BEST PICTURES of 2012

May I present to you the

2012 gallery which had inspired me,

challenged me and got me amazed.

Credits to the people who had poured their talented

hearts and minds on working on these shots.
To show appreciation, I shared my own thoughts about each photo.
Have fun reading!

JANUARY

 This always is a good start for a lot of things.

Projects that you had been postponing to start and/or finish;

Habits, good or bad that you needed to work on;

Decisions that you have been planning to make;

Resolutions in general that you had been ignoring.

With all these tasks to be done, you need to be prepared

mentally and physically.

This picture reminds me to choose to live healthily

so as to help you have a sound judgement in setting your priorities straight.

That's actually the hardest step to do but every

step takes you further and further into reaching your goal.

My friends and loved ones had been supportive on making me quit smoking and

I love them for doing so. That was the best gift I could give myself.

Next to that would be having ample rest and eating the right kind of foods.

I will take it from there and assess once again when the year ends.

I suggest to you too not to be taken aback by fear of failure.

It is the main culprit of being successful at anything you want to achieve.

 

FEBRUARY

This picture reminds me of how magically two people are meant for each

other even at the bitter most situations. For the love month,

I choose a very creative picture of two faces kissing as coffe is spilled.

With the thirty years I have in my pocket of experiencing what life had to offer,

I know it's not that much experience yet to share.

But this, I would like to ask you.

Have you ever wondered which hurts the most:

saying something that you wish you hadn't

or saying nothing, and wishing you had?

Figure it out fast. There's no right answers nor wrong ones.

Just take note of the consequences.

There maybe bitterness (coffee) along the way,

but there's no flawless relationship.

Hold on to the person who treats you right and speaks

the language of love (kiss) you speak.  

 MARCH

I've always shared the importance of balance.

Again and again, this I've proven true.

 "ANYTHING THAT YOU DO IN EXCESS

IS BAD FOR YOU."

So, may it be work or play, know the right balance.

This is a picture of Mickael and Caitanya, two people whom I have known at work,

two passionate and dedicated talents who value people 

they meet along their journey of greatness.

This picture reminds me that no matter how these two are becoming

famous and known by what they do, they take time

in knowing these kids as they perform for them.

Such humility is irreplaceable when the time comes because we,

as performers give our audience an impact that is beyond

influential. It creates dreams in young people's minds and

if nurtured well, they become contributors of a better society. On the other hand,

for those who are young at heart, they get to challenge themselves more and

more and continuously learn from what we impart to them.

As we share our culture thru a dance, as we express

emotions thru a song or basically how we become driven in doing

what we do best, we encourage them to be at their best.

 

        APRIL

As this month kicks in, we start to get accustomed to what we

had started in the month of January.

Challenges strike in and we slowly get distracted

and we start to get tired of keeping up with the task.

May this picture be a reminder for you not to give up 
on your goals, your dreams and your aspirations.

Learn how to assert yourself in daring situations.

Committing mistakes, experiencing hardships and realizing errors

should not be taken as a sign that you can never accomplish anything.

It means that you are on your way into becoming at your best.

It means that there's room for more. You can give more.

If you give more, make sure to sustain it or even make it better. 

Find that essential weapon in keeping you on top of your game. 

May it be your background music as you paint,

honest and consistent communication with your friend that keeps you abreast with your attitude,

or that latte to start you up in the morning, hold on to it. 

OWN IT.

MAY

Reconnect!

To your family, your friends, your self.

Embrace the real you. Being someone else that you're not

is exhausting and is not worth it of your time.

It is human nature to adapt to our environment.

And usually, we get lost in finding our way to full growth.

This remains true most especially when we want to belong so much

to a world in the form of peers, lifestyle and materialism.

 It's alright to have an ambition. But don't step on others to get to it.

It's alright to be competitive. But make sure it's a healthy one.  

A lot of us are in denial if I would say, 

the greatest enemy we would ever have is our own self. 

We are special, unique who deserves the BEST and should NEVER settle for less.

That goes the same with the rest of human race.

Therefore, love thy own self before wanting to be loved.

You would be the "only" way to getting treated good,
if you treat yourself good.

Give respect to yourself.

Clear your mind of guilt, speak of truth and do what is right.

You would experience yourself overcoming breaking points.

When it dawns to you that the world is unfair and is full of shit,
don't fret. It's normal. And most of the time, it's the pain body talking.
You don't mean it.
Most successful people had their darkest moments too.
  But it's life.

Learn the lesson fast and move forward.     

JUNE

This is Ivy Chua. A Filipino, Japanese, American Chinese mix

whom I admire for being a strong woman. I've known her since I was

a teenager and she is a great innovator of herself.

She embraces changes, feeds on culture and loves life.

She owns the 3 f's every woman should have tied around her neck since birth:

Fearlessness, Fierce and Fun.

Half of the year would be gone and by this time,

reassess the new you.

You've started well, you've sustained interventions,

now, it's time to rediscover other opportunities.

Take a leap.

  

JULY

Let those thoughts fly by. Imagine and Create.

Generate ideas with your friends, take a stroll and let nature flow into you.

Be one with earth. If you live in a city, absorb its energy.

Pay close attention to details as this may inspire you

to develop a hidden ability, skill or hobby that could later on

benefit you in the long run.

Remember, IMAGINATION is more powerful than KNOWLEDGE.

   

AUGUST

Aging is inevitable, death can't be escaped.

Thru the journey of life, you'd meet elders that would be more than

willing to make you understand about life's complexities.

May I remind everybody to act accordingly.

Later on, you'd be imparting what you have learned as well to a younger generation.

Hence, don't neglect your responsibility to them.

Yes, I have said mistakes are reminders that you were

working on being at your best. But don't make a waste out of your life.

Keep the mistakes at minimum as much as you can.

That's why we have our parents to guide us.

You are not them. Nor you can replace their existence.

You can just make it better as you live your own life.

Refrain from acting childishly with the way you reason out,

aim to be appropriate when you dress up,

avoid desperate arguments to be excused 

for being ignorant of things that you should be aware of 

(e.g. laws, simple rules of life, basic norms).

 

SEPTEMBER

Sometimes, we are pack rats.

We, human beings, tend to hold on to something

that we should have let go from the start.

This picture reminds me to let things happen.

Let the people who had to leave you in order to follow their own path go.

And if they would come back to you, then by all means, receive them with open arms.

Practice simply by decluttering your closet,

by setting things in their right places, keeping them organized.

This gives your mind a clearer perspective of say,

your living environment or your working station.

This will help you save time in looking for stuff when you need them,

or figuring what to wear right away saving you from being late to an event.

     

    

 OCTOBER

Yolanda dancing the Zombie Waltz in Hong Kong Disneyland's

Halloween Parade is worth complimenting on.

I've always been a fan of any form of shows, presentation or performance.

It's worth of my time and effort.

I know how actors/actresses, performers, and entertainers put

so much heart and passion with what they do.

And they deserved to be watched and applauded.

This month, make time in watching musicals,

reading a book, seeing a great movie or dancing to your favorite music.

ARTS plays a great role to our abstract thinking.

Other than the gifts of the 5 senses (vision, hearing, scent, taste and touch),  

there are three things that make us 

homo sapiens different from the rest of the animals.

Our ability to imagine, dream and reason out.

Appreciate a form of art, critic an article or don't hold back to an opinion.

This would benefit you one way or another.

Trust me.

   

  NOVEMBER

I have to treat "my" month of all months in a special way.

This is the month I would be giving compliments on myself after being appreciative

of others' greatness. I would find ways in feeding my self-esteem.

To that, I would identify both my strengths and weaknesses.

You might be thinking that I'd be denying of myself of my weaknesses

to attain a good self confidence but no. I'd be working on them more

with the help of what I'm good at.

You see, I believe it's not only me who would treat reputation

as an important factor to attain self-achievement.

Everybody enjoys a moment or two under the lime light.

Let's face it, we are great balls of energy, FULL OF POTENTIAL

only if we set aside FEAR. 

But don't lose the most important realization,

SUCCESS = 99% SWEAT AND 1% PRAYER.

There's a very thin line in practicing CONFIDENCE with being TOO PROUD.

And HUMILITY  should be practiced at all times.

Yes, work hard, be thankful for the credits they give you

but expect nothing in return. For the best effort given,

is the one given freely and passionately.

What you do is your own karma, what they do is their own karma.

    

You could choose "your" own birth month to make way for

pampering yourself this time.

DECEMBER

At the end of the day, make time for loved ones.

Take a holiday trip with them and experience a vacation that you'll all remember fondly.

Share what you have in excess. Realize that there are others who don't

even have one tenth of what you own. Be appreciative of what you have

and stop complaining. Ranting is exhausting. 

Listen to a friend. That is the most priceless gift you can give.

TIME.

Forgive those that have offended you.

Never forget the lesson.

Love unconditionally.
At all times when you don't know what to do,

IT IS THE ANSWER.

And live like there's no tomorrow. 

Never get satisfied with just mere existing.

2013 Prayer

To the Lord God above, 

You are our creator, You are our source of strength, 

You are the giver of life, and You alone sustain our existence here in the world. 

These are just but a few of your proof of love to us 

and there are endless ways that You tirelessly show this but often, we end up neglecting. 

We, as human beings, tend to underestimate what You are capable of giving, 

take free will for granted and abuse and/or ignore our talents. 

We humbly gather in Your name this New Year's Day, 

to uplift to You our awareness to such shortcoming. 

For without Your grace, we are nothing. 

Though despite how limited we are, we ask you to hear us as we thank You 

for each and every day of unconditional blessings. 

We are thankful of the air we breathe, 

the love that we receive 

and for the very reason that we are able to celebrate altogether tonight, for our jobs. 

Tonight, we pray for you to continuously touch our hearts with each other's presence, 

as we exchange smiles, greetings and gifts. 

May you bless the food that we would share tonight and may you bless us 

in abundance of this for as long as we live so that we may be able to share it to others. 

We pray that You may bless the people who had prepared our food, 

our managers and leaders who had helped us in making this gathering possible. 

And most of all, we pray that you bless our families who are not with us tonight 

and through the holidays because of great distances but who love us dearly.

All of these we pray in Your mighty name,

AMEN

 

Here is a video presentation we have shown

at the party. This including the 3 last photos were 

Ariel, Twinkle and Tao who were also

part of the parade team.

Margaret who had been a one of the Staging Team

had graced us with her talent too the same way

like the others did. Much thanks to all of you

who shared the magic.

ANOTHER PREDICTED DOOMSDAY

12-21-12, predicted as the last day of the Earth or mere end of the world, had me thinking....


HOW WOULD I SPEND MY LAST DAY IF IT WAS EVER GOING TO HAPPEN?



First, you might want to hear what this guy from NASA has to say.



This was discussed amongst my co-workers and I two days ago. All of them shared their own opinions and  ideas about it. One came up with a suggestion that we should go partying 'til wee hours of the morning (kind of like, having an "end-of-the-world" eve) so that at least, according to him, if our lives would end, we were happy at the very last minute. The rest of us just simultaneously said, "RRRIIGGGGHHHT!!!!". All agreed but one, "We going partying? Hell no!!! I'll be sleeping it off, readying myself to meet Jesus. And I'm sure I'm going to need a lot of energy." That brought out the laughs. I shared to them that I read in the newspaper about a man who had withdrew all his savings when he learned of the end of the world, not considering the fact that it is the end of the Mayan calendar, and had planned a trip around the world with all of the saved money to spend. I wonder if he was able to do so in less than 2 weeks. And if withdrawing it all did him any good. I never came up with any idea of my own 'til this morning when I opened the windows and saw how good the day had started. My boyfriend and I were off the same day today and like how we spend most of our days off together, we go to the city but he had made it extra special. He was supposed to have a party to go to in the evening but he ditched the idea and had just awoke to an irresistable invitation of taking me out on a date. It was a day of shopping, my choice of movie and a pleasant ginger bread latte day ender in Starbucks. And now that the day had gone by with no harm done on earth and the rest of humankind, I am thankful of yet another day lived. It wasn't doomsday for me. It surely went so good.

Please feel free sharing how you spent your doomsday.

La Piazzetta

La Piazzetta is an Italian Western Restaurant situated in the heart of Soho that offers an array of gourmet soup, salad, pasta, pizza and dessert. All of these plus a bottle of the house white wine were experienced by Hogan and I last night as we availed my birthday gift of a 6-course dinner for two from my sister, Khrista and her boyfriend, AJ, via groupon. I love how groupon makes me explore restaurants like this. Its location was a little hard to find as I haven't really gone to this particular mini alley called Tsun Wing Lane. If you take the IFC exit from Central station, go hit the Mid Level Escalators and go down the 2nd junction. Find the Graham Street and go straight up. My Iphone map helped me check constantly if I was heading to the right direction.

Upon getting there and mentioning about our reservations, we didn't want to expect anything as it was a groupon deal. Most of the time, since the discount was far too great and there were just too many people availing it, chances are, a "lack" of decent treatment happens. Nonetheless, the Filipina who got us into our table were very efficient, very fast and very accommodating. I was satisfied in terms of service. However, the food did not really taste good to me. I am a Filipina and we love spices, tomatoes and that pang of a good drink.

Let me start off with the soup. Since we were hungry, we thought that it was alright. It came with this mini pizza that was too salty that we were figuring it out if it was made salty as the soup seriously needed a little salt. Hahahaha! I didn't expect one slice to be too salty. We let it pass. The next one that came was our appetizer. Smoked slices of salmon that I thought was so rich with flavor. That's why maybe it was sliced as thin as paper. And they made it to be shared. I thought we were having one each all the way with the main course meals. But you're just allowed to choose one for each main course and we got 2 main courses that were lined up. We decided to order more then if we are still not full by the time we get to eat everything.

"Smoked Salmon with some Greens and Onion"

We ordered Spaghetti with tomatoes for Main Course 1 and for Main Course 2, we ordered

Grilled Mini T-Bone that came with roasted potatoes, eggplants and mushrooms.

As you can see, the shots that I have posted up are quite blurred as the ambiance had cozy dimmed lights that gave my Iphone a hard time documenting. Light music played but I suggest they should play any instrumental featuring European acoustics. Like Classic/Spanish guitar tunes... or violin background music could really soothe it. Oh! I remember Christmas songs playing. Understandable. The house white wine was kept chilled beside me as the second order of steak came in for Hogan and I to chug in.

Like most times that I drank wine, a partner was always there.

And it's called "CHEESE". I ordered a platter of it with three kinds of cheese:

Parmesan, Mozzarella and Goat Cheese, (YUM!!!!)

all garnished with herbs making them toppings for green salad.

Undeniably, everything was overpriced.

A glass of coke was priced around hk$89. It was just crazy.

I don't mind the service charge but everything else was just way unreasonable.

I'd say, it was a good experience all in all but I'm taken aback

whether I'm going back or not.

Let the dessert presentation convince you.

 

Hahaha!!!! Need I say more? I don't know. I'll give it a 2 stars out of 5. Other information that you have to know... Dress code: Casual; Non-smoking restaurant; Dwells in a small space, the toilet is just too near the bar; 10% Service Charge - check!; Accepts credit cards, prefers phone reservations, serves alcoholic drinks. The house wine kind of tasted cheap. Thank God for the cheese platter.

Being a food critic, not recommended at all. But, the bottom line is, I get to share the experience with Hogan. We had fun and that's the most important thing. Thank you Khrista and AJ for adding up pages to our book. Hehehe!!!!

Thanksgiving 2012

An American friend of mine shared to us the story behind celebrating Thanksgiving.

The Native Indians of North America had been

an aid to the Pilgrims a long time ago 

when they didn't have enough food and clothing from

the bitter cold as winter season approached.

As I did further reading, these Indians were not actually friendly as they have

experienced exploitation and getting conquered by the white people then.

Their villages were attacked and were basically stripped off 

of what they have invested for their families.

But Thanksgiving was offered for despite these

heart breaking circumstances experienced by the Indians,

they still chose to extend a helping hand to those who were in dire need.

Another story from the bible goes that the pilgrims also celebrate this for

God had blessed them with good harvest.

My understanding goes that as I compared both stories, 

God had used the Native Indians to be able to play the

good Samaritan's role in this picture.

I have these stories in mind before I attended

the Thanksgiving Dinner colleagues from work prepared here in the hotel.

The evening was graced with good food,good wine and good songs
in which we all remembered celebrating feasts like these
and so would the coming holidays, with our very own families back at home.

My dad once said that in celebrating Thanksgiving,

the very reason is to express our gratitude to the Lord
for all the blessings that He hadbestowed on us.
Sharing this moment with families is of utmost importance
since our busy lives make us forget to stop for a moment
and just be thankful for the life we have.

Starting from the basic needs, the air that we breath,

every second I am blessed with it. I get to eat 3 times a day.

I don't only have enough clothing but I also spend time choosing what to wear.

I am fully aware that there are some who are not even blessed with any.
Yet I'm surprised, sometimes, I see myself annoyed when my clothes don't match.

The shelter I live in is warm and cozy. I can even stay in two. (Tin Shui Wai and Pa Mei).

Not to mention, cleaners come 3 times a week! Couldn't ask for anything more.

I have ride going back and fro work.And from that point, I am blessed with a job.

I am able to make people happy, do what I love doing.

I have happy hours to balance it with. Ha!

And I have my family here in HK, in US and in the Philippines.

Hogan also mentions of his family who treats me as one in Samoa.
That makes it 3 families to remember as my support groups.

I can sleep peacefully, walk out freely and is not held against my own free will.

I could go on and on and on and I'm sure you
have your own litany of blessings in your mind too.
Again, these are just but basics.

Every now and then, we would be blinded by challenges and problems

that would make us forget realizing these blessings that we have.

We often pour too much strength and effort in wanting

things that we don't have, in getting jealous of somebody who has more
or envious too of what we think should have been ours in the first place.
We compare ourselves to the people who have these
that we do everything that we can to hold on to the mere thought.

But if we'd just take a minute and consider people who don't have

what we do just like what I have mentioned above,

I'm sure we would be more than grateful.

EAT, PLAY AND LOVE

"SOCIAL DRINKING is the consumption of alcohol without reaching the point of being drunk. It is drinking in a safe, legal, and responsible manner, allowing you to socialize. Three or less measured drinks (or a blood alcohol level of up to 0.05%) is considered to be within the social drinking range."

- vaden.stanford.edu

I do drink mainly for 3 reasons:
1. to unwind
2. to celebrate
3. to heighten up and extract the flavors of what I eat

To take these into account, I'd like to share some drinks that I really loved in welcoming the month leading to my 30th birthday. As Carrie Bradshaw did say "Have fun! That's what your 20's are for, when you're at your 30's, that's when you learn the lessons, and when you are at your 40's, that's when you pay for the drinks!"
I did learn it the hard way that drinking to be drunk didn't do me any good. I did have my share on one of the corners of Lan Kwai Fong to release myself from getting possessed by alcohol but that's where we draw the line with how much I should share. What's more interesting are the drinks that I have had that would be good to have "again". Stanford University mentioned (and I agree) that in order for the deed to be called social drinking, it should not go pass 3 glasses/servings/cups nor exceed a 0.05% alcohol blood level. Here they are:

1. MOJITO/MOXITO/MOHITO

Cathy Seumanutafa, a friend of mine and I, had gone out to a lot of lunches and meet-ups together just to catch up. She would take me to the nicest places to dine. One day, we tried out a brunch buffet together with Nicole in ISOLA and we decided to ease the hearty brunch with a MOJITO. Since then, mojitos are ever present in everything that Cathy and I share. Now, she's expecting a baby boy and I can't wait to share the most recent flavor I've drank just yet. Probably, after she is done nursing the baby, the MANGO MOJITO!!!!

Mojito's primary alcohol content is rum, preferably, white rum. It is prepared in a Collins glass standardly with 3 leaves of Mint, 30ml lime juice or just how much you'd prefer to kill the bitter taste of alcohol, 2 teaspoons of sugar, soda water and poured on the rocks. Now, with the Mango Mojito, I ain't sure if the lime juice is reduced to 10 ml then mango extract/juice is poured on to fill the extra 20ml. This summer this particular cocktail had just topped my charts this year.

I have tasted it for the first time at BISOUS HK while watching the ever fabulous Les Fleurs Savage!!!! And had preferred to start a celebratory night with it for my friends getting promoted recently.

2. BEER

Vai Lima of Samoa, Red Horse of the Philippines (famous amongst foreigners here in HK), Heineken and Corona as I stayed here in Hong Kong. These are so far the top choices. A poker game maybe with friends, or having a BBQ by a bonfire, of course, ain't forgetting the "So You Think You Can Dance"-nights and a hearty dinner with Hogan at Chilli and Spice, it's either Heineken or Corona. It's smooth, perfect when it's icy cold and releases tension after a week's work.

This was taken last fall when we spent our 4th year anniversary in Gold Coast over good barbecue in Chilli and Spice. One of the most priceless moments of my life. Together with my loved one who supports me all the way and someone who'd accept the real me. I never was a fan from the beginning of beer but then I get to taste the finest ones. And I get to compare it and got some of my own preferences.


3. There's no other way to enjoy social drinking other than doing it with co-workers as you get an opportunity to relate to them on a different perspective. You get the chance to let loose, vent out without being judged and knowing more of who you work with spending 8 hours or more with them almost everyday anyway, whether you like it or not - so it wouldn't hurt if you would get to know them better. Most days, you and your co-workers are driven to move with a common purpose, "pressured" most often than not. So, having a breather could be a good way to bond for a much better outcome at the workplace.

When doing so, it shouldn't necessarily be fancy. Here in Hong Kong, there are a lot of freebies and happy hours. These happy hours offer snacks and my most favorite would be cheese to go with my rose wine. For women, Thursday is ladies' night. Most bars give out free drinks to ladies for a couple of hours to start off the night. Champagne and Vodka nights happen too. Not much of a fan of red wines but it's good to drink it when enjoying a juicy medium well steak. With a roasted salmon or any fish for that matter, white wine blends well. Wines help to regulate blood pressure levels as it relaxes the heart from working overtime when you're nerves are a wreck. On the other hand, hard drinks and/or shots can do two things. It's either to awake you with just one or two but more than that paves the way to the other thing.... it's called a HANGOVER. Don't dare try this if not with trusted company.

4. TEQUILA ROSE is the one thing that I love sharing with 'em ladies. It's not that popular here in Hong Kong and is ain't available most of the time at the bars in Lan Kwai Fong. But this is a dear drink to me because it tastes of cream, milk and strawberry with a pinch of tequila that makes this drink worth ordering. I just get it in Duty Free whenever I get a chance. Rarely do I get a chance to taste this so it's always good and special. Do try this y'all!



5. BAILEY'S IRISH CREAM, on the other hand is an Irish whiskey and cream based liquer, made by Gilbey's of Ireland. Compared to the TEQUILA ROSE, this could be shared among men. There are different variants that it could be served as. There's MINT CHOCOLATE, COFFEE, CREME CARAMEL, HAZELNUT, BISCOTTI AND ORANGE TRUFFLE, though the ORIGINAL is still my top choice from the rest. A friend of mine, Madame Beular Makehta, made a ref cake/dessert out of it once and made us all taste it. It was so good to wrap up dinner with plus some dancing in the end.

6.  TGIF's STRAWBERRY MARGARITA 

I remember we got this because of a buy-one-take-one deal in Singapore when we had our vacation there last year (2011). I actually got the lemon variant but this was waaaayyyy better. If you would ever have the chance to have dinner there with friends, do try this because it was more than satisfying. This drink reminds me of my good friends, Wendell and Earl who was the lead singer for the musical called, "LaVie" and who plays "SHE-DEVIL" in Universtal Studios' "Monster Rock"-show respectively. We celebrated both of their successful lives as dancers turned star vocalists. I made this drink go along with a triple threat. Shrimps, steak and grilled chicken! That beside me, is Wendell by the way. Great times!



7. LYCHEE MARTINI

Ahhhh.... there's nothing compared to reuniting with ladies

who are beautiful inside and out. This shot was at TIVO which

was introduced to us all by Carlie who knows Central, HK by heart.

This place offers free snacks with their happy hour cocktails.

My favorite to order here is their LYCHEE MARTINI.

Bitter and sweet. Just how I like it.

8. FAT TUESDAY drinks in Las Vegas are a must for an experience. Alright, in scouting clubs in vegas, it's good to start it up with this. Alcohol mixed with fruits. Alright, this one that I'm holding, there ain't no alcohol in it. Because I've had enough the night before and I still wanted to take a lot of "good" photos of the view. Plus my mom was accusing me already of being an alcoholic because I was drinking in Vegas! It just makes me laugh.

So, yeah, people, this could be a good addition to your experience list.

9. Earlier this year, Ate Beks, my sister's housemate brought us to  The Grove where a good terrace for cocktails stood next to Planet Dailies where we were going to have dinner. Three of us had cocktails and my mom pineapple juice. This was Khrista's choice and we did offer a sip of each of our own to share so that we would know how different each mix are. And I liked hers the most. Here is the mix of the said drink so you might want to mix it up for yourself at home.

What's so funny was, my mom ended up drinking Khrista's because we reminded her that she was driving that night so... she skipped.

BUNDLE OF JOY

It was just last year that I had witnessed a good friend of mine of over 10 years, John Paul Adena, awating Rizalyn Morada at the altar for marriage. The closest people whom I have been close to along the time I've spent here in Hong Kong were also there with me. And it was one of the grande vacations I've ever had. Their blessings had kept on pouring as Rizalyn had been part of our Disney family eventually. And now, they're expecting a baby girl.

On her 6th month, she asked me to photograph her pregnancy. It was going to be my first time so gladly, I was more than willing to be part of her project. As I researched for images to inspire me, I've come across bloggers that had documented their own experience on this. And here are the things that I learned:


1. SAFETY FIRST. Pregnant women are expected to be limited with what they can do as you direct them. Their condition should be considered at all times and it would be good to start if both of you are properly nourished. With my experience, Riza and I had lunch with friends before we did the photo shoot.

2. TIME AND GOOD MOOD IS GOLD. Pregnant women could easily get uncomfortable. The outraging hormones could affect their mood easily. So, it's good to let her know how long the photo shoot will take. You also don't want her face to be oily earlier than usual as her stress level easily goes up, so it's good to avoid going beyond the time that you have oriented her with. With Riza, I showed her images that will serve as our aim/inspiration and I have told her that 3 hours would be the allotted time. So she had an idea of what we're going to work on. I've also asked her to tell me whatever makes her feel awkward and uncomfortable and also what she would be willing or not willing to do.

3. THE BUNDLE OF JOY IS AS IMPORTANT AS MOMMY. Jp and Riza are expecting a baby girl and they have named it MJ. Along the way, we whisper to her her name and orients her as well of what we are doing. This helps for some reason for the baby to relax and not give the mom a hard time. You can play mellow music in the background too. Do ask the mom of what she prefers. A form of advice, classical music helps the baby's mind to form to its utmost potential.

4. PROPS, SCENERIES AND CREATIVITY. It's important if you include props that gives your captured moment a personal touch. Rizalyn had a pair of cute shoes given to her as a gift and she likes color purple so we played with all of these. Daddies can also participate but Jp had work that day so I got shots of MJ fore-fronting the wedding band.

5. SERENITY. I had one thing only in mind when I was enhancing Rizalyn's shots. I focused greatly on making every picture look serene and peaceful. Be the judge of it as you watch the slide below.

Getting Pumped Up

10 songs that I can't seem to get tired of listening this week:

1. "Turning Page" by Sleeping at Last

A song made and written for Edward's thoughts as the book, turned to movie "Breaking Dawn (Part 1)" came out. The lyrics remind me of "Iris" of Goo Goo Dolls giving Seth's emotions life in its truest intentions in the movie "City of Angels." Every time the first 8's (piano intro) plays, it sends "goosies" straight to my scalp. The first time I heard of it was when I watched the movie but it hit me hard into downloading it when I watched a contemporary routine in "So You Think You Can Dance Season 9". Here it is...



2. "SKIN" by Rihanna

I know, I know, this came out for so long already. But, there's something irresistibly carnal about it... I can't seem to find the dance which I came across with in youtube randomly that made me attracted to the song but here's the lyrics....

Verse 1:
The mood is set
(ha ha)
So you already know what's next
(uh huh ah)
TV on blast,
Turn it down,
Turn it down.
Don't want it to clash,
With my body screaming out
(no-o-o)
I know you hearin' it,
(hu-u-uh)
You got me moanin' now.
I got a secret that I wanna show you, oh.
I got a Secrets Imma drop em to the floor, oh.

Hook:
No teasin',
You waited long enough.
Go deep,
Imma throw it at you,
Can't catch it.
Don't hold back,
You know I like it rough.
Know I'm feelin' you, huh.
Know you liking it, huh.

Chorus:
So why you standin' over there witcha clothes on,
Baby strip down for me,
Go on take em off.
Don't worry baby,
Imma meet you half way,
Cause I know you wanna see me.

Verse 2:
Almost there,
(ha ha)
So baby don't stop what you're doing.
Uh huh ah
Softer than a motha-
Boy I know you wanna touch.
Breathing down my neck,
I can tell you wanna-(no-o-ow)
And now you want it like,
(oh o-o-oh)
Want you to feel it now.
I got a secret that I wanna show you, ooh.
I got Secrets imma drop em to the floor, ooh.

Hook:
No teasin,
You waited long enough.
Go deep,Imma throw it at ya,
Can't catch it.
Don't hold back,You know I like it rough.
Know I'm feelin you, huh.
Know you liking it, huh.

Chorus:
So why you standing over there witcha clothes on,
Baby strip down for me,
Go on take em off.
Don't worry baby,
Imma meetcha' half way,
Cause I know you wanna see me.

Chorus 2:
No heels,No shirt,No skirt,
All I'm in is just skin.
No jeans,Take em off,
Wanna feel your skin.
You a beast, oh.
You know that I like that.
(your skin)
Come here baby,
All I wanna see you in is just skin.
(o-o-oh oh oh oh your skin)
(o-o-oh oh oh oh just skin)
(o-o-oh uh oh oh im lovin your skin)
(oh oh)

Bridge:
All in baby,
Don't hold nothing back.
Wanna take control,
Ain Nothing wrong with that
Say you likin' how I'm feelin'
Gotta tell me that.
Just put your skin baby on my skin.

Chorus 2 (2x):
No heels, No shirt, No skirt,
All I'm in is just skin.
No jeans,Take em off,
Wanna feel your skin.
You a beast, oh.
You know that I like that.
Come on baby,
All I wanna see you in is just skin.

All I wanna see you in is just skin.
All I wanna see you in is just skin.
Oooh
All I wanna see you in
All I wanna see you in is your skin, oh.


3. "GANGNAM STYLE" by PSY

No words on how hilarious this mtv is....
In Hong Kong, I think every bar that you'd pass by in Lan Kwai Fong was playing this in different kind of mixes. Thanks to my friend Khaya for sharing this to me.



4. "GOIN' IN" by Jennifer Lopez, featuring Flo Rida

This was a hit single used in the movie, "Step Up Revolution", as part of their original soundtrack. Jennifer Lopez had just been coming up yet again. It's not new to her to be there on top but this woman's passion and beauty probably would make her stay there for awhile. I believe that season in "American Idol" had put her back on track, exposure wise. Now, he gets to know everybody and reconnect with fellow artists/celebrities/uprising stars to collaborate with in coming up with her new hits.





5. "TONIGHT (Best You Ever Had)" by John Legend ft. Ludacris

Another collaboration alright but me likee!!!! John Legend wrote the lyrics sensually. Such a sweet and luring song. It instantly wakes me up during the "not-so-easy-to-get-up-mornings". Instead of sharing the mtv, (since it's for you to see on your own quiet moment at home) let me get to you to a shoot of one of Urban Camp's dance classes. I love the how the girl in the middle had made the steps so crisp yet so flowy.





6. "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE" by Rihanna

One big fashionista, that's Rihanna. I love the beat, keeps you going; I love the outfits, it just makes the whole MTV a statement; I love the theme, it will take time for me to get tired of this MTV, seriously; and the simple groove that Rihanna got, it's just so easy to look at but you've got to be a natural to get it work!





7. "STARSHIPS" by Nicki Minaj

As the song goes, starships were meant to fly, from there, I love what it suggests that we own different identities. Though, generally, we pursue the same thing, HAPPINESS. So, I'd say, along with how the MTV was made, we should all respect differences. Nobody is "EVER" alike!!!!





8."WHO YOU ARE" by Jessie J

I love Jessie J, the way she writes, the way how fierce she looks but sensitivity arises from her songs, SHE IS DOPE!!!! She sings this and it reminds me that the world deserves to know who you are. LIFE is too short to live somebody else's life.





9. "MOVES LIKE JAGGER" by Maroon 5 ft. Christina Aguilera

The longest band standing for me. Well, they started since I was in college I believe and they're still wanted by so many expecting fans up until now. They recently had a concert here in Hong Kong that sold standing tickets for more or less hk900.00. The arena was filled, let me tell you that.

Let me share this to you. It's much more to watch.



10. "I WAS HERE" by Beyonce

The first time I heard this song, I've always thought that this is Beyonce's way of rewriting Frank Sinatra's "My Way". It almost talks of the same thing as they graced the limelight being able to touch a lot of people's lives with their songs. I did my warm up after learning that somebody dear to me had passed away. He helped me to be where I am now.

MARK BAUTISTA PHOTOGRAPHY

I always feel excited every time I am about to do a photo shoot, may it be me who's going to be the subject or me doing the project for somebody.

Recently, I had the infamous Mark Bautista to grace me with his talent. Mark, who had been of service for a lot of Hong Kong performers, had already caught my attention as he continuously works on a lot of portrait shots of my friends and colleagues at work. And they all came out divine. Finally, our schedules met after 3 attempts of booking a day with him. We grabbed the opportunity for a fun day.

No awkward nor dull moment as we started as he was as passionate in styling me up as he was with his camera. Truly, he and Jen Bautista are a good match in coming up with a new me. There is more than "dedication" for a word to describe their team as Joms Ortega's helping hands contributed to the photo shoot's huge success too. All of us just went in sync automatically and I, myself was also amazed that it went smoothly and longer than we expected.

The appointment was at 11am. And as soon as Mark reached the house, we uttered our hi's and hello's and he took note of what looks I would and would not be willing to do. After then he looked at the closet, asked where the shoe cabinet was and scattered the set of accessories I have to match 'em altogether. I did bring out some of my preferences and he combined it with his own. We had set my home as the location as it went more than versatile as we have thought so. We went for industrial look, rocker look, serene, happy, "maring" (sweet), and of course, we had to wrap it up with the Katrina Kyte Dalino pose.... as he wanted it to be documented from when I did it when I was younger.

All in all, it was such a good rediscovery of what I always have loved to do. The "plus" there was gaining another friend who was more than willing to show who I truly am, not just based on looks. It was a good release to be helped out to portray the real me even thru a very silent picture. It was all worth it. Professionally speaking, he did a great job of convincing me to give out more than what I was used to working on. Jen and Joms on the other hand, never ran out of praises and kind words. Oh! They knew how to encourage a "SMIZE" out of you. Catching up with them made the time spent go priceless in doing this project. I've performed with them before but now they have moved on to greater heights and hearing them talk about it nurtured my dreams. It's always important to surround yourself with positive people who makes you feel that "nothing is impossible", people who never loose hope and are just happy come what may.

It's a long gone thankful post but still, I would want to extend my biggest gratitude to Mark Bautista, Jen Bautista and Joms Ortega for all of these wonderful shots....

I suggest you coordinate with him if you want to refresh your portrait shots or just to capture a certain moment with family and friends. It is definitely worth it. Or please feel free to comment if interested on how to contact his team.

Related posts:

1. THEN AND NOW - a tribute to the creator of the KATRINA KYTE DALINO POSE, and to the ones who had made it famous.
2. JACKY JUNTARO PHOTOGRAPHY - See the works of Jacky as he had helped me make a record of one of my bucket list coming to life.
3. BUCKET LIST - Check out what we have in common and what I may have written down that you want to include in yours.

Drugs & Wild Sex on the Kid Friendly Disney Magic?

Drugs & Wild Sex on the Kid Friendly Disney Magic?

I am just devastated with this news. 

Humble Beginnings

TIME surely does pass swiftly as this page from way back just emerged from Facebook. My man's
(Hogan) manager before in Taiwan, Papa Chien posted it up and I thought of sharing it and writing about it. It just continuously amazes me how much I'm witnessing as to how the Lord used him to be a tool in sharing their rich culture thru their renowned talent.

This was a page from the newspaper announcing Hogan being the champion of the 4th International Siva Afi Competition (2005) in Samoa. He now shares the limelight with two people that I know now personally. Harry Pupualii, whom Hogan had been friends with and Frankie Solomona, who is a brother to him are now working together with a line of talented people here in Hong Kong Disneyland. I pray that all of you would continuously be blessed of strength that you need to possess in fulfilling your dreams to serve as good examples of your own people. Keep up the good work and continue making your mamas proud.

Related posts:
1. THE DISTINCT ART OF THE SAMOAN TATTOO CALLED THE PE'A - Here's an experience to share of witnessing my husband take the first step into becoming a chief, receiving the traditional tattoo.
2. NO TEARS THIS THURSDAY, GET INSPIRED INSTEAD - A line up of talented Filipinos representing their country and their families respectively by being part of a magical day to many tourists at Hong Kong Disneyland.
3. D'TALIPAPA - If you're planning to see Boracay, don't miss visiting this seafood haven.

THEN AND NOW

It's amazing how pictures could play a great role in our lives as they mirror
traces of memory, that even to us, the truth behind it is awakening.

It was seven years ago when I had my photo taken by Patrick Mabanta

whose creative efforts had given birth to the "Katrina Kyte Dalino pose".

He studied photography in Brunei then had put up his own business

in the Philippines that time (around 2005).

My sister advised that a photo is a good investment

if you want to land some commercials and gigs, so I had my own taken.

I'd say for both business and pleasure (for FRIENDSTER - lol!).

I was hesitant to own this pose as this photo shoot was

just for own usage coming up with zed cards to give to a number

of talent agencies in the Philippines.

When I decided to be part of the Disney family,

people started tagging me doing this pose and it made me feel

more than grateful to be remembered this way.

I love seeing them get inspired as they embrace their own beauty

and confidence in having their photos taken doing this exact pose entitling it

"a tribute to you" or just the mere fact that they feel beautiful in doing it,

putting on a fierce attitude and adding up their own personal touch.

But going deeper, I love it that they remember me this way.

In fact, all of their renditions were so good,

it came to a point that I felt intimidated as theirs

had looked way better than mine.

To that, I challenged myself to have my picture taken once again

considering the added experience, stronger motive and bold intentions.

It did show as looking at both of the images,

you would find remarkable changes.

My eyes became more relaxed and not too innocent.

My cheekbones had formed and all baby fats and/or chummy cheeks

turned to form a deeper angle chiseling the jaw.

My awkward lips had faded away and so did my two

front teeth that are longer than before for some reason.

Hahahahaha!!!!

I guess a woman had emerged alright.

For the latest Katrina Kyte Dalino Pose,
I'd like to extend my gratitude to Mark Bautista and his crew,
Jen Bautista and Joms Ortega for a wonderful photoshoot that we had last Sunday. 
Edited photos are yet to come up and I'd share it to you soon once
it's all completed and shared by the photographer.

I've included a slide show of the people who had shared
their photos doing the "Katrina Kyte Dalino pose".
A million thanks to all of you.

Katrina Kyte Dalino Pose - Slideshow

A Sweet Reminder

The LORD is my light and my salvation- whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life- of whom shall I be afraid?
(Psalm 27:1)

"50 Shades of Grey"

Whenever I critique a book, I always choose a very good line to include in it and start from there. For some reason, considering this being on the top on my list of "Good-reads", it's very hard for me to do so since to a lot of people, EROTICISM is huge taboo.

E L JAMES's, (who had set aside writing for a long time to care for her family first) "FIFTY SHADES OF GREY" Trilogy was a surprise to me how she had me hooked for just 2 days to the first book. Her way of writing was raw and fresh that makes her readers wanting for "more". She had given "ROMANCE" a different pang as she mixed Anastasia Steele's INEXPERIENCE to Christian Grey's INDIFFERENCE opening a different world for your imagination to conquer.

I've always been pointing out that AWARENESS to oneself is a key to knowing your next move towards a certain situation. Whether it is about decision making, assessing expectations or just remaining still, AWARENESS helps you into accepting who you are. And I'm sure you're going to agree to what I am about to say, but, ACCEPTANCE of oneself, is VERY IMPORTANT to be able to relate to our surroundings, animate and "or not". All of these, I am reminded as I go thru the exchange of emotions and demeanor between each of the character mentioned previously. And yet again, it all boils down to one thought, NOBODY'S PERFECT. This is considered a FACT all over the world. Yet the line, "We aim to please." always lingers at the back of your mind, at the tip of your tongue, remaining to be our mantra. And that's when everything turns about and becomes complicated. LIFE, as it is, is a continuous struggle to attaining BALANCE.

I recommend this as a "GOOD READ" and worthwhile of your time to increase such AWARENESS.

OTHER POSTS ABOUT BOOKS:

1. HAPPINESS PROJECT

2. PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE

3. BRIDA

Maring/Maling Direktiyon (makes you beautiful)

Exciting Hong Kong Disneyland, October 2012

The Mickey Water Works Parade hold a great place in my heart.

You will naturally love it if you get to watch it,

and to my account, the more you'd enjoy it if you're the actual performer.

That's what I shared to the new batch that came in this 2012.

Being first timers, I thought of welcoming them by telling them

the story of how I loved it in the first place.

It was the first parade that I learned when I first started working here in HK Disney.

From 2007, every Summer, it was presented to a lot of guests

combined with different other shows. Namely, the Stitch Summer Dance Bash,

the High School Musical Live Show,

the Cars Show,

and the satellite shows where in each land,

you get to do a meet and greet with different characters such as

the Junior Space Rangers, Minnie doing the hula hoops or blowing

bubbles with Donald and getting a feel of the Polynesian fire knife performances

in Adventureland. Overall, it was the most enjoyable season for me to visit the park.

This year, 2012, it ran again after skipping a year (2011) to give way to

Hong Kong Disneyland's 5th year anniversary.

To celebrate that, the Flights of Fantasy was unleashed to

bring the guests' imagination to greater heights for one whole year.

We did two parades everyday, both FOF and Mickey Waterworks,

for 2 and a half months and I never realized how much I missed

all the summer fun 'til I get to do it again.

Now, we have started Halloween Parade and in addition to

the 2 roles I got, I would be doing the Zombie Waltz.

It's something that I find challenging that I had to ask

the veterans and the original cast for this when it started

about how they did it and what do they think about to give

justice to the role.

Watch out also for the extra shows happening in

Tomorrowland as the Trons and the hiphoppers get it

alive and pumping! The park has a new horror house
called Graves Academy and I believe it was disturbingly worth it to see.
The vampires and the werewolves also will prove to you
what they got as they come to a battle.
You've got to choose your side fast!

Don't miss on the spectacular shows HK Disney got for you this
Halloween season!
See you there!

Palmolive Circle of 10 2003 music video of KC