The Graduate

I watched the movie a couple of years ago and perfectly understood why the movie was an iconic film. Every teenager dreams or fantasizes of having an older woman teach them the ways inside the bedroom. However, the complication of the movie is definitely not something that a boy would want to go through.

The play is very much patterned after the movie and remained faithful especially on key scenes that were shown in the movie. The music, the manner, the execution remained dedicated to the film and for someone who is a Film major, this was a pretty good thing.

The cast was perfect for their roles and though there was nudity, it remained classy and sophisticated. Miss  Pinky Marquez was absolutely perfect as Mrs Robinson. She was so good at it that I felt that if I was a teenage boy, I'd definitely be seduced.

Photos taken by Jules Maliuanag. 

Catch the Repertory Philippines presentation of  The Graduate on April  27(Sat) at 8pm and on April 28 (Sun) 3:30pm at Onstage Greenbelt 1. Tickets at Php1,200.00; Php1000.00, Php800.00 and Php500.00. Call 2150788 or 09175378313 or email cteshows@gmail.com for reservations. Show is for adults only.

Sa Wakas the Musical

When I first heard about this musical, I completely had no idea what it was about. They told me it was a musical that uses the songs of Sugarfree. Now, some people would go screaming with happiness because they knew the songs of Sugarfree; I however do not know any except for "Hari ng Sablay."

Preview Night and the opening scene simply blew me away. The spotlight, the darkened room, the breaking hearts covered by fake cheerful words and voices. It was powerful. It tugged at the heart. It tugged at MY heart.

When the two lead characters exchanged boxes of their belongings because they were finally over, I cried. Tears just fell down my cheeks. I could feel the pain and the aching with that simple gesture. Years of history, all in a box.

Sa Wakas is a story that anyone who has fallen in love, been cheated on, got stuck in the middle of two people, and has had their heart broken can relate to. If you look at the plot itself alone, it may look weak and trite but with the songs of Sugarfree and the portrayal of the cast, you will find yourself drawn to the story.

The way the story unfolds was not your typical boy meets girl, they fall in love, blah blah blah. It is actually how the story unfolds that will leave you glued to the stage. The songs will let you reminisce or want to throw  a chair and break it into tiny little pieces because it just hurts so much.

Sa Wakas the Musical is refreshing and very Filipino. I highly recommend watching this. You would definitely leave the theatre with a brand new respect for Filipino plays and a love for the songs of Sugarfree.

"Sa Wakas” runs until April 28 at the Peta Theater Center, number 5 Eymard Drive, Barangay Kristong Hari, New Manila, Quezon City. For ticket inquiries, call 9115555 or visit www.sawakas.com.

Food Truck by Chef Broosy

Food trucks have invaded the food scene last year but it was only yesterday that I was able to try out a food truck. Thanks to the Preview Night of Sa Wakas the Musical, I had the chance to try Food Truck by Chef Broosy. 

I was very pleased that FM was with me and since it was my first time to give this a try. So after getting our stubs from the registration, off we trooped to the food truck and there, we were asked what meal we wanted.

Initially, FM was going to order Sisig but I convinced him to get the pulled pork. However, when I asked the woman manning the truck, she told me sisig was their best seller so I ended up ordering it instead. FM looked at me funny. Haha.

We waited for about 25 minutes for our meal which I found odd. This is what their meal looks like.

pulled pork

sisig

I was blown away. The pulled pork was the softest pork I've ever eaten and it was so tasty. The sisig was cooked perfectly and it was just really tasty. Truth be told, I'd have devoured an entire rice cooker if I could have with these viands. They were OH SO GOOD! GAH! SO SO SO SO GOOD!

The only downside to it was that there was very little rice. Aside form that, it was PERFECT. It was worth every peso and it was definitely worth the wait. YUM YUM!

I definitely want to go back and have another bite of what Chef Broosy has to offer. For someone experiencing the food truck fad, this was definitely a great first time. Kudos to Chef Broosy.

dinner at Manila Hotel ...

It wasn't planned at all. In fact, I was wearing a t-shirt that had a hole on it and leggings. For some reason though, I brought along jeans and a blouse which I normally do not do. It was meant to be I guess. FM called me an hour before he was to pick me up and told me we were having dinner at Manila Hotel and if that was okay.

Was it okay????? *silent scream ensued coz I felt so unprepared* Of course I said. I just vowed to look a little nicer and to change into jeans and my other top.

Upon getting to Manila Hotel, I was honestly impressed. It was grandeur and class rolled into one. It was everything I imagined it to be and more. Yes, it was my first time there and I was the blubbering idiot. FM then asked me where in Manila Hotel I wanted to have dinner. I of course chose Cafe Ilang Ilang.

It wasn't as big as Spirals but I actually liked it. Though there were only a handful of choices and some misses with the flavors of their food, the staff was very attentive and the service was pretty good. FM and I ate a lot and at the end of the 3 hour meal, we felt very full.

Once again, FM managed to tick off one item from my bucket list. Truly, he is such a sweet boyfriend. Thank you FM for this treat. I really enjoyed it.

I must confess ....

that I have never confessed to a priest before and I do not know exactly what is supposed to be done when one enters this.

Yesterday, I found myself at Quiapo Church and ended up entering one of these. Upon entering, I saw a tiny rectangular space and while I was looking around, a voice came from the other side. Apparently, there was a priest and he told me to kneel so we could start.

First thing I said was, "Uhm, so how do we go about this?"

The priest was flabbergasted. He sounded incredulous and I really couldn't blame him. I'm 32 and I still don't know what to do inside a confessional. Truth be told, if I wasn't so miserable, I would have laughed at the absurdity of the situation.

So he lectured me on how being a Catholic is, what one does inside a confessional, and he listened to me cry, rant, curse (yes, I cursed and most likely added to my list of sins) and I talked. At one point, I asked him if he doesn't get tired of listening to people's problems and amazingly, he was honest and said that yes he does get tired but that he lifts everything to God since God is the only one who can really help us.

There was also a point where some of my sins were apparently not normally forgivable and I asked in a shocked voice, "So you wouldn't bless me with forgiveness?" I was really sad at this point because I thought, "Holy Cow! Even a priest thinks I'm that bad!" Thankfully, he said that "Of course I will."

Whew. I don't know how I would have felt if he said no. I most likely would be either really mad or really sad.

Surprisingly, eventhough I had 32 years worth of sin to confess, I was given only 1 Lords Prayer, 1 Hail Mary, and 1 Glory Be to pray. Maybe its because when the priest asked me if I knew how to pray the rosary, I replied with a big fat "No."

Easter 2013

Our family is not really the type to celebrate Easter. I remember when I was a kid that my Mom would at times buy me these pretty Easter Eggs. It was the extent of my Easter experience for I have never participated in an Easter Egg hunt.

My little sister did join an Easter Bunny competition and bagged 1st prize for being the most colorful bunny. B on the other hand has never participated in any sort of Easter activity so it was such a great surprise when I learned that I actually won tickets to Sofitel's Easter Eggscapade via Philippine Star.

I literally shrieked with delight.

When we got to Sofitel, the event had not started yet so we actually had time to take photos and partake of the small activities prepared by the sponsors. B won a couple of prizes and I was very proud of him. Afterwards, he colored an egg but as to what happened to that egg, I have no idea for it never reached me.

When the egg hunt finally started, B made a dash for it and I was really proud for eventhough the goal was to accumulate as many eggs as they can, B never took an egg from someone's hand; unlike some of the other kids. He was also pretty well behaved and wasn't rude to other kids eventhough the same could not be said of the other children.

B was able to take home about 2 bags worth of groceries, lots of chocolates, and a sword balloon . After the activity, FM and kids picked us up and we went to Robinsons Magnolia to watch The Croods.

I wasn't really into watching it so I was in for a surprise when I ended up LOVING the movie. It was hilarious, funny, and relatable. It was also very heartwarming and one that every family should make time to watch. B loved it, FM's kids loved it, and we loved it.

Before heading home, we ate at Broaster Chicken which boasted of being part of Man vs Food. Unfortunately for Broaster Chicken, I found the taste of their chicken not to my taste and the serving size of their mashed potato utterly ridiculous for Php35. It was so small. I felt robbed to be honest.

Still, it was a great way to spend Easter and though we did not go to church, I feel that we honored Jesus simply by enjoying and maximizing the time given to us by God and ensuring that our kids will have fond memories to remember of this day.

TWENTY THINGS A MOM SHOULD TELL HER SON

1. Play a sport. It will teach you how to win honorably, lose gracefully, respect authority, work with others, manage your time and stay out of trouble. And maybe even throw or catch.

2. You will set the tone  for the sexual relationship, so don't take something away from her that you can't give back.

3. Use careful aim when you pee. Somebody's got to clean that up, you know.

4. Save money when you're young  because you're going to need it someday.

5. Allow me to introduce you to the dishwasher, oven, washing machine, iron, vacuum, mop and broom. Now please go use them.

6. Pray and be a spiritual leader.

7. Don't ever be a bully and don't ever start a fight, but if some idiot clocks you, please defend yourself.

8. Your knowledge and education is something that nobody can take away from you.

9. Treat women kindly. Forever is a long time to live alone and it's even longer to live with somebody who hates your guts.

10. Take pride in your appearance.

11. Be strong and tender at the same time.

12. A woman can do everything that you can do. This includes her having a successful career and you changing diapers at 3 A.M. Mutual respect is the key to a good relationship.

13. "Yes ma'am" and "yes sir" still go a long way.

14. The reason that they're called "private parts" is because they're "private". Please do not scratch them in public.

15. Peer pressure is a scary thing. Be a good leader and others will follow.

16. Bringing her flowers for no reason is always a good idea.

17. It is better to be kind than to be right.

18. A sense of humor goes a long way in the healing process.

19. Please choose your spouse wisely. My daughter-in-law will be the gatekeeper for me spending time with you and my grandchildren.

20. Remember to call your mother because I might be missing you.

thoughts on LDR ... or quasi LDR ....

FM has been out of the country 3x since we have been together. In all those trips, he has managed to stay in touch with me on an almost daily basis. Due to this, I have come to realized that LDR's are not as hard to maintain as they used to be. With all the technology available, it really is the physical aspect that will just be missing but nothing more.

FM and I used GTalk, YM, Twitter, Facebook, and even Skype to stay in touch with each other. We share photos via Facebook as well as twitter. I am able to share what is happening in my daily life and he is able to share what he is seeing on his trips as well. I feel like even though we're thousands of miles apart, we are still close to each other.

Now I know that his trips only last  a week or so and I wouldn't know how it is if he's busy working and its months. However, if the week long vacation is a hint of how FM and I coordinate and keep in touch, I think that even if we were miles away, we'd still be able to stay in touch with each other.

on forgiving and forgetting ...

In my family, forgiveness is not something that is easily given. When one does something wrong, a lot of wooing, sniffles, explaining, and sometimes begging has to happen. It is just the way my family is. We are not the forgiving sort.

Since I grew up in an environment where forgiving is not easily done, forgetting is something equally harder. So when someone does something wrong to me, I may forgive but I definitely do not forget. It is a bad trait. I know it. However, this was the only way I know how to handle things.

When I met B's Dad, I thought I had learned to forgive easily but not forget. In reality, I just really covered all the pain because I was too scared to lose him. I felt that I had nothing but him. If I were to lose him, there wouldn't be anything anymore. Pathetic but true.

When I left B's Dad, I had to learn to forgive myself and forget bit by bit. It took a while. It took years. Sometimes, I find myself still in the process of forgiving myself for allowing myself to be treated badly, to be abused, to be hurt physically, mentally, emotionally, and psychologically. I find that I still try to forget little things here and there. It's still an ongoing process, 4 years after I walked away and never looked back.

When I met FM, I was on my way to becoming a better me ... or so I thought. Something happened and though I believe that it was an honest mistake on his part, I couldn't let it go. When I get all upset, frustrated, or mad, I bring up that mistake and hurtle it at his face to hurt him as much as I'm hurting at that moment.

Sometimes, he lets me be and accepts it all. Sometimes, he fights back and makes me realize what I'm doing.

Always, he forgives me for everything. The moment I say sorry, he forgives me. Just.Like.That.

There is no rehashing of events that happened, no "how dare you say that to me!," no ultimatum, no telling me what a horrible person I am, no telling me this is the last time he'll ever forgive me. There is nothing of the things that I am used to hearing when I ask for forgiveness. There is just forgiveness.

He simply forgives me.

I asked him why he can just forgive me just like that and he told me that he doesn't find the need to rehash and repeat everything. He also told me it was because he loves me. He doesn't see why he shouldn't forgive me for what I did that was wrong.

I've never heard of that reasoning before. I only saw it in the movies but I've never experienced it firsthand. I was in awe.

Lately, I'm learning to be more like FM in handling hurtful situations. However, when it comes to family, I still find it hard to do just that. Maybe I'm used to holding out grudges? Maybe I got used to the "kailangan bumawi ka" part of things? I don't know.

However, I am realizing that when I do not forgive, I only make things harder for myself. I need to forgive for myself, not for anyone else. I need to be free from hurt, anger, and pain that they have inflicted on me. I need to do this for myself and for my son who needs a Mom who is complete.

I am thankful to FM for teaching me how to truly forgive. I may not have learned it 100% but I am slowly inching my way towards it.

Happy 38th!

To the man who has been the reason for my smiles, my tears of joy, lessons learned ...
To the man who continuously teaches me to be positive, grateful, and forgiving ...
To the man who has become the love of my life and the reason for my happiness ....

Happy birthday!

Hope you liked the cake and the simple dinner treat. :)

B's Recognition Day 2013

Last year, B received a total of 4 awards. He was Most Active, Best in Math, 3rd place Elocution Contest, and Third Honors in his batch. He was in Prep.

This year, B received a total of 5 awards. He received Best in Filipino, 3rd place Science Quiz Bee, 3rd place Math Quiz Bee, 2nd place Spelling Bee, and Third Honors in his batch. He is now in 1st Grade.

Through all this, I have always been the proud Mom but I am more proud of B this year because from 2nd quarter to 4th quarter, he studied on his own. I did not make test guides for him but merely let him review on his own and believed him when he said he already studied.

Seeing all the medals he received as well as his grades, I know that my son was telling the truth. For this, I am truly thankful that I was able to instill the right values when it comes to his education.

Thank you God. Please continue guiding my son and most especially, please continue to guide me.

its been a year ....

A year ago, FM and I became a couple. It was something that we were both not expecting but it has been a wonderful surprise. We have had a lot of problems but luckily, with love, patience, and a lot of understanding, we are still together, holding on to each other, and loving each other.

Last weekend, we celebrated it in a very simple way. The past year has been full of food, milk tea, love and laughter. During the weekend, we commemorated it with food, milk tea, love, and laughter.

We had lunch at Alfredo's Steak House, passed by Art in the Park, had dinner at Terry's, and then milk tea at Saint Alps.

Rob Cham sketched us at Art in the Park

lunch at Alfredo's Steak House

dinner at Terry's

milk tea at Saint Alps

funny face ... just like on our first date :)

Happy Anniversary my funny man. I love you.

Sing, Dance and Dine for Bayanihan with Mabuhay Restop’s Manila Vanilla!

It is a widely known fact that Filipinos are very hospitable people, so much so that they greet guests not by asking, “Kumusta (How are you)?” but by asking, “Kumain ka na ba (Have you eaten)?”

Such quirks and other peculiar Filipino traits are celebrated in Mabuhay Restop’s Manilla Vanilla--a unique musical comedy directed by Nestor U. Torre, with music composed by Ryan Cayabyab.

The show tells the story of a Filipino family as they prepare to open their home as a bed & breakfast. Served with deliciously self-deprecating humor and lighthearted song and dance numbers, the show will tickle your funny bones and serve as an enjoyable introduction to those new to Filipino culture.

Aside from a night of pop-cultural entertainment, audiences will also get to enjoy a delicious Filipino buffet of home-style dishes and different regional specialties.

Mabuhay Restop’s Manila Vanilla! stars Celine Fabie of the Ryan Cayabyab Singers and Spotlight Artist Centre's "Katy: The Musical," Astarte Abrahan of Resorts World Manila's "The Sound of Music" and Repertory Philippines' "A Portrait of the Artist as a Filipino"; singer and comedian Andy Bais; and entertainer and Gawad Kalinga volunteer Edward Fernandez.

A Catalyst of Nation-Building
As a museum, travel café, and social enterprise in one, Mabuhay Restop is devoted to promoting Philippine culture and heritage in creative ways while making a difference. The social enterprise has committed to give 30% of Mabuhay Restop’s net income to Gawad Kalinga, a Filipino nation-building movement dedicated to eradicating poverty and restoring human dignity through building empowered and sustainable communities.

“At Mabuhay Restop, we want our guests to get to know and experience the Philippines like never before,” says owner and president Rose Cabrera, a UCLA-educated California lawyer and GK advocate. “We don’t just offer great food and entertainment; we also offer voluntourism tours and other avenues to provide visitors with an opportunity to create better lives for communities who need it most.”

Other Attractions
To add to its repertoire of shows, Mabuhay Restop also offers something for the kids and kids-at-heart with Mga Kwento ni Tita Beauty, also written and directed by Nestor U. Torre. A spin-off from Mga Kwento ni Lola Basyang, the show features creative and theatrical storytelling featuring 6 original Filipino and English tales imbibed with valuable moral lessons.

For a different Philippine travel experience, Mabuhay Restop offers the Voluntourism or Kalinga Tours. They provides visitors a totally different Philippine travel experience by taking them not just to beautiful tourist spots in Bicol, Bacolod, Palawan, and Davao, but also to several Gawad Kalinga villages, where they can experience the warmth and hospitality of the Filipinos, practice compassion in action, and understand the soul of bayanihan. 

Additionally, Mabuhay Restop also offers the Bayan Tour, a 3-hour guided and interactive tour in Rizal Park for visitors who wish to learn more about the Philippines and the Filipino. This tour features the one-of-a kinds "I am Filipino" art exhibit with 12 Filipino artists like Ugu Bigyan, Nemi Miranda, Ramon Orlina, Ryan Cayabyab, JC Buendia and Ernie Francisco, and Albert Badz Magsumbol.

Ultimately, Mabuhay Restop aims to make a difference in the lives of Filipinos through social tourism and entrepreneurship. “We want to be able to set an example to other entrepreneurs by showing it is profitable to invest in the poor and partner with them through social enterprises.”

munimuni # 77

It's been 4 months since the last munimuni that I had. A lot of things has happened and life has been pretty much exciting. Are they good changes? I hope so.

First, I no longer work for COACH. I now work for the family business and it has been quite an experience. I  now travel a minimum of 4.5 hours daily to get to work and to get home. I live in the South but I work in the North. I don't mind as long as it doesn't rain. When it does, let's just say I'm not the best person I can be.

Working for your Mom and Dad can be quite a challenge as well. They disagree and they don't get along at times. It's hard. You can't really be an employee and not care. You are a child so you care. Sometimes though, I wish that I could just treat them as my employers, nothing more nothing less.

Also, you don't need to file for leaves or the like which is good. However, since its a family business, you end up living and breathing it which I really don't like. It's toxic.

I am learning a lot though. I am also becoming frustrated and sad. I hope that I get over this soon. I really do. It's not a good feeling to have. I'm just lucky that FM is there for me and he makes sure that I am able to let off steam.

I also miss blogging. Operations consume most of my time and its been hell. I can't use my phone as much nor go online as much as I would like to. It sucks. Seriously.

Still, I am the eldest and I must do what I must. I just need to suck it up. Yep, I need to. I have to ... for at the end of the day, it will be for my future and most importantly, my son's future.

King Chef

Last week, Kirk, FM and I went to Divisoria to get some stuff that my Dad asked me to buy as well as clothes for B. Since we were only going to Divisoria, we dressed down and ended up all sweaty due to the heat. Lunch time came and we found ourselves trooping to Lucky Chinatown Mall. Boy were we in for a surprise.

You see, Lucky Chinatown Mall was literally less than 20 steps away from where we used to live. It was so near our old place that we felt bitter that it wasn't built when we were still there. It was fancy and so out of place. I felt like we were at a smaller version of Greenbelt.

After appreciating and bashing the place coz of our bitterness, we started looking for a place to eat and ended up at King Chef. We hesitated to be honest since we were carrying pails, lots of plastic, umbrellas, and the like. We looked out of place. However, I said that we shouldn't feel bad or inferior because we can afford to pay for our food and at the end of the day, that's what mattered.

We ordered Fookien Rice, Hot Shrimp Salad, and Seasonal Vegetables with Beef. All of them were good. No, scratch that, all of them were really good. In fact, I would like to go back there and try the other food that they have.

I am grateful for moments like this where FM and I get to spend time with my sibling. I know that it helps them get to know each other better and at the same time, ensure that our bond stays strong.