Author: elizavictoria

“well?”

Interesting. I don’t even remember using this service.

This popped up in my Inbox today:

The following is an e-mail from the past, composed on Thursday, October 19, 2006, and sent via FutureMe.org
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Dear FutureMe,

Have you won a Palanca already? Have you published a book?

Are you happy?

Well, 2006 self: 1) Yes. 2) Yes. (Though Jeremy’s Magic Well was published after winning a contest. I suppose that still counts, haha.) 3) Yes.

The girl who wrote that letter back in 2006 was very lonely and unsure of her talent, but at least she had hope.

twelve

Jaykie and I celebrated our first anniversary together in Tagaytay. The weekend! The wind! A quiet hotel stay! Food! Alcohol!

I’ve been to Tagaytay before, but that was back in grade school, back when I still hated buses and long rides and was prone to paralyzing motion sickness. So of course I had no fond memories of the place, except that it was cold. Since then I’ve learned to love looking out the window while in transit, so when Jaykie mentioned Tagaytay months before the anniversary, I was excited. We needed a weekend away from Metro Manila. We needed a good view and a cool breeze.

We settled on Taal Vista Hotel. Around the time we were planning to place a reservation (end of September), Taal Vista had just wrapped up a promo, which was sad because their room rates were a bit pricey. When October rolled in, I called their sales office in Mall of Asia to ask if there was going to be a promo extension. I was delighted to hear the sales agent say that yes, there would be another promo. Starting October 15.

The exact day we planned to go there. This is a siiiign.

We immediately placed a reservation for a De Luxe room (3,999/night) from Oct. 15 to the 17th. Note: You’ll need an SM Advantage Card or other SM membership cards (BDO, Prestige) to avail, so go get one first. You’ll also need a credit card, because this is a book-and-buy promo. But they won’t charge you yet; they just need a guarantee. You can choose to pay in cash when you get there.

Tagaytay, Day 1

We arrived too early. The sales agent I spoke to said if the room’s available we can actually check in by noon, but the front desk was adamant in saying that check-in was at 2 p.m. FINE! Jaykie thought the front desk was masungit, but meh, we might as well just drive around and have lunch first.

Pictures!

Lunch was at Buon Giorno.

I was very very very happy with my salad. (Foie Gras Insalata.) I loved the pecan caramels. :D

Jaykie had a risotto. (Pollo E Funghi.)

We had a slice of chocolate espresso torte for dessert.

We got back to the hotel at half-past one, and we were finally able to get into our room.

Jaykie looks guilty here. What did you do? Haha.

Unfortunately the room didn’t have a view of Taal Lake. Oh well.

Dinner was at the hotel’s Cafe on the Ridge, plus welcome drinks (calamansi juice) and alcohol at the Lobby Lounge. (You can use your SM Advantage Card to get a 10 percent discount.)

Good night, Tagaytay!

Tagaytay, Day 2

Good morning, Tagaytay!

The Lobby Lounge in the morning.

After breakfast, we went out for a stroll. The weather was nice.

The wind!

It was basically just a day of lounging around. We dressed up and went back to Buon Giorno for dinner, then went back to the room and watched something scary on Discovery. We ended up sleeping with the lights on! Ha!

Tagaytay, Day 3

I woke up with this stupid vertigo, so Jaykie was kind enough to get up and buy us breakfast from McDo, just across the street. While outside, Jaykie sent me a text saying he had switched the papers between our room and the next, because we were given [a certain newspaper that I shall not name]. Jaykie snatched up the Inquirer and put it on our door handle, and I got up and took it before somebody realized this folly. LOL.

It was a day of errands, but Jaykie’s driver took care of it. Mahogany Market, then Rowena’s. You should go to Rowena’s! I sampled their tarts, apple crumble, and sylvanas.

We had lunch at Antonio’s Grill. Sizzling bulalo!

Oh, it was delicious.

Then back to the metro. We had a mall date at MOA, saw The Town (Ben Affleck, that was a pleasant surprise. You should direct more movies!), had some Mediterranean food, and bought each other books!

My anniv gifts from Jaykie:

Here are the books I gave him:

So, yes, that weekend rocked.

* * *

Love,

We should do this again.

Love,

 

the killing joke

This is definitely one of the most powerful comic books I have ever read. The kind that rattles you to the core. I can’t even talk about it properly. Such injustice. Such tragedy. Such sadness.

Critics have called it the greatest Joker story ever told. I agree.

(This is not in my original reading list, but hell, it has to be read. Do read it.)

healthy living

Still not the kind vegans will be proud of, but hey, we’re trying.

Friday

Breakfast – Oatmeal with dried mangoes and coffee

Lunch – Romain lettuce with dressing on the side and chicken fingers; yogurt for dessert

Lunch # 2 – For me:  Seafood tempura meal at Tokyo Tokyo

For him: None.

Heh. Jake had an exam, and I still had at least half a dozen SM GC’s, so I went to the mall and shopped. I was so hungry. But at least I didn’t order a steak. Hence, the meal at Tokyo Tokyo.

I bought three tops, a pair of sandals (that looked like those fake pairs you see in Philcoa hahaha!), and a dress.

When Jake and I met up later for an early dinner, I found these babies at Comic Quest.

The Philippine Genre Stories Horror and Christmas issues. Excited to read them. :)

Jake was feeling down after his exam, so we decided to really eat, and headed to Burgoo. While waiting for the food, he worried over a Math problem.

I don’t know what’s going on here.

Dinner: For us: Burgoo Stew

For me: Chicken Steak (with potato wedges and corn salsa)

For him: Chicken and Seafood (with rice)

Late at night, we had homemade margarita and Baked chips (less fat) while watching Flight of the Conchords, the perfect show for drunken folks.

Saturday

Breakfast – Romain lettuce with dressing on the side, toast with cottage cheese, coffee

Lunch – Hotdogs and eggs with rice; yogurt for dessert

Carrot chips with dressing on the side for snacks while watching some TV shows.

Dinner – Cheat meal!

For him: Chicken and ribs meal (with soup, salad, side dish and brownie)

For me: Ribs meal (with side dish and choco mousse)

Sunday

Breakfast – Hotdogs and eggs with rice and coffee

I’ll have a couple sandwiches later. :)

in photos

Wednesday. Cupcakes by Sonja at the office. Via City Delivery, P500 minimum. Yummeh.

Thursday. Kate borrowed this copy from the office library.

Because a close-up shot is necessary.

Friday. I went with my brother to have his eyes checked at an optical shop in SM North, and we saw a dancing robot.

We’re all bespectacled now. (Save for my mother, who needs a pair, but refuses to wear them. Istorbo raw.)

Saturday. Yakimix date!

We went to the Tomas Morato branch. They open the dinner buffet at 5:30 p.m. during the weekend. The place closes at 11 p.m., so you can actually pace yourself.

The remnants of my first plate of food (which, to my defense, mostly had tofu, veggies and seafood):

Sushi!

I wasn’t able to take a picture of my dessert, but I sampled their small chocolate cakes, a cream cup with fruits, and candy. Lots and lots of candy.

After that craziness, Jake and I will again try to eat healthy. (This is the nth time we’ve promised this to each other.) Oh well, good luck?

I am excited:

1) to buy a bunch of books by local authors and review them in the near future;

2) to go shopping this coming weekend;

3) to greet mid-October with our first-year anniversary celebration (We’ll probably go on a food-trip, lols.); and

4) to open November with my 24th birthday. *cartwheel*

open house

Why do you like reading? And what’s the best book you’ve ever read? Only one book.

I like reading because I think it’s the cheapest entertainment available to me (I once bought a book from a bargain bin for five pesos) with the greatest possible reward. I also read to learn, and to improve my writing.

Just the one book? Ah, you’re harsh. It’s just impossible to choose one, but if you insist, I’ll say Joshua Ferris’s THEN WE CAME TO THE END. But of course there are others. I’ve read a lot of books (and intend to read more, hundreds more) and I’m fortunate enough to fall in love with many of them.

Thanks for dropping by, Stranger.

hi! are you still studying french? or are you currently enrolled at alliance de manille?

Hello!

Oh, I’m afraid I’m not enrolled at Alliance. I did enroll last year, but had to withdraw because they changed the schedule at the last minute and it overlapped with my work sched.

What website do you spend the most time on?

Oh dear, probably Twitter. Does that make me shallow? It does, doesn’t it?

How many countries have you traveled to?

None, sadly. I don’t own a passport just yet. And I lack the funds.

What did you eat for breakfast today?

Oatmeal. And that will be my answer tomorrow. And the day after. Because my life is horrible.

If you won a million dollars what would you do with it?

Buy a house. If I get me my own place and put a stop to my renting days, then I’ll probably – PROBABLY – start acting like an adult. Haha.


Got a question?