Exhibit A, insert 21: I spy something Psychedelic

My dad and I stumbled upon this quaint cafe called Subspace, which was bursting with antiques and modern art. It was like an idea that was made into a reality. When we walked in, I told my dad, “the owner put into action what has been my imagination for years in the making!” If I were to put up a cafe, this is how it will look like, with of course, a little tweaking to add my personal touch. BUT THIS IT! THIS IS HOW IT SHOULD LOOK!

Right at the heart of the busy streets of Ortigas lies a coffee shop created by an interior designer/ furniture owner. It is very vivid that he is a fan of Kpop, astronomy and pop art culture. He combined the contrasting characteristics of the 60s and the present.

The counter was creatively cluttered. I spy with my eyes something my dad collects! Mighty Mugs in the house! Those little bulging action figures are too cute.

More Japanese inspired pieces

Exhibit A, vol 24: Science Meets Art

February 3, 2012. Nestled in CCA, Podium, the newest satellite school of CCA, Manila are young chef students who toyed with the uncommon and explored a vast culinary playground of technical innovation and science, which we food enthusiasts fondly call Molecular Gastronomy. The developers of the so-called, “Trending Pinoy Cuisine: Pinoy Cuisine + Molecular Gastronomy,” thrived at the idea of  the spherification (culinary process of shaping a liquid into spheres which visually and texturally resemble caviar) of ingredients that far out stand principles which they have acquired during lectures and laboratory hands-on activities.

CCA students carefully preparing their masterpiece

Exhibit A, vol 23: Yummy Vermicelli

For the past weeks, I have had a 180 degree turn from being lax to workaholic. Its been months since my partner resigned and I have been on my own. It does not help that my boss takes an impulsive trip to somewhere down south to allegedly ‘sell’ a house.

Anyway, here is a sneak peak on a day in a life of me. Earlier, I had this photo shoot and I thought it’d be interesting if I blog about it.

Days prior to the shoot, I  got a message asking if a certain magazine can feature one of our chefs with his/her Asian recipe promoting a certain product. It took me a few days to tap on one of our instructors to perform her magic. So here’s what transpired.

Recipe: Prawn and Vermicelli Roll

Chef Mira preparing her mise-en-place.

Exhibit A, insert 20: A Lazy Start of the Month

It’s February! In my attempt to make this a semi-fashion blog, I decided to take photos of what I was wearing, no matter how vain and mundane it may be. I felt like wearing a deep purple top and play around with the other apparel that may go well with it.

This is my get-up-time-to-go-to-the-office look

I usually put on my make-up first before changing into my corporate attire. I take a lot of time grooming myself than dressing up. I wake up at around 6 am and finish fixing myself at around 7 LOL. I sometimes catch myself dazed and too sleepy to function that is why I take that long to prepare.

After much struggle of wondering what to wear, I finally got a hold of a plum satin sleeveless top, a houndstooth skirt to go with it and a white blazer to compliment the get-up. I absolutely love my Cameo necklace, it is a perfect accent to anything classy.

Exhibit A, insert 19: PinInterest got my Interest

Resolutions are just as good if you are disciplined enough to make them happen. Here is a list of things I want to achieve by the end of 2012. So help me, God.

I need a love life overhaul. I have been engaged in too many drama stories of the heart. This year, I plan to cry less and hope more often. I know my heart has been broken too many times, but I do not let the sad memories ruin me. I intend to enjoy what I have learned out of the experience, hoping that things will get better the second time around.

I need to read more often, that is the only way I'll write better.

Keep calm and be classy.

Exhibit A, vol 22: Mr. Kebab

Along the strip of  a car enthusiasts’ heaven in a busy metro, lies a hole in the wall sit-down shaq which serves an amazing array of Persian food. West Avenue in Quezon City takes-in avid fans of Kebabs and the like via Mr. Kebab. OH. MY.GOSH. They may not look like a beguiling dining place which will satisfy your grueling appetite because of their open-air canteen set-up filled with chairs, tables and waitresses in plain white t-shirts and jeans. But do not let first impressions mislead you. THIS IS A GOOD VENUE FOR THE STARVING STOMACHS THAT ARE ON A TIGHT BUDGET AND ARE LOOKING FOR THEIR MONEY’S WORTH. Okay, that is a long description.

I go here for two plates:

Keema with Eggplant (source: http://ph.openrice.com/manila/restaurant/sr2.htm?shopid=2590)

I got the photo from another website because the camera in my cellphone did not permit me to take photos for lack of memory. I love the fact that the juiciness of the meat melts in your mouth. It goes well with Beryani Rice and with this dish, I can other two cups straight. I love it! But now, I cannot really eat that much for fear of weight gain. I am just describing your awesome this is in the palate! Yum. Looking at it makes me want to rush to the nearest branch and order it.

Exhibit A, insert 18: Oh La La, Akiba

Due to my keen obsession in milk teas, shakes and coffee, my dad and I discovered another Japanese cold frenzy! – Akiba. I only tried one drink, Almond Tea and so far, it was good! Though there were more ice shavings rather than the flavor. I still prefer the diluted milk teas with the likes of Moon Leaf but iced thick milk drinks like this and Happy Lemon will still do.

Exhibit A, vol 21: A Bella in Manila

 

Sweet Bella is heaven with explosions of lush shades of pink, earth-tone brown and trimmings of pearl white. The moment I took a peek of the café from the outside, I knew it was a haven my senses would take pleasure in.

Nestled at the Forbestown Center, at the corner of Burgos Circle and Rizal Drive, Bonifacio Global City is a motivating story of a dream that has turned into a reality. Pastry chef, Christina Santiago-Rivera, daughter of the renowned restaurateur, Melo Santiago of Melo’s Steakhouse, has long been envisioning of a business she can call her own. After graduating from California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, she started pursuing her enthusiasm in whipping sweet inventions that has created for her an accomplishment, attracting countless customers of all ages.

Her passion of conceptualizing sought after desserts started in 2006 at the comforts of her own home; calling it Sweet Bella, after her one and only daughter, Isabella. The home-based desserts bar included indelible selections like Chocolata, which was voted as one of the best desserts in the country by the Philippine Daily Inquirer in 2007 and the Strawberry Charlotte, which also garnered the same recognition by the Philippine Daily Inquirer in 2008. In addition to her award-winning treats are these tempting choices of cakes which include Banoffee, Strawberry Shortcake and Trio among many other assortments which are to die for.

Testing her limits and discovering the unlimited supply of ingredients and dedication, Chef Christina explored the possibility of creating her own version of gourmet breads such as Foccacia breads, Ensaymadas, Cheese Rolls, and Brioche. Sweet Bella developed even more products including French Macarons, like White Chocolate, Lemon and Citrus to name a few, in her menu.

Exhibit A, insert 17: For the Love of Food

I am thinking of venturing into a business.

Exhibit A, vol 20: A Day of Reckoning

Cancer/ˈkænsər/ (medical term: malignantneoplasm) is a large, heterogeneous class of diseases in which a group of cells display uncontrolled growth, invasion that intrudes upon and destroys adjacent tissues, and often metastasizes, wherein the tumor cells spread to other locations in the body via the lymphatic system or through the bloodstream.

Medically speaking, as Wikipedia defines it. It would be pretentious of me if I would describe such illness with a group of hoity-toity MD (doctor of Medicine) language. In a nutshell, I would define cancer as the way I see it, a destroyer of dreams.

July 11 was a dreary morning, would be an understatement. Besides the fact that the clouds signaled a downpour of rain that day, it was also the day when my dad and I had an overflow of tears in room 701 of Cardinal Santos Medical Center.

Open your eyes, Lica. Do not be in denial

It was a day of reckoning for my family. We thought my mom will get better after a bashing of various treatments to cure her Cervical cancer, but instead she got worse. This was more than what we bargained for. Battling with Cervical was worse than my mom could have imagined, yet also crusading for a cure for both Liver and Colon cancer was beyond what she can bear.

For a person who hates (again another understatement) waking up in a hospital bed, my mom stood strong. I saw how determined she was to live and how weak I was to watch her suffer. She lost her Colon and all that is supporting her is a Colostomy bag (look it up in Google if you have no idea what I am talking about.)

Being an only child, and the only emotional support of my parents is mind-boggling. I have to be a ‘pillar of strength’ as many songs and quotes would put it, yet I find myself going back to how things were somewhat normal for me and her – how she’d tickle me at night, attack me with hugs and kisses before I go to sleep. Many of such memories I wish were still possible, but at the sight of her just laying in bed and can barely stand up depresses me.

I feel alone, and the past gloomy weather days were not of help at all. I try to fight a smile, but at the end of the day when I am about to close my eyes to sleep, I could not help but cry. I wish there was an easy way out of all this, a some sort of magic pill that could both remove the pain and the illness in an instant, but there is no such thing despite the advanced technology.

As my mom puts it, ” I take it one day at a time.”

As it has been a destroyer of dreams for all of us, it has been a builder of hope that the God of all things will cause a miracle to happen that will astonish us all. My family and I have never been this close and this is the only time when I have truly put my mom’s best interest first before mine. I guess that’s how it is, when something tragic befalls anyone – you suddenly see the brevity of life and all of a sudden you want to make things right.

Exhibit A, vol 19: Missed updates

I haven’t been blogging in awhile because I have been busy these past few weeks, which has already turned into months in a matter of days! Boy, time flies. Rewind to a month ago, my family and I got back home from London and it would have been an awesome story to tell and sadly I never got the chance to blog about it.

Lately I have been busier than ever because…dandandandan…I have a job! after months of waiting and praying.

Presently that my prayer has been answered, I have been contemplating whether asking it from God was a good or bad idea. It isn’t that I am not enjoying, but it’s just that I come home day after day feeling like a corpse walking in thin air. I AM SO EXHAUSTED and the word cannot even begin to describe how tired I really am.

Rewind, forgive me for not introducing what I actually do. I go to work in one of the five-star hotels of the metro as a cook. I wish I could say that I am a chef but that title is holier than thou. It will take years till I earn a name in the industry, seriously. But for now, I am having fun preparing ingredients for buffet set-ups, replenishing empty food trays and cooking a dish or two.

I experienced a few of my ‘firsts’ in this new chapter of my story and one would be riding the train going home which I never got to do in my earlier years as a student. I digress that I would like to bring my car instead but the parking is much more expensive than my actual salary for a day, so I decide to muster all energy to get myself home via public transportation in time for a good afternoon snack and rest.

My shift starts at 7 am till 3 pm, ergo I wake up at 5 am each day to prepare myself for another money earned. There are times when I feel like giving up because I was not conditioned for such hard labor, knowing that I have not worked for so long. During my driest times in the hotel, I keep envisioning that I was working for God to keep me on my toes. It is somewhat peculiar for people to be thinking of such, especially those who are anti-religious BUT it is the only solution I could think of when I feel like falling by the wayside.

My mom would feel sorry for me at times whenever she sees me come home work, she’d say, “I never asked you to wash a single dish in your life and here you are carrying stock pots for chefs.” I would just smile at her and assure her that it’s part of training and growing up. I know this is more than what I bargained for but indeed no guts, no glory and no pain, no gain.

Apart from all the challenges I have experienced in the last three weeks, God manages to bless me with simple joys that make everything more comfortable that it seems. I get to go home to a freshly cooked meal, my mom would see to it that our driver brings my snack whenever picks me up in the station and my dad wakes up extra early to bring me to work before he goes to his office. I feel guilty that my family supports me all the way, but I know they are going the extra mile because they love me. I am so grateful to have them in my life.

So much to tell but it is past my bedtime. I try to get eight hours of sleep everyday.

I am a wilted leaf being wafted away by the winds of a crestfallen weather. Tomorrow, it will be more of the same.

Sorry for my grammatical errors, I am so sleepy already.

Exhibit A, insert 16: Planning for London

For the past few days I have been blowing my brains out in search of a good London package deal, composed of an affordable hotel, tourist locations, meals and of course, transportation. The first one on the list has been challenging to find in London’s city map. I have been looking for a good place to stay in that is in the middle of the more famous city spots (i.e Buckingham palace, London Eye, Covent Garden…)

My search engine is in Tagalog! I cannot change it haha, there goes my patriotism

HELP, if you read this and you have been to London, please tell me where my family and I could stay…that is relatively cheap but is in the middle of excellent locations! Thanks!! I need to decide by today.

Exhibit A, vol. 18: Reminding me of how I used to be

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

God’s power in our weakness

I know I should be sleeping but my daily devotional struck me that I just had to note it down before I start forgetting my realizations. Not that I will but I am just so inspired to write about it. These statements came to life in the pages of my book,

“At some point in your life you must decide whether you want to impress people or influence people. Pretentiousness repels but authenticity attracts, and vulnerability is the pathway to intimacy.”

For the past years of my life, I have been carrying two personalities and did not know about it. I was either this timid obedient girl or a girl struggling with rebellion inside her heart. I knew I should be neither. God created me with a passion to share about Him and make my life a living testimony of His goodness, both of which I was rarely successful.

I recall a friend referring to another friend as someone who lacked personality. Ina (not her real name) told us that Rachel (not her real name) only mimicked the cool personalities of everyone around her, she had no originality, she does not even know who she really is. Sad thing is, I agreed with her full well only to realize that I also saw myself in Rachel’s shoes. I had no originality. Although college has gotten the best of me, it has also brought out the worst in me. I did not stand my ground. I was so scared of my weaknesses that I tried to hide myself in my friends’ worldly lifestyles just to consider myself as someone who belonged to a crowd. I was so scared of being left out to the point that I no longer knew who I was.

I am far from perfect and that’s how I will always be and I have to accept that. I will never gain everyone’s acceptance and good favor. As a Christian, I know that I will be among those who are banished at the city gates and labeled as those who live bland lives. Knowing such truth, I got so petrified just thinking about it. How can I survive a boring life? I want action, I want the thrill! I only get to live once. My personality is already tasteless and for that, I cannot take living a nondescript life as well! That’s just too much to ask. But this is who I am. This is who I chose to be the moment I accepted Christ into my life. If I choose spice over butter, that will be like a slap on my Savior’s face. Dilemma. I’m just a kid, am I not supposed to enjoy life? I was then reminded of what our pastor told us last Sunday.

”These things can rob you. I want to speak to all the young people this morning here. Don’t believe the lie of the Devil that says, if you come to Christ you’re not going to have fun anymore, that the Lord wants to rob you of your fun. You’re going to experience more joy and more peace and more hope and more direction in your life than anything else you could possibly imagine. If you surrender your life to Jesus Christ, he has an adventure for your life that you could have never imagined in your entire life. Don’t allow sin to rob you of that experience with the Lord.”

Our version of fun is different. I guess if people cannot accept that then I am not going to change who I am just to fit other people’s standards. It’s really difficult to accept this. I have been a person who enjoys comparing myself to others. It’s my version of masochism. Night after night, I couldn’t help but cry out to God why He has not blessed me with a job yet only to realize that He has other plans for me.

You see, this world has truly distorted our perspective and making us think that success, prestige, popularity and money is the most important thing. But the bible begs to differ. Jesus is the first and only thing that matters in this temporary journey. I know this will make me so weird in other people’s eyes. But hey, I choose LOVE over popularity and to influence than to impress. If only other people knew how utterly inexplainable having Him in our lives is. I now bask in the presence of my Maker, I have strayed away for too long again.

Exhibit A, vol 17: Remembering the past

I wrote this in my blog.

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Never forgotten

As I end the day, I cannot deny the fact that there was only but one person in my mind the whole time.He filled my seconds, minutes and hours, from the time my dad and I exchanged opinions in a famous restaurant at the heart of UP to the long afternoon spent in singing songs to the Lord. When I woke up from bed this morning, I felt a sudden rush of bleakness as I saw dark clouds coming in from my window. I cautiously made sure that he will no longer be invading the little space in my mind, else I know I will go crazy all over again. When dad and I stopped by Ateneo to check some shirts, I found myself deciding whether to buy him a dark blue shirt with an Ateneo logo designed like a Philippine flag or this other shirt with colorful letters spelling out a cheer. He will be turning 22 soon and I unconsciously started counting the money I have left in my wallet and carefully plotted my plan to ‘LBC’ my special delivery. I was rehearsing the plan in my mind the whole morning as every single Ateneo product I got a hold of reminded me of him even though he did not have a single drop of blue in him. The thought of college, UAAP and university halls triggered my imagination of him. It was painful, crazy and devastating. When I took a bite of my sweet temptation in UP, I relentlessly started telling my dad stories of how painful my previous school years were. Though they saw how good I was in my academics, the rarely saw my monochromatic episodes which happened continuously in various themes and scenes throughout my four years in college. I kept telling him how I was never really happily single from first to fourth year. Though I was not always attached to someone, I was not necessarily uninvolved. All my past relationships and flings were the unsuccessful yang of my triumphant ying. They were just tremendously horrible as compared to my okay performance in school. My dad started telling me that in his opinion, I could have excelled more in my studies if only I did not get distracted. I would have truly graduated with honors, cum laude even, if I just put my academics in the pedestal instead of unnecessary relationships which led to terrible heartaches. To my dismay, his name and face popped during the course of my conversation with dad. I started relating to him how much I truly loved this guy even more than I can imagine. He was the very arrow that stroke my achille’s heel. He was the main thing of my last two years in college. The very person who broke my heart the most and left it broken, until now. Though I was the one who had the last say in our so-called “uncommitted relationship”, I still held him responsible for crushing my heart. In my mind, ending all communication with him will help me live a healthy life but the past days and months resulted otherwise. My parents never met him and never talked to him, even once. My mom must have said one word of ‘hello’ to him one time she tried miscalling his number on my phone when she found out about our secret fling. He never set foot in our house to meet them and I was never able to introduce him to them in a mall or anywhere for that matter. He was the ‘invisible man’ my parents heard of but never laid eyes on. I thought my tragic story that morning was the end of it. By the time we got home, I forgot about his existence. But when I went to church and started singing to Jesus and hearing more about His word, that’s when his presence was made known to me again. Instead of crying for my own sins and asking God for forgiveness, I asked God to forgive his and release him from his transgressions. For once, I was not thinking about the bondage I was going through because of him and asking God to release me from it. I, instead found myself crying out to Him hoping for a miracle that may be just may be, God will reveal Himself to the one I still love. It was no longer a prayer and plea to eventually get us together but a desperation and a cry to God that someday I will see him in eternity. I want to be with him in heaven so badly more than seeing his face, feeling his hug and hearing him whisper the words, “I Love You.” Then I knew, this was no longer infatuation…it was love. It’s impossible that there will even be an ‘us’ today or tomorrow. There was never even an “US” yesterday…but I do pray that there will be an “US” in the next lifetime. To you, wherever you are and whatever you are doing, know that in my heart, the feelings never changed.

Exbihit A, insert 25: Fashion must-haves

I try on different get-ups in my head of my future trip to UK. Good thing there will be a sale in Megamall on the last weekend of April! I have been dying for a pair of boots in Forever 21!

Exhibit A, vol 16: Update

I have been depressed the past few weeks, ergo, I did not feel like writing even though I claimed that expressing my feelings by use of written language pacifies my weary soul. It does not work all the time. There would be days when I just want to lock myself in my room and lie down – pity party. If it there was a job that would require me to curse myself, I would probably get it. I could go on and on insulting myself from deep issues like criticizing my knowledge of things to petty things like my hair for that day.  Gah. It’s tiring. BUT…I am up and about now. So…let me share with you minor and major updates on my life.

I STILL DON’T HAVE A JOB.

I went as far as getting a final interview in Enderun but in the end, they questioned my capabilities. I no longer want to dive into details, bottom line is, I DID NOT GET IT. It made me shrink so low as the toes on my feet. But, that’s over now, I just have to look forward to better things. I have not stopped applying so I am hopeful that maybe this time, I’ll get something…anything! may it be my dream job or not.

I went to a college camp in our church!

No, not as a participant, for you can see that I am no longer a student. I went there as a facilitator. For the first time in years (16 years of being a Christian), I finally got to handle a group and take care of my own girls! My heart was bursting with love!

They are from Miriam College too! My alma mater.

I got to be with an old friend, Paola! We have gone far as 2004 camps onward as participants. I got to be with her the whole time, if I was not with my girls! It was so nice to catch up with her and reminisce the good ol' days. We kind of felt out of place because we could no longer recognize any familiar face in a crowd of college boys and girls. WE FELT SO OLD. Us being 23 in a sea of people aged 17-20.

The messages were so timely! The theme of the camp was “ALL IN,” Loving God will all your mind, heart, soul and strength. The past few weeks, I dread that I have not been using my God given potential to either help anyone or excel in anything. I felt like dry bones, lacking life and flesh. It was horrible! I know I could do better, but I chose not to stretch my faith and heart muscles.

What touched my heart the most were the participants who gave their all to Jesus for the first time. Their public declaration of their love for Him, awed me.

A shout of victory for a camper whose heart is now the Lord's. (I took this photo!)

I went home revived, refreshed and reconciled with my Maker. I love Jesus!

Catching up with college friends

I got to bond with a few of my friends one night! It was so nice seeing them again. My parents were at first hesitant when they found out we were meeting in a pub. No worries to them, I ordered myself a watermelon shake amidst glasses of vodka and martini. Yay, me! Thou shalt not give in to peer pressure. And, my tummy was never really a fan of hard drinks, for I am hyperacidic.

Chillin at TJ's

my soul sister, Faye!

 Highlight of the month

I am going to London!

We will leave in May! I am so excited! I have been preparing our itinerary and my dreams are endless!

I shall update again, soon.

Exhibit A, insert 14: Sorry folks

I  have been missing in action! I am sorry.

Will blog soon!

Exhibit A, vol. 16: Inevitable chapter

At present, the world is slowly becoming a dangerous place  for humanity. Calamities and protests have been violently incontrollable as one event leads to another. Sometimes, I dread picking up the papers in fear of deplorable headlines in big bold letters. I confess that at times I wait patiently for the next sad news to happen as it has become somewhat exciting and intense – like an action movie turned reality.

Is the Earth coming to its pitiful end? I wish so it wasn’t. But what if it were to take place someday sooner? are we ready to watch things disappear into ashes?…

I worry at times knowing that the future is uncertain. One point we are at the best years of our lives, then the next we are on our knees praying for dear life.

We must be ready at some point.

Exhibit A, vol. 15: Hoping for the best

I rehearsed the would-be answers to my interview, in my head. “My name is Anjelica and I am Communication Arts graduate from Miriam College who just got her degree in Culinary Arts…” I was so nervous as I stared at the little things that made the place I was in, so intricately beautiful.

Never have I been to a school that looks so cozy and welcoming. As I got out of my car, it was as though I left the country and went to the other side of the world. Girls and guys were in suits, if not a chef’s uniform — at that moment, I knew that I would love it here, given the chance to work in this establishment. The place was…

 

Enderun College, Fort

My heart slowly melted while Ms. Riza enumerated the responsibilities I will be handling if I get the position being offered. I could not contain the outburst of joy, it was as though she was psychic and she knew what I wanted to do at that moment. After so many years of waiting, I finally met my first love and if felt like I wanted to start already.

I will still be having my final interview on Friday and I pray to God that all will go well. I want this to work so badly.

As I quote my friend Ysa, “it is the perfect marriage of your two passions — Culinary and Communication.” Indeed, God is never late.

 

Exhibit A, insert 12: Thank you

697 hits in three months! I feel accomplished in some way. I do not know why people view my blog –maybe you just came across it or you are a friend of mine who checks my life from time to time to see if anything interesting has been happening. Whatever the reason maybe, I just want to say thank you. I feel inspired seeing the number of visits my blog gets everyday. It keeps me writing.

Thank you, reader. Much love.