Australia Day 2017

Australia Day is the official National Day of Australia. Celebrated annually on 26 January, it marks the anniversary of the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet of British Ships at Port Jackson, New South Wales, and the raising of the Flag of Great Britain at Sydney Cove by Governor Arthur Phillip. 

CWT manila celebrates “Australia day” a day early as we are off work tomorrow. Our bosses from AU prepare a simple breakfast – fairy bread, lamington, toast with vegemite and some Cadbury caramel koala chocolates.

We had our morning tea around 9am. It was actually fun. I enjoyed the fairy bread and the lamington. :)

To our Aussie friends and families, Happy AUSTRALIA Day! 

Reply1988 {Answer Me 1988 }

I have just finished watching a K-Drama series last week - #Reply1988. Oops, what’s with the hashtag anyway? Hahaha. I know, I know, this is the 1^st time that I’ll be blogging about a Korean Series etc. I want to read this post 10 years from now and see if I’ll get the same giddy feeling.

Iara has been convincing me to watch it since last year, but never had a chance coz I was too busy and I was also watching other Kdramas. I’ve been a silent fan of Kdrama (movies/series) since 2004, I cried and fell in love. I never thought that I’ll be moved by #Reply1988. The 1^st few minutes is somehow boring/dull but believe me, it’s one of the best Kdrama ever! Don’t press that stop or pause button! Hahaha ☺ I was soo hooked and addicted that I cant even get a complete or enough sleep.

Photo: Google

The plot is really realistic and sensible – maybe that’s one of the reasons why it captured my heart. The plot and the cast are charming with a bit-of-retro.  You’ll love them all. Honestly, I enjoyed its long episode (20episodes) and each episodes run 1hour50mins! I am not gonna give you much information coz I don’t wanna be a spoiler but I just want to touch few things that I love in #Reply1988.

Each characters has their own spotlight. Yes, it focuses on Sung Deuk Sun, but you’ll get to know and love all of the casts. They have their own charm and wit. I personally liked the relaxed slice-of-life pace coz it made me feel like I was literally living life with the characters.

What I love the best? It’s the neighborhood.

I have been dreaming to live in this neighborhood.  Your friends are literary just a few steps away from your door. Everyone knows each other. Pretty much everyone in the neighborhood fusses and worries and helps, as if the problem was their own. I freaking love that. It’s like an extended family. They eat together, and celebrate each other successes etc.  They even share food – the kids has to bring some home-cooked food between household. It is a heartwarming stuff.

The way their parents care for one another’s families at a indisputably heart level, I can totally imagine how they might’ve raised their young kids together in that neighborhood -  I just love that level of care and trust that they share. It’s all just so easy and personal.

What I love about how these relationships are handled, is that it’s all far from the stereotype-kind-of-relationship.  Instead, it all feels true to life, in how the relationships tend to be teased out in the small, everyday moments. The romance is just right. Love is demonstrated, not in flamboyant statements, but often through wordless, almost ordinary sort of gestures. I love the end-effect, of uplifting warmth that feels real and true.

I love the friendship shown on this show. They have so much fun, sharing everything, from the happy, to the sad, including all the food, fun, idiosyncrasy and feelings in between, that it makes me want to have my own faux-sibling sort of friends too. The characters have shown their hearts on this show. Each characters has been played well and fair. The story focuses on family, love and friendship. About knowing each other’s flaws and leaning to embrace it. About showing and saying what you feel.

Photo: Google

It never ceased to give me heartwarming/moving itch to see them practically live in one another’s homes like it was the most natural thing in the world.  I love the matter-of-fact way they hug, accept and love one another, faults, farts and all, even if the words aren’t clearly said. I love how the boys promptly and very naturally sleep over - like cuddly little pigs in a blanket, happily snuggling up to one another. I found it eternally fascinating.

If you were born in the 80’s, I urge you to watch #Reply1988. It will make you laugh, cry, and miss the old days.

Please leave a comment and share your thoughts when you're done watching!☺♡❤

Ash B. ❤

The Morning After: Nuvali

I had a quick meeting on a rainy Saturday morning with our lawyer and we chanced upon this resto. The name (The Morning After) intrigued me and as expected they serve all day breakfast meals. This may sound boring for some, but upon checking their menu, you'll find out that they serve all day breakfast meals of different countries! There's a lot to choose from.

We've ordered steak and eggs (425Php) and Luzviminda breakfast meal (425Php) + 2 cups of brewed coffee (90php/each)

Luzviminda Almusal (425Php)

Steak and Eggs (425Php)

The steak and eggs meal have a 250g Tbone steak (mine's medium rare), 2scrambled eggs (my preference), lettuce and thin slices of tomatoes. Luzviminda Almusal isa Filipino breakfast platter with 2 longganisa, marinated bangus, smoked beef tapa, home-made pork tocino, served with garlic or steamed rice and two eggs of your choice.

We had a nice chat and was able to discuss some important matter without being disturbed by some loud diners.  I'd say, that this is a good place for meetings.

The staff who manned our table is really attentive.

Over all experience is great. But it’s a little pricey.

Disclaimer: My review is based on a 100% transparent hands-on/tasting experience and personal views. Resto information and facts may be subject to change without prior notice.

Color Manila 2017

Stacey made the reservation online for the entire CWT folks who will be joining the event. Little did I know that she registered us on a 10k run! This is crazy for a 1^st timer like me, but I know it’s gonna be fun! Stacey  claimed our shirts and kits last January 5.

Days before the event, I joined JR and LA on their after shift run in  Salcedo park. I haven’t had the chance to run during the holidays, you should know why. Hahaha J

During the Event

I didn't rush to meet the 0400am assembly because our gun starts at 6:00am. I met JR and LA at McDo Buendia around 4:45am, so we arrived in MOA grounds past 5am.   There were baggage counters and urinals (but eww, it stinks talaga!). They also had booths for merchandise, photobooth, face tattoo booths, hydration booths, booths for claiming medals and color packets. Oh, there’s a booth for  free skin care check up too!

We lined up at the starting line 10mins before 0600. After a few jogs from the starting line, we were greeted with water using the fire hose.  I avoided it but most of the runners passed through.

It's really fun because of  the colors – purple, orange, yellow, green, blue, and pink. (did I miss some colors?) I was jogging/running with my friends until 5k but for some reasons, I lost them. Hahaha! I don’t know. Then I saw myself running and passing through 16k, 18k and I was like, what the… am I lost? Anyways, I still enjoyed it. There are some medic stops where you can ask for some leg spray (pain relief) not sure what the brand is, but it helped me a lot. I ran/jog alone then met my friends again at the finish line J

With ralph at the back :) 

Dungis! 

Photo: ralph's facebook 

Surprisingly, I made it  to the finish line! 

After the Event

Due to numbers of participants, I am unable to change - there’s a long line even in Mcdonald! Good thing I got wet wipes but of course it’s not enough. I decided to go home as soon as we finished.

Overall Experience

I undeniably enjoyed the event. Though it would be better if there’s some guide who’ll assist us during the run. I’ve noticed that there are some 3K AND 5K participants taking our route “hala, ang layo na yata natin. 5k lang tayo eh.” And they laughed. I know that they’re enjoying it as well, it’s just that it will be better if we have someone to guide us (especially the newbies).

If you're after a really good run, this kind of race isn't for you because it's hard to run when there's so much crowd.

A few tips from a newbie J

Here's some tips that I want to share based on my experience and observation. This may help, so read on ☺

1) Bring wet wipes and extra shirt.

Since there's no shower room available, wet wipes are a big help for you to take out those colored powder on your skin especially on your face. Bring a large size one, so you can also share it with friends or other participants; be friendly! Don’t bring white shirt, it will be better if you’d bring black or anything dark.

2) Don’t bring anything unnecessary during the race.  

Believe me, you wont be able to use it as this will be covered with those colored powder too.

3) Prepare your gadgets ahead of time

If you’re a selfie-kind-of-person , make sure your phone  have enough batteries (and memory too)

4) Warm up!

Though you're not a regular runner, it is a must that you do warm up before the run to avoid body pains.

5) Bring some sandwich or fruits or check which  fast food or resto is open as early as the fun run ends.

I understand that you wont run with full stomach so make sure to bring something to munch on right after the race. My friend brought banana. I didn’t eat after the fun run, I just headed back home and sleep. Hahaha J

Glad that I joined Color manila – a good way to start my year. Cheers to another 1^st !

Wohoooo!

Let's go Color Manila!!!
Video: My Instagram

Ash xx

Annyeong 2017

2017. Another year of love, happiness, frustrations, success and everything in between.

I’m not gonna waste my life chasing someone in circles instead, I’ll  bear in mind how much sunshine and genius and expansive outrageous possibility I can  carry around with me everywhere I  go. I’m not gonna ignore my value and worth and potential.

I know that we are all so totally poleaxed by our own yearning, by our own magical and thrilling thinking, by our own physical struggle to hard work. We put our faith in pre-fabricated fantasies rather than reality; we believe in quick fixes and shortcuts rather than craft; we admire celebrity and popularity rather than originality; and we find ourselves reaching for sparkly fantasy worlds while ignoring human beings. The world tells us that we should be disappointed in ourselves every day. Our flaws should not prevent us from growing. So, in 2017, I promised myself that I would bloom like that gorgeous wild flower. I will show the world the beauty and worth. I will not allow anyone to hurt me, and while there are things we cannot completely control, I will do my best to practice grace while dealing with them.

Let’s just be ourselves instead, broken but confident and hopeful. Let’s leaf through and see the patchy, mediocre, mundane details of our lives and declare them exalted, splendid, magnificent and glorious!

Believe and feel it, embrace the changes.

Here’s to my hopeless romantic self this 2017! ☺☺☺☺

Ash