Friday is Self-declared Holiday!

Because I want to take a break from studying first, and because I still have something to say, another blog post it is!

Last Friday was my self-declared holiday! Despite my scheduled exams on ChE 123 and ES 12 today, ChE 131 tomorrow, Kas 2 on Saturday, plus papers and exams, I pushed through with my declaration anyway! Mama stopped over in Manila (she went to Tagaytay) before heading home and so Ate Elvy and I arranged a lunch date. By 11:30, I fetched Mama from the bus terminal in Cubao and then we went straight to Ate's office somewhere in Buendia. We dined at Teriyaki Boy, and it was Ate's treat so I was giddy. I told Mama to order the most expensive meal. HAHA. >:D

And so my mom ordered this.

Seafood Teppanyaki

 I went for this because of the egg!

Gyu-Yakiniku Don

 My sister had this.

Curry Nasu Raisu

The service in that Teriyaki Boy branch was poor. But Mama liked their food so we will let this one pass. HAHA. Our lunch date was just so short, but quality time nonetheless.

Ate Elvy and Ma

Ma and Mae

Ma and her mango shake :D

By 5PM, Mama was already homebound.

Meanwhile, I went back to the dorm first to rest and then prepare again for another appointment: dinner bonding with Kalay roommate, Hazel, and neighboring friend, Twinkle. This had been our second meet-up for this sem!

We originally planned on having dinner at the Van Gogh Is Bipolar restaurant in Maginhawa but unfortunately, it was closed that day. :( The caretaker told us that the restaurant is not allowing walk-ins anymore; clients must inform the management beforehand. And so, we just walked and walked along Sikatuna Village to find a new place to eat. Ahhh, walking with friends is simply one of the joys of life!

Now, can you guess where we ended up? Gayuma ni Maria. Another concept restaurant in the best food hub in the metro. I have already been here twice, but it was Haze and Twinx's first time so I indulged them. Anyway, I don't know if we will still find a place to eat if we walked further.

The concept of the restaurant is, well obviously, love and potions. The place is dimly lit, which gives its intimate feel. Also, there are many cute and creative details all over the place which never fail to catch the diners' attention.

Details on Gayuma ni Maria's walls

Nice ambience

For the romantic touch

My roommate Hazel pointing at her favorite potion

Go on. Read it. I know you want to!

Enough with the place. Let's go to the food. For the past instances I went here, I haven't yet tasted something I can call unique to the place. Sure, the names in their menu are catchy--Rock Me Baby, Hinugot sa Tadyang ni Adan, Chinoy to the 7th Heaven, etc.--but as for the appeal to the palate, nothing special. Although I have to commend their desserts. If there's anything that will make me go back, it's their Beats Sex Anyday cake (which I ordered again this time). So yummy!

Twinx ordered this chicken with cheese on top. I like!

I Love You, Cross My Heart

Haze ate braised beef with mashed potatoes. I like again!

Secret Lovers

Mine's not too impressive again. WHYYY do I always pick the wrong things? Mine is cream dory which is supposed to be chocolate-crusted. But then, there's only so little choco, mustard taste dominated more. I did not expect that so yeah, I was disappointed again.

Once You Go Black, You'll Never Go Back

BUT! Let us not forget how heavenly their dessert is, compensating for the low points in our (or maybe just mine?) gastric experience. There's Beats Sex Anyday again. And now they already got mango cheesecake which they called Pacute. My tummy is now happy. :)

Pacute

Beats Sex Anyday

And here are our pictuuuuuuures!

And that's just the main course!!! Next blog post will be about another gastric experience at another fun, fun, concept place in Maginhawa. :) For now, I have to go study transport phenomena first so I could pass the course and become rich someday as chemical engineer and so to afford more galas in the future! Toodles!

Ice Cream Cake Party

What's with my frequent galas? I don't know if it's just my coping mechanism from not having Bennard around, or I really have lots of friends celebrating their birthdays on March. Random thought: March babies are conceived on June. Hihi. Anyway, as I was saying, I have been sooo game in almost all invitations from my friends. The latest of which is KEM's induction night and Grace's twentieth birthday. As usual, there is Brige and Jen and Rich for the surprise committee. This time, however, we had with us Ven, Gicka, Kayer and their roommate Nikki.

The plan was to buy a DQ ice cream cake for Grace since I recall her telling me she'd want to try that sometime. Brige and Ven also bought balloons as extras, wala lang, just to get away from Jen's birthday extra which are flowers. The birthday girl, together with Jen, would come from the Induction night. (Segue: Let's wish Jen and Grace good luck and best wishes on their being inducted as Educational Affairs and Ways & Means VPs, respectively!) I went ahead of them because I had to help with the preparations. I don't know what Jen did to convince Grace in going to Kamia (their dorm is the neighboring Sampaguita residence hall) but what I know is that she succeeded in doing so. I guess she used reverse psychology. That always works with Grace. HAHA.

I was in charge of documentation again, so here you go!

Our clandestine operation

Our ice cream cake with candles

Nagslide yung ice cream! Oh noes. 

Surprised June baby

Saengil chukhamnida, Grace!

Good job, girls! :-)

The meltdown!

Symmetry ang peg!

Who's celebrating next?

Side Note

I think I am improving in the use of LightRoom! :">

Every time I use it, I learn new preset combinations, I learn which style/preset is appropriate for the given picture, I learn the difference between saturation and vibration and others, by heart. Unlike last time when I just always wanted a retro- or vintage-looking filters so to achieve Instagram-ish photos. Also, I am learning new ways on how to make editing photos less daunting a task! Thus, encouraging me not to procrastinate in doing it anymore! :)

*pats self on the shoulder*

Cheers to a Freakin' Weekend

Three days ago, Bennard left for the States where he will be staying up until June. I know it will be just like our usual summer for the past years where I am staying in Virac and he's in either Nabua or Manila--we won't be seeing each other for the same period of time. But the thought that he is halfway across the globe gives more gravity to our present situation. I cannot text him because it's damn too expensive. I have to be lucky enough to be online while he is online so we could chat (did I mention Dilnet is fauly so I get disconnected every now and then?). We live in different timezones. And most of all, he isn't just a taxicab away. I was so used to spending my time with him that I panicked just thinking what to do with all the time I will have, alone, now that he's going to be away. Really, at first I thought it will be difficult. But on my first three days, I think I'm doing a pretty good job!

I spent Friday afternoon after class sleeping, surfing the net, watching a movie, and writing in my diary.

Saturday was dedicated to accomplishing my application form and doing the skills tests for Inhenyero. At the same time, it was also the deadline. Not being able to send it before 12 midnight was another story--net was unexpectedly down and so I had to send it first thing the next day (through compshop since net didn't return til 2PM of Sunday) and asked for the Inhenyero editors' reconsideration. Luckily, they still accepted it! (In fact, my interview is scheduled tomorrow, Tuesday.) This Saturday, I thank Ate Joyce and Ashley for visiting me in my room even if their purpose was to copy movies from me. You don't know how much it means to me having visitors who come without me even asking. :"> Also thanks to Gicka for accompanying me to dinner at Kenny's.

On Sunday, I attended the 11AM mass, my first time again to attend mass in the morning in the UP Parish since second year. Luckily, I spotted Tiny and so we sat together. After the mass, we saw Jen too, so we had all lunch together at Rodic's. I went back to the dorm at 1PM and started reading my PI100 articles until I fell asleep. From 2-4PM, I finished one article. Yay! This is all thanks to my determination in resisting temptations to open my laptop and check if there's net connection. By 4:30PM, I prepared my stuff for leaving. I was off to Rhomuell's birthday dinner and sleepover party!

With me were Jen, Ashley, Grace, San, Kevin, Christia, Dyan, Miriam, and Marienne when we arrived at Rhomuell's home in Pateros. Beforehand, we have already bought a dedication cake for him, and we hope it somehow surprised him. HAHA. Look, look, look!

Same Red Ribbon cake as Jen's

When we went inside, Rhomuell had other visitors too--friends from high school, I suppose, and of course, family. It's always a good sight seeing family members coming together for a special occasion. This was my first time to see one in the city. And so it made me happy, and nostalgic at the same time. His niece and nephews were there too, but we particularly took interest in Eion because he was interested in us too. Talk about reciprocity. :))

Eion aka City Hunter

Rhomuell's mom prepared food which was so yummy! I really like pasta in oil, and the side meals such as pork adobo and chicken with pineapple. While eating we watched Scott Pilgrim vs The World. It was a funny thing because Christia so enjoyed the movie that she cried when it ended.

Christia wiping a tear

Later during the night, KEM 07 friends Kuyas Chix and Emman arrived. Even later, Riuji, our 09B batch head, came too. We watched Just Like Heaven next to Scott Pilgrim. Before the second movie ended, Grace, Christia, Dyan, and Miriam decided not to stay for overnight and went home. Some of their pictures:

Jen, Miriam, and Eion

Christia, Dyan, and Marienne

Kevin, the prettiest girl you'd ever meet, and Grace

Dyan and Eion

What we did next was choose the third movie, but since every person wanted a movie different from the rest, Rhomuell played Gumiho Ep 11. The only people happy where Rhomuell and I. So okay, we decided that Sherlock it is! We agreed on watching one episode, but you know what happens next, as is always the case for other overnight Sherlock fans. Teeheehee.

Watson welcomes you to the fandom!

Sleep is for the weak!

Without any sleep (except for Kuya Emman, Kevin, Ashley, and Marienne) and even before the household was awake, we already said goodbye to our host at 6:30 AM. Of course, group picture first.

Cuuuuute niyo, guys!

Super fun overnight! Thank you friends! >:D<

That has been my weekend. I wonder how I will fare this week. Wish me luck!

PS. This is my reward for being a good girl--a super adorable picture with a squirrel. <3 :-* :> >:D<

Dinner. It's more fun with friends.

Three days later and I've got a new post again! Whoah, I am loving this newfound dedication to my blog! *confetti*

This one's about Jen's two-time birthday celebration, and Bennard's first ever organized event (at the same time, his despedida too). Let's start with Jen's actual birthday: March 13. Brige, Grace, Rich, Bennard and I decided to surprise Jen with a cake and a bouquet. It was actually difficult to make our operation clandestine because Jen is such a busy girl and we never really know where she is at a certain time. She's got a Petron scholarship awarding ceremony, and then a group meeting after that so we (just Grace, actually HAHA) kept on asking where she is. We finally made it happen in front of Eng'g Lib. I don't know if Jen was surprised at all, but I'm sure it made her happy! Here are the photos.

Dream came true! LOL

Wishes

Awesome dedication from awesome friend

Culprits and the celebrator

My artsy shot which I'm so proud of!

We shared the cake with Jen and Grace's 124 groupmates and KEMer friends Geordie, Ashley, and Mia. :) Happy Birthday, Jenigurl! Wishing you more happiness and fulfillment in your future endeavors (and we know there are lots)! >:D<

Next story happened just a moment ago. Bennard's organized despedida merged with Jen's birthday blowout. We held it at Conti's in Katipunan. Attendees were: Gicka, Niezl, Rich, Ven, Kayer, Grace, Mae, Timmy and her boyfriend Kit, Raisa, Geordie, Brige, Jen, Bennard, and I. Lea made it by the time we were having our dessert, and Leo, Bennard's brother, joined us too after his Kuya coerced him into staying. Poor kid! HAHA. (Wait, narealize ko lang: Lea and Leo. HAHAHA. Funny coincidence!)

Really, we were so loud in the lower hall of the said restaurant. I just hope no other customers complained because of our noise. They were speaking in conyo (I refuse to admit I took part in said activity) and if I am right, it's because the food was a little higher off our budgets. It was really funny! If someone must win the Consistency Award, it's Grace. If it's Attitude and Execution Award, it's Mae. HAHAHA. I pity the waiter who Mae picked on!!!

Here's what happened:

Waiter: Okay na po ba lahat ng orders nila? 
(silence, because we already got our food)
Mae: Iced tea.
Waiter (surprised, then relieved after coming up with this idea): Ah, mag-oorder po kayo?
Mae: No. I ordered. 
Waiter (epic face of confusion and shock)
Mae: I'm kidding.
(laughter breaks out, Kuya Waiter smiles an embarrassed smile)
-----

This ones' are the most benta anecdotes for the night, if you ask me:

(Niezl and Gicka convinces Jen to buy Chardonnay)
Gicka to Niezl: Di ba ito yung nasa song na Ironic? (sings) And isn't it ironic?
Grace (out of the blue): Don't you think? Aww, Nay, I like that song also!

(Mae puts Kit into hotseat)
Mae: Ahh, so you've been into Daet already? Wow!
Grace: Yes! He's been in Daet! I saw...(long pause then laughter, because Grace pronounced it as "so")
Jen: You "so" them?
Grace: Hahaha. Grabe, you didn't let me finish! I meant "I so know him na!"
(...ayun naman pala eh. HAHAHA)
-----

I hope everybody else had fun as much as I did! Thanks to Jen for our free desserts! Thanks to the Conti's crew for a lively Happy Birthday song performance for our celebrator! And congrats Bennard for a job well done! Have a safe flight to the States with Leo and your dad. I'll miss you!!!

Before I go shed a river of tears, here are the photos.

Organizer and dessert financier

Kit and Timms

Brige and Kayer

Gicka and I

Raisa and Geordie

Ven and Grace

Niezl, seriously drawing her Monster costume for the Gaga concert (just my assumption)

Frappe girls

Angel and the Younghusbands HAHAHAHAHA

Ex-roommates

Chubbers

Of course, as much as possible, I selected the photos with me in them! Create own blog if you want to flaunt your own face. >:D

That's for now! Looking forward to more events like this! *coughGrace'sbirthdayonthe21stcough*