MamaMia MiAmour ♥

59 Years of Courage, Winning over the bigC, LOVE, Laughter & Life. 

Charisma LOVES Youu, Mum! ♥

Celebrated Mum's birthday last August at Peninsula Manila, had a great time goofing around in a series of photo-shots in our matching outfits. This is pure vanityshootlove, followed by a feast at SPICES. 

    

 SPICES offers a variety of Asian Specialties. Their Tom Nuon (Vietnamese),Tiger prawns baked with garlic Hollandais Tops the Food Chart, best combined with Goa Vindalo (Indian)  Spicy hot and sour lamb curry with peppercorn. 

SPICES is open daily and is located at the Ground Level of The Peninsula Manila. For reservations, hit the following digits; (02)887-2888 Ext 6754/6755

RoadTRIP *Travelers Tagaytay Timeline*

Here, you'll see a ++hour timeline of spontaneity, conversations over beer, where to eat/go blues & Tagaytay's unpredictable fog covered weather. All you need is a black car with a tank full of gas & two alternating iPod playlist.

1. Pick a car (or if nobody drives, you can take the bus)

2. If you decided to bring a car, set the rules; who to drive, who to navigate. If no one knows how to get there, follow the below map:

Or if you are good just by following instructions -- take the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) and exit at Sta. Rosa. Turn right at the Silang-Tagaytay Boundary until you reach Tagaytay City Proper. Turn right to go to the trail of eateries, shops and other scenarios OR Turn Left to go to Peoples Park in the SKY.

3. So Peoples Park in the Sky WINS. Its a steep drive towards the considerably highest part of Tagaytay. First stop is the parking lot, filled with vendors, parking attendants and shops for souvenirs. (I suggest you don't mind them) Go straight to that BIG STEEL GATE, you can take a tricycle, we took the uphill hike.



For me, Tagaytay Sunset is still best seen here. You'll have the smooth breeze around you, while being mesmerized by the setting of the sun. Or if you arrive at 5:30PM and missed it out like we did, you can always just drink beer and talk over whats left of the sunset.

The Tagaytay breeze made the hike worth the trail. Good thing the stores are still open and  have beer. We got ourselves 2 cans each; Pale Pilsen and Red Horse Combi.
Blabs over beer on the highest peak of Tagaytay up until
we had to leave because gate closes at 6:30 and its almost 7PM.

Epic ala SILENT HILL; Dark and Foggy downward hike to the now CLOSED Big Steel Gate Followed.

4. You cannot visit Tagaytay and not drop by to BAG OF BEANS :) Here you'll find the best Coffee Brew and All Day Breakfast Specialties. They also have a great scenic place to blab and eat. You can either stay on their garden setting or their homey-restaurant style indoor setting. 

 

They have a bakery for take-out goodies
try their Raisin & Cinnamon Loaf
Photo from http://bagofbeanstagaytay.net/

 5. After Dinner, Where to Drink? Yes, we did Mile-Hi; Cheap Bear ala Diner Style plus the over-looking, open-air, Tagaytay Night Sky -- cheers!

6. Did I mention that this was an unplanned roadtrip with no reservations and game plan? Morning is now breaking in, next is where to stay. Tagaytay has a number of affordable Hostels, Inns and of course Bed & Breakfast Places. You can just pick from the below:



There was once a CashCashPinoy deal for this place. They have a Soft Opening Promo of 1250/Room. *Googled Photo*



Rates starts at 2000/Room. They advertise their Lakeview Veranda with free WiFi
*Googled Photo*

 

Opposite side of the HighWay and on the other side of the Rotonda. Search Google and you'll see  that their rooms are named; i Dream, i Love, i Desire, i Dare. *Googled Photo*

7. Rise and Shine, its time to drive off and look for a place to BRUNCH. To cut the chase, we ended up brunching at TOOTSIE'S -- and it is no doubt a great choice to end this Roadtrip. Good Food, Nice Ambiance ++ their restrooms has this hotel/spa scent.

Try their KANSI BULALO- JackPot! *Googled Photo*

8. Now, its time to DRIVE back to Manila's Realities. upBEAT Playlist Now Playing so that the SleepyHead Navigator will not fall asleep while the Designated Driver zoom brooms back to the City.

*Temper Trap's Sweet Disposition *repeat* on my mindPOD*

Open Spoken: Verses

Ive been scribbling since high school. I have a manage to collect a rummage of hilariously silly "high-school-you-thought-youreinlove" writings up to the most recent heart-out-burst.

I find solace in writing. Its personal; its an expression of your heart, a reflection of your thoughts, a channel of your soul. For years, I have hid behind the lines of my poetry. Cast under the shadow of my own words and locked in my broken sonnets and open-ended-verses.

I have long been hiding until i found a place here in Manila where you can read your poetry out loud, and i have mastered the gut to read my writings out.

Thanks to Dominic and to Open Spoken, my first Tagalog piece, written when i was in the blues last year, finally went out:

***

Takip Silim

Sabi nila tanga daw ako pagdating sa puso.

Sabi ko naman, mahal ko lang talaga.

Sabi nila bakit hindi ko naman isipan ang sarili ko.

Ang sagot ko naman, iba lang talaga yung sitwasyon.

Sabi nila hindi naman siya ganyan dati ah.

Tumahimik lang ako, ngumiti nang parang wala lang, sabay bulong sa hangin, na sana panandalian lang siyang ganon..

Pero ngayong gabi,

matapos ang ilang takip silim ng pag-unawa,

pag-tanggap, pag-paparaya

 at di pagpansin sa pansariling nararamdaman.

May kakaibang saloobin akong bigla nalang lumabas,

mga kaisipang hindi ko mapigilang ilathala, ilang tanong na hindi ko maaring hindi mabigkas ---

Saan ba natatapos ang purong pagmamahal na kadalasan ay sinasaway na ang mga habilin at alituntanan na tinala ng isipan?

Hanggang kailan kaba mag-aantay kung minsan ay sinabi nangang hindi nya alam kung kailan maibabalik ang dati namang magkatugmang buhay?

Tama pabang patuloy na panghawakan ang pangako ng pag-ibig

-- kung tila pag-ibig nalamang ang naiwan.

Pag-ibig nalamang ang naiwan

at mukhang ang mga kaakibat nitong kailangan para itoy magtagal ay inalon na ng mga sandaling kayo'y magkawalay,

nang mga takot na hindi mabitawan,

ng mga saloobing pikit matang kinalimutan.

OPEN SPOKEN happens once a month at Yadu, The Collective. Malugay St. Makati City. Visit their pagehttp://www.facebook.com/OpenSpoken 

TAKIP SILIM was written last 2010 and was finally spoken last September 2011