Sunday with Ella!

Last Sunday, I got to spend time with Ella and the other dogs of Barkin’ Blends Dog Cafe. It was another afternoon of yummy milk tea, cuddles, and kisses. I look forward to more laidback moments with these furry friends who never fail to uplift my mood!

August Coffee with Diane

Yesterday, I was able to visit my friend Diane’s final resting place. But first, I went to my local park for Zumba and breakfast. 

I brought my pass for next month’s Manila International Book Fair with me. Diane used to accompany me to previous book fairs when she was still alive. She is always on my mind whenever I visit anything book-related. 

I miss my friend, but I know that she is happy with my determination to thrive and carry on. I will be just fine.  

Zumba Saturday

Yesterday, I defied the rain and worked out at my local park. It was fun to burn calories while thinking of my agenda for the weekend. 

Afterwards, I grabbed breakfast to-go from Jollibee. Their breakfast burger steak is my favorite among their morning selections, and it is delicious with coffee. 

Rewarding myself after a rainy-day workout is a must. I have to focus on my fitness goals, but I also have to nourish myself so that I could keep going. Don’t forget to eat right and keep on moving, so that you will also attain your own fitness goals. 

Warmth in my Heart

Last night, I tried dining at the newly-opened cafe near my house. I had chicken arroz caldo and breads for takeaway. I sat down to savor the warm broth of the porridge, and I felt warmth in my heart. The simple recipe of my dinner, and the knowledge that the cafe is a social enterprise, brought happiness to my soul. 

I enjoyed my dinner, and I will definitely be back to have more meals for a cause!

Thursday Learning

Yesterday, I managed to keep my cool amidst the traffic from Quezon City to Makati. I opted to ride the P2P so that I could relax and nap on the road. 

Before I knew it, I was already in Makati for the Birla Breakfast Forum.  

I enjoyed learning from the family behind Palawan Pawnshop. It was interesting to know that the five children currently run the business, and they still prefer to spend their free time together.  

The Asian Institute of Management never fails to fascinate me as there is always a fabulous learning experience every time I’m there. 

For lunch, I opted to have Indian food at Glorietta.  

I ordered this delicious chicken tikka masala.  

I had a lovely day at a conference and of course, a yummy Indian meal. I am thankful that I get invited to events that enable me to interact with business leaders and listen to insightful talks. I look forward to more conferences and seminars to spark my creativity! 

Simple Hump Day

Yesterday, I started my day with my usual workout at the park.  

I had breakfast and coffee afterwards.

Then, I went to the mall for some retail therapy. 

I bought lipsticks from Sunnies Face for me and my mom. 

I queued up for it.

By the time it was my turn, I already knew shades I would purchase. While waiting for my payment to settle, I appreciated the store’s interiors. I especially liked the pink floor. 

Actually, almost the entire store was pink and cream!

I later watched Crazy Rich Asians. I enjoyed it so

much! 

I always get giddy whenever I see anything The Little Mermaid. In this case, I saw this children’s book at a secondhand bookstore. I remember having a similar one when I was a kid. 

I dropped by Sta. Clara since I was already in the area. I prayed for a better future and I gave thanks for all the blessings I have been receiving so far. 

Before I knew it, it was time to claim my Sunnies Specs. 

I chose this cool cateye pair called Harlow. 

I wrapped up my day with Rodic’s tapsilog...

...and delicious Turkish ice cream! 

I enjoyed my hump day and I look forward to more relaxing days that make all the hard work worth it. 

Crochet and Coffee

I’ve been crocheting, eating, and sipping coffee for the past few days. It has been a relaxing routine to balance my workouts.  

This was Breakfast Bin’s adobo with egg and talangka rice. 

For dessert, I had Papa Diddis’ cheese and coffee ice cream. 

And yesterday’s lunch was at UCC. I had their famous rice casserole with curry hamburg. 

I capped off my meal with my usual kori kohi. 

Living simply does not mean that I have to have a boring life. I still enjoy the food that I crave for and I manage to carry on with my handmade lifestyle. I believe that the secret to my resilience is that I know what my priorities are. For as long as I have good food and yarn to work with, I know that I will have joy in my life. I hope that you will also find yours! 

Doggo Hugs at 32

I capped off my birthday week with waffles and bacon! (P.S. Those white streaks on my hair are from my wax! They’re not gray hair!) 

And of course, doggo hugs!

Barkin Blends will always be my happy place, and it was only fitting that I celebrated my birthday there. I am thirty-two, but these dogs keep me forever young! Here’s to more cuddles with the creatures who give me licks, smiles, and kisses! 

Sam the Dragon

My alma mater, UA&P, had its Grand Alumni Homecoming the other night. I had to be there as I had happy memories there both as a student and as an employee. It was also a great time to catch-up with friends! I had a fabulous time and I will surely be back.

Lunch with Choi

My birthday celebration continued the other day  as I had lunch with my cousin Choi at CoCo Ichibanya and Scout’s Honor. It was a lovely afternoon of good eats and hearty laughter! I am thankful for priceless moments with family, and I hope that next time, we will have more happy stories to share with each other. 

I Melted My Heart

Yesterday, I had my usual toasted naked longganisa with brown rice and aligue. It was perfect with a book and coffee. 

I was still hungry after finishing my meal, so I had this hot chocolate stirrer for dessert. 

It was a delicious drink, I must say! The chocolate melted after ten minutes of stirring. It resulted to a full-bodied chocolate experience.  

My early morning, post-workout feels melted along with this hot chocolate. I will definitely have it again at Breakfast Bin, which has already become my happy place along Maginhawa. I look forward to more simple breakfasts and moments along my favorite foodie street in my city!

Chewy Beginnings

The past week has been challenging for me, but I am still here! I didn’t die, and I am still able to crochet, blog, and have fun!

I had a relaxing lunch at Scout’s Honor yesterday with my family. I had their pesto mealballs rice bowl. It was delicious! 

I also had their Americano and make-your-own cookie. Mine had a chewy base with dark chocolate, cream cheese, and Chocnut.  

My visit to any restaurant won’t be complete without a powder room break. Their washroom did not disappoint! 

I am digging their millennial pink walls and various frames. 

I had a lovely lunch, and I am so inspired to begin again. Here’s to more lunches and possibilities!

Millennial Pink Reimagined

Yesterday, I went to the Pink Sisters convent to pray and give thanks for 32 years of life!

Then, I watched Ang Babaeng Allergic sa WiFi. It was a beautiful film! Sue Ramirez was fantastic.  

I had this fabulous shawarma rice from Persian Avenue and lemonade from Muscle Beach. 

Before I knew it, it was time for my appointment at my derma. 

After my treatment, I went to St. Clare for more prayers.  

And I also went to St. Jude to pray for a better job opportunity.  

I capped off my visit to Manila with some Yakult lemon tea.  

And I had a windy selfie next to CEU’s pink wall.  

I started my day with the Pink Sisters and ended my day with a pink selfie. I am a millennial with priorities, and that includes self-care and prayer. I hope to keep it up as I look for better opportunities and possibilities!

Yarn and Possibilities

I was greeted by these balls of yarn when I got home from work the other night. These were my purchases from The Attic Yarn and Craftery, and I was able to get them using my birthday discount as a funATTIC cardholder. I even got the multicolor mandala yarn cake (the one with the card on it) for free, as a gift from the owner. To say that I am thrilled is an understatement!

I also got to watch Bela Padilla’s new film The Day After Valentine’s yesterday. I enjoyed it because it featured baybayin and Paper Moon Cafe, which is one of my favorite dessert places. The story is also heartbreaking. Do check it out in cinemas everywhere!

The thing about yarn and film is that there is always the promise of possibilities about them. Yarn is used to knit and crochet beautiful scarves and wearables. Movies help us see reality in a better light through cinematic imagery. I am grateful for these mediums that allow me to experience creativity firsthand. I know that for as long as I have yarn on my needles and hooks, I can make things better. And while there are movies to watch, I can be inspired to live a more meaningful life.  

Here’s to more possibilities, with every stitch and scene in between.  

Stability Eats

Yesterday, I experienced driving through really strong rains. By the time I parked my car, I was starving! I decided to eat breakfast at Jollibee while waiting for the P2P bus to take me to Ortigas. 

I enjoyed my “stopover” meal of breakfast burger steak and coffee. 

I also bought hot calamansi juice to sip while inside the P2P bus.  

I got some work done in the morning, then I went to UA&P to check out the new caf inside MPC.  

I had chicken siomai with java rice.  

And I also had my favorite Chillers fresh avocado shake!  

For early dinner, I checked out Ça Va at Podium. It’s a newly opened creperie and floral atelier. 

I invited Anne, the lady behind 11*11 Handmade  to join me! I really enjoyed catching up with her over good food and coffee.

My sriracha meatballs rice bowl was amazing! It went well with my flat white.  

Food is my love language, but I prefer to eat it rather than cook it! I find joy in comfort food and coffee. I know that even when the skies are not blue, I will still be okay for as long as I know what truly makes me happy.  

32!

I turned 32 yesterday! I started my day by crocheting... 

 ...getting work done...

 ...and hearing mass at my alma mater’s beautiful chapel. 

For lunch, I had this chocolate cake and latte from Starbucks.  

I was able to spend lunch time with Karen, my friend from work.  

  I also received a small cake from the office. 

I managed to crochet a bit in school before taking the train back north. 

Then, I had this delicious violet bread for snack. 

And before I knew it, it was time for dinner with my family and friends at Botejyu!

I had an amazing day and it was fabulous to spend it with the people I love and the food I enjoy. Here’s to more beautiful memories as I embark on my 32nd year of life! 

My Little Mermaid Scarf

I finally finished crocheting this scarf in shell stitch. The blue, green, and red yarns were specifically chosen as they match the color palette of The Little Mermaid. 

I used the shell stitch to make this scarf. It was a technique I learned from YouTube, and I was fascinated with how relaxing and quick the process was. 

I bought my yarns for this project from The Attic Yarn and Craftery . It is important to me that I support local suppliers to sustain my handmade lifestyle. In the case of the The Attic, they were able to extend personalized customer service when I was selecting my yarns and Furls crochet hook. And since I bought from their online store instead of their stockist at the mall, I was able to save money.

I am proud of this scarf because I crocheted it during my commute to and from work, during my breaks, and on weekends. I will definitely make more scarves, and I am happy that I am able to integrate fiber arts into my daily grind. Here’s to more stitches in between adulting, and fairy tale inspiration to take me further!

Fiesta, Footwear, and a Festival

I celebrated St. Clare’s feast yesterday by dropping by her monastery. I braved the rain and offered eggs in her honor. 

Her feast day is just a couple of days before my birthday, which is why I have a special devotion to her. She has been a powerful intercessor through the years.  

It was also inspiring to be with other devotees on this special day.  

I got home to my new Renegade Folk shoes in Timeless. This is my third pair from the Marikina-made shoe brand. They create shoes which are perfect for my style. Also, I can walk in them comfortably, and I love supporting local!

I later visited the annual Philippine Readers and Writers Festival at Raffles Makati. 

This year’s festival featured author talks and signings, as always.  

But I was delighted that this year’s festival pass contains free entrance to next month’s Manila International Book Fair! 

I enjoyed browsing through books... 

...saying hello to history bae Jose Rizal... 

...and playing with the photo booth! 

In the end, I purchased four local books, and I can’t wait to read them all.  

As a Youngblood baby, I always find myself attending their workshop at the festival. Pam Pastor’s wit never gets old. 

After the workshop, I proceeded to National Bookstore’s booth, where I won an advance reader’s copy for Ghosted by Rosie Walsh.  

I had a lovely afternoon at the festival, and I am excited to be back next year! 

As a bookworm, blogger, devotee, and lover of all things local, I can say that my Saturday was quite eventful! Here’s to braving the rain and participating in more activities that will remind me of how blessed I am, and how I can write about them all on my blog.  

Simple Work Moments

I have simple ways to unwind in between work tasks. For instance, I love Rodic’s tuna sisig, so I drove to Maginhawa to eat it for dinner one night. 

I also love chocolate sundae, and I was happy to stumble upon this Davao chocolate swirl-all-you-can at Lawson. 

I also love Lawson’s cappuccino and the snacks being sold by the vendor at my office building. Here are two of my favorites from his merch- pancake and puto flan. 

Lastly, I make myself comfortable while working. I enjoy lounging on bean bags or on the couch while getting things done. 

My time in this current work project is coming to an end, and I am now looking for another work opportunity. This time, I am hoping that I will get a job that is ideal for my credentials and qualifications. I am positive that I will find a suitable role soon, and that my simple joys will help me balance my life one I start working again!

Friends for Life

I am not the type who has heaps of friends. I have a few genuine friends though, and they have been with me through the years. I am lucky to have them, because I know that they appreciate the real me.

They have never used me for their own personal interests. Best of all, they are always there to listen. 

Earlier this week, I had coffee with my college friend Miya...

...and dinner with my high school BFF Luti.

More than the food, the conversations, and the company, it's the time that I appreciate most from friends like Miya and Luti. I know that they will never get that time back. I look forward to more meaningful moments with my friends, and with them, I am unafraid of tomorrow.