Taoist Temple

It was Day 3 of my Cebu vacation with FM and he took us to Taoist Temple for he knew that I have never been to Taoist Temple eventhough I am a Cebuana by birth and have at one point, lived in Cebu.

I loved the beauty of the place. It was majestic yet serene. I loved the design and the intricacies of the wall etchings. It was just so beautiful.

See? It's such a lovely place and I'm really glad that FM made time for us to visit it. Lots of lovely memories to add to my already filled memory bank. 

Carl's 7th Birthday

Remember how I said B had another party to go to because he has a very active social life? Well, here it is. He was invited to the 7th birthday party of a 2nd grader in his school. Mind you, he's in 1st grade but he's already being invited to 2nd grade parties. He's that sociable.

It was a good thing that I was also friends with Carl's Mom. If truth be told. if it wasn't for our friendship, I would not have let B go to the party since I also had a party to go to a few hours after their party.

B was asked to lead the prayer because he was a good reader. He was able to read the prayer they prepared and mind you, it was in cursive writing. He only missed out on 7 words and I felt so proud of him. He also won in the Bring Me contest when the clowns asked the kids to bring a pretty and talented Mommy. Yihee. Hahahaha. 

B with Carl

B and I had fun with the photo booth. I also had photos taken with my other Mommy friend. I'm really happy that I have met other moms in B's school. It makes things easier for me and I value the friendships I formed with them.

Overall, it was a fun birthday and I'm happy that I made time for it because B had so much fun.

NAV ...

It wasn't planned at all. We were supposed to have dinner with his friends at their house but events took a different turn and we ended up on our own and found ourselves having a impromptu dinner date at NAV in Kapitolyo.

I first heard about this place from my former food group. They had an eat out here and the feedback I read were mostly good. FM and I proceeded to order. He wanted the Wok Fried Squid and we made sure it wasn't spicy while I ordered the Pad Thai which is what I always try in Thai restaurants. It's what I use to judge if the Thai restaurant is any good.

The Pad Thai was the worst tasting Pad Thai I have ever tasted in my entire life. It was sticky, had too much tamarind sauce, and it was just downright weird. I even thought it was already not good for consumption. However, the staff assured me it was really cooked that way.

Blech!

It was a good thing that the Wok Fried Squid was really, really good. It served as the saving grace of the entire meal. The way it was cooked was just right. The squid was tasty but not overcooked. It was sweet and we finished the entire plate.

Overall, the dinner was still good because we were together but FM and I both agreed that the Pad Thai was awful. It was a good thing FM was there or else I would have called the cook and asked what happened to the pad thai.

pumpkin princess ...

Last night, I felt what it was like to be Cinderella. FM and his Mom invited me to be part of the 65th Anniversary of the ANWG group. It was a charity dinner where proceeds go to the funding of a scholarship program they started.

I wore a simple long evening dress because the invitation said that it was a formal event. FM wore a coat and tie and he was dashing if I may say so. He can definitely carry a coat and tie and look comfortable in one.

The ladies were all donned in their finest clothing and the men looked dapper. The Rizal Ballroom of Makati Shangri-la was beautifully set up and the stage was amazing. Everyone was in high spirits and positive vibes were just going around.

the models

FM and I had fun socializing, taking photos, and just being together. It was our first social event as a couple and I believe that we did pretty well. We even did a bit of ballroom dancing. Teehee! It was one of the most romantic and sweetest thing he did. I couldn't stop smiling like a fool.

Last night, I felt what it was like to be Cinderella. However, when I woke up, I realized that I was way luckier than Cinderella for I do not need to wait for Prince Charming to find me. He already did and he's been making me feel like a Princess since we've been together.

It seems the pumpkin is now definitely a princess. FM made sure of it.

the frog prince and the pumpkin princess LOL :)

XO46: New Visayan Room

It has been over 6 months since I last visited XO46. I used to go there quite often with Janina but have not had the opportunity to do so this year. Yesterday, I reached a milestone at work and to celebrate, I treated FM to dinner at XO46.

Imagine my surprise when I got there and saw that they have expanded and they now have a New Visayan Room. Gone is Haiku which used to the a Japanese restaurant beside them. Now, it is the Visayang Room where everything on the menu is different from XO46: Filipino Heritage.

I found the ambiance of the place soothing. It was very classy and comfy. I really, really liked it. I also loved the uniform of the servers and the free appetizers.

We ordered the lechon sisig because I could not stop yakking about it and I really wanted FM to try it. We also ordered the binagoongan rice and boy were they not kidding about the portions. FM also got the sago't gulaman and though overall he liked the taste, he was not too happy about the sago.

Bagoong Rice Php190 good for 3-4 persons

Lechon Sisig good for 2-3 persons Php330

Sago't Gulaman Php95

The bagoong rice was authentic bagoong combined with the rice. Other bagoong rice I've tried probably placed a spoonful only but this one from XO46, you could taste it everywhere. They really poured it in, but in a good way.

The lechon sisig was still as good as I remembered. It was crunchy, tasty, and deadly. Haha.

Overall, it was a great spontaneous date night for FM and I. We had fun, we celebrated my milestone, and we spent time together.

butterfly kisses

A coworker of mine made me listen to the song Butterfly Kisses by Bob Carlisle and I ended up almost in tears. I read the lyrics and it was something that I could not relate to for my father was someone that they would call an absentee Dad.

He wasn't there for my performances, contests, awardings, or prom. He was rarely there for birthdays and holidays. He wasn't an OFW but he was very dedicated to his work and would live in the factory to run the business.

As a child, I hated him for it. As an adult, I tried hard to understand him but still failed. As a Mother who had to struggle to get my child to school, I finally understood him.

My Dad may not have been the typical father who'd shower me with hugs and kisses. My Dad may not have been there to nurse my broken heart. My Dad may not have been there a lot of the time but he made sure that I received the best education money could buy and he made sure that I never had to deal with any school financial problems. He wasn't there to hold us in his hands but he ensured that we can maximize out full potential in school by sending us to the best high school and best college money can buy.

With this, I realized that though he may not have been the father I wished him to be, he was the best father that he knew how to be and for that, I have finally learned to love and accept him, flaws and all.

He may not have given me butterfly kisses but he ensured that what he gave me would last longer than butterfly kisses. Thanks Daddy. I love you.

You still owe me a dance on my wedding though. =p