Our CHRISTmas Merriment

The past holiday was filled with all sorts of revelry from left to right. The 24th December was action-packed - yours truly was busy keeping the apartment clutter-free, while our kitchen brimmed with enthusiastic cooks. Bessie Beth made her famous pork ribs recipe while hubby tinkered with the oven to create a delightful and tasty carrot cake for our dessert later that evening. This was our Christmas menu, which we served to our friends who came over:

Entrées:
Potato Marbles with home-made Garlic Dip
Garlic Butter Shrimps
Buttered mixed vegetables
Lumpiang Shanghai (courtesy of Ryan’s “ates” at work)

Main Course:
Rib eye steak
Baked Carbonara
Pork ribs ala Beth

Dessert:
Carrot cake

We also served some sparkling juice and flavored wine to go with our meal. Our friends didn’t seem to mind the food we dished up because they couldn’t stop complimenting the steak and the freshly baked carrot cake that hubby prepared. They said the pasta was excellent, too, and that totally made all the efforts I did pay off (ehem…thank you!). After our meal, we handed out presents to our guests and had a few photo ops. We also watched “Stardust” 'til 3:00 am with a bag of chips at hand along with a big bottle of cola.

It was a lovely Christmas eve dinner with friends in our modest home. We commemorated Jesus Christ’s birthday in our own little way, and despite being away from our families, we got by through seeing friends and offering a place to celebrate. We didn’t have a grand feast but it was a memorable Christmas eve for Ryan & I.  Our very first Christmas as hubby and wife in our own home. Not only was it memorable, it was also filled with surprises. During the preparations, I think around 5:00-ish, delivery guys from Al Futtaim came to our doorstep to hand over our new automatic washing machine. Our “kuya”, who’s away on holiday in Manila arranged to send our present on the day of the Christmas eve. Remember I have long wanted a new one but couldn’t because I have to get rid of the old one first? Well, there it was…installed a few hours before midnight. Yippee!

Come 25th December, we woke up to a bright Christmas morning and excitedly opened our presents. Hubby got me a dandy pair of diamond earrings while I gifted him with an Omega Speedmaster chrono watch. What great gifts we got from one another! Sweet!

A little after 10:00 am, we eagerly prepared for the day’s schedule. We dropped off Beth to work and went to see our friend Hazel at her parents’ house. We distributed the gifts to her and her little toddler Klyde, and afterwards, went to meet Ryan’s colleagues at the Christmas lunch held at their boss’s place in Um Suqeim. It was an opportunity for me to meet his co-workers who were all surprised to see him with the “wife”. Since we arrived, hubby was teased incessantly! :D

The atmosphere of the villa was very welcoming. Everyone was just coolly sitting in the yard, each with a glass of wine on hand, chatting away and cheerfully greeting newcomers as they turn up. I love their place primarily because of the spacious area they have where their dogs could just run around and play. I think they have 5 pet dogs who were all so cute and endearing. While having lunch, they were coyly watching us, and at one point, I could not resist feeding them with ham. (tsk, tsk…bad girl!)

We left the gathering just before dusk in time to see my cousins down in Sheikh Zayed Road. All of us Diolazo cousins were not able to make it home this Christmas so we decided to get together to celebrate. Unfortunately, Arnie couldn’t join us that night. All 3 of us – Vox, Sarj, and myself, plus our respective hubbies Mark & Ryan, and our dear friend Beth – proceeded with our Christmas dinner plans and had the traditional exchange gift-giving ritual. It was a riot while we were trying to draw the lucky names of our recipients…and to think there were only 6 of us present!

Sarj’s pad was filled with rowdy noise as we rolled with laughter from our antics, and gleefully posed for pictures next to the Christmas tree. Just a few weeks before Christmas, I was feeling miserable for not celebrating this festive season with our families back home. Now that I realize how wonderful it can still be even in the absence of the familiar sights and smell of the Pinoy pasko. I guess as long as the true meaning of Christmas is in your heart, you’ll never feel lonely. And as long as you are Filipino by heart, you will know and cherish what Christmas is all about even if you’re thousands of miles away from home.

A Year After

Today marks our first church wedding anniversary. We count this date as the official anniversary as this was the time we were bound as husband and wife in the eyes of God witnessed by our families and friends.

Many people wonder how we ended up together when we were actually from the opposite poles of the globe. We don’t have much things in common but we’ve managed to hit it off. Honestly speaking, I sometimes marvel, too. The only reason I could think of is that we love each other so much that we couldn’t get enough of each other.  Being together makes us happy despite our differences.

In honor of this important milestone in our life, I am sharing with you 27 reasons why I love being married to Ryan – the man in my life and my partner in everything.

27. He wakes me up from my sleep in a very cute way. I love the puppy look on his face whenever he says “good morning” to me.
26. His smile is like a li’l kid's.  Totally makes my day!
25. He is a tactful person.  Knows when to start talking and when to stop.
24. He adores kids. and kids adore him back. Babies love being carried by him, and toddlers enjoy his company. I believe he’ll make a good dad someday.
23. He makes me laugh. I get massive tummy aches whenever I laugh with him, and I love it! He seems serious all the time but he can really be funny. His wit and sense of humor destresses me.
22. He teases me relentlessly. I'm normally "pikon" but never with him. I secretly like him teasing me
21. We make a good tandem if there’s a competition for food tasting. We enjoy eating out and discovering new restos and cafés together. In short: we love to EAT.
20. He has a relatively good fashion sense. He is quite conscious of what he wears. He is a minimalist person and would only choose something simple but classic clothes to wear. He'd never be caught dead wearing anything with a big logo or brand name.
19. He's a dog lover like me. A few weeks before I left Manila for Dubai, I got him a black labrador retriever as a Christmas gift. He’s been wanting to have one for the longest time, and since I didn’t want him to spend too much time outside the house to divert his attention while missing me, I decided to get him another “girl” to keep him busy. When he came to Dubai to join me last year, he was so sad leaving Alexis behind and even cried a tear because he missed her so much.
18. He shares my passion in travelling. Exploring new places glues us together.
17. I am married to a great cook and an excellent baker. He makes me proud of his skills in the kitchen. He really owns that part of the house.
16. Hubby is very smart. He knows a lot of stuff, and it amazes me sometimes. He could join any trivia contests, and I could bet all my bags he would win ;-)
15. He’s not very sweet but whenever he shows affection, I know that it’s sincere and heartfelt. He shows his warmth not through words but through actions, which is more meaningful and sweet for me.
14. He accompanies me whenever I shop. I know that he minds my way of shopping because I tend to stay in one shop for too long, and he complains about it. But he still keeps tagging along with me nonetheless.
13. He tolerates my kakikayan and from time to time supports me with my kaartehan in life. Of course he also tries to mellow me down a bit when he finds it too much already...hehe!
12. I love the way he calls me “baby”...it’s music to my ears.
11. Waking up next to him everyday is a dream come true.
10. He drives for me wherever I want to go. He brings me to work and picks me up daily, and tries not to complain when I’m late.
9. I can hug and kiss him anytime I want…forever.
8. He knows how to compromise and he deals quite well with my stubbornness.
7. He loves my family – from my parents down to my cousins. He respects my parents and treats my siblings like they are his own.
6. For him, family comes first…ALWAYS. And that’s one trait that is super important for me.
5. In this union, I am truly the pampered one. enough said.
4. He appreciates what I do for him. He doesn’t expect or ask too much. He accepts me for who I am and loves the “me” that I love.
3. He is God-fearing. He is patient, kind and generous, and most importantly, he is not judgmental. He has faith in people, and keeps it by reminding himself that there’s everyone has a good side.
2. He is my source of inspiration. Never a day goes by where he'd fail to remind me to become a better person and make a good deed.
1. He loves me unconditionally. For him, I am his princess and his one and only.

Hubbybear, happy birthday to us. I am happy celebrating this special day with you. Thank you for plucking me out of the vast sky to be your wife.  I am honored to be your lifetime partner and your very bestfriend. I love you so much! Mwaaaahhhhh!!!!

The Weekend Before Christmas

Phew! That was some kind of weekend!

Last week, we celebrated the Eid Al Adha holiday and luckily got 3 days off adjacent to the weekend. The 5 straight, bum out days were very much welcomed in anticipation of the Christmas celebration happening in less than 24 hours. We had a chance to grab some last minute items for the Noche Buena preparations, did a li’l bit of last-minute shopping, and sought some additional containers for the home-baked goodies my Ryan prepared as gifts.

Carrefour was jampacked with people, and every single soul inside was scurrying from all directions. It was horrific to find almost every shelf for basic commodities empty. The Middle East is currently facing a wave of scarcity of eggs due to a bird flu outbreak in KSA so at some point during the weekend, Ryan & I combed all groceries we could find to search for fresh brown eggs. Well, hubby cannot bake without eggs, right? :)

The long weekend was also an opportune time to bond with close friends. We hit the stores together and triple dated to catch the Bee Movie at Cinestar in Deira City Centre, which, I must say, was one clean fun activity for kids at heart like us. It was a hilarious film and we just looooove it! Not surprised that it got into the roster of the Dubai International Film Festival featured films. Wait, we were sponsors for the DIFF…why haven’t I thought of getting us gala tickets then?

Last Saturday, hubby spent morning, noon and night baking chocolate crinkles, butterscotch and oatmeal raisin cookies. I tried to help by greasing the baking pans, washing the utensils (pathetic!) and chopping raisins and walnuts. I am proud to say that I was the one in charge of packaging and quality control, of course with a few nibbling on the side (mmmmm, yummy!). This was the outcome of every pack:



Some snaps of the baked goodies:

I guess we did pretty well. Do you think we should start doing some consignment business? Yesterday morning, I dropped off the gifts for my colleagues to the office. They said they were divine! As I was leaving, I even saw a few people already on their 3rd cookie complimenting on how good they really were. Well, that’s another errand crossed out from my list, and now the only thing left to do is make the apartment spic and span for tonight’s celebration.

Oh yeah, that and a lot of cooking! gotta go now…

To everyone, have a very merry Christmas! I hope you spend it with your family and loved ones. Let us keep in our hearts the real reason for the season.  God bless you all.

Sister Act

I miss my sisters…terribly!  Yup, unbelievably true, but I really do miss them. Marian posted a comment on my Friendster account, and just out of the blue, she started reminiscing about the bullying I used to do to her when I was still around.  (that’s a perk when you are the eldest…hehehe!) :D

My youngest sister Bernadette sent me a message in Friendster, too, saying that she misses me a lot at home. No screaming Gracie in the morning to shove her out of the bed so that she won’t be late for school, and no Gracie to delegate household tasks to her during weekends. She also misses having me as her designated driver in the morning to drop her off to St. Paul QC on my way to work, and pick her up on certain occasions where she had to stay late for a school project or activity.

They were both were very vocal in telling me how much they’ll miss having me around the house during this year’s Christmas dinner and New Year’s eve celebration. Well, maybe that’s because I always organize these special happenings for the family, and they have gotten so used to that. In any case, I'm sure they will survive the celebrations without me. It may be painful for all of us to be apart, but they have no choice but to face the fact that their big sister won’t be home for Christmas. GRAMARBER ain’t complete for the 2007 holidays, but next year, I'll make sure to make it up and celebrate it with a blast!

Swamped Plus a Bump

Ever had one of those days when you feel like it’s the crappiest day in your life at work?  Moments when you feel like you needed to vent out your frustrations soon, otherwise you’ll explode, or worse, get a heart attack.  I just had one yesterday, and to make matters worse, I had to experience a minor accident while I was doing my job. I work in an office not in a manufacturing building or production line so encountering an accident is a remote possibility. But unfortunately, I did. How unlucky of me!

I will not go into details about what exactly happened, but I just wanted to share with you what I’ve learned from yesterday’s experience. Lesson number 1: when God created the world, He had to make people different from one another. That is to give color and variety to this world, and at the same time to make people understand the difference of what is good and what is bad. One can never understand good when there is no presence of the bad. That is to give balance in this universe, and now I do get His point. Lesson number 2: let’s face it, there are people who are afraid of responsibility, and I pity them. When you don’t take accountability for anything, you will never feel the satisfaction of achieving something. Lesson number 3: no matter how glittering a masterpiece is, if it is not done with due diligence and passion, it’s spark will eventually fade, if not sooner, then later.  And when you scratch beneath the surface, you will realize that underneath all the glamour and over-all beauty of the piece is just plain rubbish. and finally, lesson number 4: after all that’s said and done, you’ll come to a point where you’ll realize “it’s all in a day’s work.” You’ll stop sweating the small stuff and will keep doing your job. You refrain from thinking of negative thoughts and you aim to achieve something fruitful despite the hurdles ahead of you. At the end of the day, when everything falls into place, you will understand that whatever it is that you’ve said or done, it is your dignity that’s always at stake.

Just my two cents.

By the way, I’m physically fine now.  A big bump is on my leg and it’s badly bruised I have to say, But other than that, I’m all good. A Kinder Happy Hippo helped cheer me up.

Holiday Rush

Christmas is just a few days away and I can now almost breathe a sigh of relief because I’m more than half way through with my preparations. As of this writing, I am only short of 5 more gifts for friends exclusive of the ones for our teaboys and security personnel at work. I'm leaning towards giving mind enriching gifts this year so for my recipients, don’t expect the usual apparel and accessories gifts :)

For my friends at work including my team mates who are not Christians, I’ve decided to give them my hubby’s home baked cookies and carrot cake. He had agreed to make them for me since I’d like to give something special that’s not bought from any store in the UAE. Besides, whenever I come to work with some goodies to share, they’re always bitin with the stuff and end up asking for more.  Most of them even offer to pay. A lot of people have encouraged us to start up a small business with hubby’s baking prowess, but there isn’t just time to do it. We have shelved that idea for the time being, and will probably revisit it when we’re ready.

Home is now filled with Christmas sounds with Ray Conniff songs resonating in the air these days, plus hues from all the décors I’ve added to the Christmas tree. We got a red and gold wreath hung in our main door, and more importantly, a small nativity set that is placed in the middle of the hall. After all, the birth of Jesus Christ is the real reason for all this excitement so might as well put a symbol in the heart of our home to remind us of that. I’m currently on the look out for Christmas stockings which I’d like to hang on our doors at home and hopefully I’ll be successful with my search this weekend. Guess what I end up buying, too?  A Santa hat for hubby and a reindeer headband for me during one of our many trips to the mall.  

I've already come up with my Christmas menu, and I did some sort of a dry run while I was on holiday. My critic (named Ryan) says the dishes I prepared taste good so I guess I'm pretty much done on that part. I’ve also bought some Christmas themed napkins, linens and candles for the dinner, too, and by the start of the upcoming Eid Al Adha holiday next week, I’m gonna start bringing out the glassware and cutlery I’ve kept reserved for special occasions. I’ve also made a mental note to take a trip to the supermarket for the non-perishable goods we need for the preparations for the Noche Buena.

We will be toiling in the kitchen during the holidays but we don’t mind. We are pretty excited, in fact. Notice that I have used we instead of I? I think by now I have successfully injected in Ryan the Christmas spirit and I’m quite pleased about it.

So it's just 15 days left before Christmas and at this point, I guess we’re all good and right on schedule. Yay!

Of Home & Christmas Traditions

At long last, after managing to squeeze in some time to reorganize our flat, I was able to finally put up our Christmas tree. It looked this bare when I started:


And after toiling on it for two weeknights, it emerged as something looking like this:


I proudly present to you the first Christmas Tree of the de Gracia household :D

To give our home a livelier, Christmasy ambience, we chose the red and gold theme, with some touches of cherubs in their musical instruments. Now here’s a bit of a trivia: this tree was passed on to me by my dear friend Yvonne who inherited the same tree from their neighbor 3 years ago. Since we weren’t here for the holidays last year, I lent this to my cousin Sarj as I hated the idea of this tree being put away and not serve it’s purpose during the year’s much-awaited celebration. So yup, it’s been tossed to so many homes already, and I gotta admit that this tree’s still quite nice looking and sturdier compared to those I’ve seen in Carrefour and Ace. It’s only 4.5 feet tall and accommodated approximately 600 clear rice lights. For me, it’s just about the perfect size.

To be honest, hubby wasn’t too keen about putting up a Christmas tree at home. He thinks it’s gonna eat up space in our little hall even if we had already evicted our favorite item from Ikea in place of a more compact TV rack to hold our entertainment system. But I stood my ground and persisted till his ears bled. I calmly argued that we needed to feel the spirit of Christmas and pretend like we’re really HOME (as in Pinas home). You see, it’s both our first time to spend Christmas away from our families and I personally think we are not coping too well on this decision (more on this in a minute). I think I was able to convince him with my urging, and good thing I did. When I was feeling frantic about finding the right Christmas lights to go with the tree, he was ironically the one who found these nice, pocket friendly-priced sets for our dear tree. In fact, he didn’t mind coming back to the store the following day when I realized we needed more. Good job, honey!

Now it didn’t occur to me that putting up a Christmas Tree can be emotional for someone who’s rather feeling homesick. When I finished putting up the last piece of ornament, I took a step back to admire what I’ve done (given the truth that I did not get any help at all from start to finish). Suddenly out of nowhere, I found myself half consciously nostalgic. I couldn’t help but feel tears well up in my eyes. I blinked and instantly felt hot tears roll down my cheeks. The crybaby in me just whimpered like a kitten. I quietly sobbed and sobbed in a little corner as my mind waded through waves of memories of Christmases with my family.  These were exactly the things I would miss this December. Last year wasn’t really a special Christmas for hubby and I as newlyweds since we were busy planning for the church wedding happening in two days after the 25th, but that was a different scenario. Our families were there, and we had the chance to greet them personally and share the happy spirit of the holidays in between all the wedding preps.

Oh well, at least for sure we know that next year, we will be home again. We will definitely not miss spending our favorite holiday of all with people whom we love and care about. If it’s any consolation, time flies fast anyway, so in a matter of a months, we will be home for Christmas although for 2008. For now, we will focus on beginning with our own Christmas tradition in our 2nd home.

The Welcoming Cold

We woke up to a nippy morning a couple of hours ago. By the time we got out of the apartment, traffic was already starting to build up. Reason - this morning's quite hazy all over the place. Ryan had to be extremely careful behind the wheel because there was almost no visibility on the roads. We can only see within 10 meters from our car and traffic lights were a blur. Yes, it is officially winter.

I got to the office at exactly 7:00 am. Pretty early today as hubby needs to get to work earlier than usual. As I got to the lift, I noticed that only the peak of the Jumeirah Emirates Towers can be seen. It was picturesque! As if the premier landmark was sitting beautifully on top of the clouds.

Now sitting at my desk and sipping my cappuccino, I couldn’t help but feel like I’m in another place and time. Staring at the window, there’s nothing at all to see except the thick, white fog staring back at me…and I am savoring this moment. The office is still almost empty as traffic’s really bad today, So I'm having some peace and quiet in my little corner and enjoying my company before the crazy day gets started.

If the weather remains this way, then I can’t wait for my holidays to begin next week. The bed weather has come, and I'll be savoring it at home curled up in the sofa to watch series marathons with a warm cup of coffee. Hmmm, nice!

Extremely Grateful

Hubby and I heard mass at St. Mary’s Church last Sunday, and I must admit it has been a while since we’ve last been to the church together. Ours is a mixed marriage - him being a Protestant, and I , a Catholic, so our joint visits to the Catholic church is not exactly a common practice. Nevertheless, whenever we go hand in hand, it never feels like we’re much too different from the other couples in the flock. He respects my belief as much as I respect his. And at the end of the day, we’re both Christians. we believe in one God - that’s what’s matters to us.

While talking to God in His home, I could not help but feel emotional with all the things that are happening around me. I have so many reasons to be thankful for…so many blessings that I know I should count. I could not even put into words how happy I am at this stage in my life. Life’s not perfect, but it’s awesome! How can I complain when I’ve got:

...a wonderful husband who loves me unconditionally despite my faults, who’s very supportive of me, and who accepts my good and bad sides wholeheartedly. He cooks and bakes well, too, so that’s an added bonus :) His steadfast love keeps me going, and I am sincerely thankful that God gave him to me to be my lifetime partner.

…great parents who brought me up the non-interventionist way, turning me into a person of individualism. Despite being liberal parents, they have instilled proper values in me and made sure I'd grow up with great fear of the Lord.

…two lovely sisters who can be quite a handful at times but are the sweetest and the most fun to be with even in the most ordinary situations. They add spice to my madcap life, and if given the Twilight Zone chance to choose my siblings, I’d still pick in a heartbeat.
…well-meaning relatives who assure me and my family that we have trusted people to run to when problems arise.

…five bestfriends who know me inside out, who support me when needed, and who tell things straight to my face with no reservations. I may not be connected to these people by blood, but we are definitely linked by soul. I really do think they were cherry-picked by God to walk down my path.

…old, faithful friends who grew up with me and nurtured me into a person worth calling a “friend”. Despite the distance, we know that our friendship will never dwindle. I trust that we would find it quite easy to pick up where we left off. having met them and keeping what we have intact after all these years is something i am incredibly proud of.

…all three human basic needs available within reach. not exactly luxurious but enough for us to live in comfort.

…a satisfying career that continuously provides challenge to my capabilities. My industry doesn’t touch lives in a direct way, but it gets credit after the unforeseen happens.

…sunny weather all-year-round. I wake up everyday to a beautiful clear, blue sky. Temperature shoots up during summer but it’s part of the deal. Nothing beats the feeling of seeing the rays of sunshine on a crappy day.

…Saidur, our office tea boy, who makes superb coffee in the morning. My day at work officially begins when he puts down my steaming cup 5 minutes before 8:00 o’clock. I get my dose before everyone else does (yup, I beat my MD for that!). He definitely tolerates my addiction to coffee that’s why I love him!

…Kumar, our security personnel, who never fails to greet me every morning with a smiling nod. I know that when something horrible happens in the office, at least someone will care to look for me to make sure I’m alright. I’ve proven that when we experienced earthquake two years ago. He combed the entire floor looking for me when I wasn’t at the assembly point and silly me got a good scolding when he found me later on dilly dallying in the lobby to evacuate.

… an affordable but dependable dry-cleaners that keeps my suits clean and crisp. I’m a sucker for well-pressed clothing and they definitely have a content customer in me.

…good available technology that gets me connected to my loved ones. And when I say good, it’s equivalent to fast, reliable connection.

...a personality that can be easily pleased with simple pleasures in life. I get childishly excited over little things, and I can’t be bothered with what people think. Oh, the joy I get over receiving a mail by post, hearing people say “thank you” or seeing old couples still holding hands!

See, God is tremendously good. He provides, He listens, He bestows blessings. Sometimes, even if you don’t ask, He just gives generously. You just have to be appreciative.  In life, what truly matters is how you live acknowledging the fact that everything that surrounds you is nothing but temporary. it should always be His love that would count as the greatest blessing of all. Agree? Agree.

Scratched The Itch

Although the Christmas holiday is not widely celebrated here in the UAE, the much awaited season of all’s spirit had finally hit me. I've started on my Christmas gifts list, and this list I blame for my urge to go shopping last weekend.

Thanks to Chalhoub Group's Year-end sale last Friday and Saturday at the J.W. Marriott Hotel, we managed to grab some really cool stuff at more than half their original prices. Hubby got himself some shirts from Polo Ralph Lauren and a couple of pairs of casual shoes from Geox. Guess what I got? Another bag…my first Fendi. I got it on Sale and I don’t care. So long as it’s original and bears the nice little logo, I’m happy.

Needing to break-in Yumi, hubby & I, along with our buddies B & K, went to the Dubai Outlet Mall down the Highway 66. Even if there are still a few stores that have not opened, I’d say the trip was worth the drive especially since the stocks that most of the stores have are still ok, and the items are tagged reasonably (note: reasonably here means 50% off). We invaded The Grand Store and snatched a classic vertical shoulder bag and keychain from Lacoste. Checked out from Mango if I could find some nice pieces there but couldn’t get any in my size. And no shoes to fit me in Kenneth Cole either (bummer!). Guess I'd just have to come back some other time.

Now what have I got for gifts? Hmmm, I really can’t share with you because it’s gonna ruin the surprise for the recipients. For all I know, they may be lurking at this blog for clues. I haven’t ticked much from my list yet, but i’m getting there. For our families in Manila, I've done the shopping ahead of time and in fact, the box is ready for pick up by the cargo company. I just hope the package arrives in time for Christmas.

I had the itch last weekend to shop…and yes, I scratched the itch. It depleted some of our reserves, but it doesn’t matter. hubby was with me, and I got his nod on every purchase made. Besides, we totally had fun! It was one of the rare shopping sprees where Ryan was exceptionally cooperative. He didn’t mind all the walking, the queues, car parking difficulties and even the big crowd. It made “shopping” more of a husband and wife activity for us both, and it was a nice feeling. hitting the mall has never been better!

The Cop Visits The Crook

It was a refreshing feeling that someone from the Philippines came to visit me here in Dubai albeit his trip being principally more of business related than leisure.

Aris, my dear HS friend, arrived in Dubai last 27th October and stayed here for six days. He was pretty thrilled about the fact that he’s in a completely different place and finally seeing right before his very eyes the things that he used to read on papers and hear about from his business partners.

During his first day in Dubai, we managed to tour him around the metro and bring him to a desert safari tour. It was the de Gracias’ first time to go for this tour, too, and blame it on me for being too scared of getting onboard the feisty 4x4s. The experience was definitely not for the faint-hearted – one can literally feel motion sickness while aboard, or worse, suffer from a heart attack from the thrill you're bound to get.

It was already almost sun-down when we pulled over to the Bedouin campsite. Parked around the area were dozens of Land Cruisers and a station of dune buggies for the more adventure-seeking souls. Bessie Beth and I queued for the camel ride while the boys took our snaps and stood by till we finished. Afterwards, all five of us tried on the traditional costume of the UAE nationals and posed for our souvenir photos. We all looked silly but what the heck!


While waiting for dinner, we checked out the apple flavored Hubbllee Bubblee or more commonly called “shisha”. It was a good chance for us to technically try smoking minus the bad taste of tobacco & the unpleasant niff of smoke. After getting bored with all the huffing & puffing, Beth & I lined up next for some henna tattoo. Funny how some male tourists queued, too…they didn’t know that henna tattoo in the UAE is exclusive for ladies only!



Of course, we didn’t let Aris miss the most exciting part of the night – the bellydancer’s show. He didn’t bat an eyelash during Valentina’s dance number… either he was mesmerized by her beauty and gyrating talent or he was jetlagged and slept with his eyes wide open! *rolling with laughter*




The adventure-packed day ended with our droopy guest dragging himself to the lobby of his hotel. We were not sure if he took mental note of the plans we made for the rest of his stay but we hope he had fun as we absolutely did!

Come Monday night, hubby & I met up again with Aris to have dinner at The Noodle House in Burjuman, and soon after went on see the majestic Burj Al Arab. I had to attend a client’s cocktail reception then, and my invite became our ticket for all of us to enter the elite hotel’s gates without any fee. It’s a shame though that we forgot to bring our cam so we just made do with our mobile phones’ built-in cameras to take a few keepsake photos.

The lavish lobby with extra huge aquariums to its left and right which were filled with varieties of fish and other underwater creatures complete with corals and seawater plants was such a wonderful sight for the two men who escorted me to the hotel. Although they only stayed in the lobby to roam around, I sure bet they had a grand time people watching. A lot of rich and good looking people were going in and out of the over rated hotel, and their eyes feasted on them. Well, sorry for these two guys because I didn’t stay long in the reception and we left the hotel in an hour’s time.

The icing on the cake of Aris’ trip, so to speak, was his last night in Dubai.

Since he finished early with his meetings, he did an early check-in at the airport and then went to my office to meet me. Ryan fetched us and we proceeded to Mercato to meet our other companions and find some birthday gifts for our friend Sam. Meanwhile, Aris picked up a nice pair of earrings from Damas for his wife who is also celebrating her birthday. *sweet!*

Next stop was the Madinat Jumeirah complex. His brief visit to the Souk Madinat was an eye opener for him to the kind of lifestyle the people of Dubai have on a Thursday evening, which is equivalent to the “TGIF” gimmick night in all other parts of the world. He’d seen all corners of the Souk brimming with people of various cultures – either having dinner, sipping coffee or simply hanging out to start their weekend. A lot are in their party outfits ready for clubbing after having their meals in one of the fab restos in the famous complex.

It was a busy evening (payday Thursday). We found our way skimming through the crowd towards the hip Japanese resto called Japengo. We were extremely lucky to find a table inside although it would’ve been lovely to dine al fresco with the cooler winds embracing us as we overlooked the waterways leading to the hotel side of the Madinat Jumeirah.




I guess between all the places Aris has been to the entire week, this was his personal favorite. He couldn’t stop himself from vocally admiring the place. I couldn’t blame him though. among all the properties of Jumeirah International, this is my preference, too.

After having our meal, we walked through the maze-like halls of the souk and helped Aris find some handy souvenirs. We were about to hit one of the bars in town, but I guess Aris was feeling run down already and couldn’t wait to go home, so before 1:00 am, we dropped him off to the airport and bid goodbye.


I’d say the few days that Aris was in town were very enjoyable. For a change, weeknights were spent with a long-time ka-barkada. It felt good to see a familiar face in person and hear a recognizable voice while we talked about married life in general and how our friends back home are doing. It sure made me miss Manila even more, and somehow, the regret of not coming home this year has started to seep in.

Another Blessing To Be Thankful For

When I got sick last September, hubby and I realized that it was high time we get a vehicle of our own for mobility purposes especially in cases of emergency. Thankfully, Ryan had just passed his driving licensure practical exam with the Roads & Transport Authority so that made us officially eligible to own a vehicle in this country.

Our main requirement for our first ride is that it must be of substantial size enough to fit a small family. It should be able to seat people comfortably at the second row with ample shoulder and leg room, and must have a big space accessible at the back/trunk for bulky items such as luggage, a week’s stock of grocery items, and even a baby’s stroller in the future. But it should also be compact so that I can manage to drive it easily and not have any trouble parking it – that is, if I ever get around to getting my own license…LOL!

Of course, since this is a desert country, we also considered the functionality of the vehicle. these are a few of its must-haves:

• 2 wheel and 4 wheel drive option
• fog lamps, which are crucial when it suddenly becomes hazy or foggy depending on the weather change
• cruise control for long drives
• dependable braking system
• exceptional safety features

Originally, we were pining for the Toyota RAV 4. It fits almost all of our requirements (except for the fog lamps). It was pricey for a 2.4 litre, 4 cylinder engine compared to its contemporaries, but we were so convinced that we were ready to buy one. or so we thought.

One morning during Ramadan when my Filipino colleagues and I were having our coffee at the pantry, Raquel mentioned to us in passing about the new 2008 Mitsubishi Outlander that she and her husband were considering to purchase. We weren’t aware that Mitsubishi had already released a newer version of their slightly smaller SUV so as soon as I got back to my desk, I straight away shared this with hubby over the phone. Now you must know that Ryan is a huge fan of Mitsubishi motors. He loves Ralliart and has always dreamed of owning at least one Evolution in his lifetime. Just imagine him hearing this piece of news…I tell you, he was instantaneously excited about it! Later that evening, I found him busy googling and checking out reviews of his latest discovery.

Apparently, compared to its predecessor, the new Outlander has the 3.0 litre, 6 cylinder option with the latest MIVEC engine, and multi-select 4-WD mode. Not only that – it has a paddle shift, and boasts of a Rockford Fosgate audio system with 9 speakers. Eagerness had struck Ryan big time so that very same weekend, he dragged me to the nearest dealer to see the actual piece in the showroom. When we took our first glance at it, we were instantly dazed by its classiness and bang for the buck features. It was a case of love at first sight!


After two days, we came back to submit our requirements for financing and placed our order. Since it was newly launched, no units were on stock, and the local dealer had to order it straight from Japan. We got a bit disappointed when we were told to wait for 3 more weeks to a month for the 1st shipment to pull in, but settled on the idea of waiting since we already fell in love with it.

From then on, hubby started counting the days 'til “Yumi” arrived (yup, he already thought of a name for his new babe! Yumi is a Japanese word translated as “beauty”) and I’ll even let you in on a little secret: every night, he would browse at the catalogue as if it’s his favorite fairy tale book. I wasn’t surprised at all that that he had memorized all of its features in less than 3 days! :D

Until finally, Monday of last week, our much-awaited ride arrived to the shores of Dubai. We’re so delighted that the unit was worth all the delay. She's a total black beauty inside and out, and more importantly, she’s a practical choice for a starting family. With all the add-ons that aren’t available in other compact SUVs in the market, plus with the price tag that goes with it, it was a sure-fire winner. You bet Ryan was over the moon when he drove it home. He was too excited that the following morning on our way to work, he exceeded the maximum speed limit and got a ticket for it. (sheesh, what is it with boys and the fast lane...seriously?)



Anyhow, we are now the proud owners of one of the first 2008 Outlander units here in the UAE. We had her blessed at St. Mary’s Church last Saturday before meeting Aris for his Dubai tour, and this coming weekend, she’s already due for her 1,000 km check-up.



We gladly welcome “Yumi” to our family, and cheers to the many memories our family will share with you!

Starting Over

Two weeks ago, my cousin Arnie happily turned another year older and invited a few people to join him celebrate his natal day. Known for being quite a spontaneous person, he often arranges last-minute gatherings, and this occasion was clearly not his first attempt at stressing people with his late notice.

He phoned me hours before the unplanned party to invite me and hubby, and to make one request - he wanted a specific gift, and he wanted me to say yes to it. It would’ve been a lot easier had the gift been something inanimate but what he had asked was one of the most unexpected things I’d hear him say…he had asked me to patch up with my estranged buddy C during his party.

As soon as the line went dead, my palms started to sweat and my mind raced in lightning speed with dozens of questions and thoughts. I literally didn’t know what to say or do since it’ll be the first time in 2 years that I’d be meeting her face-to-face. The thought of that long period of time sans contact kept playing on and on in my mind. But my pride got the better of me so I decided not to plan anything since I still didn’t wanna make the first move. I left everything in fate’s hands and trooped to my cousin’s flat with a tinge of trepidation, and at the same time utter curiosity as to how the evening will progress.

On my way to the party, memories of how my friendship with C fell apart began to subconsciously flash in my mind. What happened 2 years ago was like a nightmare that I’ve always wished I’d never have to recall. We had a solid 10 years of friendship before our relationship faltered...and just because we had bottled up feelings and frustrations over each other in the past, we allowed our friendship to go down the drain in just a snap of a finger without the slightest thought of talking things through.
I lucidly remember how we were inseparable during college and how we kept the closeness rolling even after graduation. In all the years that we were in the best of terms, we patiently listened to one another’s worries & fears, mutually provided support in every career move we made, witnessed every heart break we faced, engrossed ourselves with meaningful conversations over coffee, and even excitedly giggled together like little kids as we boarded the plane bound to Dubai. Yes, we were there for each other during those times, and weird as it may seem, the very moment I stepped inside the building where the party was being held, I unashamedly admitted to myself that I did miss her and her company.
She was the first person I saw when I entered the hall, but I acted as if I didn’t see her and headed straight to where my hubby and friends were. I could sense that everyone in the room was feeling tensed, and I could almost hear what their minds were thinking. It was one of the most awkward situations I’ve been into, and it sucked!

Time ticked away while both of us pretended that tension wasn't building up inside the room. Bessie Beth, bless her, took matters into her own hands and initiated the talk. She took my hand and led me to the fire escape where C and I used to have our daily talks. It was the very place where we laughed and cried and vented out all our rants and shared unabashedly how scared we were of the uncertain future when we first came here to Dubai.

As soon as the door was shut, I bravely confronted her with an encouraging look on my face. Following my instincts to do the right thing, I gave her a warm, welcoming hug. I was tongue-tied when she apologized, and all I could say then was that I was sincerely glad the saga was finally over. My long lost friend was there, right in front of me, and you can just imagine what kind of relief it was when we stood there smiling as if nothing happened. For me, it was the perfect way to rekindle our friendship. In no less than an hour, we were chatting away like the way we used to, and shared the regret of missing out on a lot of things in the last couple of years that we weren't on speaking terms.

Looking back, I realized how much time we’ve wasted when we stupidly allowed our selfishness to tear us apart. But I've always believed that things happen for a reason. We've grown and matured while we were apart, and realized the kind of mistakes we've done to hurt each other. Yes, we got bumped and bruised but thankfully we weren’t damaged enough not to believe in starting over and having faith that our friendship can still be restored.

Ahoy Mateys! The Captain’s Turned One

A few weeks ago, we attended the 1st birthday bash of Klyde Hendrix Joachim – Hazel’s adorable son. The party was themed “Pirates & Hidden Treasures” and the kiddo was in his cute costume, complete with a pirate hat and sword. Although the beautifully decorated ballroom was huge, the place was filled with guests - young and old alike. Apart from the usual guest tables, there were some colorful small tables and chairs, as well, a bouncy castle to entertain the little tykes, a face painting corner and a cotton candy machine which bought smiles and sugar to the guests’ lips.

There were only a handful of children who attended but the party turned out to be fun as the hall was filled with adults who were kids at heart. the games prepared were amusing, and the crowd cheered when it was time for the not-so-young couples to play in one of the games. During dinner, a heart-warming slideshow presentation from Klyde's Dad & Mom was played, which left the viewers in awe.

Hazel, a very hands-on working mom, prepared months in advance for this celebration, and twisted my arm to be the emcee for the party. It was my first time to host a kiddie shindig in a huge pack, and I must admit that despite feeling a bit nervous then, hosting it was such a delight. The program went smoothly – thanks to the ever organized Mommy of the birthday boy who painstakingly put everything together.



Being a witness to the preparations that Hazel had done made me realize how much a parent can actually go for to make their child happy. It was like preparing for one’s own but double the effort to make it extra special and memorable. I guess nothing beats the feeling of fulfillment for something done out of love, especially for your own child. I just hope someday when it’s my turn to become a Mommy, my instincts will tell me what to do.

Having said that, I congratulate Hazel for a job well done...and of course, a toast to the good looking, future heartthrob birthday boy!

The Cutest Documentary Ever

I’ve been meaning to write about this documentary for weeks. But as usual, I got sidetracked, and completely forgot to finish writing about this film I’ve seen on DVD a few weeks ago. My life has been so full of happenings recently so it was a bit difficult for me to stay focused on one task while I juggle my time as a corporate slave by day and a full-time wife and home maker by night.

Well, enough about my not-so-interesting life. Let me get to the real story that I wanted to share with you. this is about an uber cool documentary of an ordinary guy from New Jersey named Brian Herzlinger, an aspiring movie maker who’s got this huge crush on Hollywood’s prettiest angel, Drew Barrymore, since 2nd Grade (that’s after watching E.T.) It all started when he won $1,100 on a game show, where ironically, the answer to the winning question was “Drew Barrymore”. He thought it must be fate so he decided to pursue one date with her – not expecting anything romantic out of it.

A guy who’s jobless, broke, and only armed with $1,100 in his pocket, Brian chased this lifelong dream. With full determination and with the help of his trusted friends, they formed the ‘Drew Crew’ and embarked on a once in a lifetime 30-day journey. Why 30 days you ask? Circuit City then had a 30-day return policy so that gave Brian an uninsured digital video camera he needed to make his docu film, which is his only ticket to get Drew’s attention -- thanks of course to the dependable credit card of his buddy.  The docu film, along with guts, will power, and prayer, will be sent to Drew using the force of the “6 degrees of separation”.

I thought it would be the usual boring documentary I’m used to but it’s totally not! It was hilarious and quite entertaining. It’s also an emotional film that captured the raw emotions of the people involved in completing it. The following are the highlights of the film that you should watch out for:

• Brian coaxing the ex-assistant of Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, Kerry David, who ended up being the Producer of the film. When she finally jumped onto the car, passion just fueled her and drove her to use all her connections just to make the project a success.
• Brian trying to shape up in order to be physically appealing when he finally meets his all-time biggest crush (I swear, this guy is sooo motivated!!)
• Brian convincing his Mom that what he’s doing is simply just fulfilling his two dreams: becoming a filmmaker and having a simple dinner with someone in the Hollywood industry who's so down-to-earth and normal as any other person in this world.
• Brian showing off his membership to the Drew Barrymore Club when he was in Gradeschool (aaawww…you’ve gotta see the pink envelope and the autographed picture!)
• Brian going into a number of arguments with his ex-girlfriend who flew into a jealous rage at the thought of Brian trying to have a relationship with Drew Barrymore (sounds like someone’s still hung up on our lead star! LOL!)
• Brian successfully gate crashing to the Charlie’s Angels Full Throttle party after its Premier and briefly meeting Drew for the first time. Take note of this: he was accompanied by the wives of his friends. Talk about full support and encouragement!
• Brian returning the videocam to Circuit City (this scene may require you to hold on to your tissues)

Actually, the comedy is packed with more highlights but these were just my personal favorites. there’s one more but it’s like giving away the full story so I’ll just keep it to myself for now.

Two things I learned from this film:
1.) Never let go of your dreams. Some people may brush you off and tell you it ain’t gonna happen sweetheart, but who the hell cares??  They’re your dreams and you have every right to reach for them. Do not settle for anything less if you know you can do something about fulfilling those aspirations that mean to you. The choice is always yours, and at the end of the day, you’re most likely to be the one who will feel the satisfaction upon achieving them. so do not stop believing...do not stop aiming for something. The day we stop growing is the day we stop dreaming.

2.) Treasure your friends and have faith in them. Those who are true to you will stick with you no matter what happens. True friends’ support could bring out the best in you because most of the time, your happiness and success mirror theirs. It’s always this way when what you have is solid and sincere.

I highly suggest you go watch this movie and be inspired. It's not only a funny movie but it's also creatively done, which made them earn 4 awards in various film festivals. Before you share this with anybody, be sure to keep these words of Drew Barrymore in mind, "if you don't take risks, you'll have a wasted soul."

Very well said.

P.S. Thanks to sweet Cherry Dimples for sharing this flick with me!

Our New Toy

Last year, hubby and I bought our first camera, a Canon S3IS during the Gitex promotional period. It was a well-thought of investment as the money we used to purchase the camera was from the “advance” monetary gifts we received for our wedding from my colleagues. It's not a DSLR type but good enough to capture beautiful photographs compared to other point and shoot cameras in the market.

Eventually, I realized what good does a spiffy camera do without a competent laptop to keep and tweak the digital photos saved from all the occasions and trips we had over the year? As soon as my new post was made official a month ago, we, err, I decided to splurge a bit and bought a much coveted Mac Book Pro 15" as a treat to myself (goodness, splurge a bit?!! it’s a $2,500 laptop - come on, who am I kidding?) but Virgin Megastore had a very tempting offer which I couldn’t resist, so what the heck!!!


Anyway, this dazzling thingamajig, which I named “Amanda” (as in Amanda Bynes of Nickelodeon & She’s The Man), is worth every penny spent. Hubby & I couldn’t be happier -- we’ve never seen any machine like it before. Its Aperture program is just astounding...editing pictures has never been so easy! In a snap of a finger, a lousy, overexposed pic can appear so perfect right in front of your eyes.

Of course, this beauty is not only gonna be used as a photo dump. It will also be our notebook where we will store everything important to us and relevant to our journey as husband and wife. Besides, our home badly needs a “his” and “hers” communication station, and having such will help make our home a lot less strained from the squabbling over one PC….LOL!

I just hope I'll have time to learn how to run this baby like a pro! :)

Sickly Me

I'm flying off this weekend to another business trip but my body is just in a completely bad shape. I feel terrible for falling ill because the upcoming trip is a much-awaited one, albeit short. Ryan will be joining me for the first time, and it’s gonna be in the international capital for the world of luxury: Monaco.

Just last week, after celebrating our anniversary, I came home with a horrible toothache. Through my friend at work Hazel’s referral, we managed to schedule a trip to the dentist last Saturday for check-up and cleaning. Ironically, when I was sitting at the dental chair with my teeth being examined, the pain disappeared. Maybe my painful tooth got intimidated by the presence of the dentist! However, the ever-kulit me did not easily fall for my tooth’s drama so I insisted for the dentist to re-check. And when the dentist gave a sudden nudge to the supposedly painful area, that’s when the sting started to come back. After another x-ray, the dentist gave my tooth the verdict – it’s due for RCT. I was alarmed and I immediately transformed into my panic mode! RCT?? But I have a trip in a few days and I can’t afford to have the treatment before flying knowing that my tooth’s filling is just temporary. What if the pain reoccurs while i’m thousands of miles away?? Yikes!

Thankfully, the dentist agreed to do the RCT upon my return provided that I will be under medication for the throbbing and swelling. But silly me, because I wasn’t feeling much pain then, I went home without the prescription. That was definitely a bad idea! In the evening, the ache began coming back again. At 3:10 am on Sunday, I woke up writhing in pain. And because I really, really needed to be at work that day, I still showed up with my swollen tooth and a lump on my left cheek. At noontime, I frantically called my dentist who prescribed me with antibiotics to fight off the infection. The medicines did work because the pain had gone away since but RCT is still on on the 13th September to make the pain go away permanently.

Now that the toothache has subsided, here comes the dreaded sore throat paired with headache from my clogged sinuses. I think I'm catching a flu! It's pretty much common these days with the changing of the weather so I’m part of a large percentage of the population or at least here in the office. It sucks though because my nose now resembles that of Rudolph’s, and my dry cough resonates like the barking of a dog. and what’s worse, people are wary of me because of the virus I carry. Huhuhu…alienated me!

With just a few more days left before I board the plane, I am taking extra vitamin C’s, conscientiously taking my medications on time, and gulping more liquids than ever. And no coffee in the meantime…just Twining’s Peppermint tea with a squirt of lemon for a soothing feel. I fervently hope in no time I'd feel better. I'd hate to sit on a plane for 8 hours with this condition, and attend our cocktail reception in Monte Carlo looking like ghastly. Of course, I also don’t want hubby to tag along on this trip and end up baby sitting a sick wife like me. *sigh!*

9 Years And Counting

Who would’ve thought our love will stand the test of time?

I still vividly remember how Ryan & I  met. That was in college, circa 1995. We were in our freshman year, and he was introduced to me by an old flame at the Student Union Building’s canteen. He was wearing a white shirt. He was suplado. Very frugal with words. He would just nod in acknowledgment of my presence.

A few months later, we became neighbors – he lived in Calma Dorm, while I stayed in Bella Cartash. My roomies and I would occasionally bug him for a calculator, or invite him over for merienda but he was palpably distant.  I could only guess was just being polite because one of my roomies was the girlfriend of his blocmate.

A year after, we found ourselves in the same Nasci II class under the late Dean Payawal. He was the typical loner in the huge lecture hall. Since our class was from 5:00 – 6:00 pm MWF, my Friday nights were usually spent in LB. Back then, I needed a dinner buddy as Friday evenings were a total bummer since all my friends and blocmates have gone home to Manila by then. He was a familiar face in the crowd so I bravely took the first step of befriending him. From then on, we were inseparable! We would always find ourselves hanging out in the campus and enjoying the Friday evenings as if it was the highlight of our week. When I got past his boundary marker, we realized we could be real good buddies. And surprisingly, despite of our differences, we got along quite well! That was the first step towards the realization that we could be more than friends. And so, on the 27th August 1997, after declining three times in the last 6 months of courtship, Ifinally gave my sweet “yes” to Ryan under a coconut tree at half past 10 in the evening at Bangkal Street, Los Banos, Laguna.  How memorable, haha!

It makes me laugh whenever I look back at how we kept our relationship a hush-hush from his friends and orgmates. The reasons now seem so immature I don’t even wanna remember for fear of embarrassment. LOL! But back then, we believed those were trying times to our relationship. There were complications, hassles, conflicts with friends, and other matters which we had to face but we managed to get past through despite minimal ease. I’m certainly happy now that we have proved those people wrong, and that we have worked out our relationship in spite of the criticisms and bashing we received.

I know people wonder why we only celebrate 9 years instead of 10. I’m not really good in Math but I don’t suck that much.  In 2003, Ryan and I parted ways for almost a year. and when we decided to get back together, we both decided it’s best to take out one year from our official count.

********

For this year, what we did to celebrate our 9 years of love and togetherness was drive to Fujeirah on a hot, humid afternoon and checked in at the Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort to spend the night just relaxing and chilling out. It was Ryan's first long drive in the UAE.

We took a different route to get to Al Aqah through Masafi passing through Dibba. These were the scenery that fascinated us:

In my previous post change of venue, I cited how we ended up booking in this popular hotel in the eastern part of UAE. We were just thrilled with the kind of experience we had at this resort!

First of all, and very importantly for us, the staff were all courteous and helpful. The front desk guy Anil was very accommodating and polite. After checking us in in their system, he personally showed us the way to the lift while pointing the directions to the restaurants, pool, shops, cafes and spa. We have never experienced such treatment in any other hotel. If this was their standard, I’d have to say all hotels must benchmark their services with them.

When we got to our room, we were totally knocked for six by the room we got. It was a huge corner with a sea view and mountain view and a lovely terrace directly facing the sea. We were also placed on a high floor so there was really much to see. Ryan couldn’t contain himself from taking snaps as soon as we dropped our luggage on the thickly carpeted floor.

Of course, he did not dare to forget to take pictures of his cam-whore wife!

While stretching our legs after the long drive, honey & I took turns playing with the PSP.

At around 5:00 pm, I wheedled Ryan to head downstairs to have a dip in the pool. He was too tired from the drive, he only agreed to accompany me with a promise that he will bring the camera with him and take pictures.

Obviously, he only took pictures of me!

After almost an hour in the pool area, we went back to our room to prepare for the dinner. At 8:00 pm, we were at the Views Restaurant enjoying our buffet dinner.

While we were having dinner, the staff from the Spa of Le Meridien sneaked in to our room to set up my gift for Ryan. A few days before our trip, I phoned the hotel and inquired about the spa services that they have. I booked a “Fantasy Chocolate Spa” for my honeybear on the night of our anniversary. It was the best gift i could think of – a luxurious spa right in the privacy of our own bathroom, and just the perfect dose for a chocolate lover.

When Ryan & I returned to our room after dinner, he found rose petals in the doorway of the bathroom. He found them and the soothing background music really nice and sweet. Funny thing though was that it didn’t immediately occur to him that it was a surprise. He thought it was a special turn-down treat from the hotel since they knew it was our anniversary so he went directly to the bed. When I managed to nudge him to come and see the inside of the bathroom, he was taken aback by the entirety of the set up. and that was when I asked him if he liked his surprise.

One thing I love about my husband is that he is such a sport when it comes to surprises. He’s very appreciative, and he shows it a lot through words and actions. Upon realizing that it was my anniversary gift for him, he sprang into action and grabbed the camera for photo op.

And his eyes didn’t miss the chocolate-dipped fresh strawberries.

The spa was good for sharing so I also experienced the choco immersion. When we went off to bed, we were so chocolatey smelling with the chocolate shower gel for rinsing and specially concocted chocolate flavoured lotion. It was a wow feel!

To cap the night off, a friendly staff came knocking on our door to deliver a fruit basket and a mini-fondant moist chocolate cake – compliments of the hotel.

The next morning, we had a hearty buffet breakfast at the Views Restaurant where we enjoyed one of the best breakfasts we had in months. Food was delish and they served quite a variety. Coffee was ok but their fresh juices were really delightful. While our satisfied tummies were digesting our food, we decided to have a little walk about in the resort.

It was still pretty hot outside so we went back to our room and just watched National Geographic & Discovery Science.

By 1:45 pm, we checked-out of the hotel and steered back home filled with happy memories of the celebration that was.

Indeed, our original anniversary will always be fondly remembered and celebrated each year. After all, that’s when we officially became not just a couple but the bestest friends for life. :)

Reunion Of The Bride & The MOHs

Last night, I had the chance to finally sit down and have a decent meal with my two best girl friends in the world – my best cousin Sarj & my bessie Beth. It has been a long while since we went out and had dinner altogether, and to be honest, I really missed this kind of catching up. We rarely go out anymore, and basically it’s because of the many other priorities that we have in life right now. Not that we don’t prioritize each other anymore -- it's just because many changes took place in our lives since the year unfolded.

Sarj, being a cabin crew, has the most complicated schedule of all. She’s rarely in town during weekends, and usually, her off days are scheduled during the start of the week, which she usually ends up spending at home (bummer!). These days, she’s been extremely busy preparing for the arrival of her better half next month because this time, he’s not just gonna be vacationing in Dubai but he will be staying here for good to be with her (sweet!). I could understand because I was also in her shoes last year - I could still remember how preoccupied I was when I was preparing for honey’s arrival, too.

Now bessie Beth – she’s the only friend that I get to spend time with. Everyday, I carpool with her, and I go to the same fitness centre where she works. But of course, things have changed lately, as well. Not to mention that I have to divide my time because I have a husband to look after and spend time with but also because she found herself a new “love” to focus on. That leaves us to a few, brief meaningful chitchats every now and then or an hour’s worth of conversation in the car when being dropped off to work or on the way home. But hey, I’m not complaining! It doesn’t matter to me (not at this stage anymore) because I see that she’s very happy and I know that she is also being looked after.

Our dinner at Bella Donna was short but was truly fun and meaningful. Instances such as this will not be as frequent as before but the good side of it is that this kind of get-together will be something to look forward to. It may not happen again in the next coming weeks, but surely, our next reunion will be as lovely as last night’s.