LOLA'S HOME!

Pao's grandmother had a bad seizure attack last weekend. She was confined in the hospital for practically a week. The doctors were trying to figure out what happened. It wasn't a stroke, or a mild heart attack. A seizure, they said. It must just really run in their family. Thankfully, Lola Titay got to go home today (right in time for Christmas too, yay)! So the Patajo clan had a thanksgiving lunch over at Tita Lorna's house.

Laz lets out a roar for Lola!
(Notice Laz's adorable new Combi sandals?!
Our favorite pair to date! More about them in his own blog here!).

LITTLE SISTER'S BIRTHDAY

Happy Birthday, Amanda!!!

My little sister celebrated her birthday today! The fam had lunch at Cyma with the Insignes. (Laz was kinda grumpy because bitin his nap, but he perked up when my cousin Rapha arrived - he adores him). My mom got Amanda a beautiful beaded belt from Massimo Dutti (*drool, Ate covets). Team Patajo got her red and floral printed shoes from Ferretti. Then we went shopping in Eastwood Mall afterwards. (My dad, Laz and I all got medyo matching sneakers from Superga. More about those later).

I swear, my sister has more money than me. With no kid and no bills to pay, she has Disposable income with a capital D! (As in tipong - she even offered to buy me a dress! Tempting, but I had to decline, of course. I still have some pride left - even just a kernel!). She is such a sweet, generous little person. (Can't quit calling her "little" because we have an almost 9-year age gap. Yet we are the exact same size. She may actually, I grudgingly admit, be a centimeter taller!!!). Maligayang kaarawan, Amanda Itchyfeet! We love you! But you know that already!

Palma bonding time!

THE BEST OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY EVERRRRRR!!!

I would normally get into details and pepper the entry with pictures. The firm's Christmas party this year was held in City Grill. It was organized by HBH (who also hosted), AMZ, ACE, and BBM. They did a rockeoke thing. Manong sang. There was lechon. We had a blast. There was a Kris Kringle, Pao and I got awesome gifts (something long, functional, round, and worth at least P250 for the final gift). There was a bigger Kris Kringle for the office (got Clinique makeup from SMC! Love eeeet). We got our Christmas bonuses (hooooooo-rrrrrrraaaaaaay!!!).

Legal and non-legal staff, all together.
Theme: come dressed as a pop star. Or rock star. Or any other sikat musician.
As you can see, we all had our own interpretations (or lack thereof!).
My favorite costume for the night - Pokwang! Can you spot her in this picture?!

After the singing, dancing, and exchange gifts! (Ergo: big beaming smiles)

But! All the merriment and revelry of the Christmas celebrations were just COMPLETELY TOTALLY ABSOLUTELY eclipsed by the big news RMS and I got that night.

Remember, RMS and I both won a free trip to Boracay for winning our firm's Christmas card design competition. We're each getting a room at Friday's, and the firm's footing the airfare - also thanks to one of our super generous clients, Joey Fornier. Well, he was at the Christmas party and when they called RMS and I forward, he dropped a fiesta on our laps - HE UPGRADED OUR FREE TRIP TO SHANGRI-LA BORACAY! Holy shet! Tita Lorna explained, it was because WWF and JAZA allegedly called to tell her that was the best "environmentally friendly" Christmas card they got this year. Holy kamote! Bottomline: Pao and I are going to Boracay Shangri-La for FREE. FREE. F-r-e-e. With RMS and Charlie! On Valentine's Day weekend!!! Never in my life did I think I'd be able to stay there in, what, the next 5 years or so? What is that resort, 6 or 7 stars? Thank you, Mr. Fornier and KLGC! It's a MERRY MERRY Christmas indeedy for Rhea and I (and our spouses, hehe).

Bora bound chikkas (RMS in pink)! Whoopeee!!!
(That's Kate in the middle, wearing the tie, the secretary Rhea and I share)

RISTRAS - A Restaurant Review

Oh lord. On our way back to the office, one of our partners, SMC, treated DSL and I to lunch at this really really amazing Mexican grill over at San Juan - Ristras Mexican Grill. Now, I've always loved Mexican food, and the last Mexican restaurant I liked was all the way in Cebu (Mooon!!!) pa. I was overjoyed thus when SMC bought this gigundo lunch for D and I. We ordered tacos (3 shells with a single order!), a giant burritto, and a gigantic lightly toasted chicken chimichanga. Plus nachos, with the best salsa dip. Aaaaah. I've died and gone to Mexican (cuisine) heaven!

Unassuming little restaurant in the corner. It looks fastfood-ish and is basically self-service.


Almsost everything cost Php 290, whether you get a taco, burrito, chimichanga.
You pay extra for additional toppings.
You basically get to create your own taco/burrito/chimichianga.
Loved it. Was like a kid in a candy store!

L-R: D's giant burrito; nachos; SMC's tacos
(I forgot to take a picture of my chimichanga! Was starving and dove right into it when they served it! Eck!)


All sorts of drinks - even ginger beer and old school sarsaparilla!

It's a little pricey for a taco, sure, but, naman, the servings are HUGE and sooooooo yummy.
Lookit - we got to take home a little bit of everything we had for Pao, back in the office!

I am officially hooked on Ristras!
Thanks, ma'm!!!!

Ristras

Little Baguio, J. Abad Santos cor. Lopez Jaena St.,
San Juan

Tel. No. 744-98-17

FIRST TIME IN THE PALACE (ALMOST)

I've never been to Malacanang Palace. SHAME! Isn't this something you do on field trips here during grade school? Well, I haven't - until today! Sort of! I had to go to DBM which is within the Malacanang grounds with one of our partners, SMC, and DSL, another associate. I was gawping and gawking like a tourist. I could NOT resist a photo op:

Ta-dah! (Next time, sa palasyo na sana!)

START WITH MIO EXHIBIT AT GALLERY 7

Gallery 7 has got to be one of my most favorite stores in Eastwood Mall. Aside from the digital photography services they offer, the gallery always has an interesting little exhibit of art, digital artwork and/or photo art. I love it. Pao and I swung by tonight to pick up our Christmas gift for Tita Lorna (2nd time in Eastwood this week! Thank god talaga for malls that stay open until midnight!) and I kind of fell hard for The stART WITH MIO Exhibit. Yep, Mio Mendiola, the brave little kid everyone's raising money for, for his cancer treatments. I read the write up about him there. Only 5 years old. *Teary-eyed! The artworks are collaborations between Mio and artists and graphic artists. The pros adapted illustrations made by Mio into their work. It's wildly colorful, quirky, and all around awesome. I really loved it.

1 of 2 of my favorite pieces - this one by Mio and Electrolychee (I've always liked their work)!

My other favorite piece - "Mio Rocks" by Mio (of course) and 27+20, this really great design boutique.

BUYONERO CHRISTMAS 1/3

Or even less than 1/3 - daming absent na batchmates!!! Drove to Rockwell after work (gad! The Christmas traffic! Killer! Hate it!) to meet the Buyoneros - my batchmates from the Ateneo Human Rights Center, 2005 summer interns. *Bow. Over dinner at Cibo in Plant, we caught up on the life and times of the batchmates present - Quanny, Sher and Chel - and chismisan to death on the batchmates NOT present (you were warned!!!). Of my batchmates, I have to somewhat ruefully admit - only ONE really went to alternative law - our fearless leader Quanny. He's internship head now for the center. We are so proud of him. Everyone else who is a lawyer, or waiting to be a lawyer, has gone into private practice. Hala. Lagot tayo kay Sir Chochoy niyan!

Hay, I missed these guys! We shall make plans to hook up again - on a weekend this time!