The Chandelier

Me (yes, that's really me) doing AntiGravity Aerial Yoga
Digital Artwork by Benjamin Arnold

An anti-white wedding

Congratulations to my beautiful friend, Sabrina on her wedding last Feb. 14. Even though I wasn't able to witness it, I'm sure she rocked it "like a boss."

                       And yes... she wore a red Kate Torralba creation... because she CAN.


Here's to the woman who made a true woman out of me...
Who made me appreciate the strength and beauty in independence
Who taught me the importance of being confident and assertive
Who helped me realize: "It ain't trickin' if you got it."
And who taught me how to drink like a fish.

The Perfect Two

No one captures mother-daughter bonding like Ms. Dianna Capco.



***All I want now is for her to consider me her best friend... nay, the coolest person on the face of the planet (next to her Papa but he's like a close-second =) and that she'll WANT to look up to me someday, no matter how painful it is to see her grow up. Since she can't be a baby forever, I hope she'd still consider me someone she'd want to baby her. Forever. Even when she's 25... I'm gonna maintain my tight and physically fit body just so I can still pin her down, climb on top of her, smile, and say: "Psyche. I think it's time... for the TICKLE TIME."

Valentine's @ Isabelo's Garden Restaurant

Last month, as I was cleaning the calling cards in my office desk, I found the card of a restaurant I've been wanting to go to for a long while now... ever since I did a photoshoot with my good friend Krista Kleiner for our Sept. 2009 issue, and as suggested by another good friend Danee Torres who shared this lovely little "secret" spot in Marikina to shoot at.

I brought the card home and gave it to my husband.

"Valentine's suggestion," I said.



And that is how you get your better half to take you to where you wanna go... without having to twist his arm. Calling cards. =)


Now it's only been our 3rd Valentine's together but it seems I've discovered a fun little quirk about our relationship:

He cannot seem to surprise me for Valentine's. (Yesterday, as I stepped out of the elevator of our condo floor, I heard a knocking near where our unit was. I turned the corner... and found Pao's family driver holding a dozen roses, who then turns to me and says, "HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, MA'AM!!") And as Pao opened the door, I held the roses in my arms and yelled, "SURPRISE!!!")

He didn't look too happy. HAHAHAHA!

We'll have the rest of our lives for him to come up with something I won't and can't spoil... and that, for me, will always make it an exciting day to look forward to.

Then as we were about to leave for dinner, he told me to wear a blindfold during the entire car ride. I obliged of course, even though I already had my guesses.

And this was one guess I'm glad I got right:

                                        We got the most romantic seat in the house.


When you book at Isabelo's, not only do you book the date and time, you also have to pre-order your dishes as well as give a downpayment.

For our Valentine's menu, as of Pao's choosing some few weeks ago (and which we highly recommend):

                                                 Strawberry and Lemon Iced Teas


                                               Roasted Pepper and Squash Soup


                                           Stuffed Portobello Mushroom (for the WIN)


                              He got the Lamb Steak served w/ Mediterranean orzo Salad


And because he loves me... and because he wasn't aware it was a whole chicken:

                             I got the Orange Herb Chicken served with roasted vegetables


                                         For dessert: Chocolate molten lava cake


.............


                                               Stuffed and satisfied "Valentees"


You see why he and I totally need to go to the gym later tonight. =)

But it was so worth it.

(Thank you to my husband for always keeping my best interests at heart... and for knowing exactly what I like... to eat. =)

'Til next Valentine's y'all!





....

Isabelo Garden Restaurant
Isabelo Street, San Roque, Marikina City, Philippines
Telephone: +632-510-6914  
Mobile: +63908-7401645
Website: www.IsabeloGarden.com | Isabelo Facebook Page
Email: isabelogardenrestaurant@gmail.com

Happy Valentine's Day Psyche!

                      I'm glad she found a date this Valentine's... even if she's in Dubai. =)

And everytime when we oooh...

Because he still gives me goosebumps the way this song does:



Go out and fall in love all over again, kids.

To Ms.Whitney Houston

The first song I ever learned (according to my dad) was "Saving all my love for you."

I was four.

Today... it is still my daughter's favorite lullaby. (I didn't know any other song to sing her to sleep but that. Ever since then, she'd ask me: "Mommy, sing "A few! A few!")

So she learned the song when she was two.

.....




You will be missed.

Fathers be good to your daughters...

Ever since we took Psyche to watch REAL STEEL, she's been obsessing over Dakota Goyo - the little boy who plays "Max" and Hugh Jackman's character "Charlie's" son. So last weekend, I bought her her own copy of the movie to watch over and over again.

Naturally, Psyche went BANANAS.

(Sorry Justin Bieber, but you're old news.)

Now I wouldn't have minded the screaming and the wailing and the crazy "I love yous" and "His face is soooo soft!" raves as the movie played in our living room... but what did catch me off guard was when she said:

Psyche: Mommy? My baby doesn't have a daddy. (Referring to the baby doll I got her for Christmas that she carries around EVERYWHERE)
Me: Aww that's ok babe (as I prepared my dinner). Just watch ok. Don't be so loud.

(a few minutes later)

Me: So you like the movie?
Psyche: Yes! He's my love!
Me: Uhm ok but he can be your friend...
Psyche: No... I want him to be my baby's daddy!!!!!

*cue weird anime teardrop on the side of my forehead*

Me: Huwaaaaaaaat did you say????
Psyche: I WANT HIM TO BE MY BABY'S DADDY!!!!

....................

On a side note:

Pao decided to ask Psyche why she loved him. I guess he was hoping to get something really sweet and endearing from her before she had to leave for Dubai for two weeks.

So he asks: Psyche, why do you love me?
Psyche: Because I love you.
Pao: Yeah but why do you love me?
Psyche: Because... you're handsome.
Pao: That's all??!!!
Psyche: Because... you love mommy. You kiss her. You hug her.
Pao: Yes I love her but why do you love me???? (I think he was feeling a bit hurt at this point)
Psyche: Because you, me, and mommy... we're a family.

He didn't know it... but she was totally schooling him.

Of course, I don't think this was what he wanted to hear. But alas, that is the trade-off of being a wonderful provider - more money... just not as much time to hang out.

Now I don't know if my husband sincerely felt bad at not having heard something like "I love you because you play with me and you take care of me" or the other things she'd normally tell me... But if you really think about it, "The best thing a man can do for his children is to love their mother."

Such a father also provides a role model for his daughters. Here the impressionable young woman can witness in the comfort of their own home all that they should expect from the men in their lives. They also learn by definition what they should not have to put up with. Having a father who loves your mother makes you more likely to go on to choose a man who will truly love you.

Because of him, she'll know to look for someone just like him (hopefully before she starts dating all the assholes out there like I did, haha). And I know that when she grows up, everything she learned from him will be worth more than our mother-daughter arguments on who she can and cannot date. Seriously. I may be her best friend now... but I totally foresee us butting heads when she gets older... and smarter.

But hopefully, that Dakota Goyo kid doesn't grow up to be an asshole. =P

Better than a Hallelujah

Pao and Me taking advantage of the photobooth (so we have pics in our photo album =):


After attending yet another beautiful and somewhat though understandably over-emotional wedding last Saturday, I had a few epiphanies about marriage in general:

- Denzel was right. "A happy wife IS a happy life." Though the father of the groom did state it much more cleverly, "The key to a happy marriage: first, make your wife THINK she has her way. Then, let her have it." (Right Waff? Thanks for letting me have the cake design I wanted, hahahaha!)

- For all of the speeches on loving each other despite the trials and tribulations that WILL come in any marriage, I just think... after 50-60-70 years... in the "lifetime" couples promise to love and remain with one another... it's important that... after all that time has passed, they can still find things to LIKE about each other. (Ie. I will always like Pao's breakfast meals. They always seem to taste better than mine when he cooks it.)


And just last night, I asked my brilliant daughter why she loves me. Matter-of-factly, she answered, "Because you like me. You play with me. You watch with me. You talk with me. We sing. We dance."

It made me realize (and to never forget) that it's one thing love someone... it's another thing to actually LIKE them.

- There will always be other people who will think your spouse is AWESOME and won't be afraid to let you know that. It can be a little intimidating what with all the tempting things in this world. But I finally realized that you should Eat. That. Sh*t. Up. You shouldn't be the only person in the world to admire your partner... and to let him/her know it. And once you welcome that, then I suppose that's when the you can turn insecurity into straight. up. pride. (If your partner decides to give in though... that's a whole 'nother story... one that involves pullin' a lorena bobbit.)

..............

It's weird now really. As much as I'd like to throw a production of a wedding for mine (and it'll probably still be knowing how much of a practical perfectionist I am)... I'm just happy I'm married. Like f*cking LE SIGH to that sh*t. I'm just f*cking happy (and yeah, a little bit relieved that the search is over and what not) that I'm married to this guy who's just awesome in every way and I'm not even gonna front cuz even GUYS come up to tell me how awesome he is. LIKE STRAIGHT GUYS. Straight guys telling me HOW HANDSOME HE IS AND HOW LUCKY I AM. Even my ex has somewhat of a weird crush on him, telling me how blessed Psyche and I are for him. Sure it isn't like I'm all goo-goo ga-ga about it all the time and sure, he annoys me in many ways... it doesn't even matter cuz the fact of the matter is... God was looking out for me and Psyche when He gave us Pao. And no wedding is going to make that any clearer than the blessing already is to me.

Even God knows that there are just some things that are better than a Hallelujah sometimes.



Buuuuuuuuuuut we'll still have a wedding anyway, hahahaha! We just wanna spend money and f*cking party. =P (I think God knows that, too, and He's totally cool with it. =)

Psyche the Performer

She is a product of English-speaking parents and Disney Junior... and just recently, Baby TV (aka "the baby boring channel" according to me and Pao... although we seriously think she just watches it to drive us nuts cuz it's so boring.)

And maybe also because she doesn't go to school yet so she hangs out with older people mostly hence her funny eloquence... and her really weird songs.

All of this documentation of her as a kid will be used as blackmail for her wedding someday. So she can go right ahead and be as annoying and weird as she wants...

Pao and I will have the last laugh, hahahaha! (It'll be the last embarrassing thing we can do before we give her off to her "Cupid."  =)

PSYCHE'S PRAYER

Last night, Psyche wanted to keep me company in my room while Paolo was pulling OT at work. She said she'd sleep beside me so I wouldn't be alone... and that her Papa can just sleep on her bed. So as she lay down beside me (on her "Papa's side" of the bed), I told her to pray as I listened quietly.

This is what she said:

"Dear God, please help me to learn my numbers. Please help mommy and Papa to buy stuff. I want mommy and Papa to be happy. Please help me to eat fast. (pauses) Please Papa... don't work so hard so he can come back. And I want mommy to be happy. Amen."

And I think... no matter how hard I ride her to learn her how to add and to count and to read (words like "refrigerator" and "service station") and to spell and to do all the things 6-year olds do at the age of 4 (like a f*cking Tiger parent)... and no matter how hard I scold her to eat faster and to chew and to swallow (with my constant groaning and my imploring "ay por favor Psyche!") and to finish her food all on her own, driving me up the wall, driving me bananas...

She still humbly asks that me and Pao are happy.

After that, she can pretty much f*ck up and annoy the living sh*t out of me... and I'd still be proud, knowing that I have raised an incredibly smart and beautiful child... with a divinely loving soul.

She lives up to the purpose of her name everyday. And my God, I wouldn't be surprised if she found the f*cking cure for cancer when she grows up. The girl is going to make history.

                                           This is the face of a Nobel Prize winner.

But right now, I don't mind enjoying her being a weird, annoying little dork who asks "WHY?" to just about EVERYTHING!

Case in point:

Psyche: Mommy? Why is his [beebeela, her teddy bear's] nose brown?
Me: Cuz he's a bear, babe.
Psyche: So why is his shirt pink and why is there a butterfly on it?
Me: Why do you ask soooo many questions?
Psyche: *shrugs* Cuz I'm a kid.

She can stay a kid forever.