My Last Hurrah

In a couple of hours, we will finally say good-bye to 2010 and hello to 2011.

The Year of the Tiger has been a great and interesting one for me. A lot of blessings came into my way and no words can truly describe how grateful I am. There may be ups and downs and some twists and turns, but I'm glad I survived and carried on. As I look back, I can proudly say that I have learned and gained so much from the things that happened this year.

Tomorrow, on the other hand, is the beginning of a new chapter in our lives. It is the perfect time for us to make a fresh start and live anew. After all, it's never too late to start over, right? Let go of the bad things yet bring the good ones with us, to help us keep moving forward in this journey called life.

Happy New Year to all! Let's make 2011 a legendary one. Cheers! :)

Oh, Christmas Tree

The Christmas tree is so big, you won’t even notice me. :)) Feeling like a tourist in Eastwood last Tuesday, the 28th day of December 2010. :)

She's so fluffy!

Friends, this is Kisses. She is my first goddaughter. For some reason, she reminds me of Agnes (from Despicable Me, hence the title of this entry) and Strawberry Shortcake. :)

Don't Stop the Pop

What I've been waiting for has finally come! It's DJ Earworm's United State of Pop for 2010. A lot of people who commented on Youtube said that last year's mash-up is better than this year's. What do you think? :)

The Dare

Balut has always been a Christmas staple at home. Our Christmas merienda wouldn't be complete without it. For those who are not familiar with balut, it is a boiled fertilized egg of a duck. It is usually paired with salt or vinegar to make it more tasty. In the Philippines, I think it is considered a delicacy.

(This is how a balut looks like when you open the shell. By the way, I do not own the photo. It is retrieved from Google Images)

An aunt gave a basket of balut for the whole family to enjoy. Nothing was left in the basket as soon as it was served on the table. Yes, that's how we love this food. While I was eating, I didn't notice that a cousin was observing me and then he said, "Try eating the white part (he's pertaining to the chick). Masarap!". I gave him a why-do-you-want-me-to-eat-that-are-you-kidding-me face. His mom also agreed with him and the rest of the cousins encouraged (or should I say, dared) me to eat the chick (I only eat the "soup" and the yellow part). I hesitated at first but... since I wanted some adventure, I gave in to their request and ate it. My smile turned into a frown while chewing it. I can't believe I just ate a baby duck! Yet I realized it's not that bad at all! I actually liked it. I didn't eat the white part because it's as hard as a rock.

Unfortunately, this is the only photo taken of my "balut eating challenge". I consider it as one of the bravest things I have ever done this year. Had I not tried, I wouldn't know how it tastes like. Thanks to my cousins, Christmas 2010 has become more memorable. :)

*P.S. Luisa, Cente and Keithy, we miss the three of you! Looking forward to celebrating Christmas with you soon. :)*

The Greatest Time of Year

Spread more love, peace and happiness this season. Merry Christmas everyone! :)

The Awesome A Capella

I'm totally too lost for words when a colleague showed us this cover of Only Girl (In the World) by Rihanna while having a lunch break some weeks ago. The guy, Mike Tompkins, only used his mouth and voice (no musical instruments at all) and he was able to come up with a cool cover. He is a very talented guy and I think he deserves a spot in the music industry. :)

Tumblring

Have you ever wondered about what's going on in the mind of a person when he or she stares at you? Sometimes, it bothers me because I don't know what he or she is thinking. I wish he or she would be honest enough to tell me so I won't spend the rest of my free time wondering about it. I'm open and willing to listen. :)

And oh, I just want to say it's so fun to blog-hop on Tumblr. It is a haven of interesting stuff. :)

The Better Version

Okay, I know. I posted this one before but I found a better version of this psychological fact while blog-hopping a while ago. I feel the need to post this one. I'm sorry I just can't help it. I guess it still has a big impact on me. ;)

A Meal Like No Other

Last December 10, my best friend Margaret introduced me to Pepper Lunch. Looking for a place to eat has always been our problem and we usually end up at Burger King. I have nothing against this fast food chain because its burgers are one of the bests in town, but we wanted something new to eat. Hence, we entered that humble looking place called Pepper Lunch, located at the second floor of Alabang Town Center.

I ordered Beef Pepper Rice because it caught my attention. Margaret also suggested that I try it because it really tastes good.

(Left: That's my beef pepper rice and my odd geeky look. Right: Margaret and her curry beef pepper rice)

Look at my smile! I had a great time eating this meal. The beef, the rice and the corn are a good combination. Margaret even told me to put the sweet sauce (it's so yummy I forgot the name) too because it will make the meal taste even better. And she was right.

(It's still hot and sizzling!)

Margaret ordered this one. It's called Curry Beef Pepper Rice. According to her, she loved it! She has plans of ordering all of the food in the menu. She is such a Pepper Lunch fan.

What I like about this restaurant is that the diners get to cook the food they ordered. The food is served on a plate, which is not like an ordinary steak plate, because it's a "patented electromagnetic plate that is heated up to 260 degrees Celsius within one minute" (I researched, HAHA). So please avoid touching the plate because it's super hot. ;)

Our dinner at Pepper Lunch was an ultimate dining experience. I will definitely go back there again. :)

By the way, let me take this opportunity to congratulate Margaret because she received an e-mail from the Pepper Lunch team, thanking her for blogging about them. I'm so proud of you!!! :)

*Photos from Margaret's phone. The both of us forgot to bring cameras.*
*credits to http://www.pepperlunch.com.ph*

The Best Movie I Have Ever Seen... Yet

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is definitely the most-anticipated movie of this year. When it hit the theaters last November 16, a lot of people lined up to watch the first part of the final series. Everyone I knew have been talking about it on Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr. They shared their experiences and how they felt while watching the movie.

Now, it's my turn to share.

Last week, I finally got the chance to see it for myself. I honestly think it gave justice to the book because most of the scenes were how I imagined them to be. David Yates did a great job in this one. This is the best Harry Potter film yet.

One of my favorite scenes was when Hermione and Harry slow-danced one night. Harry may not be the best dancer in the world but he made his friend feel a little bit better. Moving, indeed. The other one was when Ron came back to their tent, explaining how the deluminator brought him to where his friends are. What he said was very sweet and sincere. It was also the moment when I secretly wish I wanted to be like Hermione. :p

I left the movie house with a smile on my face. I'm looking forward to watching the second part of the movie in July next year. It may be the end but its magic will remain forever. :)

The Perfect Match

For some reason, whenever I hear Fix You by Coldplay on my music player, I always feel inspired and encouraged. It uplifts my spirit most especially when I feel sad. I really find it amazing how different kinds of people can relate to the song.

I was surfing my Facebook one day and I came across this video post of my former block mate. It's a nice and touching video of Ron and Hermione. I love this couple and I'm glad they ended up together in the series.

Please watch the video, listen to the song and be inspired too. :)

The Early Christmas Gift

(A day at Serendra: July 4, 2009)

Received the best news ever! My cousins are coming home to celebrate the holiday season with us. We'll have an early Christmas dinner on Wednesday, the 8th day of December. I'm excited to see them again! We may not be together on the actual day (Christmas) but their "early homecoming" really means a lot to me. I'm looking forward to having some fun with them. The Big Guy up there has answered my prayer. What a lovely Christmas gift. :)

Smile!

This year, I learned that looking at the brighter side can help me become a stronger and a much happier person. Our life may take detours and unexpected events may happen, but these should not make us stop from dreaming and achieving our goals. The past three months have taught me to count my blessings and be more grateful for the things that I have. There is no reason for me to be sad because I believe that God has better plans for me. :)