I grew up with the Gboys as my extended family. These crazy guys from Ateneo are like brothers to my husband, and so they are family to me as well. They spent four eventful years in high school together…so you can just imagine the bond and the love they have for each other. Eventually, a lot of them got married…and some are still getting married. And this post is about the video that some Gboys (including my hubby…what a surprise!) filmed for their beloved classmate, Gibby, who got married to Sab last March 28, 2009. My hubby decided to be part of this video because we know that we won’t be able to go to their wedding as we are already en route to Europe on that day. I watched the filming of this video — which took a whooping four hours or so (for the love of Gibby and Sab) — but, I’ve never imagined that it’ll turn out this nice, and this crazy!!! The song choice is really meant to be corny to add to the humor…and well, the acting is meant to be “boy band-ish” too. Gosh, I have never laughed so hard…I can imagine how pleasantly surprised Sab was during her wedding day with this being part of the wedding reception program. I mean, who would have thought that they have friends (who are all professionals, by the way) who are willing to be this cheezy?! Hahaha! That’s what friendship and love do, I guess. :)

To Gibby and Sab…we love you and we are soooooooo sorry to have missed your wedding. I sorely missed all of you after watching this video, and it has definitely made me feel lucky to have so much love in my life through you both and the rest of the Gboys family. Indeed, indeed…there is much love to go around.

NOTE: This video was conceptualized and edited by John Unson — a really talented guy. You should hire him! You’d be crazy not to. :)

Posted: April 10th, 2009 under Random Thoughts.
Comments: 3

I stared at the little pizza on my hand with disbelief. This was the same pizza flavor I ate some eons ago before boarding the same KLM flight en route to Amsterdam, and then to Paris. Some things never change. I took a second bite and it finally sank in — I’m staying in Paris for the next couple of years and the pressure to learn French is definitely on! I hope I’m not too old to learn a new language. Sigh. Another bite. Thanks to KLM for the free food which distracts my thoughts.

We arrived a little over 10:00 in the evening and the chauffeur was diligently waiting for us outside Charles de Gaulle Airport. I took one look at his sleek car and I wondered if he will seriously load all four of our big luggage there — it might hurt his car! And guess what, he really did load them all up, and even carried all of them up to our apartment in the 7th floor! Nice guy, huh?! We got him through My Flat In Paris, an agency which I highly recommend if you want to rent a vacation apartment in Paris — which is more practical than booking a hotel room, by the way. More of that on another post.

I am writing this post because Paris never ceases to amaze me. When daylight came and I took my usual walking route from our apartment to Champs Elysees, then to Eiffel Tower, the sights still took my breath away — just like when I first saw them. Indeed, some things never change. :)

Allow me to share some Paris sights here. I hope that I will someday welcome you in the City of Lights. Who knows? :)

Posted: April 8th, 2009 under Random Thoughts.
Comments: 4

I thought I’d post this video because it evokes a multitude of feelings — loneliness, despair, disbelief, hope, wonder, excitement, warmth, fulfillment, and love. I must admit that even with the abundance of soap operas around, it is very seldom that I am able to experience a surge of multiple emotions from them — I think, not yet.  But when this video came, it totally held my attention for the whole 12 minutes. I didn’t even want to blink!

I hope you’ll appreciate this video as much as I did. The director is brilliant, and the actors gave just the right touch of charm to the whole script. And did I mention that this is a silent film?! The background music says it all. This is one of those films that’ll be hard to shake off. :)

Enjoy!

There…I hope this video took you out of your auto-pilot mode. :)

Posted: February 5th, 2009 under Random Thoughts.
Comments: 3

Paging my husband, Mike Sumulong…you have got to read this! :) :) :)

If you’re not Mike, it’s ok..go on and read. You will be amazed how much Valentine’s Day helps our economy. And more importantly, I may be able to help you put together a nice Valentine date for the one your adore. :)

Wish 1: Experience a Dose of Culture

Wouldn’t it be nice to do something different this year? I have been hearing about the Old Manila Walks for some time now, and I would definitely want to try it. The people behind Old Manila Walks will take you through the best of historic Manila by foot. You can choose from any of their five available tours, namely: Intramuros, Chinatown, San Miguel, Chinese Cemetery, and FEU. For those who are undecided, their Halo-Halo tour might be the best one for you.

Wish 2: Dine in a Pre-war Mansion

No, this is not because of my love affair with ghosts inhabiting old mansions and castles. This is more of my wanting to experience how the rich Filipinos circa 1930′s dine and wine. What better place to experience this but at the well-preserved Legarda mansion at San Rafael Street in Manila. At La Cocina de Tita Moning, you can partake of the Legarda heirloom recipes using the family’s antique china, glassware, and silverware. You will also be given a tour of the whole mansion afterwards. I especially like them because they operate by reservations only, which means that I don’t have to wait long to be seated. More importantly, they do prepare special meals for those with diet restrictions like me and your grandparents. Hehe.

Wish 3: Shop and Dine in Opulence

Now, this one, is because of my immense love for malls. There’s this buzz about Adora, a department store tucked away at Greenbelt 5 Makati, which has its own cafe. It does not only boast of housing world-renowned brands, but also has opulent interiors to match. It is strategically located, too…like a secret cove where you can take your secret date. Hihihi. The food selection aren’t bad, too. But I think I’d rather go there for dessert and wind down with a good conversation.

Wish 4: End the Day in My Favorite Restaurant of All Times

I cannot imagine ending this day anywhere else but in Vieux Chalet, of course! My favorite restaurant in the heart of Antipolo City does not only give you gastronomic dishes, but one of the best views of Manila. Perched on top of a hill, you have Manila skyline as your backdrop when dining at Vieux Chalet. And have I mentioned that their Lamb Shoulder with Cafe du Paris sauce is to die for?! If you’re unsure of what you want to order, you might be better off ordering their Special Valentine Meal for Two:

So there, that’s it for me! Now I cross my fingers and wait. Hihihi. :)

How about you…how would you like to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year?

Posted: January 31st, 2009 under Random Thoughts.
Comments: none

I love YouTube for the simply reason that I hate following written recipes. I’d rather see the meals prepared in front of me, which makes YouTube recipe videos quite a treat — I guess I’m one of those visual types. :) But hey, I recently changed my diet and I am no longer eating cooked food as much as before…so I had to explore YouTube further just to preserve its appeal to me. Hehehe!

As expected, there are a lot of videos about famous people there, but I didn’t realize that some of them actually signed up for an official YouTube page! After a quick browse, I found three interesting people who have official YouTube pages:

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI

His Excellency Barack Obama

Interesting…interesting. I wonder who else who’s on the same league as these people has his/her own YouTube page? Hmnnnn… :)

Posted: January 30th, 2009 under Random Thoughts.
Comments: none