Proj 97 of 365 - the art of making sushi

09.20.09


frustrated cooks that we are - T, D and E went for japanese today! we literally spent hours cookin’ up the perfect japanese meal - tempura, katsudon and everyone’s favorite - california maki!

deveining the shrimps was torture and trying to make perfectly straight tempura is a talent we haven’t yet acquired. slicing the pork was hard, especially with the bones. breading was a treat, though. however, my favorite would have to be making maki. i enjoyed soaking the rice with vinegar, rolling the rice, putting in all the mango and crab to my heart’s desire (and somewhere in between rolls, putting it into our mouths, hihi). rolling and slicing and plating the maki was fun…

but the best part? it would have to be what happened after we set the table and finished cooking.

now that’s what i’d call a feast!

Proj 96 of 365 - food trip!

09.19.09


there’s a reason why anniversaries are only once a year.

one, to celebrate a milestone, and next, so that we won’t triple in size in a year.

for today, on our second year, it was a lunch date at 10th dove, then movies (with popcorn), then coffee @ gloria jeans, then capped with dinner at spaghetti factory!

imagine if it were everyday! the thought of it already makes me feel fat! :P

Proj 95 of 365 - what's in a name?

09.19.09

i am called by so many names. i wouldn’t wonder if one day i send formal invites with my name on it and people would just scratch their heads and say “who the heck is this girl?”

people at home or relatives call me Chinee - being born with chinky-eyes, ‘chinita’.

when i was in grade school, i was called KC, after my initials.

high school was the age of mIRC, and i was known for my chat names too. then i became Ti-Ann, a syllable shorter than my name.

work counterparts call me by a formal name, Kristie. a few people know that my two names really have a hyphen in between, so they just use the first name to address me. at first it felt really weird, at some point i can actually feel goosebumps! after hearing the name a few times, i have acquired an immunity to the name. lucky for my counterparts, i must say! a nun from kindergarten used to call me Kristie and i never, ever looked back or even twitched in recognition!

of all the names i am called, my favorite would have to be Tee. it started in high school when my friend R and i toyed with our names and started calling each other by first letter! we cheated, though, there are so many Kayes to begin with. and so we became R and T, much like S and B from gossip girl even before gossip girl was written.

back to that invite. to avoid confusion, i couldn’t possibly put in my name as Kristie-Ann/KC/Tee/Ti-Ann/Chinee, right?

p.s. personalized ring was given by the guy who calls me by that name and i just know upon hearing it, has a special sound to it. happy anniv! ;>

Proj 94 of 365 - yellow on a teapot

09.19.09

a hint of yellow flowers on a rainy day.

Proj 93 of 365 -welcome, summer!!!

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no, i’m not crazy. well, just a tad, maybe. (you’ll discover why, just wait for it).

drum roll, please. here goes…

meet summer and winter!!! :)

yeah, yeah. i sometimes name my shoes. and my clothes. and my bags. and my….
oh, you get the point!

Proj 92 of 365 - dress up

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as with any girl, i love to dress up. especially on weekends, when there’s no restrictions on what to wear.

one a rare dinner date with R and jimmy, i asked james to play the part too. he didn’t disappoint :)

Proj 91 of 365 - life’s little surprises

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imagine my surprise today when my department mates gathered by my cube and without a hint, greeted me a happy birthday (again) a few days too late.

with a cookies and cream muffin and a candle that cannot be lit for fear it may trigger the smoke detectors, they handed me over a nice birthday card.


thoughtful, simple, sweet.

how small the gesture was, it really made my day.

Proj 90 of 365 - starbucks

090109

when my officemates asked me what i wanted for my birthday, one of the choices was a Starbucks tumbler.
imagine how indifferent and clueless i felt when i opened a gift box containing this.

maybe it was lack of imagination, or lack of a corny bone in my body, but i didn’t get the pun until a half hour later when the nancy drew in me was still scratching my head, wondering why i got a box-ful of stars with a pretty in-your-face obvious label.

then it hit me with a jolt. Starbox… starBUCKS… get it?

Proj 89 of 365 - Basketball champ

090109

bag left in the counter. arms in position. serious faces. a serious position and stance. i try to elevate my heel as i aim to shoot hoops. to a passerby, i may have looked like i was up for championships. but really, i was just concentrating on getting a score - anything!

i shoot. it hits outside the ring. i shoot again. it hits inside, but gets thrown back, like food that it decides, after tasting it, that it will not eat after all. rejected. it was disappointing to have an “almost there“. then i try again. at last, i got lucky!

my hands were sore after shooting baskets. but i was proud of my accomplishment - 74 points. nevermind that james got 115 (i was hoping nobody would notice that, though). the important point is i didn’t get a 0.

i‘ll beat you next time, james. watch out! :)

Proj 88 of 365 - heaven

090109
a birthday girl got her wish and cravings - a japanese meal!

tempura, maki, teriyaki and katsudon - oh, yum!


i felt like i just died and went to japanese heaven.

Proj 87 of 365 - condiments

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ketchup. spice. salt. pepper. soy sauce. vinegar.

everything you need for that perfect dining experience is just right in front of your eyes.

Proj 86 of 365 - timepieces

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i needed a watch. i’ve been wanting to buy one since i realized it’s not that bad after all.
see, i’m not really what you would call a watch person. i resented wearing watches ever since i was young. i hated the feel of leather and dried sweat on my skin. or the shape of watch forming on your skin when everything else was sun-burnt.

i wanted a dress watch. just the simple yet classy, studded, ladies watch. not too shabby, not too expensive.

little did i know that my parents had another thing planned out. they wanted to give me a timeless piece for my 25th. one i can wear on a daily basis, but one that i will never outgrow. i wanted something inexpensive, fashionable, and girly. they gave me classy and timeless.

now each time i look at the watch, i think of loving thoughts. of parents - that like my new watch, i’ll never outgrow no matter how old i become.

Proj 85 of 365 - in touch with nature

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this is what boredom does to a lady out in the sun, lounging on a chair, sitting by a table adorned with coconut leaves.

Proj 84 of 365 - chunky chunks

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i arrived in the pier early for my trip. after a few boring minutes with myself, a bunch of tourists sat by me. i cannot help but notice this one lady’s foot-wear. imaginative and creative. i cannot help but smile. whatever was the inspiration of whoever designed that slipper? it was so chunky. cute, but it looked so heavy and bulky.

i had to stop my curiosity and myself from asking, “can you still walk around on that thing?”

i admire that lady. if it were me, i would have tripped over the first minute or i would have to drag my feet like having ball chains tied around my ankles instead of walking around.

Proj 83 of 365 - Hola!

082909
friday date night. the boyfriend and i were again deciding the life-changing : where to eat?

i was up for adventure - i wanted something new. after a moment’s hesitation, we passed by Hola Espana, looked at each other and went charging in.

the food selection was vast, but we came up with our orders easily. while waiting for the food to arrive, i went ahead and scoped the place. it was cozy, full of family and friends.

then i came around a picture of Espana, or Spain in plain English. then my mind wandered on traveling. my imagination brought me to the place. my mind floated to thoughts of Madrid and Barcelona, of great churches and architectures. and so much, much more.

note to self: travel to Europe and visit Spain someday.

Proj 82 of 365 - feel of korea

082309
a Sunday night. a friends4keeps night. out on aye’s birthday bash.

we were feeling a bit of karaoke so we went to this quaint karaoke bar by the barracks area.

when i went in, i immediately knew this wasn’t your ordinary karaoke stop. mirrors were everywhere, the lights were dim, yet colorful. the attendants were wearing ala sailor-moonish uniforms.

you’ll be greeted by a korean song when you come inside the room. a reverberating Wonder Girls song will fill the background. yup, endless Nobody, nobody but you in the background til you’ll get it as an LSS, or an FSS.

the rooms were huge, with mirrors (again), with two LCD monitors. the lights were again colorful, plus there were disco balls. there were tambourines, and a maracas too!

it really felt like stepping into one of the scenes of a korean movie.

and soon it turned out to be one colorful, koreanish night.

Proj 81 of 365 - of eyelets and buttons

082309

dee and i went shopping today to buy aye’s gift. but lo and behold, we’d always pick out something for ourselves too! we found it hard to remind ourselves we’re out buying aye a blouse, and not getting ourselves something. the temptation was too much to bear, and we wound up fitting and fitting and fitting clothes meant for ourselves!

after sore feet and contented faces, we finally found aye’s gift.

can’t wait for the next girlfriend’s birthday :>

Proj 80 of 365 - sugar rush

081509

i was feeling under the weather today. i wanted to be with myself to keep my feelings in check. i resorted to perhaps the most effective therapy known to women - shopping. but today, the shops lost their glitz and appeal. it only took me an hour of window-shopping at SM on a sale day til i called it quits.

before heading off to what seemed like a lost cause, i stopped by for some gelato.

as i was enjoying my lil cup, i saw this little kid who was devouring hers excitedly.

ice cream was my solace when i was younger. it was a reward for having a tooth pulled out. it was to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and victories. comfort food.

as i savored every spoonful, i wonder what the little girl’s story is. is she feeling crappy like me? did she have her teeth pulled out? was it a bribe for good behavior?

then the sugar immediately took effect. and it was after that everything i kept bottling inside, melted, like every mouthful of the tasty gelato.

ice cream, for children and children of heart alike, will always give you a feeling of happiness and warmth deep down.

Proj 79 of 365 - billed up

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though it’s been implemented for a few months now, this taxi receipt was the first and only (so far) that i’ve received.

Proj 78 of 365 - wave of childhood nostalgia

08.09.09

i can’t help but wistfully look at the playground as i passed by.

the slide, swing, tunnels, monkey bars are all part of growing up. like a rite of passage, every child goes through a phase where a playground is heaven.

when mama was still working abroad, it was papa, our aunties or our yaya who’d take us out two blocks to the park near the church. there, my sister and i would play til dusk. sometimes at mid-afternoon when the steel was warm, it was literally a pain in the behind to use the slide, but that we endured all for the sake of pure, childish fun. sliding down took just a fraction of the time spent climbing the stairs, not to mention the feeling of your knees shaking while climbing up the stairs. but it was part of the challenge and of the fun.

sitting down a swing is but of sheer pleasure! the feeling of almost flying - suspended in mid-air with the wind blowing against your face. the feeling was a pure delight.

when it’s not the park, it would be a trip to the mall where we’d get to play in the arcade.

i can’t say as a child i have been deprived. my childhood had a fair share of playgrounds - at school, at the mall, at the park, everywhere!

and yet, it still feels like i missed on a whole lot of fun.

i miss being a child.

i wish i should’ve played more, gone out more, sweated more, and maybe, had loads of fun more.

Proj 77 of 365 - toting the tote

08.09.09

i’ve been toting this handbag lately.

one, because i’ve been too busy (but mostly lazy) to change bags to fit my mood and outfits.

two, because of it’s neutral color, i can get away with almost anything without clashing or anything.

three, because of the convenient side pocket where i can insert anything without unzipping the whole thing. (and anything it has been - i just found wads of paper, a lot of coins, receipts and bills tucked in there)

four, heavy shoulder bags tend to give me shoulder and/or back pain which doesn’t happen when i’m carrying a hand bag.

and lastly,
five, because i love carrying handbags.

handbags are easy to carry around when you’re shopping, out for a stroll, out doing errands or doing anything. handbags, if carried right, bring out a certain style - one of flair but at the same time, of comfort.

carry one as you wish - you can bring it using a hand, or both, or you can tuck it in you arm.

it can be casual, fashionable, or simple.

Proj 76 of 365 - colorful stained lights

07.19.09

one cannot help but admire at this colorful spectacle at one of the restos in The Gallery, Mabolo, Cebu.

Proj 75 of 356 - an afternoon off

07.19.09

one lazy sunday afternoon. it had been drizzling that day.

after a cup of warm brownie to satiate our sweet tooths, it was time to take out the paraphernalia.

malongs and sarongs. a board game. camera and friends. some chichiria to nibble.
the recipe for a perfect picnic.

then after just a few rounds, it started to pour again.

oh well, i sure had fun while it lasted.

Proj 74 of 365 - sooo hot

07.15.09

korea-novelas. korean style and fashion. korean schools.

From sassy girl to boys over flowers to wonder girls’ “nobody but you”, it is a fact that korea has indeed brought an influence over us.

over the past few years, with the advent of korean restaurants and infusion of korean food in the market, Pinoys have come to realize that korea has many things to offer to the palate than just kimchi.

i jumped to the same conclusion when i bumped into this brand of noodles in the supermarket a few years back. out of curiousity, i bought one pack to try out.

korean noodles, like most of their food are generally spicy, which is a welcomed change to the chicken and beef flavored we’ve been so used to.

if ever you’re up to something spicy and want to try something out, i suggest you get your cart pushing at the supermarket, grab a pack of korean noodles (i like the one with the red and black colored front. unfortunately, i can’t read any of the text on it so that‘s the best i can do. of course, you can tell it‘s noodles with the picture on the front :>)

but i warn you, as the color of the soup suggests, this is not for the weak of heart.

Proj 73 of 365 - at long last

07.14.09 going mouse-less is like being crippled for me. though many easily work on their laptops using the touchpad, that’s something i really have soo much difficulty doing.

mouse-less, i find a simple navigation like moving the arror from top to bottom a challenge. at the office, i always carry my mouse to make things easier for me. it’s a surprise i lasted mouse-less for three weeks on my laptop which i have yet to buy a mouse for.

it was almost unbearable to play RPG games albeit a pointing device, especially that the touchpad can become super sensitive at the slightest touch - making me wonder why my view has shifted/zoomed in when i didn’t do anything.

then my suffering ended. i finally got a cute USB mouse to come to my aid.

Proj 72 of 365 - the boy who lived

07.13.09
i know him inside and out. his tiny secrets to his tremendous achievements. his friends and family - i can recite their names one by one without batting an eyelash. i know what irks him, who he feels an utter disdain for, and who and what he fancies.

and he’s not even real. he lives in a magical world which i and so many others have entered.

it felt like i was with him when he effortlessly took the sorcerer’s stone from the mirror, and i was definitely cheering him on while he joined the tri-wizard tournament and fought dementors with his stag patronus. in all his adventures, misadventures, misdemeanors and even through detention, i was a silent witness. i felt his pain when his godfather died. i knew how he felt when he was in love with someone off-limits - his bestfriend’s sister. i admired his courage and bravery for standing up against you-know-who and setting out to look for the horcruxes and in the process, discovered the hallows.

his story worth of seven years of hogwarts kept me up at the wee hours, sometimes made me skip meals and temporarily made me a home-buddy until i get to the last page.

as a collector of the books, i’m happy to see that after more than a year of the last release, the paperback edition is finally available. weee! time to go to harry potter’s land to revisit the tale (i never get tired of reading again and again) of the boy who lived.

Proj 71 of 365 - so blair-ish

07.11.09

a weekend at the mall.

among a lot of things, i was looking for a sweater. the knitted type you can get away with while wearing anything inside - sleeveless, tube top, dress, or even a plain top. something comfy that i could easily slip out of from work to night outs. something that can go perfectly well with almost anything in my closet. i set out with the task on hand, and scurried from boutique to boutique until i saw the closest thing to what i have envisioned.

then, on the same store, i saw a maong dress. it fit perfectly. it looked fab and fashionable. i could imagine blair waldorf, whose fashion sense and style i look up to, strutting around in one - maybe with pumps, a glam belt, accessories and of course, a headband - her signature look won’t be complete without one.

with the sweater on hand, and the dress on the other, i was battling with my conscience. when you can’t decide, you ought to have both, right?

then i remembered i should only buy an item this visit. the temptation of sneaking one more item lured me, i must admit. before i break my word, after a tug-of-war with myself, i put it back in the rack where it belonged - free for other blair-wannabes to pick up and purchase.

it was only when i got home that i regretted leaving the dress on the shelf. oh well, there’s always tomorrow to undo today’s regrets. ;>

Proj 70 of 365 - a shoe story

07.08.09

i was feeling really uneasy, unable to wink myself to sleep. it was around midnight and here i was perturbed, very uncomfortable like i always am when i wanted to do something.

it has to be done, here and now.

i opened my closet, took out all my shoes from their boxes and arranged them in a huge circle on the floor. one by one, until each and every box was emptied and their contents laid on the bottom.

i then took a picture of all my shoes arranged in a neat, perfect circle. but that picture, i realized in the end, wouldn’t be shared else i will be teased on my attempt on being imeldific. or shamed because, i don’t have that many shoes compared to her. i mean, no one else could possibly surpass her vast collection.

then i took a snapshot of every pair. i was always wanting to organize the shoe boxes by putting pictures of what’s inside. convenient and easy. i had unlabelled boxes, plus, my old pictures on the boxes badly need replacements as accumulated dust and paper tears and folds are here and there.

then i came with my pair of glads, gladiator flats.

i got this pair in HK while on vacation with the family late last year. it was love at first sight. it fit perfectly, it was in, and it was a unique find! my sister, who shared the same shoe love with me, also got herself a pair of the same glads in a different size.

we couldn’t contain ourselves at the remaining days of the trip, or at least I couldn’t. i kept on planning outfits to go with the new pair. when i shopped, i looked for items i could wear together with the new acquisition. i wanted to go home to try out stuff in my closet if it’d go well with pair. yes, a pair of shoes can make you gaga.

after seemingly a while, it was time to go home. yaey, i’ll soon strut my stuff with my gladiators!

never tired of shopping, hitting the mall was one of the things we did when we came back. i was satisfied to see that though a few gladiators have been popping out in the stores, mine was unique - the style, cut, color, quality isn‘t available yet.

imagine how i felt when staring in front of my eyes, was the exact style, cut, color and quality - a clone, a sister. and yes, there was a bunch of them in stock!

“oh, it’s not unique anymore. at least, mine was a steal.”, i consoled myself. i made another mistake by turning the shoe over and not resisting to glance at the price tag. the clone, err, sister gladiator, costs a few hundreds less!

ouch.

Proj 69 of 365 - come hither

07.04.09

in front of us, an array of uber delish desserts was in plain sight. to the one with the sweet tooth, it was beckoning to be tasted, relished and savored.

but i was too busy clanking with my laptop to notice and take notice of the delightful temptation in front of me.

out of theblue, he thought out loud, “i want to eat a cake.”

surprised, since he was never the one to crave for something sweet, my attention now shifted to the enticing thought at hand. “what’s it gonna be?”

“i can’t make up my mind”, he replied. as an afterthought, “i know you love blueberry cheesecake and cheesecakes in general, but you know i’m not a fan.”

bummer.

but i can always compromise, after all, a chocoholic can almost never run out of cake options.

i looked at the display, inspecting each cake and imagining what each would taste like.

chocolate -oooh, so decadent and sinfully sweet.

blueberry cheesecake - stop looking longingly at it, commanded myself to myself.

triple chocolate - triple the chocolatey fun!

mocha - of soft-melts-in-your-mouth chiffon with a hint of tangy coffee.

i offered him my top choices, omitting the cheesecake of course.

he battled with his mind for a bit, but was unable to come up with anything. to add to the dilemma, he piped in, “oreos and cream cheesecake maybe interesting, but i dunno, it’s still cheesecake.”

but if I can’t have my blueberry cheesecake, no one can have cheesecake. (evil laugh). “no cheesecake.”, i smiled.

“triple chocolate maybe too much”, he countered. mentally, i scrapped chocolate heaven off the list. now we have two options. two life changing options.

“either would be fine, I guess. your call.”, he supposed.

not wanting to make the decision myself mainly because i can’t decide, I opposed, “nah, i dunno too. you choose, you wanted to eat cake in the first place.”

on and on the thought of mocha versus chocolate was running in my head - but it was just so hard. because if i would’ve made up my mind, i would’ve declared whether i was much of a caffeine-addict than a chocolate-freak, or vice versa.

in the end, we just finished our coffee and pushed the temptation off our heads.

Proj 68 of 365 - moments like this

(06.28.09)

sometimes it feels like we’ve been programmed to put on a face when we know someone’s watching. a smiling, happy face at that.

moments like this, when we're caught off-guard, when we smile without knowledge or care that someone's looking or not, radiating the happiness we feel down inside - NOW, that's special.

Proj 67 of 365 - the final bow

(06.26.09)

creativity comes in many forms and the possibilities are definitely endless – all it takes is a bit of ingenuity, originality, inspiration and you’ve got your masterpiece. there is nothing you can’t do even if all you have is some masking tape and carpet.

this sight surprised us all when we came into the office.

inspired by MJ’s untimely demise, three officemates have knowingly or unknowingly created a tribute of some sorts to the king of pop.

“the final bow”, i’d like to think.

Proj 66 of 365 - the fight

(06.25.09)
at first glance, the pink rubbery baller band just might as well be anything. it can be a child’s accessory or something picked out from the accessory shop.

but this band’s special since this reminds me of the fight I’m currently in.

almost a week ago, i embarked on my fight which just started as my first of a series of three. i came out the first time with a needle mark, a sore arm, a bandaid and the pink baller band as trophies of my battle.

the fight against cervical cancer is definitely on.

*cervical cancer, according to statistics, is second to breast cancer as the “killers” in women. as nothing can be done to prevented breast cancer, women can now safeguard themselves against cervical cancer with immunization against the HPV, the virus which causes the dreaded cancer.