Blissful Baguio Break!

Pics from my Baguio trip. Hosted the Smart Buddy Hotspot Celebration.
With floor director Jason in the pic.

Drove around the city in the mornings, checking out the parks and silver shops.





Food trip to the max! Looove the food!

Cheers to friendship!

My bestfriend, her hubby and I met up last night. I treated them to dinner (which was more like food trip) at Gerry's Grill near ABS-CBN. We feasted on grilled pusit, sizzling beef spareribs, gambas, chicharon bulaklak, tokwa't tokwa and sinigang na baboy. Food trip. :) And as always, we had so much fun!

My besty gave me their birthday gifts for me. And I was so touched kasi ang dami! :) I got a copy of Confessions of a Shopaholic, a Bossa Nova CD, an aromatherapy candle, and a Body Shop Moonflower set (the scent I absolutely love!). All the gifts were meant for relaxing. And I loved each and every item. Thanks Edward! Thanks bespren! Love you to bits!

Baguio and birthday blessings!

Went to Baguio during the holy week for a 3-day hosting raket for Smart Buddy. My beau went with me. We brought his car…I drove from QC to Tarlac, then he covered Tarlac to Baguio. The event was EXHAUSTING! I think that was probably the most tiring hosting job I’ve ever had. I had to do voice-over and hostings from 1pm to 11pm, for three days straight! Whew! Talk about draining every drop of energy in your body. Good thing Hon was with me. We went sight-seeing in the mornings, posing for pics at Mines View and the Botanical Garden, checking out the silver shops and trying out restos that are only found in the city of Pines. I’ll post some pics from his camera soon. Best meal we had was in Camp John Hay…Rancho something. We had ensalada, grilled liempo, adobong pusit and this fish dish that Hon tried...sarap! There was also this place called Matutina’s Seafoods. Great chow in that place, too. And grabe so very cheap. :)

The staff house we were supposed to share with the entire production team wasn’t quite what I expected it to look like. I was thinking of a summer vacation place. Nice cozy house, nice cozy beds, with enough room for everyone. But it wasn’t, and the bed they gave for me and Vin wasn’t even big enough for my beau. So we decided to get our own hotel room. Jon (Vin’s pal) and his family were staying at the Baguio Village Inn, and told us there were still rooms available. We just transferred there. We had to pay 1,100 for each day we spent there. But that was fine with us. At least they had a bed that’s big enough for the both of us. :)

Although I wouldn’t exactly call it a vaca, because I was working most of the time, I still enjoyed the trip. I met new people, made new friends, had new experiences, and spent four days and four nights with my man. The best!

Funny conversation with my beau while we were driving to Tarlac on our way home…

Anne: Mga taga-probinsya sex ng sex. Lalo na pag ganitong mainit.
Vin: (laughing) Pano mo naman nalaman?
Anne: Eh tignan mo naman. Puro bahay lang nandito. Wala na silang ibang pwedeng gawin.
Vin: Ang galling naman ng theory mo, honey.
Anne: Syempre. Sa manila, pag mainit, sabihin mo lang – ANG INIT NOH? PUNTA TAYONG MALL. Eh sa probinsya, alanganaman sabihin mo – ANG INIT NOH? HALIKA MAGTANIM TAYO. Kaya magse-sex na lang sila.

Then we laugh. :) And laugh some more as we sing Basil Valdez songs while on the road.

March 28, I turned 26. And my siblings say I am OLD. In some ways, I do feel old. Especially when I see kids I used to know looking all so grown up now. But I’m enjoying my life. I may not have big plans for my future, but I’m enjoying what I have now. I’ll let the breeze take me wherever, knowing and believing it can only take me forward.

I got a lot of texts and greetings from the nicest people and the truest friends. Feels great to have your cellphone ringing and beeping every 5 minutes. :) I treated myself to hair spa, manicure, pedicure and foot scrub. Then Hon took me shopping at People R People in Shangrila (Yehey! Shopping!) We ended the day with a Japanese dinner and coffee-and-cake-dessert with my family. I got really nice gifts from my folks. Dad gave me a nice, big shoe rack (something I’ve always wanted to buy), Mom gave me a really nice Adidas sports bag (which I can use when I go to Bora next week), my sisters Adie and Andrea both gave me really sexy tops, and my bro gave me new pajamas. :) My birthday was simply wonderful, spent with the people I love. And I have yet to meet up with my besty this week, and have a videoke night with Mareng Ida and the Wave boys.


Thank God for another birthday, and for making me see just how lovely life is.

Updates...

I have succeeded in doing one of the bravest things – watching a movie by myself. To some it may be a normal thing. But for someone who doesn’t like being alone, and who thinks eating alone in a restaurant makes you look pathetic – catching a flick by my lonesome self was quite an achievement. I think that was a Monday…I went to Shangri-La to watch Hostage, which stars Bruce Willis. I sat comfortably with my legs curled up under me, and a big bucket of popcorn all to myself.

Hostage was good. Although at the end, it left me with unanswered questions. Over-all, I’d still say it’s a must-see for this month. Bruce Willis won my heart once again. If you liked Tears of the Sun, then you’ll like him here, too. He effectively becomes the character in Hostage, and your heart just goes out to him, especially in all the scenes where he gets teary-eyed with compassion, and love for his family.

Mareng Ida was right. Going on a movie date with yourself does feel liberating. It actually feels great! Still, I must admit, nothing beats enjoying a flick with your man’s arms around you in the cold theater.

After the flick, I went to Makati to audition for this new telenovela project under Dream Satellite. It’s a Spanish show that we’ll be dubbing in English. Then I met up with my besty for late lunch and our usual feel-good talks and updates at Café Breton.

My dad is back from his US break! Mom and I fetched him at the airport last Wednesday. I borrowed my beau’s car, and boy am I proud to say that I drove to the airport with just my mom (who doesn’t know how to drive) and no one else to guide me.

I made it! What an achievement! My dad gained four pounds, which isn’t surprising because all he did there was eat and sleep. And he bought us really nice pasalubong! :) In the pic, you’ll see him browsing through his laptop and showing us the photos he took in El Paso.

Friday and Saturday…we were at Robinson’s Place Pioneer, doing remote broadcasts on their 3-day summer sale and the Wave stick-on events. Mareng Ida (Jada) and I were assigned to do Pioneer. The place isn’t as big as Galleria, and the stores are all bargain boutiques with very, very few branded shops. But they gave us lots of food, and the marketing people were nice to us. We still had a great time. I’m glad I was assigned there with Jada. If I got stuck with someone else, I probably wouldn’t enjoy the 2-day gig.

Saturday…I bought a new bikini for my Boracay trip. Yup, I'll be hosting the Wave Summer event in Boracay on April 9. I went to SPF and got myself a striking blue two-piece. I don't care if my tummy isn't bikini material. I will wear this bikini!

Honey and I went on a movie date. We went to Shangri-La and tried their very expensive VIP theater. 295 pesos per head, for a Dolby cinema, and unlimited popcorn and drinks. But I liked it, and I’d say it was worth the bucks. The reclining seats were much more comfortable than the ones in Eastwood. And I LOVE the movie we watched – Oscar best pic Million Dollar Baby.

The Clint Eastwood film is really a million dollar masterpiece. No wonder it grabbed the Best Picture and Best Director Oscars. A story that’s silent but intense. No heavy drama, and yet you feel the raw emotion. Your heart goes out to the lead characters – Eastwood, Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman. Even the poor guy they called “Danger.” The movie has received a lot of wonderful reviews, but you’ll appreciate it even more after you’ve seen it. It’s an incredible movie, deserving of all its awards, and one of the very best that Hollywood has created.

Sunday…my besty and I went to ABS-CBN to catch the stars of ASAP. No, not for autographs, but I was going to take videos for the Wave Anniversary AVP. Unfortunately, the show was taped and the stars were already on vaca. So we had coffee instead, and headed to Let’s Face It to get a facial. And as always, I enjoyed the day. :)

Now it’s back to work for me. We’ll be shooting for the AVP later. Rye and I will be doing our scenes today. I’m excited about the anniversary concert. It’s going to be even bigger and better than last year’s event. I worked on the AVP script all by myself this year. Garry said he’ll ask for a budget for that. I was thinking of asking for Wade GCs. My shoe-fetish is at it again.

WAVE-OLUTION
The Wave Anniversary Party 4
April 1, 2005, 7pm
Eastwood Citywalk Central Plaza

The weekend that was...

SATURDAY...
I hosted Wave 89.1's STREET DANCE CHALLENGE at the Basement in Libis. Rye was co-host, and Mareng Ida (Jada) and Mabel were there, too. It was quite a success. Two groups didn't make it for some reason, so we had seven groups left to compete for the 40K worth of Nike gear. Two groups from UP Diliman won 1st and 2nd place, and Miriam landed on 3rd. My sister Adie's group didn't make it to the Final 4. They were one point away actually. Too bad. They danced so much better than the girls from Mapua. My sister and her friend Marla have been in a lot of competitions already. They've won prestige, new friends and a 2004 runner-up award. But because the whole contest was based on audience impact (the decibel meter was the only judge), Adie's group didn't make it to the Final 4 because only a few friends went to cheer for them. (BETTI - BAKIT WALA KA DOON? HMP!) But I'm proud of their group. They worked hard, practing for a month! And I'm proud of the other groups - from UST and UPLB - they were really good, too. I'll post some pics soon.

SUNDAY...
Didn't do much. I cooked pork and chicken adobo for lunch (one of my specialties) while doing my home exercise routine. After sweating it out for half an hour with my dumbells and yoga mat, my adobo was done and my family ate it all up. I settled for chicken breast, a small piece of pork, no rice, and mango yogurt for dessert. Yum!


Then my sisters and I went on a salon date. We all had hot oil treatments at David's. It was fun and relaxing!


Dad is coming home soon! Yehey! He's arriving on Wednesday. I borrowed my beau's car so I can pick him up at the airport. Can't wait to see my Dad again! :)

Cheers to friendship!

Sometimes life throws sad situations your way. It's inevitable. You can't be happy all the time, and things can't be smooth all the time. When I'm down and out, it helps to have some friends on your side.

MY BESTY
I miss my besty a lot! This is one girl who knows me inside out, and can understand almost everything about me. Twelve years of being bestfriends - and the bond remains unbreakable. My besty is my constant ally. And when all else fails, I know our bestfriendship will always be there.

MARENG IDA
My closest friend at work. My coffee/lunch/movie companion. I can tell her anything, and she understands everything. Sometimes (or should I say most of the time) things (and people) at work can really get on my nerves. I find relief in Ida, and our dates at Cafe Agogo.

THE WAVE BOYS
Garry, Jun, Randy, Gerric, Habs and (not in pic) James and Ajie. My eating and laughing companions. Allies against the evil ones. :)

TITA MAGS
Marketing Manager of Mossimo. Movie/lunch companion. One of my favorite people in the world.

Thank God for friendships that add color to life!

Bikini Wax Experience

I went to Let's Face It Galleria a while ago to get a bikini wax. That sounds so brave, doesn't it? It was my first time. And I had no idea what to expect. I just wanted to get "clean."

At first, you'll be worried about hiya and all. Because you'll be exposing yourself to the scrutiny of strangers. But when they start with the task, hiya won't be on your mind anymore. It's so goddamn PAINFUL! Two girls were doing the wax job, and they had to use hot wax on some parts, cold wax on other parts. In some parts it was tolerable, in other parts it was just...oh God the things you do for vanity! Very, very painful! :(

But after the entire hellish task, I looked at my new, clean look, and decided that it was worth it. :) My very first bikini wax experience. All I can say is...GRABE!

I don't want to look CUTE!

Conversations with a colleague this morning...

Uuy...tumaba ka...
Oo nga eh...nagdi-diet na nga ako eh.
Hindi noh. Cute nga eh. Bagay sa iyo.
Ngek. Di rin! Gusto ko yung super thin talaga.
Okay lang yan noh. Bagay talaga. Cute.

Hmm...I don't think I wanna be labeled as "cute." Cute is for kids. I want to be skinny. Skinny is for adults. Skinny is sexy.

I've been really very disciplined during the past week. Haven't eaten anything fatty, save for the chips I ate yesterday because I was feeling depressed. Oh Lord, this is like constant punishment. I hope I can do something about this extra flesh that I will never, ever find "cute."

A blessing from nowhere...

We found a cute kitten in our backyard this morning. I heard it crying last night, and it came from our Korean neighbor. The poor animal probably wants to escape from their cruelty. Imagine, they punched a little hole on the kitten's ear with a needle and thread! How cruel can you get? So now the kitten is with us. I named it Little Happy. Why Happy? Because I bet it's happier now with us. And Little Happy made me happy today. The weekend's been boring and it's a lonely, unhappy Sunday for me. Finding the kitten was like finding a little ray of sunshine, something to smile about. I'm bitten by the "blues" bug again. I'm looking for a bit of excitement in my life. Sparks. Fireworks. I think I need my girlfriends to save me. Or probably a new hobby. I'm gonna start scouting for dance classes before I drown in this feeling of boredom and depression. Sending a whisper of thanks to God for giving me Little Happy today.

Fairy Genius!

Watched Queer Eye for the Straight Guy the other day. It was the first time I've seen it. And the show is incredible, and galing! The Fab 5 are amazing! They're just sooo good in what they do! And the whole makeover project is like a miracle, it's fun watching how they transform one guy from blah to wow! Also, they're so funny!

Hon says there's a Queer Eye for the Straight Guy book. I think I want to get myself a copy of that. :) Hope it's not so expensive.

I think there's gonna be a Queer Eye for the Straight Girl soon. I'm gonna watch out for that on ETC. I'm sure I'll be learning a lot from that show. And I think I need all the tips I can get from the Fab 5. :)

My 2nd TV commercial!

While watching Extra Challenge last night, I saw the 15-sec. commercial I voiced for Smart. It's about Luke Mejares downloads, and I had to do a sexy tone for that. I felt my heart race, and I felt so happy. My first TV ad was for Cafe Puro, but I wasn't able to catch that. So when I saw the Smart ad last night, boy was I happy! :) My mom and my younger sis Andrea were watching with me, and when the ad aired, I proudly said - "Ako yan!" :) I quickly texted Grace (talent caster for Ad Farm) and told her that I just saw the Smart Ad, and thanked her, too, because she was the one who submitted my voice for that. If you chance upon that Smart/Luke Mejares 15-seconder, the female voice is mine. :)

Goodbye McDo!

Tumataba ka.

Nobody's ever said that to me in a long, long time. Now that I'm hearing it again, it feels frightening. I feel like I'm trapped, and I'm panicking. I feel awful now everytime I eat anything that I think is fattening. McDonald's is now such a terrifying place to go. I'm scared of that big yellow M now, and I remember all the obese Americans in SuperSizeMe everytime I bite into a burger.

Now that people have noticed, I realized that I HAVE gained a pound and centimeters on my waist. I guess there's no one to blame but me. For a person who doesn't exercise, I can't afford to binge on sweets and fast food. But for the past month, I've been snacking on M&Ms and potato chips while watching DVD, and I've been eating fast food about 3 times a week. Very, very bad eating habits lately. My clothes still fit, but I'm not as confident.

So now I've made a pact with myself. I will shed off whatever I gained. I've stacked our pantry with cans of tuna chunks in water, mackerel in natural oil, noodles and nuts. No rice, just wheat bread. Sashimi will now be a staple. Donuts are enemies. Limit steaks to once a month. Italian food once a month. Only 0%-fat yogurt for dessert. Beverage list contains only water and tea - peppermint, green, jasmine, black and ginseng. Absolutely NO MCDONALD'S!

If I absolutely HAVE to eat something fattening in a day, I'll make it up the next day. Whew. Wish me luck! :)

And, enroll in a jazz or street dance class real soon. I felt inspired to dance after watching Shall We Dance. :)

Life goes on...

Missing my dad so much. It's so different when he's not around.

But my mom deserves an award for her efforts - doing the office work and being mommy at the same time. We don't have cooked meals to enjoy during some days because of her busy schedule, but that's alright. We were talking a while ago over the steaming hot noodle soup I made for dinner, and she was telling me about this employee of ours who's just so f*cking stubborn. My mom's not the kind of person who would raise her voice when angry, or say unkind words when you do something wrong. But with this employee, I told her, she needs to be tough and show them that they can't mess with her. Give them a really hard bonk on the head. Say mean things if she has to. It's not a good way to discipline people. But if one employee is really being an ass, probably because she knows my Dad is in the US, then I think it's about time my mom borrowed the harsh, hurtful cuss words I have in my vocabulary bank. Mom told me she's tired na and she doesn't want to work anymore. She'd rather stay at home and be tired doing the laundry and gardening and cleaning, rather than working in the office. I told her I can go with her next time, to help with whatever work she has to do, and to do the reprimanding if she's really not up to being mataray.

My dad is doing fine in El Paso. He's having the time of his life with his dad and sisters. Eating, sleeping, watching movies...that's his life now. Until the 14th. Can't wait to see him again! Miss you, Daddy!