

I think really, the trouble lies in the fact that I have been trying so hard to make myself busy with work...  With the Typhoon Haiyan Charity Event am hosting on FB... Babysitting...  And in between, filling up my time with going here and there, finding the XMas spirits  in forms of Holiday displays... All in hopes of forgetting the fact that am not going to Manila again this Christmas.... 

XMas Splendours: Here, There, Everywhere Photos

 

Find them I did!!  And I must say, am pretty happy with what i have seen...  Though sadly, in Taiwan, it is pretty much on the Retail side...  Most are from the malls, department stores, and shops...  Telling us all to be Merry, give the Gift of Love - all of course, can be purchased through them...  Lol!

Xinyi Districe XMas Wonderland: Year after year, this place always keeps me Merry with their wonderful displays... SEE THEM ALL HERE!

 

Unlike the Xmasses in Manila: Where you go to church with the family for Simbang Gabi (Night Mass culminating to XMas eve)...  Then you reward yourself with Puto Bungbong and Bibingka treats - both Filipino treats traditionally served over the Holidays.;   Where everywhere you turn, houses are decorated festively - inside and out!;  Where children comes around to sing Christmas Carols in hopes of making some XMas money for themselves...;  Where every night from about a week before XMas, through the New Year Celebration, is a nite of festivities and getting together with family and friends...;  Where everyone, no matter how rich or poor, seems to be able to find happiness in these joyous days!  I miss all these..  To me, this is what Christmas is all about.

Though my last Xmas in Manila was somewhat bittersweet - with it being the last Christmas my Mom was alive - I can still look back and Be Happy...  Those days - the ups and the downs - will Forever be embedded in my mind and heart...  And I would not have trade them for the world...  It was the last time I saw my Mom lively...   It was a Quiet one (with basically just Mom, my Stepfather and myself)  but nonetheless a Happy one... We still had a pretty nice feast - with neighbours (Mom's friends) bringing over this and that...  Mom being sooo happy with each and every caroler that comes by (though it's the same ones each and every night, singing the same songs..)  Seeing the joy in her face over this little thing was enough to bring tears to my eyes....  Seeing and feeling genuine Happiness from her with having at least, one of her children with her for the Holidays....  All these are still fresh in my mind....   They have become part of those "WARM FUZZY FEELINGS" one gets over the Holidays....  This is now my Second XMas without Mom...  Am coping but I do realize now that it is True what people say: "The Pain of Loss does not go away - but it does get better."  

XMas 2011: Last XMas with Mom.

 

And I also accept the fact that "People are People"...  As much as it hurts at times, especially during the Holidays, the feeling of being forgotten, taken for granted, or being spoken badly of - I know that I must learn to let go and just move on...  Just live my life and let the

others live theirs...  To not be hurt so much with other people's words and actions...  We all have our own lives to live, and we live them the way we best know how...  

So, I focus on this: Trying to stay positive..  Making the most and being Merry with what I do have... And just keeping my Loved Ones - the dearly departed and the far away ones - at Heart!  And wish one and all the Happiest of Holidays and the Best that 2014 has to offer!!!  

Keep Safe and Be Happy All!!!

Pre XMas Dinner

Just as the Christmas season at the malls seems to be happening earlier and earlier each year, so seems the Christmas dinner with the besties..  And this year, it is the earliest yet - with us having our Annual Dinner on the 15th of December...

Scheduling amongst us is always a big factor, of course...  With this year being the worst...  Sue and Cecilia are still pulling overtimes at their respective jobs...  Juliana leaving the 19th to spend the Holidays in the Bay Area...  And sadly, David even had to miss this dinner - as he is on a tour in  the Czech Republic and Austria.

So we made do with the time we had..  3 hours of eating, gabbing, eating, exchanging gifts, and eating some more..  Lol!!!  The venue was Dan Ryan's Grill at the Xinyi District Mitsukoshi Area..  Food was good enough, service OK, but we did get our own quiet area that enable us to relax and enjoy the time together...

With Christmas being a fave time of the year for me, it is always great to be able to spend it with the people I like, I love..  And these girls, being my Best Friends in Taiwan, am always happy I get to spend a Holiday dinner with them, before we all do our own separate Celebrations...  It is a night for us to give Thanks for being in each others' lives...  And to toast the new year to come...  

Thank You Juliana for the "Oh So Cute" Sony Angels...

Thanks Sue & Cecilia for the Yummy Chocolate covered Coffee beans

that comes in this lovely tin from agnes b.

But Most of All, Thank You for the friendship all these years and for many more years to come...

Ghosts of Christmas Past!

"A Happy Memory is a hiding place for Unforgotten Treasures."

-Paul L. Powers

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With Christmas fast approaching - it is  always good to look back

at some of the past ones...

 they bring back memories that are dear to us...

1993:  XMas totally dedicated to that loving Pooch, Baxter! 

San Francisco, CA - USA

2003: Narita Airport

Narita, Japan

2007: XMas with the Family

Taytay, Rizal - Philippines

2010: Attending an  XMas Pa.rt given by

the PNN Group

Manila, Philippines

2011: last Christmas spent with Mom

Rizal, Philippines

2011: Hanging with Juju, GioGio, Lisa et Gaspard

Taipei, Taiwan

Frustrated but Very Much Thankful!!!

aaaaaah, what a day.....   nothing truly major went wrong but maybe today being Thanksgiving, everything felt more frustrating and trying.....

 

started last nite really... after babysitting a very sick Juju - had to rush to Carrefour to get more packing tape - still have a lot of mailings to do for today....  though it was raining I ran to Carrefour at 11:40PM - open 24 hours - Yes, but not last nite!!!  For some reason they decided to be closed early last nite....  so I ran back home empty handed - in the rain!!!

 

Was about to jump in the shower when I realized there was no water....   Nothing!!!   A bit from the kitchen sink - just enough to wash my face and brush my teeth - but nothing anywhere else....   too late to do anything I slept it all off....

 

This morning I woke up early - so I can run to Carrefour and get what I needed before the Postal Truck comes to pick up my mailings... still have a few to pack...  Turned on the faucet in the bathroom, HOPING - and yes, we got some water back....  FREEZING WATER That is!!!  the Hot Water Boiler is not getting enough water to warrant any to come out....  WAAAAH!!!    Washed up with what I have and dealt with my work at hand... got my much needed packing tape... finsihed packing more goods to ship out...  then it was back in the rain to deliver and ship my box to the International Courier.... and rushed back in time for the Postal Truck to come and pick up my mailings....  As you all know - waiting is not a virtue of mine - so I was sooooo frustrated when 2 hrs after the pick up time passed and they still have not come.....   MORE WAAAAAH!!!

 

Eventually all got done...   Mailings got picked up....   the rain stopped....  and the water pumped got fixed (Thanks Juju's Daddy for being such a Handy Man!)...   all is well again....   and took a looong afternoon walk to get rid of all the frustrations out....  looked at some XMas displays....  sat and had coffee outside - and just watched happy people go by....   All the while thinking - all these things happening now much be life's little jokes on me....   and I know I could handle it all - with a SMILE even!!!

 

Then something wonderful happened, amidst all the Personal Messages/ Emails I was dealing throughout the day - I got one from a friend in The Philippines, Isabel Casas - enclosed is a photo of some beautiful Rosaries that she had picked up for me on her recent trip to the Holy Land...  Without me asking for anything, and just casually knowing I collect Rosaries - she picked a few up for me.  MUCH TO MY SURPRISE!!!  This totally erased all the frustrations I felt since last night.... and the heavy heart becomes light as air once more....

   This just proves what I've always known all along - that there is

ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS SOMETHING TO BE THANKFUL FOR!!!

Dedications..

Today we honour our loved ones who have moved on to Heaven...  You are all Missed Terribly...  Thank you for watching over all of us.....

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And today, we also want to wish our Indian Friends a Wonderful & Fun Day Celebrating Diwali!

To All My Canadian Friends!!

Hope you all have a nice celebration...  

Am also Thankful on your Special Day - am Thankful you are all part of my life...  :)

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And to everyone else - in your neck of the world - have a Great Week Ahead!!

Don't forget to take the time to Smile each and everyday...  

Always, there is time for it!!!  :)

Pre CNY Dinner @ Home

Last nite we had the ladies (Juliana, Sue & Cecilia) over at the house for our Pre Chinese New Year Get Together dinner....   a bit early but with everyone's schedules as busy as it is, this was the only time we can do it or it will be after the Holidays - just like the late XMAS Together....  and needless to say, everyone will be going to their respective families' homes for the Chinese New Year break....  Us included, as we head down to Kaohsiung later this coming week....

It was a nice simple dinner... Soup, Salad, & Sausage Pizza - simple except for the fact that everything was home made... personal chef, David.... For the two of us, it was an all day affair - as we shopped, cleaned, prepared, and cooked before the gals arrived at 6PM.....

Then it was time to feast on the scrumptious food & fun chats...  and to end the feast are treats they brought over - Bread Papa's Cream Puffs and Strawberry flavours.....     it was a little after 10PM when the ladies decided to take off as the following day is Church Day, and Sue has to get up very early for it....

SWEET TREATS to end the night!

MORE PHOTOS HERE!

1st of September

I cannot even ask for a nicer start of the new month.. A day filled with water fun, good food (Tonkatsu!), great friends, and even a fashion show!!!

Started off the morning with an early swim, with The Wu Bois, at San Ming Pool - just a 10 minute walk from the house... Quite refreshing to be in the pool as I did not get to do so much, this summertime..... Just the right amount of people for a Saturday and the water temperature - refreshingly good...

 

Then we all got ready to have a quick lunch at SUBWAY, Song Shan Aiport and see David off, for another trip....  hung out there for a good couple of hours....  nice and cool as their air conditioning has got to be the BEST in Taipei!!!

 

Then I had to ruch back home and change again as I am to meet the gals for dinner and a COACH FASHION SHOW....   and though I thought I was already nicely dressed, it will just not do, as I have sweated so much already from just walkinga few blocks to catch my bus....  so home I went for another quick shower and a change... Perfect as Sue also happend to be in my neighborhood so she just picked me up....  then we got Juliana and Cecilia and we headed to the Mitsukoshi Areas for a quick bite before the show....

Dinner was good.... Perfect choice as I have not had TONKATSU in a while.....  the resto is quite nice and the food - good and filling....  how can you complain, all you can eat Salad, (Sticky) Rice and Soup.... all of it - YUMMY!!!

The we stopped off COACH's shop in A9, as Sue had to pick up this year's Limited Edition bag...  she gets first dibs as she is one of COACH Taiwan's VIP clients...   so as Juliana and Cecilia....  and this is why they also get invited to the PREVIEW FASHION SHOW they put on once a year....   and am LUCKY enough to have been invited for the 2nd year in a row.....

 

COACH Men's and Women's Catalogs were handed out to all guests.... and a few LUCKY VIP ones were given this commemorative BAG TAG...  the design and pattern is actually that of used for the Men's Fall/Winter Collection...

Then the Fashion Show commenced as beautiful and hansome models comes strutting down the runway carrying COACH's Brand New Bag Collection....   wowing the crowds enough that right after the show, they shopped for the key pieces.....  it was infectious, but yes, I held out....   as much as I like the design for the new Men's line, am not quite thrilled with the colors....

Ending the nite with COLDSTONE ICE CREAM - JUST PERFECT!!!!

Chilling @ Chilli's

An evening hanging out with the Besties: Juliana, Sue, and Cecilia was spent over great food at Chilli's - in the Warner Viewshow Area - Saturday night.,.

Started off with Sue picking me up at the house... then we parked over by Julianan's to meet up with her and Cecilia at Taipei Monster.....  then we drove over to Chilli's as we had a 7PM reservation, and being the weekend, we knew parking would be hell.....

 As always, gabbing galore took place... So much food was devoured, and my Fave Dessert, Molten Chocolate Cake capped the dinner....

Always a Great Pleasure when I get to see them, even more so when I get to see them all at the same time and for an extended meal, too... Not a quickie lunch we have like

Most of the time....

The Feast!!!

Chocolate Molten Cake

Post Birthday!

Monday, the 11th:  Was FINALLY able to get together with Sue and Juliana - after a month of not seeing them..... Nowadays, it is a   TREAT for the 3 of us to be able to have lunch together - with the girls' work schedule really sooooo demanding....   it was even a Double TREAT  as we CELEBRATED my BDay....  

Lunch was at Lulu's....  this was our second time at the place.....  Nice Ambiance....  Good Food....  No One Rushing Us.....  and just the right amount of people - so as one can still people watch but not get annoyed by too much loud noises....

...and the SPECIAL TREAT was getting this Beautiful, COLORFUL, FUN

400% Be@rbrick!!!  Thank You Very Much, Juliana!!!

FUN FRIDAY!

Yesterday was Good.....   weather wise, it was not too hot, and not too wet either....  in between - just the way I like it....   work wise, it was also good....   got all my things done fast....  no major headaches....  and with all that out of the way, I even got to start my weekend a bit early

Met Sue for a quickie lunch...   we went to Swensen's - for a bit of Lasagna & Bacon Burger....  and of course, to get a bit of that Bay Area feel - as it is where Swensen's is originally founded....   always a pleasure having lunches with friends....   no matter how long or how quick their allotted lunch times would be...  we make the most of the time - enjoying the food and the chats....

 

Ate so much I had to actually run to the Gym for a bit of cardio work out - as I knew I would be having dinner out later, too!!!

Later in the day, hung out with Juju and Mommy....   more chatting....   more food.... and a bit of nighttime playtime at McDonalds.....

Ended my day at almost 11PM..... a quick shower, answered a few emails and to bed I want....  Satisfied with the day and hoping today, Saturday will be just as smooth and fun... :)

Sweet Saturday All!!!