Char pointed out Bookmooch to me quite a while back. I checked it out but didn't sign up for it.
We're currently taking stock of all of our things and we are hopelessly overrun by Johann's books (also my books -- but my books are stored neatly while his books are EVERYWHERE O_O). I don't mind having a lot of books but many of his books are the type he reads once/twice and then sets aside forever.
So I finally signed up for Bookmooch in the hopes of getting rid of some of his books and getting some harder-to-find ones from other people.
Here is our (mostly Johann's) inventory.
The system is interesting -- every time you give a book away, you get points which you can use to ask for books from people. The catch is, you have to pay to ship your books. Sending a paperback to the US runs to about PhP288++ so that's basically the "cost" of whichever book you are mooching from others. (You can, of course, choose to restrict yourself to sending only within the Philippines. ^_^)
The best thing about Bookmooch is the selection of books you find from all over the world -- it really is an excellent opportunity to get those out-of-print/hard-to-find/uber-expensive-to-buy-in-the-Philippines books.
(Wow, I sound like a testimony from a Bookmooch ad. O_O)
* * *
Movie Date --
Last night, Johann and I watched No Reservations at SM City-Iloilo. I really enjoyed the movie. I loved the food aspect as well as the "human drama" involved in a kitchen.
Plus, Aaron Eckhart is such a cutie! I love him! >_<
I discovered that ice cream is very good movie theater food. We had dinner before the movie so we got ice cream sundaes from Jollibee to cleanse our palates.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Monday, October 22, 2007
For some strange reason --
I've been wanting to eat ensaymada -- it started when my mom brought back some mongo ensaymada a few days ago. That's the first time I've eaten ensaymada in a long while --
And then the next day, I dragged Seth and my sister to Tinapayan (very good bakery) in Atrium and bought ube ensaymada and cheese ensaymada.
We were at Atrium and I was resisting the urge to buy more ensaymada. We bought pandesal instead.
Now I wish I had ensaymada!
And then the next day, I dragged Seth and my sister to Tinapayan (very good bakery) in Atrium and bought ube ensaymada and cheese ensaymada.
We were at Atrium and I was resisting the urge to buy more ensaymada. We bought pandesal instead.
Now I wish I had ensaymada!
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Girl in Hyacinth Blue --
I now understand why Susan Vreeland is a medyo big deal. While I wasn't so impressed with her Artemisia, I was blown away by Girl in Hyacinth Blue -- her "first" novel.
When I first heard about Girl in Hyacinth Blue, I thought it was just riding on the success of Girl with a Pearl Earring (the whole Vermeer connection) but Vreeland's novel is very, very different.
It was very bold of Vreeland to create a painting and to attribute it to Vermeer. It is a simple painting, described as that of a girl looking out of a window but the painting has a very complicated history which is explored in Vreeland's novel.
The novel begins in the "now" where the owner of the painting shows it to his friend and the question of its authenticity and author are asked. Is it really a Vermeer? How/Where did you get it?
And so it began -- with each succeeding chapter, we are taken further and further into the painting's history and we get a glimpse of how each of the painting's owners viewed her -- the Nazi who "saved" it from Hitler's Department for the Appropriation of Household Effects; the Nazi's son trying to reconcile the two halves of the painting's story: his father's part in the atrocities and the beauty of the painting; the man who bought it to remember his first and only love (and his wife who thought it was his anniversary present to her); the daughter who posed for the painting, etc.
It brings about another question -- what is the purpose of Art? Vreeland provides different answers to this question -- ranging from purely commercial to deeply personal but the common theme in all the chapters is that Art is valuable.
One of the central questions of the story is whether the painting is an authentic Vermeer because it was never signed. I think it makes a wonderful point about Art -- does the artist really matter or is the work itself enough? Will the work be valued less if it weren't a Vermeer? Vreeland explores this question in the chapter "Hyacinth Blues" --
"There is no signature. If there was any chance those papers said a van Mieris, I'd give you two hundred guilders, but for only a Vermeer, phugh."
I wrapped the painting again and left without a word more, took it to a second dealer and said it was a van Mieris.
"Are you sure it's not a Vermeer?"
"I'm certain."
Near the end of the novel, Vreeland reveals that it is a Vermeer but, by then, it doesn't matter anymore. For me, the painting has come alive and has become very real before this revelation. What this does is add yet another dimension to the painting -- why did Vermeer "paint" it? What were his circumstances when he "painted" it? In the chapter, "Still Life" we see Vermeer the painter but also Vermeer the man. While his works are beautiful, his life was a constant struggle with poverty, society and his family.
Vreeland's novel is a thought-provoking exploration of Art. She invites her readers to engage in a moment of quite contemplation, as though one was viewing a painting and not a novel -- and to ask the questions the novel presents.
"Why does the world need another painting of a woman alone in a room? Or a hundred more paintings?"
"The world doesn't know all that it needs yet..."
My copy of the book has a reader's guide at the back and one of the points for discussion is how we imagine the Girl in Hyacinth Blue. I searched the Internet for the covers of the book and here they are:
The cover that I have
Another cover
A guy actually painted his version of it ^_^
When I first heard about Girl in Hyacinth Blue, I thought it was just riding on the success of Girl with a Pearl Earring (the whole Vermeer connection) but Vreeland's novel is very, very different.
It was very bold of Vreeland to create a painting and to attribute it to Vermeer. It is a simple painting, described as that of a girl looking out of a window but the painting has a very complicated history which is explored in Vreeland's novel.
The novel begins in the "now" where the owner of the painting shows it to his friend and the question of its authenticity and author are asked. Is it really a Vermeer? How/Where did you get it?
And so it began -- with each succeeding chapter, we are taken further and further into the painting's history and we get a glimpse of how each of the painting's owners viewed her -- the Nazi who "saved" it from Hitler's Department for the Appropriation of Household Effects; the Nazi's son trying to reconcile the two halves of the painting's story: his father's part in the atrocities and the beauty of the painting; the man who bought it to remember his first and only love (and his wife who thought it was his anniversary present to her); the daughter who posed for the painting, etc.
It brings about another question -- what is the purpose of Art? Vreeland provides different answers to this question -- ranging from purely commercial to deeply personal but the common theme in all the chapters is that Art is valuable.
One of the central questions of the story is whether the painting is an authentic Vermeer because it was never signed. I think it makes a wonderful point about Art -- does the artist really matter or is the work itself enough? Will the work be valued less if it weren't a Vermeer? Vreeland explores this question in the chapter "Hyacinth Blues" --
"There is no signature. If there was any chance those papers said a van Mieris, I'd give you two hundred guilders, but for only a Vermeer, phugh."
I wrapped the painting again and left without a word more, took it to a second dealer and said it was a van Mieris.
"Are you sure it's not a Vermeer?"
"I'm certain."
Near the end of the novel, Vreeland reveals that it is a Vermeer but, by then, it doesn't matter anymore. For me, the painting has come alive and has become very real before this revelation. What this does is add yet another dimension to the painting -- why did Vermeer "paint" it? What were his circumstances when he "painted" it? In the chapter, "Still Life" we see Vermeer the painter but also Vermeer the man. While his works are beautiful, his life was a constant struggle with poverty, society and his family.
Vreeland's novel is a thought-provoking exploration of Art. She invites her readers to engage in a moment of quite contemplation, as though one was viewing a painting and not a novel -- and to ask the questions the novel presents.
"Why does the world need another painting of a woman alone in a room? Or a hundred more paintings?"
"The world doesn't know all that it needs yet..."
My copy of the book has a reader's guide at the back and one of the points for discussion is how we imagine the Girl in Hyacinth Blue. I searched the Internet for the covers of the book and here they are:
The cover that I have
Another cover
A guy actually painted his version of it ^_^
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Found at Robinson's Supermarket --
Dream Cacao Plus Lotte Choco Pie =
I tried one today and it was yummy but, then, Lotte Choco Pie is yummy as it is.
* * *
This is how small Iloilo is --
and why I am one of the few people who actually buy books from National Bookstore here:
Yesterday, Johann and I watched Shoot Em Up. After the movie, we decided to walk around SM. While walking around, we bumped into one of the managers of National Bookstore and she recognized me and said hello.
Now, this isn't the first time that has happened. When Gabby was in Iloilo, I was telling her that I'm a bit chummy na with a manager of Natio. While going up the elevator, said manager was on her way down. She saw me and said hello -- Gabby was so surprised. ^_^
* * *
More on books --
I think I visit the Booksale branches too often. Yesterday, we decided to swing by the SM branch for a quick look at their stock and the cashier approached me and told me that they have a new stock of paperbacks in their Robinson's branch.
I like this development -- maybe I can work my way into having them weed out the authors I like and setting them aside for me. (Crossing my fingers. ^_^)
I tried one today and it was yummy but, then, Lotte Choco Pie is yummy as it is.
* * *
This is how small Iloilo is --
and why I am one of the few people who actually buy books from National Bookstore here:
Yesterday, Johann and I watched Shoot Em Up. After the movie, we decided to walk around SM. While walking around, we bumped into one of the managers of National Bookstore and she recognized me and said hello.
Now, this isn't the first time that has happened. When Gabby was in Iloilo, I was telling her that I'm a bit chummy na with a manager of Natio. While going up the elevator, said manager was on her way down. She saw me and said hello -- Gabby was so surprised. ^_^
* * *
More on books --
I think I visit the Booksale branches too often. Yesterday, we decided to swing by the SM branch for a quick look at their stock and the cashier approached me and told me that they have a new stock of paperbacks in their Robinson's branch.
I like this development -- maybe I can work my way into having them weed out the authors I like and setting them aside for me. (Crossing my fingers. ^_^)
Thursday, October 11, 2007
For sale or for trade --
We have a "used" copy of Animal Crossing: Wild World for DS which we aren't playing so we've decided to put it up for sale.
We bought it because it got very good reviews and is a very playable game but neither Johann or I have that kind of time or dedication to play it (with WOW and Seth and books, etc).
We're selling our copy for PhP1200.
OR if you have DS games which you aren't playing with anymore, we also welcome trades. ^_^
For reviews and more information about Animal Crossing, clickety click!
We bought it because it got very good reviews and is a very playable game but neither Johann or I have that kind of time or dedication to play it (with WOW and Seth and books, etc).
We're selling our copy for PhP1200.
OR if you have DS games which you aren't playing with anymore, we also welcome trades. ^_^
For reviews and more information about Animal Crossing, clickety click!
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Loot! --
Johann and I were able to sell his old DS (handed down from my brothers) so we asked my youngest brother to get a used DS Lite for us in Japan. We were able to get this one. ^_^
It's second hand but the Japanese are very careful with their things and this one still looks new. ^_^
I also asked my brother to get me this 2008 pocket planner for 2008 in red.
When my youngest brother finally sent the package, I was a little surprised that he was secretive about the contents of the package. He just told me it contained the DS and some "stuff" --
Imagine my delight when I saw what he sent to us --
Two shirts from Wicked (the musical), some file folders and the programme. He watched it a few weeks ago. (He almost didn't because it was very expensive -- but we encouraged him to watch it because it was a chance of a lifetime.) The show was in Japanese and he said it was really nice.
We browsed through the pictures and the actors are sooo cute! >_< It's like live-action chibi. =^_^=
(We will scan more pictures of this and will post them later. ^_^)
He also sent me some copies of Metropolis -- an English-language magazine published weekly and distributed for free in Tokyo.
Yesterday was a happy day. ^_^
* * *
Curious --
I never imagined a candy to have such a name.
It's second hand but the Japanese are very careful with their things and this one still looks new. ^_^
I also asked my brother to get me this 2008 pocket planner for 2008 in red.
When my youngest brother finally sent the package, I was a little surprised that he was secretive about the contents of the package. He just told me it contained the DS and some "stuff" --
Imagine my delight when I saw what he sent to us --
Two shirts from Wicked (the musical), some file folders and the programme. He watched it a few weeks ago. (He almost didn't because it was very expensive -- but we encouraged him to watch it because it was a chance of a lifetime.) The show was in Japanese and he said it was really nice.
We browsed through the pictures and the actors are sooo cute! >_< It's like live-action chibi. =^_^=
(We will scan more pictures of this and will post them later. ^_^)
He also sent me some copies of Metropolis -- an English-language magazine published weekly and distributed for free in Tokyo.
Yesterday was a happy day. ^_^
* * *
Curious --
I never imagined a candy to have such a name.
Thursday, October 04, 2007
They must think I'm crazy --
Last Sunday, I woke up with a monstrous migraine -- I really didn't think much of it because I slept late the night before.
But as the day progressed and after a tablet of Biogesic didn't do anything, I started to see it as a more serious problem.
The next day, I went to an optical shop to have my glasses fixed because they were tilting one way (Seth grabbed them) and to have my eyes checked.
After the check-up, the doctor told me that my grade had gone up by 25, which is very low. He suggested that I wait a week to see if the migraine would go away.
When I told the shop assistant that I would not be buying glasses that day, she had this look on her face -- surprise, disappointment, and maybe even irritation that I had wasted her time.
Tuesday, I still had a migraine so I decided to go back to the optical shop to get a new pair made. When I arrived and asked for my record, a different shop assistant looked for it and couldn't find it so she asked me to take the eye test again. It was a different doctor and was more thorough --
The result was different. Only the grade of my right eye went up (by 25) and I also had astigmatism in that eye.
Now, here's something you should know about me: I'm very good at spending for little things but, when it comes to the big things, I waffle and waffle until Johann or my sister decide for me.
I saw this as an opportunity to waffle so I told the doctor I would be back on Saturday during his shift to take the eye test again -- just to confirm the latest result.
I walked out of the store, leaving another shop assistant with the glasses that I picked out but hadn't bought.
On my way out, I realized that the people at that optical shop must think I'm some crazy woman/compulsive eye test taker --
* * *
Booksale Iloilo --
Last weekend, SM City-Iloilo had its 3-day sale. We didn't have work last Friday so we decided to go early in the morning. We paid our bills and stopped by Booksale, which is (seriously) the only place in Iloilo to get decent books (our National Bookstore branches sell mostly school and office supplies).
When I went in, there were three sisters there and between them was a stack of books -- the mother lode. They were all the romance titles that I've been looking for --
And they had gotten to it first.
I was quietly and discreetly moving about them, hoping they would leave one or two books but they didn't.
They took the stack and went straight to the counter.
I was able to buy some books -- and, in hindsight, I realized I didn't have enough money to buy the stack of books those sisters bought.
The next day, we decided to go to Booksale in Robinson's --
They didn't get a restock because that week's shipment was all diverted to SM City (where there was a sale) --
I found a really good copy of Philippa Gregory's The Other Boleyn Girl and Johann was able to find a hardcover version of Jonathan Carroll's White Apples.
When I went to SM on Tuesday (*points to entry above*), I stopped by Booksale again. They were putting new books on their shelves -- mostly hardcovers and coffee table books. I was told by the shop assistant that they didn't get a lot of new paperbacks.
I was able to find a copy of Susan Vreeland's Girl in Hyacinth Blue, which I bought. ^_^
* * *
I meant to blog about this earlier but I kept forgetting --
What happened to National Bookstore-Cubao?
It was one of our stops when we were in Manila last month. It went through a massive renovation (which I knew about) but I was surprised to see that the layout had changed drastically.
We went directly to the 4th floor, which used to hold the "bargain" books but were surprised to see that they weren't there anymore.
But as the day progressed and after a tablet of Biogesic didn't do anything, I started to see it as a more serious problem.
The next day, I went to an optical shop to have my glasses fixed because they were tilting one way (Seth grabbed them) and to have my eyes checked.
After the check-up, the doctor told me that my grade had gone up by 25, which is very low. He suggested that I wait a week to see if the migraine would go away.
When I told the shop assistant that I would not be buying glasses that day, she had this look on her face -- surprise, disappointment, and maybe even irritation that I had wasted her time.
Tuesday, I still had a migraine so I decided to go back to the optical shop to get a new pair made. When I arrived and asked for my record, a different shop assistant looked for it and couldn't find it so she asked me to take the eye test again. It was a different doctor and was more thorough --
The result was different. Only the grade of my right eye went up (by 25) and I also had astigmatism in that eye.
Now, here's something you should know about me: I'm very good at spending for little things but, when it comes to the big things, I waffle and waffle until Johann or my sister decide for me.
I saw this as an opportunity to waffle so I told the doctor I would be back on Saturday during his shift to take the eye test again -- just to confirm the latest result.
I walked out of the store, leaving another shop assistant with the glasses that I picked out but hadn't bought.
On my way out, I realized that the people at that optical shop must think I'm some crazy woman/compulsive eye test taker --
* * *
Booksale Iloilo --
Last weekend, SM City-Iloilo had its 3-day sale. We didn't have work last Friday so we decided to go early in the morning. We paid our bills and stopped by Booksale, which is (seriously) the only place in Iloilo to get decent books (our National Bookstore branches sell mostly school and office supplies).
When I went in, there were three sisters there and between them was a stack of books -- the mother lode. They were all the romance titles that I've been looking for --
And they had gotten to it first.
I was quietly and discreetly moving about them, hoping they would leave one or two books but they didn't.
They took the stack and went straight to the counter.
I was able to buy some books -- and, in hindsight, I realized I didn't have enough money to buy the stack of books those sisters bought.
The next day, we decided to go to Booksale in Robinson's --
They didn't get a restock because that week's shipment was all diverted to SM City (where there was a sale) --
I found a really good copy of Philippa Gregory's The Other Boleyn Girl and Johann was able to find a hardcover version of Jonathan Carroll's White Apples.
When I went to SM on Tuesday (*points to entry above*), I stopped by Booksale again. They were putting new books on their shelves -- mostly hardcovers and coffee table books. I was told by the shop assistant that they didn't get a lot of new paperbacks.
I was able to find a copy of Susan Vreeland's Girl in Hyacinth Blue, which I bought. ^_^
* * *
I meant to blog about this earlier but I kept forgetting --
What happened to National Bookstore-Cubao?
It was one of our stops when we were in Manila last month. It went through a massive renovation (which I knew about) but I was surprised to see that the layout had changed drastically.
We went directly to the 4th floor, which used to hold the "bargain" books but were surprised to see that they weren't there anymore.
Monday, October 01, 2007
~Glee!~
I got a phone call yesterday from the owner of Sebastian's Ice Cream --
I won the GRAND PRIZE for their Podium branch raffle!!!
It means I get a year's supply of ice cream from Sebastian's!!!
Glee~!!!
(I had to restrain myself -- I wanted to type in all caps and pepper this entry with exclamation points galore!!!)
I've only won twice in my entire life and both of them good ones --
The first time was for the Fully Booked promo and I got a copy of Jamie Oliver's cookbook.
This is the second time. I couldn't believe it at first so I asked the owner to email me the details --
You have won a year's supply of free ice cream from Sebastian's, consisting of one pint of the flavor of your choice (from the current display) every week for one year.
After I found out yesterday, I was jumping up and down. I wanted to call everyone I knew and text everyone of my amazing windfall.
... when I told my dad, he said that I should move back to Manila for a year just to enjoy the ice cream. I am seriously tempted. ^_^
I am a happy Tin. ^_^
I won the GRAND PRIZE for their Podium branch raffle!!!
It means I get a year's supply of ice cream from Sebastian's!!!
Glee~!!!
(I had to restrain myself -- I wanted to type in all caps and pepper this entry with exclamation points galore!!!)
I've only won twice in my entire life and both of them good ones --
The first time was for the Fully Booked promo and I got a copy of Jamie Oliver's cookbook.
This is the second time. I couldn't believe it at first so I asked the owner to email me the details --
You have won a year's supply of free ice cream from Sebastian's, consisting of one pint of the flavor of your choice (from the current display) every week for one year.
After I found out yesterday, I was jumping up and down. I wanted to call everyone I knew and text everyone of my amazing windfall.
... when I told my dad, he said that I should move back to Manila for a year just to enjoy the ice cream. I am seriously tempted. ^_^
I am a happy Tin. ^_^
Thursday, September 27, 2007
An update --
I have a cold. Bleh. I couldn't be absent for work because my bosses are very nice and allowed us a week off last month. (We don't have work tomorrow so I get to rest. Yay!)
I've run out of books to read -- I guess that is the peril of spending all your money on clothes instead of books. Last Sunday, Johann and I did our weekly book browsing expedition to SM. He was able to find a hardbound edition of Christopher Buckley's No Way to Treat a First Lady for PhP99 at National Bookstore. I read last Tuesday and LOVED it. I hugged the book after I finished reading it.
Christopher Buckley is my new love. I want to read ALL of his books, especially Thank You For Smoking. I've seen the movie adaptation of Thank You For Smoking and enjoyed it immensely.
I tried to read Susanna Clarke's The Ladies of Grace Adieu but got bored out of my skull so I read Robin McKinley's Beauty instead. Robin McKinley really likes the Beauty and the Beast story. This is actually one of two retellings she wrote of that story. McKinley is a "hit-or-miss" author for me. I really didn't enjoy Spindle's End (based on the Sleeping Beauty story) but I am curious about her The Outlaws of Sherwood --
Today, I had no choice but to pick up Soon I Will be Invincible -- one of Johann's books. Johann and I are very different when it comes to books. We have a very small area of interest that intersects (Nick Hornby, Mike Gayle, some comics, etc) but, for the most part, I really don't like the stuff he reads. It makes him very happy when I ask to borrow one of his books.
I need more books -- I am actually playing with the idea of going to Bacolod for a day trip just to visit their National Bookstore and Booksale branch. >_<
I've run out of books to read -- I guess that is the peril of spending all your money on clothes instead of books. Last Sunday, Johann and I did our weekly book browsing expedition to SM. He was able to find a hardbound edition of Christopher Buckley's No Way to Treat a First Lady for PhP99 at National Bookstore. I read last Tuesday and LOVED it. I hugged the book after I finished reading it.
Christopher Buckley is my new love. I want to read ALL of his books, especially Thank You For Smoking. I've seen the movie adaptation of Thank You For Smoking and enjoyed it immensely.
I tried to read Susanna Clarke's The Ladies of Grace Adieu but got bored out of my skull so I read Robin McKinley's Beauty instead. Robin McKinley really likes the Beauty and the Beast story. This is actually one of two retellings she wrote of that story. McKinley is a "hit-or-miss" author for me. I really didn't enjoy Spindle's End (based on the Sleeping Beauty story) but I am curious about her The Outlaws of Sherwood --
Today, I had no choice but to pick up Soon I Will be Invincible -- one of Johann's books. Johann and I are very different when it comes to books. We have a very small area of interest that intersects (Nick Hornby, Mike Gayle, some comics, etc) but, for the most part, I really don't like the stuff he reads. It makes him very happy when I ask to borrow one of his books.
I need more books -- I am actually playing with the idea of going to Bacolod for a day trip just to visit their National Bookstore and Booksale branch. >_<
Monday, September 24, 2007
It's that time of the year again! --
I've noticed that I post my Christmas wish list earlier and earlier every year -- which is not necessarily a bad thing IMHO. ^_^
But, first, a review of last year's wish list:
2006 --
1. Crocs Prima (size 8) in Black
2. A nice lightweight stroller for Seth - A Maclaren or a Zooper or something
3. An Ellaroo hip carrier for Seth or a Hip Panda
4. A new cellphone -- am looking at the Sony Ericsson Z520i
5. A panini press
6. A waffle maker
7. Gregory Maguire's Son of a Witch and Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister
8. A new digital camera to replace my dinky 1st-gen Cybershot.
9. A subscription to Smart Parenting
10. A Sizzix Set
11. Nick Hornby's non-fiction works --The Polysyllabic Spree and Housekeeping vs Dirt
12. Walt Disney Treasures - Disney Rarities DVD
*There are some things on my 2006 list that I want and some that I don't anymore --
The list this year is short --
1. LeSportSac deluxe everyday bag or classic hobo
2. New cellphone <-- this shows up on my list every year and I never get one
3. New pair of glasses <-- I might get one earlier than December
4. Giordano Skinny Polo <-- in as many colors as possible. This is part of my "mom uniform" ^_^
5. A pair of nice fitting jeans
6. Mike Gayle's latest book <-- I don't regret not getting the copy in Singapore. It's the large paperback version and was too expensive.
And my wishlist for Seth --
1. portable CD player <-- so Seth can have music wherever he goes
2. an Avent 11oz bottle <-- for night time
3. some shorts (soft and light ones)
But, first, a review of last year's wish list:
2006 --
4. A new cellphone -- am looking at the Sony Ericsson Z520i
5. A panini press
7. Gregory Maguire's Son of a Witch and Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister
9. A subscription to Smart Parenting
10. A Sizzix Set
11. Nick Hornby's non-fiction works --
12. Walt Disney Treasures - Disney Rarities DVD
*There are some things on my 2006 list that I want and some that I don't anymore --
The list this year is short --
1. LeSportSac deluxe everyday bag or classic hobo
2. New cellphone <-- this shows up on my list every year and I never get one
3. New pair of glasses <-- I might get one earlier than December
4. Giordano Skinny Polo <-- in as many colors as possible. This is part of my "mom uniform" ^_^
5. A pair of nice fitting jeans
6. Mike Gayle's latest book <-- I don't regret not getting the copy in Singapore. It's the large paperback version and was too expensive.
And my wishlist for Seth --
1. portable CD player <-- so Seth can have music wherever he goes
2. an Avent 11oz bottle <-- for night time
3. some shorts (soft and light ones)
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
A lot of things --
I've been busy -- and stressed.
I've been given the responsibility of milling out our alumni association's newsletter and it hasn't been an easy job.
It was very difficult getting all the materials together and this has caused us to push back our release date from August to September to -- (I'm tempted to say never, but) it is coming out before the year ends).
Initially, I was happy with just slapping photos and text together. I saved everything into the official thumbdrive and was all set to leave it with my "boss" -- but I realized that I couldn't allow something so bleh to have my name on it. So now I'm fixing it and will be meeting with my "boss" tomorrow instead.
Believe it or not, I've lost weight because of this. I'm happy about the weight loss but not about the reason why it is happening.
* * *
Break! --
My friend Florie gets an afternoon to herself once a week. (She takes care of her daughter full time.) I was surprised when I got a text from her last Saturday inviting me to join her on her afternoon off. Now, I know I don't deserve one but I couldn't resist tagging along.
So, our adventure started at 2-ish and she wanted to check out a dance studio and asked me if I was interested in learning to dance. We found one that teaches belly dancing but their only class is in the evening. (I can't -- Johann and I are the once who put Seth to sleep at night and it would be terrible if we break the routine.)
Then we went to SM. We wanted to watch a movie but none of the movies showing had a screening during the time we were there. So we ended up buying books for our kids.
We had merienda at David's Tea House -- her first time there so I ordered things that I thought she would enjoy.
We talked about our kids and about her upcoming trip to Manila. We also shared budgeting tips and ideas for Christmas gifts for our husbands. (She doesn't know what to get him. My hubby already told me what he wanted and I already ordered it.)
Before we knew it, it was 5:30 and we were both expected home at 5.
* * *
Bitten! --
It isn't really uso but one of the things on my Buy list in Singapore was a LeSportSac bag. I remember seeing it in Rustan's and I've always liked the funky prints.
When Johann and I were looking around for it, I was a bit intimidated by the price and I didn't really like the patterns.
I thought I was going to leave Singapore without a LeSportSac. At the airport, they had a small shop so we browsed around. It was cheaper at the Duty Free (because I didn't have to pay for GST) so we bought it with the last of our Singapore dollars.
It's exactly what I needed -- a "sling" big enough to hold my phone and my wallet. It's makes shopping easier because I don't have to fumble for my things inside Seth's diaper bag.
So now I want more LeSportSac bags. A bigger one that can hold a book or two. (I think I'm getting one from Johann for Christmas. ^_^)
Oh, a bit of a discovery -- LeSportSac is cheaper in Manila than Singapore, Japan or Korea.
* * *
Found at Booksale --
Every Sunday, Johann and I leave Seth with the yaya and go to SM City. We visit two places -- Booksale and SM's Bargain Books section. This is our weekly stress reliever -- and our chance to quietly contemplate books.
I was about to go home empty-handed (which I hate) when I found this on one of the bottom shelves.
I checked it and it is in pristine condition with all the parts still there.
Yay!
(I instructed Seth's yaya to launder it twice before giving it to Seth.)
* * *
More on books --
So I finished reading Frank Beddor's The Looking Glass Wars. I liked it but I can't imagine it being a trilogy.
I appreciate Beddor's effort to try to weave in as much of the real story behind Alice in Wonderland into his own thesis but it didn't feel seamless.
Anyhoo our copy of the next installment is coming this October so I should have a better idea of his project by then.
I also finished Jane Yolen and Adam Stemple's Troll Bridge -- part of their Rock n Roll Fairy Tales series. I had high expectations for this book because I really enjoyed Pay the Piper.
It was an enjoyable read and I like their version of the Three Billy Goats Gruff ^_^ but it wasn't as cohesive and as "wow!" as Pay the Piper.
I'm going to start reading Susanna Clarke's The Ladies of Grace Adieu tomorrow.
* * *
Sad --
Found out from Johann last night that Robert Jordan is dead.
I don't read his works and I'm not a fan but my husband is. Johann has been following the Wheel of Time series since he was a freshman in UP.
According to his Wiki entry, the first book in the Wheel of Time series was published in 1990 and was supposed to be a 12-part series.
Book 11 came out in 2005 and everyone was expecting the last book to be released this year or next.
And then he died.
Requiescat in Pace, Mr Jordan.
I've been given the responsibility of milling out our alumni association's newsletter and it hasn't been an easy job.
It was very difficult getting all the materials together and this has caused us to push back our release date from August to September to -- (I'm tempted to say never, but) it is coming out before the year ends).
Initially, I was happy with just slapping photos and text together. I saved everything into the official thumbdrive and was all set to leave it with my "boss" -- but I realized that I couldn't allow something so bleh to have my name on it. So now I'm fixing it and will be meeting with my "boss" tomorrow instead.
Believe it or not, I've lost weight because of this. I'm happy about the weight loss but not about the reason why it is happening.
* * *
Break! --
My friend Florie gets an afternoon to herself once a week. (She takes care of her daughter full time.) I was surprised when I got a text from her last Saturday inviting me to join her on her afternoon off. Now, I know I don't deserve one but I couldn't resist tagging along.
So, our adventure started at 2-ish and she wanted to check out a dance studio and asked me if I was interested in learning to dance. We found one that teaches belly dancing but their only class is in the evening. (I can't -- Johann and I are the once who put Seth to sleep at night and it would be terrible if we break the routine.)
Then we went to SM. We wanted to watch a movie but none of the movies showing had a screening during the time we were there. So we ended up buying books for our kids.
We had merienda at David's Tea House -- her first time there so I ordered things that I thought she would enjoy.
We talked about our kids and about her upcoming trip to Manila. We also shared budgeting tips and ideas for Christmas gifts for our husbands. (She doesn't know what to get him. My hubby already told me what he wanted and I already ordered it.)
Before we knew it, it was 5:30 and we were both expected home at 5.
* * *
Bitten! --
It isn't really uso but one of the things on my Buy list in Singapore was a LeSportSac bag. I remember seeing it in Rustan's and I've always liked the funky prints.
When Johann and I were looking around for it, I was a bit intimidated by the price and I didn't really like the patterns.
I thought I was going to leave Singapore without a LeSportSac. At the airport, they had a small shop so we browsed around. It was cheaper at the Duty Free (because I didn't have to pay for GST) so we bought it with the last of our Singapore dollars.
It's exactly what I needed -- a "sling" big enough to hold my phone and my wallet. It's makes shopping easier because I don't have to fumble for my things inside Seth's diaper bag.
So now I want more LeSportSac bags. A bigger one that can hold a book or two. (I think I'm getting one from Johann for Christmas. ^_^)
Oh, a bit of a discovery -- LeSportSac is cheaper in Manila than Singapore, Japan or Korea.
* * *
Found at Booksale --
Every Sunday, Johann and I leave Seth with the yaya and go to SM City. We visit two places -- Booksale and SM's Bargain Books section. This is our weekly stress reliever -- and our chance to quietly contemplate books.
I was about to go home empty-handed (which I hate) when I found this on one of the bottom shelves.
I checked it and it is in pristine condition with all the parts still there.
Yay!
(I instructed Seth's yaya to launder it twice before giving it to Seth.)
* * *
More on books --
So I finished reading Frank Beddor's The Looking Glass Wars. I liked it but I can't imagine it being a trilogy.
I appreciate Beddor's effort to try to weave in as much of the real story behind Alice in Wonderland into his own thesis but it didn't feel seamless.
Anyhoo our copy of the next installment is coming this October so I should have a better idea of his project by then.
I also finished Jane Yolen and Adam Stemple's Troll Bridge -- part of their Rock n Roll Fairy Tales series. I had high expectations for this book because I really enjoyed Pay the Piper.
It was an enjoyable read and I like their version of the Three Billy Goats Gruff ^_^ but it wasn't as cohesive and as "wow!" as Pay the Piper.
I'm going to start reading Susanna Clarke's The Ladies of Grace Adieu tomorrow.
* * *
Sad --
Found out from Johann last night that Robert Jordan is dead.
I don't read his works and I'm not a fan but my husband is. Johann has been following the Wheel of Time series since he was a freshman in UP.
According to his Wiki entry, the first book in the Wheel of Time series was published in 1990 and was supposed to be a 12-part series.
Book 11 came out in 2005 and everyone was expecting the last book to be released this year or next.
And then he died.
Requiescat in Pace, Mr Jordan.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Brownies! --
We all love to read YUMMY, Summit's food magazine. In a past issue, they featured this really easy recipe for a brownie -- basically, it involved melting the chocolate with butter in a microwave, mixing in egg, flour and vanilla and baking it for 20-25 minutes.
We had some bottles of Dream Cacao which melted so we couldn't enjoy them in their tiny square gloriousness. I used that instead of milk chocolate and this is how it turned out.
It wasn't ooey-gooey fudgy but it was very delicious.
What I liked about this recipe is that it was so easy and took so little time to prepare. I made this while Seth was having a snack. He was sitting opposite me, watching me mix. My sister was reading the newspaper beside him and would give him his cookie (with her clean hand, of course) whenever he asked for it.
* * *
Reading and Read --
I finished reading The Passion of Artemisia and was pleasantly surprised to find a reader's guide at the end of the book. It made me understand Vreeland's point of view, which does come through quite clearly in her writing. I enjoyed it but it didn't leave me breathless like Chevalier's book.
I would still want to read Vreeland's take on the Vermeer painting, though.
I am currently reading The Number Devil: A Mathematical Adventure by Hans Magnus Enzensberger, which is really the Math version of Sophie's World.
It's an enjoyable read and I would recommend it to anyone who is curious about how math really works.
I wonder if I'm just really dense (and airhead-y) but I can identify the parts of the book which are supposed to be lightbulb moments but my lightbulb doesn't light up and so I have to reread it ...
and still not get it.
But it is a wonderful, wonderful read and I really enjoy the illustrations by Rotraut Susanne Berner.
We had some bottles of Dream Cacao which melted so we couldn't enjoy them in their tiny square gloriousness. I used that instead of milk chocolate and this is how it turned out.
It wasn't ooey-gooey fudgy but it was very delicious.
What I liked about this recipe is that it was so easy and took so little time to prepare. I made this while Seth was having a snack. He was sitting opposite me, watching me mix. My sister was reading the newspaper beside him and would give him his cookie (with her clean hand, of course) whenever he asked for it.
* * *
Reading and Read --
I finished reading The Passion of Artemisia and was pleasantly surprised to find a reader's guide at the end of the book. It made me understand Vreeland's point of view, which does come through quite clearly in her writing. I enjoyed it but it didn't leave me breathless like Chevalier's book.
I would still want to read Vreeland's take on the Vermeer painting, though.
I am currently reading The Number Devil: A Mathematical Adventure by Hans Magnus Enzensberger, which is really the Math version of Sophie's World.
It's an enjoyable read and I would recommend it to anyone who is curious about how math really works.
I wonder if I'm just really dense (and airhead-y) but I can identify the parts of the book which are supposed to be lightbulb moments but my lightbulb doesn't light up and so I have to reread it ...
and still not get it.
But it is a wonderful, wonderful read and I really enjoy the illustrations by Rotraut Susanne Berner.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Books! --
Even before we left for Singapore, Johann already made it clear that he was going to spend his money on books.
We were there for four days and, each trip out, he bought something to add to his stack of books. When it was time to pack them, I was surprised by how many he actually bought.
The stack on the left is mine. And the tower on the right is his.
I told him that he should post a list of the titles he got on his blog and rate each one. (* to *****)
For the record, there are some titles in his stack that I actually got -- ^_^
Of the few books I bought, I am happiest about Nick Hornby's The Complete Polysyllabic Spree, which I have been reading for the past week. I've always enjoyed Nick Hornby's writing and I appreciate how honest he is and how unassuming. His book 31 Songs, lists the 31 songs he loves and writes about them. It wasn't a list to impress anyone but a list that showed the very human side of Hornby (one of his choices was Puff the Magic Dragon). The Complete Polysyllabic Spree chronicles his reading habits for an entire year, listing books he bought, books he actually read and books he loved. He is very cheeky about his thoughts on popular fiction and literary fiction (I feel I should capitalize the L and the F) -- and makes you feel good about being a reader.
Last Sunday, I found a copy of The Passion of Artemisia by Susan Vreeland. I bought it, thinking it would be the same as Girl with a Pearl Earring. It's an interesting fictional (?) account of Artemisia, one of the few women Renaissance painters.
Curiously, Vreeland's first novel was also about a Vermeer painting. I wonder how that compares to Chevalier's Girl with a Pearl Earring.
* * *
Wedding --
Part of the reason why we went to Manila was to attend the wedding of Johann's fellow Quill people and kabarkada. Johann was actually part of the entourage.
I've gone to Manila to attend my friends' weddings and I never liked how I looked in my other clothes. The first time was in October 2006, 5 months after I gave birth to Seth. I was so... flabby then.
I still am. But I've also learned how to accept myself as I am. (Don't worry, world -- I do exercises and am maintaining my current weight. I will try to lose some of it by next year.)
I did my own makeup and had my haircut that morning at Bench Fix-Katipunan. ^_^
Johann took this picture of me while we were waiting for the rest of the people to arrive.
This is Johann with the groom.
It was a wonderful and very heartfelt wedding. The best part was the Coffee Bar. (I didn't get to try it because we had an early flight back to Iloilo the next day and the caffeine would have kept me awake.)
We were there for four days and, each trip out, he bought something to add to his stack of books. When it was time to pack them, I was surprised by how many he actually bought.
The stack on the left is mine. And the tower on the right is his.
I told him that he should post a list of the titles he got on his blog and rate each one. (* to *****)
For the record, there are some titles in his stack that I actually got -- ^_^
Of the few books I bought, I am happiest about Nick Hornby's The Complete Polysyllabic Spree, which I have been reading for the past week. I've always enjoyed Nick Hornby's writing and I appreciate how honest he is and how unassuming. His book 31 Songs, lists the 31 songs he loves and writes about them. It wasn't a list to impress anyone but a list that showed the very human side of Hornby (one of his choices was Puff the Magic Dragon). The Complete Polysyllabic Spree chronicles his reading habits for an entire year, listing books he bought, books he actually read and books he loved. He is very cheeky about his thoughts on popular fiction and literary fiction (I feel I should capitalize the L and the F) -- and makes you feel good about being a reader.
Last Sunday, I found a copy of The Passion of Artemisia by Susan Vreeland. I bought it, thinking it would be the same as Girl with a Pearl Earring. It's an interesting fictional (?) account of Artemisia, one of the few women Renaissance painters.
Curiously, Vreeland's first novel was also about a Vermeer painting. I wonder how that compares to Chevalier's Girl with a Pearl Earring.
* * *
Wedding --
Part of the reason why we went to Manila was to attend the wedding of Johann's fellow Quill people and kabarkada. Johann was actually part of the entourage.
I've gone to Manila to attend my friends' weddings and I never liked how I looked in my other clothes. The first time was in October 2006, 5 months after I gave birth to Seth. I was so... flabby then.
I still am. But I've also learned how to accept myself as I am. (Don't worry, world -- I do exercises and am maintaining my current weight. I will try to lose some of it by next year.)
I did my own makeup and had my haircut that morning at Bench Fix-Katipunan. ^_^
Johann took this picture of me while we were waiting for the rest of the people to arrive.
This is Johann with the groom.
It was a wonderful and very heartfelt wedding. The best part was the Coffee Bar. (I didn't get to try it because we had an early flight back to Iloilo the next day and the caffeine would have kept me awake.)
Friday, September 07, 2007
Day 4: Singapore --
Day 4: August 30
Our flight was at 5 in the afternoon so that still gave us plenty of time for last-minute errands.
After packing and having breakfast, we decided to walk around our block and found ourselves walking even farther --
The Esplanade is a really cool place -- the center of Art in Singapore. The shops were all closed but the exhibits were all available for viewing.
The Esplanade is connected to Citylink through an underground pass and even that area is used to exhibit art.
On our way back to our hotel, we got a pint of Ben and Jerry's at the nearby 7-11.
* * *
The airport and the best part about the trip --
This trip was about missing events and saying "sayang" a lot -- WOMAD had ended the Saturday before we arrived; COMEX started on the day we left and some of the cast from Heroes was going to be at Vivo City the day after we left.
At the airport, while checking in, I noticed a sign welcoming the cast of Heroes to Singapore. They were arriving that day and they were going to have a small reception at the departure hall.
We quickly got through customs and located the area and took our place.
The hosts were trying to get the crowd excited by talking about the show and by holding mini-games where participants could win goody bags, courtesy of Star.
Guess who raised a hand to join --
.
.
.
.
.
If you guessed me, you guessed wrong.
The hosts were asking what Hiro Nakamura's famous one-line was and my dear hubby raised his hand.
He and two other participants were then asked to do their best Yatta! impression --
The girl at the far left won (clapping/cheering contest) but they all got a bag.
The bag contained a t-shirt with the Heroes logo, a notebook and several other things.
Finally, after a long wait, the cast finally arrived. (They came in from Hong Kong.)
I couldn't get a good shot of Masi Oka (because he's short) and Ali Larter is soooo beautiful!
Greg Grunberg made a funny:
Host: So guys, is this your first time here in Singapore?
GG: Yes. And I knew you were going to ask me that.
Host: Really? How?
GG: Because I can read your mind.
Hehehe. ^_^
When the interview ended, I tried to get autographs but I couldn't because there were uniformed men blocking me.
Again, my hubby sneaked his way in and got the autograph of Masi Oka and Sendhil Ramamurthy (guy who plays Suresh) who, incidentally, is American (the British accent is actually fake).
So my (geeky) hubby is pleased with his new t-shirt and carries the notebook (with the 2 autographs) with him.
* * *
More ice cream --
Snickers and Mars ice cream bars. Mmmmm~
and no Tin vacation is ever complete without strawberries (which I bought from Cold Storage)
I forgot to buy more to bring back to the Philippines. They were huge and sooo delicious! >_<
Our flight was at 5 in the afternoon so that still gave us plenty of time for last-minute errands.
After packing and having breakfast, we decided to walk around our block and found ourselves walking even farther --
The Esplanade is a really cool place -- the center of Art in Singapore. The shops were all closed but the exhibits were all available for viewing.
The Esplanade is connected to Citylink through an underground pass and even that area is used to exhibit art.
On our way back to our hotel, we got a pint of Ben and Jerry's at the nearby 7-11.
* * *
The airport and the best part about the trip --
This trip was about missing events and saying "sayang" a lot -- WOMAD had ended the Saturday before we arrived; COMEX started on the day we left and some of the cast from Heroes was going to be at Vivo City the day after we left.
At the airport, while checking in, I noticed a sign welcoming the cast of Heroes to Singapore. They were arriving that day and they were going to have a small reception at the departure hall.
We quickly got through customs and located the area and took our place.
The hosts were trying to get the crowd excited by talking about the show and by holding mini-games where participants could win goody bags, courtesy of Star.
Guess who raised a hand to join --
.
.
.
.
.
If you guessed me, you guessed wrong.
The hosts were asking what Hiro Nakamura's famous one-line was and my dear hubby raised his hand.
He and two other participants were then asked to do their best Yatta! impression --
The girl at the far left won (clapping/cheering contest) but they all got a bag.
The bag contained a t-shirt with the Heroes logo, a notebook and several other things.
Finally, after a long wait, the cast finally arrived. (They came in from Hong Kong.)
I couldn't get a good shot of Masi Oka (because he's short) and Ali Larter is soooo beautiful!
Greg Grunberg made a funny:
Host: So guys, is this your first time here in Singapore?
GG: Yes. And I knew you were going to ask me that.
Host: Really? How?
GG: Because I can read your mind.
Hehehe. ^_^
When the interview ended, I tried to get autographs but I couldn't because there were uniformed men blocking me.
Again, my hubby sneaked his way in and got the autograph of Masi Oka and Sendhil Ramamurthy (guy who plays Suresh) who, incidentally, is American (the British accent is actually fake).
So my (geeky) hubby is pleased with his new t-shirt and carries the notebook (with the 2 autographs) with him.
* * *
More ice cream --
Snickers and Mars ice cream bars. Mmmmm~
and no Tin vacation is ever complete without strawberries (which I bought from Cold Storage)
I forgot to buy more to bring back to the Philippines. They were huge and sooo delicious! >_<
Thursday, September 06, 2007
More pics from Day 3
Gabby Day!
<-- taken at Bugis by Johann
<-- outside the Kinokuniya in Bugis (we forced her to do this tourist-y shot ^_^)
<-- inside Kinu with all the glorious books. It is a happy place -- even happier when you have money to spend for all the books.
<-- I know this picture looks silly but the ice cream is worth it. (Chocolate Chip!)
<-- Plain Chocolate (how boring is my husband? O_o)
<-- at Vivo City
<-- taken at Bugis by Johann
<-- outside the Kinokuniya in Bugis (we forced her to do this tourist-y shot ^_^)
<-- inside Kinu with all the glorious books. It is a happy place -- even happier when you have money to spend for all the books.
<-- I know this picture looks silly but the ice cream is worth it. (Chocolate Chip!)
<-- Plain Chocolate (how boring is my husband? O_o)
<-- at Vivo City
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Singapore: Day 3 --
Day 3: August 29, Wednesday
Wednesday was our day with Gabby. It started with breakfast at the hotel and then a trip to Bugis. Since it was still early, we spent some time browsing through Cold Storage -- the supermarket in Bugis.
I let Gabby play with my camera and she quickly got the hang of adjusting aperture and shutter speed and was taking really lovely pictures of the area near Bugis.
We visited Absolute Comics and the smaller Kinokuniya in Bugis. Absolute Comics is one of my most favorite places in Singapore. I get the same feeling of awe and excitement every time I visit. I love that they have complete series runs (in singles) for sale at fairly reasonable prices.
At Kinokuniya, we found a soft-cover version of Looking Glass Wars, which Johann and I had read about in a magazine (a long time ago). We found a copy of the hardcover version in National Bookstore-Trinoma but it was too expensive.
We also window-shopped for clothes and visited Muji. Lunch was at Yoshinoya and Johann tried the Kimchi Beef, which isn't available in the Metro Manila branch of Yoshinoya.
After lunch, Gabby showed Johann the local gaming shops. First stop was Paradigm Infinity which is a haven for board games and card games -- they had all the versions of Fluxx, which I was tempted to get but didn't. They also had a very good stock of VtES.
We also visited the bigger Comics Mart in Orchard where Johann bought a few packs of WOW Fires of Outland.
We then took a bus to Vivo City -- it was a double decker bus and we sat in the second level. Glee! ^_^
The bus ride was a welcome relief to our tired and aching feet. We also got the see a lot of Singapore, which we normally miss because we take the subway.
Vivo City is AMAZING! Our first stop was Bakerzin where I bought a box of snow skin mooncake as pasalubong for my parents. This kind of mooncake can't be found in the Philippines -- the outer layer is similar to mochi and is very soft.
While waiting for the mooncake, we looked through the dessert selection at Bakerzin. (I wanted to live there forever! >_<)
Gabby took us to the balcony(?) where we got treated to a view of the bay and a peek at Sentosa.
Vivo City is very child-friendly and a lot of families were there with strollers in tow. There is even a play area in the 3rd (or 4th) floor for kids.
On our way out, we took a picture of ourselves with the Heroes stand -- some of the members of the cast would be at Vivo City the next day and we couldn't go because we were going back to the Philippines.
<-- can you find Johann in the picture?
* * *
Ice cream shot for that day --
I love Singapore street ice cream! I love it with bread!
I wonder why we don't do this here.
... Singapore story to be continued.
Wednesday was our day with Gabby. It started with breakfast at the hotel and then a trip to Bugis. Since it was still early, we spent some time browsing through Cold Storage -- the supermarket in Bugis.
I let Gabby play with my camera and she quickly got the hang of adjusting aperture and shutter speed and was taking really lovely pictures of the area near Bugis.
We visited Absolute Comics and the smaller Kinokuniya in Bugis. Absolute Comics is one of my most favorite places in Singapore. I get the same feeling of awe and excitement every time I visit. I love that they have complete series runs (in singles) for sale at fairly reasonable prices.
At Kinokuniya, we found a soft-cover version of Looking Glass Wars, which Johann and I had read about in a magazine (a long time ago). We found a copy of the hardcover version in National Bookstore-Trinoma but it was too expensive.
We also window-shopped for clothes and visited Muji. Lunch was at Yoshinoya and Johann tried the Kimchi Beef, which isn't available in the Metro Manila branch of Yoshinoya.
After lunch, Gabby showed Johann the local gaming shops. First stop was Paradigm Infinity which is a haven for board games and card games -- they had all the versions of Fluxx, which I was tempted to get but didn't. They also had a very good stock of VtES.
We also visited the bigger Comics Mart in Orchard where Johann bought a few packs of WOW Fires of Outland.
We then took a bus to Vivo City -- it was a double decker bus and we sat in the second level. Glee! ^_^
The bus ride was a welcome relief to our tired and aching feet. We also got the see a lot of Singapore, which we normally miss because we take the subway.
Vivo City is AMAZING! Our first stop was Bakerzin where I bought a box of snow skin mooncake as pasalubong for my parents. This kind of mooncake can't be found in the Philippines -- the outer layer is similar to mochi and is very soft.
While waiting for the mooncake, we looked through the dessert selection at Bakerzin. (I wanted to live there forever! >_<)
Gabby took us to the balcony(?) where we got treated to a view of the bay and a peek at Sentosa.
Vivo City is very child-friendly and a lot of families were there with strollers in tow. There is even a play area in the 3rd (or 4th) floor for kids.
On our way out, we took a picture of ourselves with the Heroes stand -- some of the members of the cast would be at Vivo City the next day and we couldn't go because we were going back to the Philippines.
<-- can you find Johann in the picture?
* * *
Ice cream shot for that day --
I love Singapore street ice cream! I love it with bread!
I wonder why we don't do this here.
... Singapore story to be continued.
Monday, September 03, 2007
Hit the ground running --
We arrived yesterday morning and had to prepare for my goddaughter's party in the afternoon. We bought her gift when we were in Singapore so I just had to giftwrap it.
We also had to unpack and re-bond with Seth. (Thank God for coffee.)
I bought some really funky clothes for Seth when we were in Singapore and I wanted him to wear one of them to the party so I laundered them when we arrived in Manila last Thursday.
This outfit is from LIFEbaby -- an amazing shop for children. They had really fun pieces for kids and I wanted to buy everything but I couldn't afford it. >_<
My goddaughter's party was fun. Seth got his first taste of pork bbq (and he loved it!)
* * *
So, Singapore --
Day 1: August 27, Monday
This trip to Singapore was all about shopping. My one purpose there was to refresh my wardrobe because a lot of my pre-pregnancy clothes either don't fit or aren't suited to chasing a 14-month old.
Johann crumbled a little and wanted to do some tourist-y bits like riding the DHL balloon or going to Sentosa or going on the Night Safari -- but I quickly got him back on track.
We arrived in Singapore on August 27. We were able to save a bit of money by taking the MRT to the airport instead of a cab or a shuttle service. When we arrived at the hotel (Peninsula-Excelsior), we were pleased with the service and quickly got ourselves checked-in.
This was where the niggles started -- when we entered the room, my head started pounding. The room didn't smell right. A quick call to the front desk confirmed our suspicions -- we were given a room on the smoking floor. We went down immediately and requested for a different room.
(Note: Always specify in your reservations that you want a non-smoking room.)
They told us that another room on a non-smoking floor would be available at around 3pm. It was only 1215 so we asked to leave our bag with the Concierge and went searching for lunch.
We decided that this was our one splurge meal and we settled into Uma Uma Men -- a Japanese restaurant very near our hotel.
They had a conveyor-belt sushi system and everything looked good. I ordered their Tar Tar Chicken Don (Chicken with Tartar sauce over rice) and Johann had the spicy ramen.
We got a table beside the conveyor belt and were very impressed with the amenities. They had sesame seeds, spices, pickled radish, etc. I really loved the sesame and I ground a generous amount of it over my meal. (It makes a difference, trust me.)
We also got a plate from the conveyor because it looked so yummy!
After lunch, we went to Raffles Shopping Center to visit Comics Mart and ask for WOW Fires of Outlands. They didn't have it yet but were expecting it to arrive within the next few days.
We browsed through the other shops inside Raffles. Many of the stores were having their end-of-season sale so I was very happy to see a lot of items with discounted prices. ^_^
When we returned to our hotel, they had our room ready. Our card key wouldn't work so I had to go back down again. We finally got it open and were dismayed to see two single beds. We couldn't even move the beds closer because there was a desk in the middle that had the switches and whatnot.
After freshening up, we went to Citylink and Suntec and just walked around. There were a lot of new stores and I was happy to see many of our old favorites still operating.
Dinner was a selection of fried stuff from Old Chang Kee. ^_^
Day 2: August 28, Tuesday
Day 2 was Orchard Day. It was also Johann's book buying day so our first stop was Borders. (Johann loves Borders more than Kinokuniya in Ngee An)
They were having a 3 for 2 promo and I was able to get Nick Hornby's Polysyllabic Spree and Dedication, the latest from the authors of The Nanny Diaries. The freebie we got was Susanna Clarke's The Ladies of Grace Adieu.
After 2 and 1/2 hours of browsing and buying, we left Borders. It was raining so we had didn't really get to go around Orchard. We ended up having lunch at a food court (I forget which one). I had the char siew pork with rice and Johann had Char Kway Teow (fried noodles).
After lunch, I got a chance to visit Topshop and got a really nice blouse (a bit of a splurge, but it was worth it) and Iora, where I got a majority of my new clothes.
We went to Kinokuniya after that but, by then, we were encumbered by so many books and bags so I really didn't get to do much browsing. I found a bench in a corner and waited for Johann to look through all the Fantasy shelves. I did manage to find Jane Yolen and Adam Stemple's other Rock 'n' Roll Fairy Tale, Troll Bridge.
We left Orchard after that and returned to our hotel. We rested a bit and went to Funan IT Mall, which is just beside our hotel. They have a branch of San Bookshop there so we checked out their titles. I like San and I get a lot of my books from them. It's a very unique store which offers books for sale or rent. You could choose to sell back the books that you've bought from them at a lower price. Used books are sold cheaper and those are the ones I look out for.
It's also a great place to get older titles at lower prices. ^_^
We saw this in Funan.
It's a dippin dots-type vending machine. ^_^
After Funan, we went to Marina Square (which is also nearby) because I wanted to check out the Crocs store. I got a pair of Cleo and Johann got a pair of Crete, which he wore immediately. ^_^
We had dinner at the Marina Square food court. We tried their claypot rice meals.
It reminded me of dolsot bibimbap, except it wasn't spicy.
After dinner, we crossed back to Suntec and Johann got ice cream from Andersen's.
We got pistachio, which is Johann's favorite flavor. Andersen's is a bit pricey at $4 a scoop but it is worth it. ^_^
We noticed that a lot of Singaporeans were carrying similar boxes so we followed them. A donut shop had recently opened in the same floor as the Andersen's kiosk and a lot of people were lined up to buy donuts.
It's apparently a big deal because the shop had to limit purchases to two dozen per person.
* * *
A side note about Andersen's --
On our one free day in Manila, we visited Sebastian's at Podium and tried out their ice cream. I got the Hazelnut Cookies n Cream and Johann tried Dublin Fudge.
It is AMAZING. Johann said that it was even better than Andersen's.
Now, if only I can bring it home to Iloilo.
... Singapore story to be continued.
We also had to unpack and re-bond with Seth. (Thank God for coffee.)
I bought some really funky clothes for Seth when we were in Singapore and I wanted him to wear one of them to the party so I laundered them when we arrived in Manila last Thursday.
This outfit is from LIFEbaby -- an amazing shop for children. They had really fun pieces for kids and I wanted to buy everything but I couldn't afford it. >_<
My goddaughter's party was fun. Seth got his first taste of pork bbq (and he loved it!)
* * *
So, Singapore --
Day 1: August 27, Monday
This trip to Singapore was all about shopping. My one purpose there was to refresh my wardrobe because a lot of my pre-pregnancy clothes either don't fit or aren't suited to chasing a 14-month old.
Johann crumbled a little and wanted to do some tourist-y bits like riding the DHL balloon or going to Sentosa or going on the Night Safari -- but I quickly got him back on track.
We arrived in Singapore on August 27. We were able to save a bit of money by taking the MRT to the airport instead of a cab or a shuttle service. When we arrived at the hotel (Peninsula-Excelsior), we were pleased with the service and quickly got ourselves checked-in.
This was where the niggles started -- when we entered the room, my head started pounding. The room didn't smell right. A quick call to the front desk confirmed our suspicions -- we were given a room on the smoking floor. We went down immediately and requested for a different room.
(Note: Always specify in your reservations that you want a non-smoking room.)
They told us that another room on a non-smoking floor would be available at around 3pm. It was only 1215 so we asked to leave our bag with the Concierge and went searching for lunch.
We decided that this was our one splurge meal and we settled into Uma Uma Men -- a Japanese restaurant very near our hotel.
They had a conveyor-belt sushi system and everything looked good. I ordered their Tar Tar Chicken Don (Chicken with Tartar sauce over rice) and Johann had the spicy ramen.
We got a table beside the conveyor belt and were very impressed with the amenities. They had sesame seeds, spices, pickled radish, etc. I really loved the sesame and I ground a generous amount of it over my meal. (It makes a difference, trust me.)
We also got a plate from the conveyor because it looked so yummy!
After lunch, we went to Raffles Shopping Center to visit Comics Mart and ask for WOW Fires of Outlands. They didn't have it yet but were expecting it to arrive within the next few days.
We browsed through the other shops inside Raffles. Many of the stores were having their end-of-season sale so I was very happy to see a lot of items with discounted prices. ^_^
When we returned to our hotel, they had our room ready. Our card key wouldn't work so I had to go back down again. We finally got it open and were dismayed to see two single beds. We couldn't even move the beds closer because there was a desk in the middle that had the switches and whatnot.
After freshening up, we went to Citylink and Suntec and just walked around. There were a lot of new stores and I was happy to see many of our old favorites still operating.
Dinner was a selection of fried stuff from Old Chang Kee. ^_^
Day 2: August 28, Tuesday
Day 2 was Orchard Day. It was also Johann's book buying day so our first stop was Borders. (Johann loves Borders more than Kinokuniya in Ngee An)
They were having a 3 for 2 promo and I was able to get Nick Hornby's Polysyllabic Spree and Dedication, the latest from the authors of The Nanny Diaries. The freebie we got was Susanna Clarke's The Ladies of Grace Adieu.
After 2 and 1/2 hours of browsing and buying, we left Borders. It was raining so we had didn't really get to go around Orchard. We ended up having lunch at a food court (I forget which one). I had the char siew pork with rice and Johann had Char Kway Teow (fried noodles).
After lunch, I got a chance to visit Topshop and got a really nice blouse (a bit of a splurge, but it was worth it) and Iora, where I got a majority of my new clothes.
We went to Kinokuniya after that but, by then, we were encumbered by so many books and bags so I really didn't get to do much browsing. I found a bench in a corner and waited for Johann to look through all the Fantasy shelves. I did manage to find Jane Yolen and Adam Stemple's other Rock 'n' Roll Fairy Tale, Troll Bridge.
We left Orchard after that and returned to our hotel. We rested a bit and went to Funan IT Mall, which is just beside our hotel. They have a branch of San Bookshop there so we checked out their titles. I like San and I get a lot of my books from them. It's a very unique store which offers books for sale or rent. You could choose to sell back the books that you've bought from them at a lower price. Used books are sold cheaper and those are the ones I look out for.
It's also a great place to get older titles at lower prices. ^_^
We saw this in Funan.
It's a dippin dots-type vending machine. ^_^
After Funan, we went to Marina Square (which is also nearby) because I wanted to check out the Crocs store. I got a pair of Cleo and Johann got a pair of Crete, which he wore immediately. ^_^
We had dinner at the Marina Square food court. We tried their claypot rice meals.
It reminded me of dolsot bibimbap, except it wasn't spicy.
After dinner, we crossed back to Suntec and Johann got ice cream from Andersen's.
We got pistachio, which is Johann's favorite flavor. Andersen's is a bit pricey at $4 a scoop but it is worth it. ^_^
We noticed that a lot of Singaporeans were carrying similar boxes so we followed them. A donut shop had recently opened in the same floor as the Andersen's kiosk and a lot of people were lined up to buy donuts.
It's apparently a big deal because the shop had to limit purchases to two dozen per person.
* * *
A side note about Andersen's --
On our one free day in Manila, we visited Sebastian's at Podium and tried out their ice cream. I got the Hazelnut Cookies n Cream and Johann tried Dublin Fudge.
It is AMAZING. Johann said that it was even better than Andersen's.
Now, if only I can bring it home to Iloilo.
... Singapore story to be continued.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)