Make A Wish

Last night - June 16 - I spent my 23rd birthday in our house in Antipolo (as always). Well, it really wasn’t much you know but I was just more than surprised when I realized one thing while blowing the candles on my birthday cake.

It was 11:30 in the evening when my sister Iris lighted the candles on my cute Silvanas cake that I bought at The Shang. I kind of really felt weird because I was thinking that I haven’t really done this for a long time now. I was suddenly back to my childhood for but then I started to hear them sing the Happy Birthday song and so I was jolted out to my reverie. I saw the lights flicker right in front of my eyes and it warmed me. I closed my eyes and began to think of a wish, a wish that I couldn’t really figure out what. As the song ended I was still lost in the darkness of my closed eyes, wishing I could make out a wish even just for this very moment. I kept my eyes tightly shut for over a minute until I’ve completed my wish. I opened my eyes again and saw my entire family clapping. As we were helping ourselves with the main courses is when the feeling starts to get weirder. I found myself childishly smiling at the people around me like a seven year old girl being presented a pile of gifts wrapped in fancy papers only I am no longer a young girl but a grown up lady of 23 and is not presented a pile of gifts wrapped in fancy paper but is moving and breathing right before my very eyes. I took my share of the Roast Chicken and started eating.

I just couldn’t stop about a lot of stuff now really. I can’t help but wonder why I came up with that wish. I kept asking myself, why, of all wishes that I have in my entire existence, in an almost every day of my life, that was the only wish I was able to make?

But this isn't the only thing that's really funny about my birthday but the entire preparation as well. Uhm, well, I'm not sure there really was any preparation at all because I didn't really want them to do anything like that, nor did I show them any sign I want my birthday to even be celebrated.

I started the day at an early 6am departure from home, trying so hard to make it on time for the team brainstorming in Makati which by the way is God's advanced birthday gift to me - a chance at KeywordSpy. Anyway, so it started there. I came to work as if nothing is special about me today and lucky enough because it worked! No one knew about my birthday. On my way home, I texted Papa that I'll be a little late because MRT is just so unbelievably crowded today that I'll be staying at the mall for an hour until the crowd has gone. So I went around Glorietta for awhile (which I had been doing for the almost 3 days in a row). I dropped by Celine and shopped for some attractive pair of flats and went home feeling back to being ordinary again. I was at The Shang when I saw one of the pretties cakes at Silvanas and didn't waste a minute to have it wrapped for me. By this time I'm already feeling more than the ordinary. On my way home I was forever texting my sister as to where's the only restaurant in Antipolo that's still open (because it's almost 10pm), she said KFC near Shopwise and so I asked her to reserve seats or some sort. Getting there in a blaze and finding KFC not as appealing or as tempting I thought it would be was not a surprise to me as if nothing would ever dampen the spirit of the birthday girl except for the rain (oops, that’s just Sam from Lord of the Rings talking from inside of me).

So we’re all home now, my mama, papa my ever so bloated brother Nico and my almost always unpredictable sister Iris who had the most resounding voice at the note of the Happy Birthday song for me.

Well, that was the birthday party. The after-party was back in my room and praying that this day never ends, that I could still have the chance to be an impulsive shopper for a day and spend all the money I have on shoes, bags, cute shirts and pants, that I could always eat cakes and ice creams and spaghettis and Roasted Chicken and drink glasses after glasses of soda, that I could always sleep late at nights and would not mind about tomorrows’ work load, that I could still be a child again presented with gifts wrapped in fancy papers and that I could get another blow on the candle to make a wish

Happy Birthday to me...

Perlas ng Silanganan

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Maligayang Kalayaan Pilipinas!!!
Perlas na aking sinilangan



...eh ikaw, malaya ka ba?

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The Countdown Begins thru Cake

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It’s officially one (1) week before my birthday, and this is the only time I confirmed this. Ha-ha. I’m not used to doing this but I’m really kind of excited (well, not exactly all excited, you know) but it’s all gonna be good.

Something reminded me of my birthday yesterday and it’s definitely the Chocolate Mousse Cake from Dell’s that I ate for lunch. It was really yummy and so sugary that it took my energy and my family history of diabetes to a different level. Sigh, I can only manage to eat a slice or else I won’t be able to think like a normal human being after that.

While playing with my thoughts about how wonderful I feel as of the moment I started browsing the net for some really interesting images of cakes that I’d love to have for my birthday. Hmm, I just hope mama and papa is watching. *wink,wink*

Let's start with my ultimate favorite cake of all cakes. Chocolate Mousse. This image is from Red Ribbon, which also happens to be the sweetest cake franchise in the entire Philippines. Why? Well, let's just say that on many special occasions Red Ribbon has served me and my family with so much courteousness that no ordinary Filipino would expect from a really well-known food joint. Okey, so isn't this supposed to be all about me?

Another cake from Red Ribbon that is never last in my family's list of must-haves on the table for special occasions. The Black Forest is also responsible for my brothers' first taste of wine.

Haagen Dazs' Belgian Choco Seduction. Need I say more? Yeah. Seduction, like this cake is the all-time teaser of the Haagen Daz Store.

Perfect Harmony by Haagen Daz. So who ever says there's no equality in this world has never been to a Haagen Daz store. Because seriously, if you're looking for Perfect Harmony, like what I do, I'd just drop by their store at The Shang. He-he. Peace!

Bailey's Cheesecake. All right you guys, let's just say you're just so bored with your usual latte that you want to start drinking but doesn't want the smell of it since you'd need to be back home to mom. Well, here's the answer to that. Oh, sorry, I was referring to Bailey's, the drink.

Here are some curious looking cakes that really made me look them up on web. White-Chocolate Mousse and Strawberry Cheescake By Filomena Gourmet Bakery in Georgetown. She's an international success in creating dessert selections such as the ones posted. She also caters all different kinds of Choco Mousse Cakes that would really mock your favorite list. From White Chocolate Mousse to Triple Chocolate, Macadamia Nut, Chocolate Caramel, to Raspberry, oh gosh, you name it. Wow! That's 25 years of sweet success. Here's an interesting fact about Madame Filomena Ristorante of Georgetown and her renowned gourmet bakery: Did you know that her Chef's were once bakers for the President of the United States and as well as some of other high ranking dignitaries? Sounds really fascinating eh?

Haayy, so those were the 7 cakes I'd like to have for my birthday this coming Monday - June 16. Aw! Now this is really formally announcing it, Ayin. Bash! Now for those who're waiting for treat, party or whatever, I'm not really sure about that you know. I called in for some reinforcement on my financial status from my parents and so I can't be too sure if there'd be some kind of a you-know-what party. He-he. Standby for updates though.

"The Habit"

I saw this Ad online today and so I started writing this blog post. So fitting, I told myself.

I’m a smoker. Yes. This is true. I’ve been smoking since 2005 and since then I had the hardest times getting out of the habit. Now, I’m kicking it out of my system. Today marks the first week of my being a smoke-free individual. I know I haven’t progressed that much, you know, but honestly I’m really working hard to stay away from it.

I used to make so many excuses just to have a reason to grab a stick. If I sense a really stressful workload ahead I’d runaway from my post, go out of the building, light a stick and I’m adrift. Many times I’ve thought smoking as a great activity to bond with my friends. That’s because most of them smokes. But isn’t that a wonderful reason to continue smoking? I want to spend time with my friends after work so I could shake the stress away and just have fun and talk while holding a cigar. It's sort of a tool to bring us all together, huddle-up (with the absence of beer), talk, open-up and confide. It simply makes EVERY social gathering pleasurable that you’d want to stay there together a lot longer. So there, Smoking galore!

Well, I’m enough of this. I’m grabbing a stick later. I can’t quit smoking and live to tell the story. I can’t just get over it right now. I’m sorry but I think it’s too hard to stop. For now, the habit stays.