Yearender Dinner

I am always grateful for the kind of friends I have. My christmas dinner with ex-fujitsu friends were spent last night at Terry's Selection at the Podium, and when I got home I was pleasantly suprised to get a 2007 yearender letter from Cha to her family and friends. What a wonderful way to share the work of God by sharing how the Lord is working on their lives. To Rico and Cha, you are a great example for all of married couples. I would like to share her letter:

Christmas 2007

Dear Family, Friends and Loved Ones,

As we celebrate Christmas, we pray for all of you that the season will bring great joy and blessings to you and your kin. Jesus is our faithful Lord. May the celebration of His birth allow us to be thankful for the many blessings we receive in Him.

We would like to share with you how the Lord is working in our lives. Here are some of the highlights of the Bautista's 2007.

Our Tatay was blessed tremendously in his work. His passion for excellence, impeccable work ethics and unparalled discipline brought him to be one of the youngest if not the youngest executive in Philam. He continues to be zealous in his work wanting to give glory to God in all that he is doing. He is also the President of Rotary Club of Silangan for the year.

Our Nanay still teaches in UST. She was blessed to have completed several programs in Financial Planning including the Registered Financial Planning Course of RFP International. She is awaiting her certification from SEC to become a licensed Investment Company Representative. She looks forward to expanding her teaching career to giving seminars in line with personal finance.

Yobel is well adjusted to her new school at Miriam College Grade School. Earlier in the year, we have discerned as a family whether to move her from Cradle of Joy, our community's Catholic Progressive school. As part of the discerning process, we remember one of her insights as a young child, she said ," In Cradle I have many friends, in Miriam, I can have more friends!"

It was a year of outpouring of blessings for her. During the summer, she had her 1st recital in Voice. She recently won 3rd place in an inter-school Filipino story-telling competition where there were 81 contestants from Grade 1-Grade 3. She had her 7th birthday celebration with family and friends. And she received her First Holy Communion last Nov.29.

Ysabel (my inaanak) continues to grow as a child. She has matured in several ways at the age of 3. She communicates well, loves to sing and dance (especially with her Ate Yobel, the two of them performed a dance number to the visitor's delight in Yobel's birthday celebration). She looks forward to having her ballet lessons soon.

We are now expecting to have our 3rd baby girl. With God's grace, she will be with us earliest mid-jan or early feb. We are intending to name her Yairabel Chrystelle, Yaira, which means to illuminate (hebrew) and Bel, similar to her two Ates meaning "beautiful".

Our family wishes you a Blessed Christmas and a Bountiful New Year. May you always find the true meaning of Christmas in Jesus. We pray for your spirit-filled life, healthy being and successful endeavors. Amen.

Our love and prayers,
Rico, Charmz, Yobel and Ysabel

Inspiring isn't it? Charmz is always an inspiration. I will make my year-ender highlights tomorrow, or in the busy-ness of the Christmas eve. I need to do this. Abangan!

My Little Amelie

One of my favorite movies is Amelie; With Audrey Tatou's doe eyes, baby China haircut, a Parisian setting and its dry, wry humour, it is enough reason for me to want to watch this over and over again. I don't know why flawed European characters appeal to me but they do. At this time of the year, as I am about to finish wrapping and buying gifts for my numerous inaanak, cousins, family and friends, I truly miss my nephew Miguel and my little Amelie, Ysa. They would have loved Christmas here in Manila. I would have taken them to Apolinario Street, in the brightly kit and well-decorated shopping malls and Tito L would have taken wonderful photos of them, which I would blow up and have 'em framed.

Now Ysa is able to communicate fluently. She is polite even to insects, whom she would advise, " Excuse me bumblebee, I am watching TV. Go fly!" , and demands the same level of courtesy I and her mother do, shouting, "Quiet!!" or "Lights out!" when she wants to go to sleep and there is noise or light around her. I think these traits are genetic. Tsk Tsk.

Miguel has started schooling and apparently, is now able to draw. This is his rendition of a family picture. He has captured Ysa's hair, and his spiky do is there, too. Ahhh. They're so cute it gives me a tingly sensation and my heart does a little dance.

Meron Akong Kwento

Sa halip na magbitbit ng isa pang paper bag, bukod sa dala nyang laptop bag,handbag at karton ng brownies na hindi na nakain sa dami ng taong nagreregalo ng brownies pag Pasko,naisipan ng isang magandang babae na alisin ang matalas na kutsilyong regalo sa kanya (na made in Japan, kung saan lahat ng bagay ay maganda ang kalidad, kasama na ang mga entertainers) mula sa pinaglagyan nito at isuksok na lamang ito sa laptop bag. Nagkasya ang calamansi jam from Zambales, pwede na rin isuksok ang kutsilyo doon, tama, magaling!

Kinagabihan pag-uwi sa bahay matapos ang isang mabigat na hapunan sa Som's (isang carinderia sa gilid ng Rockwell na kabilang sa Manila's Best Restaurant Secrets), may naulinigang isang malakas na iyak na nagmula sa isang...lalake. Hawak hawak ang blade edge, naiyak si lalake (na itatago natin sa pangalang L) kahit na sya ay walang sugat sapagkat

(a)ang nais nya lamang ay hiramin ang laptop at hindi maglaslas ng kamay
(b)sinung matinong tao ang makakaisip dun ilagay ang kutsilyo at
(c)bakit nakaharap sa kanya ang matalas na gilid.

Sa halip na magsorry ang babae,bumunghalit ito ng tawa sapagkat di nya napigilan ang takbo ng kanyang isip na animoy may sariling direksyon at walang pakundangan sa patutunguhan:

(a)nakalimutan na nya ang kutsilyo na sya mismo ang naglagay, at
(b)nagpasalamat sya na ang lalake ang nakakuha imbes na sya,dahil siguradong may sugat ang kamay nya sa pagdampot nito
(c) okey sana na panakot ang ganun kalaki at katalas na kutsilyo sa sinumang magtatangkang magnakaw ng laptop, kundi muna masusugatan ang may-ari sa sarili nyang katangahan

Sa huli, nasa isip isip ni babae.."nakaganti din ako."

At yun ang pinaka katawa-tawa sa lahat.

La Cocina de Tita Moning

The evening is surreal, starting with the directions, "Let's go to Malacanang." I don't get to say this often, that I'm going to the presidential palace, but that is indeed the only way to get to our destination. Within the grounds and after two checkpoints, we locate San Rafael Street, the street that was once occupied by Manila's old rich, the Prietos, Valdezes and the Legardas. Tonight we dine at the house of Dr. Alejandro Roces Legarda and his wife Ramona (Tita Moning). Now both deceased, their granddaughter Suzette Montinola worked 8 months after her grandmother's death in 1999 to preserve the legacy of food and entertainment of her beloved family. Her family worked on sprucing up the house, with aunts coming home from the US and Australia to help clean up, her brother designing and printing brochures and calling cards, and Suzette herself using her hotel experience and education for the business in order to retain the staff of cooks, helpers and drivers. From selling pre-booked Christmas goodies from the kitchen, they have now successfully converted the ancestral art deco home to a restaurant, combining fine dining with the experience of history, art and culture.

We begin the night with cocktails- iced lemongrass tea with queso de bola fingers, a pastry topped with the in-house famous queso de bola. I take one, and another, because our server, dressed in blue uniform with white lace pipings, go around the patio, serving the pastries on a silver tray, offering until you say no.

We stand at the footsteps of the home, with a grand chandelier at the background and family photographs lining up the walls. Here Edel, like a museum docent, explains the history of the street, the house, the family. We enter the house starting at the library, then off to the clinic, the camera room and the train room all located at the ground floor. I catch a drift every time I enter a room; I don't know if it's just me or our own ghost stories exchanged at the patio, or the walls that line up photograph after photograph, invoking memories of the past. After all, we were walking inside another person's home and it is teeming with family and old Manila history. My favorite area is their living room at the second floor, lined with two sets of couches, family photographs a crystal collection and paintings on the wall. We see a Zalameda at the foyer, a Hidalgo and Luna in the living room, plus numerous photographs taken and developed by the late doctor.



The house itself reminds us of our own ancestral houses, the kind that is made is of wood, with tall windows (bintana), and walls of long wooden planks. The floors are of wood that are not laminated, but by the daily grind of the housekeeper, waxed by bunot (dried coconut husk) at the crack of dawn, it gleams and glows.





That is all the similarity, because the house constantly reminds you that the family who lived here is of the old rich, with Murano Bird crystals adorning the dining table, blue Meissen plates lined with gold that the servants were not allowed to wash, the fine China, glassware and silverware dining pieces from an inheritance and collection of the family, and a bell on your table to call on the servers for any of your needs. I said it was surreal, right?






That is not just what makes the dining experience memorable. The food, served course by course, by at least 3 servers who go around for a second or third serving each time a dish is served; silver trays on their arms while you get a helping of their potato and leek soup, gambas and kangkong salad with walnut vinegrette, paella valenciana, lengua cooked in white wine sauce, mixed fruits and cheese collection, bread pudding, tarragon tea or barako coffee. Instead of leaving it on the table, they go to one person at a time, making one feel indulgent. It actually enhances the appreciation of the food, not because of the servants, but because it is slow food, meant to be savored with each bite, with one flavor right after another, and a mixed texture that melts in the mouth. By the time my red wine is finished and the famous bread pudding is served, I take this soft, moist rich pudding with tarragon tea and I am in ecstasy, quietly relishing this remarkable experience.






La Cocina de Tita Moning
315 San Rafael St. San Miguel, Manila
Philippines
632- 734-2146/734-2141.


Merry Christmas to all!

Strawberry Fields Forever

"Kung ikaw ay isang prutas, ano ka at bakit?"
(If you were a fruit, what would you be and why?)

This is a question posed to anyone new in marketing, in our company. This standard question would surprisingly give us an indication of what kind of personality this newcomer has. Most would say mango, one Atenista said grapes, and there was not one who said durian. I used to be a mango. I think now, I'm a strawberry. Pink, supple, juicy, so pretty, like this cake. See how a cake makes a girl feel? I feel pretty, oh so pretty, when sometimes I just feel age slowly creeping in.

Cuervas by Paz-Reyes-Cuerva
Petron Service F. Arnaiz, Makati
844-0966
844-8278

Coffee Time

Someone texted me today ," I don't see anything wrong if two old friends meet over coffee do you?"
Except it was spelled shortcut:friends becoming frens, meet is mit, see is c.

" Ah, dats y. u r currently comited n torn. Wel, i dont c anything wrong f 2 old frens mit over cofi..do u?"

I think I may be old school but my generation, my friends simply refuse to sacrifice spelling over convenience. Although it may actually be not that convenient. Try deciphering the letters that seem to resemble a word, try and find out what it actually means. Sometimes I get it, sometimes I have to ask.

Friend: "Libre q. Let's play then libre q."
Me: What does this mean? Libre ko, or libre ka? So I ask, "What do you mean I'll treat you or you'll treat me?"
Friend:"Libre q na nga. Kasi birthday mo..."
Me: " So I'll treat you?"
Friend: " No, libre q, kasi nga birthday mo."
Me: "Ahhh..libre mo!"
Friend: "Oo, libre q."

There is a voice inside me that tells me,"You can not go out with someone who texts like that."

My Starbucks Version of Heaven

'Tis the season to be merry, the season of cheers and holly, and... the year-ender review. I look back at the year that has gone by so swiftly; sometimes it seems the year is getting shorter, but that can't be. The day still starts in the morning, the night ends at 12, and there are still 365 of those days. Yet here I am, again just a bit older.

What has the universe taught me this year? What have I given back that allowed me to move forward? Have I? Was I grateful or wasteful? Generous or self-serving? What lessons did I learn? Here are some of my lessons learned in 2007.

Be free. I will pursue my dreams, set my goals and will be driven to achieve them. The universe has its resources available for me. I really do believe in dreams, especially that each individual has a right to be the best he/she can be. This year, when I finally took the courses I wanted, I felt more alive. I had a history and art class, I was really into active sports. I had a very productive, creative and indeed joyful writing class, when years ago, I was just laying on my bed, unable to move on Saturdays, thinking of all the things I wanted to do.

Conversely, I can not force anyone, most of all, the people whom I love dearly, to do things just because I want them to. They have a right to their own happiness, and accepting that is understanding a person's fundamental right to choose. This results to tragedy because in the end, when we choose to ignore other people's right to happiness, and continue to hear nothing other than the sound of our own voice, we will hurt the people whom we love the most, in effect, cutting ourselves deep in pain and sorrow.

To love yourself is to know yourself. To love God is to show an earnest desire to explore our best selves, in order to give back. We can not succeed if we are not authentic. All our colors and shades make us who we are. As long as I desire to persevere and be passionate in my world, I will inspire, and I will succeed. God is pleased when He sees me try. Yes, that's what makes our kind the chosen ones to inherit the world.

To be truly happy, one must be soft and hard, strong and weak. Embrace the wind that whispers something in the ears, take the punches that life throws, be grateful for the lessons that the roads lead to. There must be grace in acceptance, courage to go on in spite the battle-weary heart, body or mind, and yes, hope, that flickering light that may lead to a spark, the spark that will burn doubts to the ground and lead to chasing rainbows, until finally I find myself sipping coffee and smelling yellow carnations, surrounded by soft cushions and jazz music (my Starbucks version of heaven).

Time is an intangible wealth. I can not possess it, and all I can do is to be fully present. Time is my gift to you. When I choose to be with you, you have all of me, and though it is hard to be fully engaged with all the worldly distractions, you deserve it, because I chose to be with you.

Life is best lived with the people around us, surrounding ourselves with love of friends, family, our community, the people who form, formally or informally, our support group. Let us be grateful for the lessons we learn from their lives, the moments they made us laugh,live, love,eat. They make living worthwhile.

To move forward, I must ask what lessons have I learned? Why am I here again? What should I do? How can I be better? I want to do better.

To grow, I will listen to people, hear their stories, listen to their music, read their books, listen, really listen when they speak, and bite my lips, so my spirit can understand, and my heart can remember. There are some real superhumans who can taste words, see colors when they hear music, and draw with blind eyes. My heart can see, when when my mind is open and I choose to feel. I see a vision from music, get pictures and all sorts of feelings from words. With words or music, I am transported somewhere, elsewhere, at a different time, in a different season.

'Tis the season to be merry, the season of cheers and holly. Tonight, it is winter but it is not cold.

Darna Diaries

It saddens me that you have gone out of my life
The sudden quietness, the long absence,
This shadow of darkness is so little compared to your presence
How does one say goodbye to someone whose presence added a sparkle in my life?
But yes, you must say goodbye to the past in order to face the future.

I understand it is for the best
The story may be long, the pain may be fresh,
But you must go and lead her to find happiness.
I am grateful for the time we shared,
So thankful for the meaningful friendship.
Let us not be sad, but rejoice those moments.

Amen

"All lovers, of any sex, are alerted that love, besides being a blessing, is also something extremely dangerous, unpredictable and capable of causing serious damage. Consequently, anyone planning to love should be aware that they are exposing their body and soul to various types of wounds, and that they shall not be able to blame their partner at any moment, since the risk is the same for both."

"Those wounded in love, unlike those wounded in armed conflict, are neither victims nor torturers. They chose something that is part of life, and so they have to accept both the agony and the ecstasy of their choice.

And those who have never been wounded in love will never be able to say: “I have lived”. Because they haven’t."

Paolo Coelho, Convention of Those Wounded in Love

The UP Singing Ambassadors

Last Friday, I was invited by my friend DEP to have badminton at 10AM. When I couldn't wake up earlier (slept early morning because hey, Friday is a holiday), we decided to still see each other. We were supposed to have coffee, but no, we were running late, so we saw each other at UP, The Church of the Risen Lord, to see and hear the wondrous UPSA in their concert dubbed Tulad Ng Dati, with Ed Manguiat as conductor.

I used to be alto and treasurer (I think) of the Marian Choir in high school where DEP was our president, and we had an "ancient" Spanish nun for our adviser and conductress. This is why I didn't have any CAT/ROTC experience because we were allowed to skip this in lieu of our membership with the choir. Now for all you people out there, I am not a soloist but I used to have the ability to carry a tune eventhough sometimes I get off key (hehe), and I can't read notes. DEP plays the piano and has perfect pitch, and possesses the commitment and dedication required to turn an ordinary choir to an award-winning one. I don't even remember how I got in or how the audition went, I think it involved singing a piece while it was being played on the piano. Anyway, these brought me a lot of happy memories because even though we would practice everyday, in the morning and sometimes in the afternoon, and even on Saturdays, it was generally fun hearing how we transitioned from being off-key to having harmony. Eventually, during our junior and senior years in high school we were joining competitions, even ending up 1st or (2nd?) runner up in an inter-school competition, and we would mount concerts at the end of the year. We would sing classical, mostly religious music then, but we would always include a Tagalog classical and contemporary song, as well as a famous Broadway number. I remember Handel, Jellicats from the Cats musical, Sa Kabukiran, plus countless Latin songs. There was a considerable number of choir members in our class that we would sometimes end up singing in alto 1 and 2, soprano 1 and 2 voices while working on a project on Saturdays at Josie's house or sometimes in class.

All these memories were rekindled when I sat there at the altar, after not having been in church for a long time, but DEP was asking me to update her on my love life, and as I was asking her about A and B and E. It felt like gossiping, but it was just two friends asking each other if we were ok. Soon they came in, UPSA choir members dressed in colorful Filipiniana outfits probably designed (still) by Renee Salud, and DEP and I remark how flattering the Baro't Saya looked on the female form, perhaps this would be a good wedding dress, too. We chuckle, and look for the prettiest choir member. All of them had their hair up in buns, and you could easily spot the one with the strongest stage presence, the one with the most charming smile, the one which your eyes could not help but look out for as they frequently changed blocking. We spotted her, she is a deadringer for Vanessa Del Bianco, and looked prettier up close. I ask DEP how come she did not invite me before, and she said it was better that way because back then she was "scrawnier and screechier,". She used to be a member of UPSA too, when she was frolicking around, during her pre-law days. Her memories came back too,when she used to do similar choreography, when she used to sing her heart out. I looked at the earnest, young faces of the choir members, there is that same quality, an innocence, a passion that looked quite familiar. I was particularly enthralled with some of the young men as they step forward to render their solo parts. They looked so beautiful, do you know what I'm saying? Music has turned someone looking ordinary into someone so beautiful. One looked exactly like the good boy version of L’s best friend who is sporting long hair and sings metal and reggae. This one is the clean cut version, complete with an angelic voice. There were two other young men (see how I effortlessly use young men now as if I’m 50), one an alumnus who came from his call center work in time to catch the 3rd set, where he sings his solo on Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by R. Blane/H. Martin, and another guy whose high notes lift me up into the air, making me feel like the birds chirping around the chapel while the choir sang.

They sing with smiles on their faces and cheers in their hearts. I feel their loneliness, as they sang together Poor Wayfarin’ Stranger as their opening song, and I felt like a new immigrant landing in some foreign land; they sing it with one voice, and I can feel this person’s emotions. I am in the forest as I listen to their rendition of Creation, and I try to catch the voice who screeches , the one who makes the bird calls, and there is another who makes the sound of the leaves as they are blown by the wind; I am with a battalion marching for war as I hear the Battle Song, and I thank God while they sing I Thank You God For This Amazing Day. I am entertained as they sing Broadway and Filipino Christmas songs, and laugh at the Dragon Dance song which is a playful harmony on a word- “tong chang”, in different pitches, diction, Chinese accents and tones. I love their classical interpretation of the song This Is the Moment, and their farewell song, as they walk down the aisle looking at us, all apart from each other, with little voices creating something good and wonderful together. It is a collaborative effort that takes an insurmountable energy; to take so little from so many, and create something so wonderful, so magical.