APRIL 2013

PLACES WE VISITED:
- Tagaytay, Cavite
- Coral Beach, Matabungkay, Lian, Batangas
- Sta. Rosa, Laguna

EVENTS WE ATTENDED:
- Tinggay and Pots' Rocco's baptism reception @ Shangri-La Place
- Carnival de Rainhas 2 @ NBC Tent
- Welcome and Thanksgiving dinner with the firm @ Wine Bar in El Pueblo
- GSE 2013 summer outing @ Camp Explore in Antipolo
- CSD's thansgiving dinner @ Gloria Maris in Podium
- RMM and Charlie's Charles' baptism reception @ Buffet 101 in MOA
- Pao attended Mark Camara's surprise birthday party @ Bugsy's in Burgos Circle

LAZ'S SUMMER ACTIVITIES:
- Adriana's 5th birthday party
- Laz started football lessons with Futbol Funatics' Beckham Buddies @ Philam QC

P'S IN A POD:
- Laz goes to the movies: The Croods in SM Marikina
Other Domestic Stuff:
- Replenished Laz's pambahay tees and tanks (1 dozen each)

FRIENDS AND FAMILY WE TOUCHED BASE WITH:
- Patricia!
- Love and Renzo, Ri, Bunny, and the sisses
- Jan, Ting - and a glimpse of Baby Yago!
- the Associates
- RMM, Charlie, OPC, DSL, HBH, RDC, and AMG
- Pao's batchies

RESTAURANTS WE TRIED FOR THE 1ST TIME:
- Tamagoya in Lilac Street
- Wine Bar in El Pueblo

High Points of the Month: Laz taking up - and clearly enjoying! - football.  

Low Points of the Month: Pao took up football as well - and dislocated and fractured his knee!  

MARCH 2013

PLACES WE VISITED:
- Chinatown, Binondo, Manila
- Panglao Island, Bohol
- Tagbiliran City, Bohol
- Singapore, Singapore

EVENTS WE ATTENDED:
- Tiya Ellen's despedida lunch @ Lorenzo's Way and The Cake Club
- Tommy and family's lunch get-together @ Dampa sa Libis
- Lolo Lino's death anniversary, and Pam's birthday celebration @ Tito Minggoy and Tita Budz's house

LAZ'S PRE-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES THIS MONTH:
- 4th quarter exams @ his school
- Laz's Moving Up Day @ Cafe Lidia
- Swimming with Cycle 1 and Play School after their last exam @ Flamingo Resort

P'S IN A POD:
Other Domestic Stuff:
- Laz haircut: 23 March 2013

FRIENDS AND FAMILY WE TOUCHED BASE WITH:
- Detsky!
- Ninong Rofel and Tito Rudy
- Gemini!
- Tiya Ellen and the Palma clan
- Pao's Angeles cousins
- OPC and Ferdie
- the Patajo-Kapunan-Legasto cousins

RESTAURANTS WE TRIED FOR THE 1ST TIME:
- Wee Nam Kee in Trinoma
- Vanilla Cupcake Bakery in Trinoma
- President Tea House in Binondo
- Lorenzo's Way in High Street
- Dampa sa Libis
- Lombardi's in Robinson's Magnolia
- Lamian in Bellevue Panglao
- Bohol Bee Farm in Panglao
- Daddy Bertz in Lilac Street
- Majestic Bay Seafood Restaurant in Gardens by the Bay, SG
- Din Tai Fung in 313 Somerset, SG

High Points of the Month: The 2013 Much Needed Vacation Leave.  Laz went home with 3 awards on Moving Up Day! (The most number of awards for a kid in his class!).  His first trip out of the country - to Singapore - will forever be memorable. Plus: Laz can write his name!!!

Low Points of the Month: Laz struggled with Phonetics.  And his gag reflex acted up on our last full day in SG - we had to skip the zoo, poor baby.

Hello, Holy Week

29 March 2013

Just popped in to say hi - we flew in from Singapore yesterday and I'm a bit under the weather. It's been an eventful 2 weeks for the family. After an awesome beach getaway to Panglao, we came home for the weekend - one, to attend Laz's Moving Up Day (he was the only kid to come home with 3 awards! The most number of awards a single kid brought home that day; we are soooo proud of him) and two, to get together with the Patajo clan to celebrate Lolo Lino's death anniversary and cousin Pam's birthday.

Then Monday, we flew off to Singapore. It was a brief stay - I can't believe how much SG has changed since our last visit in 2007. The Gardens by the Bay,and particularly the Cloud Dome, was especially great! Will do a more detailed post soon as I get my bearings - this was Laz's 1st out of the country trip, after all, so I MUST document everything for posterity!!!

Bellevue is Bliss

19 March 2013

Greetings from Panglao! My family and I are on vacation at the moment. My folks and I have been to Bohol before, but it is Pao and Laz's first time. We are really enjoying the resort; it's new, but please don't be deterred by some less than positive reviews online. Place is gorgeous, the staff tries so hard, and are extremely courteous, the food is great, and the rooms are tops. They're new - give them a chance - I know I'm so glad we did. We are loving this much-needed break so far - and tomorrow we are off to show Laz the tarsiers and chocolate hills!

I hope you all have a great week!

Day 1

16 March 2013

Today we had a great lunch at this cafe we tried near Laz's pre-school. (Thanks to the co-parent who recommended Daddy Bertz to us!).

We went to the mall to buy stuff for our trips.

We filled a basin for Laz's toy boats.

And now we're watching a new video (Ice Age - Dawn of the Dinosaurs) while nibbling on cheese slices and the Eurobake inipit Pao brought home from Bulacan.

Tonight, Laz is having a sleepover at his grandma's house for some quality time before our trip.

Papu and I might head over to Art in the Park after dropping him off.  (*Addendum: Pao and I got too lazy to drive to Makati; and our boy called us up to pick him up from his Luli's house - sleepover fail, heehee).

I am loving this Saturday.

Today is Day 1 of my vacation leave.

Drama King

10 March 2013

Natapilok si Laz this morning while running around at home.  Nothing serious.  But he insisted it was, hahaha.   He started limping around and insisting he was "pilay." We of course did a thorough examination to check that he wasn't.   When he started skipping one minute, then limping again when he remembered he was "pilay," we of course immediately caught on, and just indulged the little Drama King.  I don't know where he got it from - he has never seen anyone at home with broken bones, a sprain, a cast, or what not.  So I don't know where he gets these theatrics.   (Oh I know = TV!).  But it was funny, and boy, when it suited him, the boy really committed to his alleged "pilay."

1. He had his Dada wrap a cloth diaper around his "pilay" and limped all around Dampa with his cousins.

2-3. But 30 minutes after, he forgot all about being "pilay", as you can see.   The silly!

Tidbits of our Sunday

10 March 2013

As with yesterday, we headed out in the morning and stayed out until lunch, but spent the rest of the afternoon and evening at home.   We've been busy helping Laz review for his last quarter exams.  (Yes, they have "finals" in his pre-school).  More about Laz and his struggle with phonics in another post.

We went out to meet Pao's Angeles side for lunch in Dampa sa Libis today because his cousin Tommy is here - with his wife and baby girl.  Tommy's wife is Japanese, and their baby is the cutest.  We were extremely late though, because Laz was "pilay" (more about that here too).  Didn't stop him from cavorting in a kiddie play area when we swung by SM for White Hat though.  Then it was back home again, to focus on a-e-i-o-u and ta, da, ba, ka, pi, di, aaaaah!

DIY Chinatown Tour

09 March 2013

A Saturday morning in Binondo

My mother apparently brings her 3rd-year Philosophy classes to Chinatown for "D.I.Y." walking and eating tours. They check out the sights in Binondo, and sample the rich cuisine there. Very informal, just to get the students out of the classrooms, according to Tons. When we found out about this year's tour, we decided to tag along - that'd be me, Pao, Laz, my sister Amanda, our balikbayan grand aunt Tiya Ellen, and my good friend Gem (who conveniently lives nearby). We also had two visiting professors joining our group. A motley crew, but all up for a little Saturday adventure.

EAT: Eng Bee Tin. Tasty Dumplings. Salazar. President Tea House.

SEE: Binondo Church. Ongpin Street. Volunteer firefighting brigade! We also saw a guy making dumplings. And the explosion of food carts, selling fruits and veggies, is always fun. Plus all the stores selling anything and everything.

I've always liked Chinatown. We didn't have time to look for the place that sells kung fu shoes and Gem and Pao didn't get to try streetfood siomai and fried siopao - but that gives us reasons to go back!

We also drove around Intramuros so Tiya Ellen could see it again - it's been around ten years for her. The Manila Cathedral was shut for renovations. I noted galleries, souvenir stores, gift shops - and Barbara's! Kalesa rides in Intramuros itself and in Fort Santiago. Memo to me (and you, dear reader. Hee). Definitely, another place I want to go back to.

And that was our Saturday sans malling. (Rare. Bow. Haha).

WEEKEND REPORT: 02-03 March

02 March 2013, Saturday

We usually go to Trinoma with my in laws on Sundays (since they live in Quezon City), but this Saturday we were there on our own, bright and early, because Pao met up with this seller from sulit who sold him this crazy Insanity work out video we heard about through our friend Toni.     

What we ate: Chicago Popcorn Shop, Wee Nam Kee, Gong Cha (I've acquired a winter melon craving; so late for the party, but so hooked nevertheless), and Vanilla Cupcake Bakery.

What we bought/saw: Dinosoles (shoes and bags!  The Samsung tab-camera thingy.  Colorful shorts and tanks for Laz in Mothercare and Cotton On Kids.  We ran into Mikimaws and met her husband and her adorable little boy, Lucas!  Stride-Rite sandals for Laz, buttondown from Gingersnaps, and a muscle tee from The Big and Small Co. (all for our trips, save for the buttondown). Chooze slip-ons. And oooh, such wonderful new Melissas over at Gelea.

03 March 2013, Sunday

Dinner in Lorenzo's Way with my folks, 2 visiting professors, Tito Rudy and our dear Ninong Rofel.  Finally got to pop into the newly opened American Eagle Outfitters over at High Street.  Plus, Tons got me my first Pacsafe - been hemming and hawing for the last 3 years.  (Thank you, parents!).  Could never decide on what style, then color, to get.  Pao vetoed the black nylon ones for looking too utilitarian (for girls, that is.  He has one himself, haha). Thank goodness, Pacsafe came out with these newer prints.

Achy Breaky: Melissa x Pedro Lourenco

02 March 2013

Spotted in Gelea Trinoma: Melissa x Pedro Lourenco

I'm still on the fence with this one.  While I find the design beautiful, it's the size I worry about.   My annoyingly tiny feet slide down even in their size 5.  Feel a bit insecure about the shoe flying off, especially since there are no buckles... Still.  I'm waiting for it to haunt me.  It's getting there!