Thursday, May 18, 2006

oh no not again!!!

It’s definitely a great experience trying out dishes from other countries but I would say we have great selections of food too.

Ihawan







Let’s try American…

IHOP (International House of Pancakes)





Boston Market




What about Mexican?

Baja Fresh





We need to lay-low for now. We are gaining weight! Having no self-control won’t do us any good. So… we both agreed to refrain from eating out, reduce our rice intake, avoid eating too much sweets and drink lots of water. Did you say exercise?! I don’t think we can do that for now. I’m too tired from work every time I reach home. Him maybe?! But I don’t think so. Haha! Plus… this will also help us save money.

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

the movies we recently saw




Synopsis: Pete Garrison is a U.S. Secret Service agent who saved a president's life by jumping in front of a hail of bullets, over twenty years ago. Well-liked and respected by his colleagues in the Secret Service, Garrison is a career agent who now heads the First Lady's detail. He lives in a high-level, orderly world of hierarchical structure, plans, maps, motorcades, code names, lingo and procedures. It's a universe that makes sense, until secrets begin to tear it apart. Pete's fellow agent and friend, Charlie Merriweather, hints at wanting to share critical and confidential information. Before that can happen, however, Merriweather is shot dead at his house in a crime that is made to look like a botched robbery.The investigation falls to the Secret Service's top investigative agent, David Breckinridge, a volatile combination of by-the-book and hothead, Garrison's protégé, and, until recently one of Garrison's best friends. Breckinridge follows the evidence and only the evidence and scrupulously tries to avoid working from his gut. That's what being a great investigator requires. Garrison, as perhaps the greatest protective agent in the service, often has to work from gut, from pure instinct. In protective work that is often all you have. Garrison's and Breckinridge¹s recent falling out was triggered by Breckinridge's mistaken belief that Garrison was having an affair with Breckinridge's now ex-wife. Jill Marin, a tough, sassy and ambitious young agent who just graduated second in her class at the Secret Service Academy, arrives for her first field posting. She has requested a work detail with Breckinridge because Garrison, while leading a field instruction exercise at the Academy told Jill that Breckinridge was the best investigator in the entire Service. Together the trio begins to uncover what appears to be an inside job to assassinate the president a traitor in the ranks of the Secret Service. It's never happened in the institution's 141-year history. Suspicion ultimately falls on Garrison, who's going to find it extremely difficult to clear his name because someone is framing him. Whoever is framing Garrison knows he's vulnerable because he's devoting considerable effort to hiding a monumental secret. Suspected of being treasonous, Garrison goes on the run, pursued by Breckinridge and Marin ­his own colleagues ­ as he tries to nail the real mole and save the president's life.




Synopsis: Manny (Ray Romano) the woolly mammoth, Sid the sloth (John Leguizamo), Diego the saber-toothed tiger (Denis Leary) and the hapless prehistoric squirrel/rat known as Scrat (Chris Wedge) are back and enjoying the perks of their now melting world. Manny may be ready to start a family, but nobody has seen another mammoth for a long time; Manny thinks he may be the last one. That is, until he miraculously finds Ellie (Queen Latifah), the only female mammoth left in the world. Their only problems: They can't stand each other – and Ellie somehow thinks she's a possum! Ellie comes with some excess baggage in the form of her two possum "brothers"...Crash (Seann William Scott) and Eddie (Josh Peck), a couple of daredevil pranksters and cocky, loud-mouthed troublemakers. Manny, Sid, and Diego quickly learn that the warming climate has one major drawback: A huge glacial dam holding off oceans of water is about to break, threatening the entire valley. The only chance of survival lies at the other end of the valley. So our three heroes, along with Ellie, Crash and Eddie, form the most unlikely family – in any "Age" – as they embark on a mission across an ever-changing, increasingly dangerous landscape towards their salvation.




Synopsis: When a rogue wave capsizes a luxury cruise ship in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, a small group of survivors find themselves unlikely allies in a battle for their lives. Preferring to test the odds alone, career gambler John Dylan (Josh Lucas) ignores captain’s orders (Andre Braugher) to wait below for possible rescue and sets out to find his own way to safety. What begins as a solo mission soon draws others as Dylan is followed by a desperate father (Kurt Russell) searching for his daughter (Emmy Rossum) and her fiancé (Mike Vogel), a young couple who hours before couldn’t summon the courage to tell him they were engaged and now face much graver challenges. Along the way they are joined by a single mother (Jacinda Barrett) and her wise-beyond-his-years son (Jimmy Bennett); an anxious stowaway (Mia Maestro) and a despondent fellow passenger (Richard Dreyfuss) who boarded the ship not sure he wanted to live but now knows he doesn’t want to die. Determined to fight their way to the surface, the group sets off through the disorienting maze of twisted steel in the upside-down wreckage. As the unstable vessel rapidly fills with water each must draw on skills and strengths they didn’t even know they possessed, fighting against time for their own survival and for each other.




Synopsis: Super-spy Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) has retired from active duty to train new IMF agents. But he is called back into action to confront the toughest villain he's ever faced - Owen Davian (Philip Seymour Hoffman), an international weapons and information provider with no remorse and no conscience. Hunt assembles his team - his old friend Luther Strickell (Ving Rhames), transportation expert Declan (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), background operative Zhen (Maggie Q), and fresh recruit Lindsey (Keri Russell) - to travel the globe pursuing Davian and rescue Hunt's love, Julia (Michelle Monaghan).

Sunday, May 14, 2006

Happy Mother's Day!






Happy Mother's Day, Mama and Mommy! Wishing you both happiness always! :)

Happy Mother's Day also to all the moms...my grandma, aunts, friends and everyone else.

Friday, May 12, 2006

our apartment now...






I've started looking for an apartment even before Irvin came here. I specifically liked this one from Zara Realty. It's only a 7-storey building with I think has at least 12 units on each floor. There's a laundry area in the vicinity. It's also clean. And most of all, it's along a major road...Hillside Ave.

Apartments in NY are really pricey. Of course we want a one-bedroom apartment. But in as much as we want to, we decided to settle for a studio type to save $300 a month and besides, there's only two of us for now. Know what?! The feeling is great having privacy and a home that you can call yours no matter how small or big it is.






Thursday, May 11, 2006

hApPy BiRtHdAy, Mommy!



It's my mother-in-law's birthday today. We phoned her last night to greet her. I asked what is she preparing and she said... "the usual". You know what that is?! The best tasting barbeque ever!!! She's like... "Li na kayo". How I wish! Haha!

Anyway, to you Mommy, Happy Happy Birthday! May you have many more healthy years to come! We miss you! Mwah!

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

The Sink Lady!



Tita Laling is Mama’s 1st cousin who used to live in my parents’ house a long time ago. She is my Aunt whom we call ‘sink lady’ being so crazy on how she keeps the sink clean...always! I remember how it was before. We would always see to it that we chat and have a little snack every night before going to bed. She along with my other Aunts chipped in to buy some snack for us. I can’t also forget that time when her sister Tita Beth was arguing with a neighbor. She almost jumped over the terrace defending her sister. She wore shorts under her skirt and immediately went down the stairs and you just guess what happened next!

It was in 1988 when Tita Laling got married to Uncle Ken (who calls me ‘flip flop’ since I used to open the gate for him all the time when he was visiting her) in the Philippines. I was just 14 years of age then and one of her secondary sponsors. She went to the US immediately after the wedding. And though she was visiting the Philippines from time to time, we never got the chance to really get together. In fact, we lost contact for so many years until I decided to also go to America to pursue my dream. While I can already consider myself stable (well in a way), I still thought that I would need her help since it’s my 1st time to apply for a US visa. I contacted her and she was so giddy the very moment she heard my voice. She agreed to provide me an affidavit of support right away without any second thoughts.

I was lucky to get approved even if I wasn’t able to use that document she sent me. I went straight to Massachusetts (MA) when I 1st came here. I stayed at her place for 2 ½ months before moving to New York (NY). Being jobless at that time, she provided me with everything that I needed. She bought me clothes and shoes. She even gave me money just so I could buy phone cards to call the Philippines. She would even let me call my family direct. There are so many things that she did for me. She threw a party and invited her friends over during my 1st birthday here. She would even take me to this wines and liquor store to return the bottles and cans with deposit at times just so I could have extra money. And she also bought me some office clothes when I finally got a job.

She never failed to support me in any way up to now. I could cry my heart out to her. She is always there to give a listening ear to whatever I want to share. I found an instant best friend being the only closest relative I have here. I never felt any homesickness when I am with her. I am so at home and very much at ease. It is in MA…a very cozy and serene place… that I always go to whenever I feel like I need to escape from a complicated world. I also appreciate it when she confides to me. She trusts me and treats me like a matured woman that she even asks for advices. And I’m so flattered with that…

To my dearest Tita Laling, thank you so much for everything! I know these two words are not enough but I want you to know that I very much appreciate the things you did and still do for me.

Monday, May 08, 2006

what's what?

We dined-in at a restaurant last Friday. We were just too lazy to cook. It was also Irvin’s first time at that place. I can’t exactly remember how long but I think it’s been over a year that I haven’t been there. And to my disappointment, I wasn’t really that satisfied with the food…the serving got smaller, the pancakes got thinner and I think the food was dry. Irvin didn’t like his food too. We just had to eat it for we were hungry and we don’t want to waste the $25. Haha!

Finally, we were able to return the cutlery tray to Sears on Saturday. I brought Irvin to Baja Fresh…a Mexican restaurant serving fresh burritos, quesadillas and salads. Before taking a bite, Irvin said… ‘if this tastes good, definitely meron tayong babalik-balikan’. Well, he liked it. And imagine spending $16 for a sumptuous meal like that! We also rented some Filipino DVDs… Aishite Imasu (a love story during WW2), Don’t give up on us (a love story between two people in two different worlds), and Mano Po III (finding a long lost love and dealing with an arranged marriage).

Irvin hasn’t found a job yet and he said it from the start that he’s willing to temporarily do some odd jobs if that’s what is available. Previously, he has inquired from ‘this’ freight services company when I brought him to Roosevelt Ave. where a lot of Filipino stores, restaurants and banks are. I have to be honest that I don’t like the pay they’re offering. It’s way too low and seems like they’re taking advantage just because you don’t have a choice. I think it was almost two weeks later when they called Irvin who in turn has decided to give it a try. I think yesterday was the longest day of my life. I was home alone for 10 hours. All I did was watched DVDs, cleaned up the house, took a bath and slept. I’m just no longer used to be not with him on weekends.

Saturday, May 06, 2006

Auto Show

What: International Auto Show
When: April 23, 2006
Where: Jacob Javits Center, New York















more pictures here...

Friday, May 05, 2006

daighne marjorie

Here are some pictures of my one and only niece. She loves posing a lot especially in front of the camera. I remember what my sister Aou told me before during their gown fitting... Daighne was really sick at that time...with fever and all. But when she was told a picture needs to be taken... voila! all smiles and great poses. Haha! She is also doing good in school...always getting big and small stars. In fact, she was one of the top three in the class. Hold on! Wait till you hear her sing. I think singing can be her future career. What an adorable and cute girl! I just miss her...















Thursday, May 04, 2006

my parents' 32nd wedding anniversary...

Happy Anniversary, Papa and Mama! Wishing you both happiness and good health always!



will post their wedding picture later...

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

new skin!

I've been wanting to change my skin for the longest time. It's just that I don't want to spend too much time figuring out how I can make it look really nice. In short, I'm too lazy to do it from scratch. Anyway, I have decided to use this template...simple but definitely better than the old one. Well, at least for me. :)