TCK in a Box

Send a Tasty Note!

James Jean in Manila!

Urbanfaerie Postcards are out today! :-D

The 2009 Urbanfaerie postcards are now available! It comes as a set of 5 postcards, all different designs, for P130/set. This year i feature favourite filipino or “pinoy” foodies

Keep in touch with a taste of Pinoy food with loved ones by writing them a quick note! It’s a lovely gift, giveaway or keepsake you can purchase for a friend, family or yourself

Given this year’s recent storms, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to typhoon victims, via the Red Cross, so by purchasing you will also be helping out!

You can email/text me your orders and we can talk about where i can meet you/send it to you.

For those in Makati, you can also purchase the set at Canteen @ Trilogy, 110 Rada St. Legazpi Village, Makati (grab a bite to eat or coffee while you’re there!)

*For orders outside Metro Manila, there is a minimum order of 5 sets so it can be delivered to you (+ shipping fee).

Thank you and Cheers everybody!!

Like Mother…

It’s close to Halloween and i’ve been going through Madonna’s fabulous makeovers through the years to inspire me (for the record, i don’t think i can pull the madonna costume off). I came across this pic though — part of the “Celebration” video, i think. DaughterLourdes does her best to be like mom Madge. Eerily reminiscent of a young Madonna (er, like a virgin as well?), it’s like looking at the fab Madge herself! Awesome, i say.

A week in Pictures

Forgive my late update, i have been away.

I was fortunate enough to join my mom in her recent trip to Korea, where she presented a paper at a conference. While the opening ceremony was held in downtown Seoul, we were hosted in a lovely teaching facility in Gwacheon City in the Gyeonggi-do Province, an hour’s ride from the capital city. It was great to see the contrasts between the city and its nearby suburbs. The conference itself was an event to see and experience, as many leaders and public officers from different countries came together to talk, discuss and learn from each other throughout the week.

While i enjoyed checking out the sessions, i was also fortunate enough to check out the various places in and nearby Seoul. We were able to view the famous landmarks of Korea (like the N. Tower), try out authentic Korean food, and even had the chance to watch some of their traditional dances/acts! We also had a chance to explore Seoul on our own, walking through the busy streets of Namdaemun market and Myeondong.

Korea is an amazing place. It’s a dynamic synergy of modern progress, rich traditions and an ever-changing landscape. Its downtown feel is pulsing with energy, as the city never seemed to sleep! The streets were constantly filled with activity and things to look at. From street food to korean fashion, music mavens to k-pop fandom, it is a constant assault to your sense, perking you to sit up and listen, look around and observe. I had an awesome time watching the activity through a tourist’s perspective.

Like many Asian countries, Korea is unique in its culture, tradition and lifestyle. It was hardly a surprise to me that like its neighbor Japan, Korea has progressed quite quickly in its technology — the city was a testament to that! Its bustling streets, wifi-accessible spaces and dazzling lights bear witness to the active and dynamic culture it holds. Yet alongside it is the amazing hold of the Koreans with their traditions, all uniquely aligned and melded together with the modernity of their present.

Our amazing hosts proved to us that in spite of the language challenge, generous hospitality and kindness can speak volumes. They took very good care of us, from providing our every need to organizing the event to the last detail with precision and dedication. I am truly thankful and grateful for their sincere helpfulness and generosity — throughout the conference they have been a constant help, and were very nice to us. Each detail was paid attention to and every one was alert.

I truly was amazed on how they managed to turn around their economy and growth as a country in such short a span. Perhaps it is their national pride that gives them strength to move forward as progressively as they have. Their obvious pride when talking about their products (most people use a Korean product, be it a cellphone, tv or a car) as well as their country only reinforces that theory. I can only wish that we too would have that instilled in us. Perhaps that would be our cue and motivation to work hard and excel as well!

As we were sitting at the airport waiting for our flight, my mom and i agreed — it was too short a time to explore Korea! Perhaps there will be a next time It was indeed an exhilarating and eye-opening experience!

Baguio Bound

(This is a long overdue entry — i meant to post this earlier, but with the recent typhoons, i was unable to do so to disseminate information.)

Over the long weekend before all the rains happened, we were able to visit Baguio. Baguio, known for its lush mountainside scenery, cool weather and very idyllic scene, is known to be the summer capital of the Philippines. It is also a 5-6 hour car/bus drive from the metro.

First off, i’m not a big fan of long travels, especially by land. The whole idea of going to Baguio daunted me, especially on a long weekend. Most of the time traveling on holidays would mean HUGE crowds and LONG travel times because of traffic. There i was, inside the car with the bf and our friends, praying that the trip would be a lot less complicated that i imagined it to be.

View from above

I was fortunate — the ride went smoother and easier than i imagined! While it took us longer since we took the “scenic route”, it was nice that we got to talk, chat up and enjoy some good music on the way there, making the travel less tiring. And while Baguio may seem like eons away, arriving there made the trip worthwhile. A cool breeze, bouts of mist and a seemingly quiet neighborhood greeted us when we finally reached the outskirts of the city.

cold cloudy neighborhood morning

I haven’t been back for a long while now, so it was a lovely surprise to come back to it and experience life on the mountains, even for a short trip. We stayed at a friend’s house, which was a few kilometers from the city. The place was quiet, with a lovely view of the mountains and a very quiet neighborhood. The weather, surprisingly, was wet and rainy — still, the cold was a welcome from the city heat.

Because of this, our trips to the city itself was limited, only grabbing a few supplies for the house and some riding along the busy (busier) streets of Baguio for a quick look-around.

In spite of the rain, we managed to have a quick bite at Cafe by the Ruins (just after lunch, so we avoided the rush!) and check out SM City (still busy and crowded as ever) to grab supplies and other what-have-yous we could find. After more driving around the city, we topped off the afternoon with merienda at The Manor. Their desserts were wonderful indeed! Truly a pleasant way to round up an afternoon of exploration and sight-seeing (of sorts).

merienda

The clouds have been laying low over our weekend stay, so it was lovely to cozy up in the house and do some “fire-tending”, otherwise known as “that favorite activity you do when there’s a fireplace available“. Aside from poker and a few rounds of UNO, we managed to occupy ourselves and enjoy the easy breezy weather — even did some cooking “over the hearth”! Indeed, with the steadfast rain and the cold winds during the evening, it was a wonderful way to enjoy the night in.

fire! fire!

On our last day, i was kinda sad to head home — the weather may be cold, but after two days of being there, it felt really nice (i get acclimated easily). It was a bit surreal to experience all that in two days only to go back to “reality: again. Still, it was one of the fun trips i’ve had for this year. I’m hoping that when Baguio calls again, i’ll be staying for a few more days longer. I hope that i get to do that very soon.

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IMPORTANT NOTE:* Due to the typhoon Pepeng (Parma) Baguio, along with other northern towns, has been depleted of its beauty and is very slowly rebuilding itself. Relief operations are still ongoing to provide its residents food, shelter and other needs. There is much to be done, and many to help. We welcome donations of cash and kind, as well as volunteer assistance. If you would like to donate/help, you can send your donations through RED CROSS, ABS CBN Foundation or GMA Kapuso Foundation (please refer to my previous posts on other information details). Help us rebuild the north. Thank you.

The Endless Pursuit exhibit

Window Wednesday: Gregory Crewson

I am struck by the amazing images of Gregory Crewson. His meticulous and almost-obsessive way of creating, designing and framing his photos are at the very least, filled with grandeur, yet the final result leaves quite an almost disturbing impact. Check out the link for more.

in your arms i feel safe