Steytsayd Ilongga Liwat

mY FiRsT FligHt

2008-03-30T15:22:00.007-04:00

March 16:

Barely 2 months old and here I am on my very first trip. I'll take this as a sign of many great adventures to come. S had hers when she was 4 1/2 months old. My folks took her to my Mom's side of the world ~ Philippines. She's been bragging that the flight was so long, they changed planes "three times". Singapore Airlines gave her a "First Flight" certificate scribbled with the pilots' John Hancock to show for it.

Big deal. Florida may only be three hours away but I'm determined to make this flight a truly memorable one ~ especially for my mom.

I started by testing her diapering skills at the altitude of 30,000 feet. She'd be mortified if she found out that I could understand what she was muttering to herself when she opened the plane's bathroom door. The teensy-weensy 3x2 stall they call "lavatory" wasn't equipped with a changing table! It doesn't take a genius to know what those Filipino words meant ~ she only says them when she's totally pissed. Wink.

Getting my diaper changed while balancing on my mom's knee was no small feat. I was quite impressed by how she managed to juggle me, my baby bag, wipes, garbage bag, and soiled Huggies inside that tight potty-box. I thought it was a gas and broke the humdrum of an otherwise boring flight.

So what did I do next?

What babies do best ~ do ''number 2" two more times. You go, Mom!

"If evolution really works, how come mothers only have two hands?"

~Ed Dussault

Eight Years and Going Strong...

2008-03-25T16:14:00.005-04:00

Has it been that long?

As I was saying (http://steytsaydilongga.blogspot.com), P and I celebrated our eight~year wedding anniversary a few weeks ago. Being married to this guy is great. He's an uber~loving husband and a fantastic father to his kids. Born 3 days apart, I guess it helps that we have a lot of similar traits and enjoy doing the same stuff together. He lets me be my own person. Doesn't keep me in rein. Or rather, keeps me on a long~long~long leash. Very affectionate. And as cool as a cucumber when it comes to dealing with my moods.

It also helps that his anniversary gift to me was my dream watch.

I can't complain.

Can't complain, mon.

Its the Cockpit Lady watch from the Breitling Windrider Series. Bezel set with diamonds, with case and pilot bracelet in steel. It has a mother-of-pearl dial set with 11 diamonds. I'd say its a pretty good upgrade from the Jaeger~LeCoultre Reverso watch he gave me a couple of years back.

Even baby Sam appreciates a good thing when he sees one. Schoen!!

LINK:

http://www.breitling.com/en/

http://www.authenticwatches.com/breitling-windrider-cockpit-lady-497.html

Spring Break Plans

2008-03-10T14:25:00.003-04:00

"hEy, GuEss wHaT? ~ my aTe S's SpRinG bReaK Is cOmiNg up sOoN..."

" ~ anD mY mOm aND dAd ArE tAKInG Us tO oRlAnDo, fLoRida!"

"Whooopppppppeeee!!!"

"OopSiE ~ i'M so stoked I tHiNk i JuSt CraPpEd oN mYSeLf. Pffft!!"

Photo of the Day

2008-02-24T14:20:00.000-05:00

Toes

Love is...

2008-02-14T22:43:00.003-05:00

He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother

The Hollies

The road is long

With many a winding turn

That leads us to who knows where

Who knows where

But I'm strong

Strong enough to carry him

He ain't heavy, he's my brother

So on we go

His welfare is of my concern

No burden is he to bear

We'll get there

For I know

He would not encumber me

He ain't heavy, he's my brother

If I'm laden at all

I'm laden with sadness

That everyone's heart

Isn't filled with the gladness

Of love for one another

It's a long, long road

From which there is no return

While we're on the way to there

Why not share

And the load

Doesn't weigh me down at all

He ain't heavy, he's my brother

He's my brother

He ain't heavy, he's my brother...

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

What did I get from P this year?

Flowers and a cute pair of sparkly ear candy! I haven't worn big earrings since the 80's and I thought these were just the perfect size for me.

Love it - love it - love it!

LINK:

http://www.wempe.com/index.htm

Welcome Home, S.A.M.

2008-01-26T10:11:00.000-05:00

Hi! I TuRnEd One wEeK oLd YeStErdAy...

"People who say they sleep like a baby usually don't have one."

~ Leo J. Burke

The Big Day

2008-01-25T12:07:00.006-05:00

January 18 ~

'Couldn't sleep last night. Checked my to-do list several times. Packed and unpacked the diaper bag. Added a couple more front-buttoned jammies in mine. (Note: Easier for breastfeeding). I felt like I was packing for a weekend trip out of town instead of preparing for a hospital admission. All I needed to do was toss in a swimsuit, and I was set. Not that any would fit me at this point. Pigging out on all those madelines and creamline chocolate milk had finally taken its toll. The sonogram taken last week showed that the baby was at LEAST 8.6 lbs. My due date's on Saturday but it also appeared that he wasn't in a hurry to go anywhere. He was stuck inside me like some chronic constipation. By the time the alarm went off at 6:30 AM, my eyes were shot and I was ready to crawl back into bed and curl up.

9:30 AM ~ P and I were ushered inside the pre-op room. Two things kinda freaked me out: The fact that everytime I asked a question, the nurse assigned to me would answer: "I'm gonna find out for you. It's my first day to work here" or "I'm sorry, I'm still on orientation". P gave her such a hard time that by the time she inserted my IV, her hands were visibly shaking. Just my luck. To add to the stress, when P noticed a few drops of blood dripping out of my heplock, he went bonkers. He started yelling: "She's bleeding! She's bleeding!". Poor thing - I had to help her hook up the line so she could just get out of that room ASAP.

Also, the med intern who was gathering all my medical information looked suspiciously younger than me! He was cute, though - so that was a plus factor.

P and I were relieved when my attending physician finally showed up.

11:30 AM ~ I was wheeled inside the OR for my CS. I looked around and noticed at least six nurses/doctors in scrubs. It all felt so surreal! I tried to reassure myself. Surely, this couldn't be worse than my first delivery. (Think bungled epidural, fundal push, forceps...)

Soon, all I could think about was how bitterly cold the room was and how I was freezing my bare ass off!

The anesthesiologist introduced himself to me, gave me an explanation of what was happening, what he was going to do, and the different positions that they were gonna put me in ~ all in one breath. Oookkkaaay... Bring it on!

Right after he administered the spinal anesthesia I found myself lying on my back, staring back at the bright lights. So this must how a lab specimen feels like. As one of the doctors behind the makeshift curtain remarked: "You don't have a single stretch mark! I'm jealous...", I heard a faint hissing sound.

I turned to P, stating matter-of-factly: "I could smell my flesh burning." I could swear he turned a shade paler.

12:40 PM ~ I felt a couple of heavy pressures on my chest and sure enough, the room was soon filled with the sound of a loud, angry wail.

A reluctant S.A.M. was plucked out of my womb ~ sucking his thumb.

Weighing a whopping 9.7 lbs (4.4 kilos), we later found out that he was the biggest baby in the nursery that week.

Happy Holidays!

2007-12-28T13:59:00.020-05:00

We didn't have any doubts that S was going to be anything other than a terrific big sis to her baby brother. But celebrating Christmas for the last time as an only child made us decide that we wanted to make this holiday season an extra~special one for her.

By now, I'm already way into my third trimester. And since I couldn't see, much less touch my toes anymore, I started taking her to the nail salon every couple of weeks for some heavenly foot massage, paraffin wraps and matching pedicures.

I needed to gain another pound like I needed a wart popping up on the tip of my nose. But this apparently haven't kept us from getting into the unhealthy habit of dropping by Dylan's Candy Bar every week to binge on sinfully yummy treats. Edible pink bubbles, pastel colored sidewalk chalk bubble gum, Willy Wonka bars, syrupy colored pens with edible paper, super rich cupcakes topped with butter icing ...

Lastly, P and I told S that Santa was getting her everything she wanted on her wish list this year. Albeit a SHORT list, mind you. Rule was - it shouldn't contain more than 10 items.

She did better ~ she ran out of ideas after jotting down toy # 6.

Come Christmas morning, we realized that she actually didn't need to write past item number one. Upon getting the Wii game console, all of its accessories and 10 games, she ended up placing all her other presents back in their gift boxes and stacking them up neatly in one corner.

Forgotten ~ for the moment.

(Christmas Morning)

(S and her friends with matching gapped-tooth smiles)

Alas, doesn't "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth" mean anything anymore?

LINKS:

http://www.dylanscandybar.com/

http://www.nintendo.com/wii

BOO!!

2007-11-01T13:30:00.001-04:00

S got dolled up as a butterfly fairy for her school's Halloween party this year.

Striking a pose with the rest of the girls from her class:

(L to R) Tinkerfly, Dorothy, Cleopatra and Capitana Hook

Happy 7th Birthday!

2007-09-21T09:32:00.001-04:00

As soon as the last champagne glass had been washed and stashed away in the cupboard, and as soon as the last curly streamer from the New Year's Eve bash had settled on the floor, any semblance of soirees in our home cease. A "hibernation period" sets in when it comes to us hosting any sort of parties or celebrations. No birthdays. No holidays. No big dinners to plan and prepare. I find it a welcome respite lasting for at least a few months.

Then BAM! The minute Summer ends and S' birthday hits - like a well-oiled clockwork, the annual cycle repeats itself. Parties, holidays, entertaining, planning, cooking, eating and drinking binges start popping up one after the other.

My, my - how time flies. What do you know - it's that time of the year again! Coming up within the next 4 months is my birthday, then P's, my aunt's, my cousin, my best friend... There's the Halloween costume party, hosting Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas parties at work, Christmas parties in school, Christmas Eve dinner at home, New Year's Eve celebration... Somewhere in between, we'll have to put in some quality time to spend with unexpected out-of-town visitor/s who drop by during the holiday season. With our little bugaloo coming this winter - there has to be a spot somewhere in between to squeeze in a Baby Shower. Whew - me thinks this hectic quarter will now be extended till mid-January each year.

For S' birthday this year, we decided to throw her a party in the city instead of going to yet another Disney trip. The venue was at the Victorian Gardens Amusement Park at the Wollman Rink in Central Park and was attended by 15 of her friends.

Mother Nature gave us a break - it was 84 degrees and sunny!

A perfect day for an outdoor kiddie bash.

The kids had unlimited access to park rides while the parents and babysitters milled around on shaded benches to chat.

S' cake was appropriately decorated with an amusement park theme, courtesy of a good friend (shown above) who bakes on the side. The kids went gaga over the little toys on top of each yummy cupcake.

They were hungry enough to sit still for about half an hour before running off to the rides again.
S stood a safe distance away from the cake's sparklers but still managed to blow out her candles and make a wish (she got her pink Nintendo DS and a couple of tickets to Disney's High School Musical Ice Tour in Madison Square Garden for her and her BFF).

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

S and her best friend

The red velvet cake/cupcakes with cream cheese filling was moist and uber-scrumptious!

I should know. I scarfed down two.

We also hired a face-painter/balloonist who kept the kids entertained with her glittering designs and wacky balloon creations.

On second thought, who says face painting is only for kids?

LINK: http://www.victoriangardensnyc.com/rides.html

The Last Week of Summer '07

2007-09-04T15:26:00.000-04:00

S with her boogie board.

The Million Dollar Duck Race

2007-08-30T15:50:00.000-04:00

During the first week of this month, New York Lottery sponsored the Million Dollar Duck Race at the South Street Seaport to benefit the Special Olympics of New York. For a $5 donation (per duck), one was entitled to "adopt" a rubber duckie, be entered into the race, and have a chance to win great prices.

Like everyone else, we didn't care about winning the latest gadgets and free airline tickets. We wanted the big kahuna! We were pretty certain that one of our 5 adopted ducks was the lucky Million Dollar Duck.

Radio Disney being one of the events' sponsor, the small crowd of tweeners were in for a special treat when the Jonas Brothers showed up to promote the race. S knew a few of their songs so P asked if she was interested in having her pic taken with the trio. We were floored when she scowled, snorting: "Nah, I'm too young for that."

I'm hoping that 5 years from now, she'd still prefer the company of ducks to teenage boys.

Year 3000 video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YatfvRR0naY

By 6 PM, the ducks were launched into the East River South of the Brooklyn Bridge - and the race was on!

It was a tight beak-to-beak battle among 25,000 bright yellow quackers.

If only Ernie could see them all...

And the winner's being scooped up!

"Five dollars and a dream" - that's all it took.

It's a BOY!!

2007-08-28T19:21:00.000-04:00

Had my anatomy ultra sound at Lenox Hill Hospital's Black Hall Building yesterday.

Upon learning the baby's gender, boy - was P ecstatic.

S took a little more time to digest the information. I guess she found the fact that she wasn't going to have a living girlie Zapf doll for a younger sibling a bit hard to swallow. I do give her kudos for trying to conceal her obvious disappointment.

After P and I managed to convince her that it was actually better to be "Daddy's Only Princess" (No competition, honey!), she bounced right back into "Big Sis" mode.

Caught Up in Potter Mania

2007-07-23T11:08:00.000-04:00

Steppin' Out: RT New York Q Event

2007-07-03T17:03:00.000-04:00

Okay, so hubby was talking about how he was elected as this year's RT - NY President. I admit, I was pretty clueless about what the hype was all about. All I know about this organization was that it's exclusively for male members and that they meet a couple of times a month for dinner and drinks. Which was great. You gotta have some social life outside of work and family.

A few months ago, they celebrated their 25th Anniversary with a 3-day "Q Event" and he asked if I could attend their gala dinner at Papillon on East 54th St. He said it would be a chance for me to finally meet some members of the organization and their wives/girlfriends. I saw it as a good excuse to primp up a bit. So sure, why not.

Drinks flowed and the food was great. It turned out to be an enjoyable evening with a good turn-out of local/national/international attendees.

Me, P and M (RT National President based in Washington DC)

Exchanging of plaques/certificates ceremony (above, left) and a trio of RT Members from England (center).
Love the matching ties, guys!

P with A (RT Intl. Treasurer from Malta)

P with G (RT Old Tabler from Germany)

G's wife was a charming, vivacious Greek lady who was bursting with life. We made sure to visit them in Germany when we went there this Summer.
Sure enough, their whole family were just as wonderful as the couple.

And Then There Were Two...

2007-06-10T13:37:00.000-04:00

Flashback: S at 3 weeks old

I should have known the day I wanted to eat solely Japanese seaweed salad for lunch. Or when I suddenly developed an intense dislike for fish escovich and oxtails. Or when I made that second pan of Mexican beef tortilla lasagna so I could eat it all myself. Or when I sat down in front of the TV and finished off a whole watermelon in one sitting. Or when I went back to that Jamaican joint 4 times in one morning so I could have their ackee and codfish for breakfast. Or when I started acting up like the Wicked Witch of the West on crack and picked on P for no apparent reason. Or when I'd get so tired that I would sleep for 18 hours straight - yet my energy level remained at zero. Or when I started gaining weight just when I thought I was actually doing great at dieting.

Yep!! We are expecting the cutest bundle of joy this coming

New Year -
A NEW BABY!!!

Election 2007 Result

2007-06-09T13:19:00.000-04:00

CARLES, ILOILO - Congratulations! to my brother-in-law, Dr. Rodolfo "Boy" Dumayas, Jr. for getting elected as the new Vice Mayor of Carles, Iloilo...

My sis, Jaja and her family...

Breathtaking Carles sunset...

Boy's clan during a family reunion at their beach house...

Steppin' Out: Berlin Party

2007-05-19T17:04:00.000-04:00

On the occassion of BERLIN DAY in New York, we received an invitation to the Private Berlin Party a couple of nights ago. The Berlin Day, a project by the design network CREATE BERLIN marked the official opening of "Destination: Berlin". The exhibition: "Koffer aus Berlin" ( or "Suitcases from Berlin") was showcased at the I M Projekt Gallery.

Among the exhibitors were Graft, Werner Aisslinger, Michael Michalsky, Olaf Hajek, Mykita, Die Gestalten, Zeha, Mia, and Kaviar Gauche.

This was DJ Paul Van Dyk's suitcase

LINK:

http://www.iloveberlin.tv/page/berlinday_in_nyc.aspx

A Poem for Mama

2007-05-12T10:23:00.000-04:00

"Happy Mom's Day"

S came home from school yesterday carrying two purple paper bags. "Don't peek!" she cried out as she hugged them closer to her chest. But not before I caught a glimpse of a green leaf.

Upstairs, she presented me with her Mother's Day gift. Two pots of plants accented with a flower and heart-shaped play dough. Pot #1 had peanuts in it and pot #2 had... Well, we had to call it the "Mystery Plant" since she forgot what it was.

Then she handed me two large, pink cards. One of them contained a poem that she had written. Awww... It sure made my day! Thanks, my Snooka...

M - Mine is the best one in the whole world

A - All the time I love her very much

M - Make pizza and macaroni together

A - Almost the whole world loves you

Love,

LINK: http://www.twolittleredhens.com/

Hasta La Vista, Baby!

2007-05-07T21:45:00.000-04:00

Here goes the old cliche again: All good things must come to an end.

It had been a lovely week - we had our rest and relaxation. Gained a pound or two. Enough I guess, to fuel us for the next couple of months of grueling, humdrum work. It's back to the real world! Among other things, P's surely gonna miss the Majarajah Casino (I'm betting the feelings' mutual - no pun intended) and the Maharini Nightclub.

For a few days, S will talk incessantly about her pajama parties at Charlie's Centre...

... and the Buccaneer's Wet & Wild water park where she spent most of her time in.

What am I going to miss? Hey, I was just happy that I didn't have to deal with laundry, sorting clothes, and loading dishes for a week.

Not to mention savoring the occasional glass of Caribbean Freeze while watching S frolic in the kids hot tub with her friends. Sweet.

The evening entertainment was hilarious. Funny how fast alcohol can make someone lose their inhibitions. Even the flabby guys didn't hesitate to strip off their shirts to represent the Village People, and perform to the beat of "Macho Man". All in the name of good fun.

For a minute there, P thought he had the chance to win the top prize in the game: Who Wants To Be A Gazillionaire? (BTW, thanks for the key chain, guys.)

Many thanks to our stateroom steward who left all those chocolate coins on S' pillows (and ours, too!). We counted a total of 32 on our last day (excluding the ones we gobbled up).

The bunny and crab towels were so cute, we had to persuade S that she could use them them next day!

A shout-out to the funny Bavarian Head Chef (with his trademark handle-bar mustache) for the wonderful food. P could have survived on the German beer and grilled knackwurst/bratwursts alone.

And of course, to my "kababayans" (countrymen) who make up more than half of the crew!
They were uber-efficient and always had a warm and welcoming smile for everyone.
"Kain pa po kayo, Ma'am!". Didn't they notice that I was almost bursting out of my seams?

Special thanks to the ship physician, Dr. Adriaan Swart who was very gentle with S when she got seasick. He even waived the $70.00 consultation fee!

Salamat! Danke schoen! Chuz! And until next time...

Samana, Dominican Republic

2007-04-30T23:44:00.000-04:00

Thursday, 9:00 AM -

Our final day at the beach! *sigh*.

Our destination was waiting right in the middle of the bay -

the beautiful island of Cayo Levantado.
This time, we had to take tender boats as transportation to and from shore as there wasn't any port for the ship to dock on.

The Samana Peninsula is located in the northeast end of the Dominican Republic, between Samana Bay and the Scottish Bay. It has miles of virgin white and golden sand beaches. These beaches are shaded by thousands of coconut palms. In fact, it has the greatest amount, in the world of coconut trees per square meter.

Cayo Levantado is a small island with one of the most impressive beaches in the Caribbean. Our shore trip included access to beach chairs, live entertainment, local artisans market, souvenir stores, clean & working showers (yes!), beach volleyball and other games. Hungry? There was also an optional $15.00 barbecue lunch.

Speaking of food, instead of having the all-you-can-eat barbecue buffet, P and I opted to order lunch from some local fishermen who were tending a rickety shack nearby. They had assured us that for $20.00 per person, we would be served a bountiful plate full of grilled, fresh jumbo shrimps (maybe, a few prawns?) and some salad for lunch. So much for the anticipation. It turned out that our $45.00 (included was a pinacolada served in a leaking pineapple) got us a plate piled with about a pound and a half of small/medium shrimps. Yep, the same-sized shrimps that I get in Chinatown for $5.99/lb. The "salad" was some shredded cabbage topped with 2 slivers of tomato - and not a drop of dressing.

Suckers. That's who we were. I was seething mad I couldn't even make myself eat a single one of those damn crustaceans. These guys may be trying to make a livelihood - but a 300% profit?! That's robbery! For $40.00, fishermen back home in the Philippines will give you at least 10 pounds of black tiger prawns - and will even throw in a free crab as well.

(Mental note: Go home for a holiday next year).

Oh well, so much for that. Chalk it up to another lesson learned. We didn't let this rather unfortunate lunch incident mar this lovely, gorgeous day. At least S and I could say that we saw a lobster that day - or rather, a semblance of it:

P's sunburned legs.

Tortola, British Virgin Islands

2007-04-19T21:42:00.000-04:00

Wednesday, 8:00 AM - It was an early wake-up call for us as the ship docked in Tortola this morning. We were scheduled to depart at five o' clock in the afternoon and we wanted to have an early head-start to fully utilize the 9 hours we had on the island.

Tortola is the largest of the more than 50 islands comprising the British Virgin Islands. Christopher Columbus discovered what are now known as the Virgin Islands during his second voyage to the New World in 1493.

Faced with the task of christening dozen's of quays and islets, he wisely named them "Las Once Mil Virgines", in honor of St. Ursula's legendary army of 1,100 martyred virgins and claimed them for Spain.

Then in 1666, English planters seized Tortola and annexed the islands in 1672.

(Aerial photo of Cane Garden Bay from: www.bareboatsbvi.com)

Our destination today was Cane Garden Bay.

Road Town retains character with pastel colored buildings. Territorial law prohibits buildings more than two stories high and residents like to boast that the tallest objects on any of the islands are coconut trees.

Just off Road Town lies Cane Garden Bay, considered as the most popular beach in Tortola. Magen's Bay may have made it on the list of the Top 10 Beaches in the world, but we found the sand in Cane Garden Bay to be much finer.

It reminded me a bit of Boracay Island back home.

My only real gripe was that at the end of the day, we couldn't find one single working shower. In fact, when S and I opened one of the stalls, we were greeted with the sight of a bone-dry, dusty floor and an antsy spider dangling from his cobweb. Unbelievable. I ended up hoisting S up on one of the sink (only 2 had running water, the other 2 had sand on the basin ) so she could rinse herself a bit. I mean, - Come on! This beach had a pretty high amount of tourist traffic. I'm sure no one would mind paying a nominal fee to use the shower/restroom facilities as long as it was kept clean and properly maintained. That put quite a damper to our day.

Needless to say, we all raced to the shower as soon as we got back to our stateroom. Itchy sand, knotted hair, sticky sweat, and all...

Carribean Deck Party

2007-04-18T21:50:00.000-04:00

"Feelin' hot, hot, hot!!!" The ship didn't have to leave St. Thomas till one in the morning.

By 11:00 PM, the deck was already in full swing for one the biggest outdoor parties of the cruise.

A live band playing Calypso beats, a beauty contest and crowning of "Miss Norwegian Spirit" (which hilariously turned out to be drunk men in drag), dancing,

S with her virgin "Cool Runnings"

performers in stilts, and plenty of exotic drinks and surprises. The featured drink of the night was called "Cool Runnings". A stiffer version of pinacolada served inside a hollowed pineapple fruit.

St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands

2007-04-16T23:42:00.000-04:00

Tuesday, 11:00 AM - The ship docked in St. Thomas this morning. Haven Sight is truly one of the world's most beautiful harbors.

Although more than 50 islands, inlets, and cays make up the US Virgin Islands, only three are populated. St. Thomas is the most developed of the islands and it covers 32 square miles of hilly terrain.

Standing outside Deck 12, our first sight was an idyllic-looking village that spreads into the lower hills.

Say "Hellllo" to the town of Charlotte Amalie.

There were so many shore excursions to chose from. Island tour. Atlantis Submarine Expedition. Snuba Diving (where your tanks float effortlessly above you instead of you carrying them). Golf. Parasailing. Etcetera. Etcetera.

Beach bums that we were, we opted for the Magen's (also known as Megan's) Bay Beach Getaway.

Magen's Bay Beach

We started the tour with a scenic drive by open-air safari bus (also known as "jeepney" in the Philippines) to Drake's Seat (named after an English pirate, Sir Francis Drake). Come to think of it, we stood on the exact same spot a couple of years ago! Nevertheless, we found the views of the surrounding area still quite spectacular.

After everyone was done with taking and posing for pictures, the next stop was two hours of fun in the beach.

Heart- shaped Magen's Bay Beach is approximately one mile long and located on the north side of St. Thomas. There's water sports operation, restroom facilities and bar/food concessions. Beach lounge chairs are available for rent at $6.00 each (with a $6.00 deposit). While you're soaking up the sun, a bikini clad waitress will even take your order and deliver your cold drink right on the beach.

3 Nights at Sea

2007-04-15T12:39:00.000-04:00

The convenience of NYC embarkation. "Freestyle Cruising" - meaning, doing pretty much your own thing at your own pace.

Gone are the "Early" and "Late Dinner Seatings" and assigned tables and seats. No more dreaded anticipation of being stuck with a complete boor at the table for 8 nights. No more "Formal Nights" (awww...) or "Dinner with the Captain".

You have the choice of dressing up to the nines or wearing casual/elegant attire in the evening. Or you could walk around in your ratty shorts to grab some grub at the Blue Lagoon Cafe.

Lightened schedules, lessened restrictions. Hey, sounds good to me. So there we were by 12 noontime - lugging our bags and suitcases outside Pier 90.

After clearing customs, we boarded the ship and went straight to the Raffles Terrace (Deck 12) for our buffet lunch. The first of many many meals this week where we simply stuffed ourselves way more than we should have.

Next came the usual embarkation motions: Locating our stateroom, registering S for the Kids Crew, waiting for our luggage, and the mandatory Lifeboat Drill.

Long before the ship started moving, about half of the guests were already milling out on the deck. Most were in thick jackets, drinking beer or nursing a tall, plastic tangerine glass filled with Bahama Rama Mama. Loud Calypso music played, setting up the party mood.

At 4PM, the cruise kicked off with a Sail-Away Celebration at the Galaxy of the Stars. Great music and entertainment was provided by an all-Filipino band called the Next Stage.

The Maharajah Casino wasn't set to open till six PM, but P had already signed up for the Cash Blackjack Tournament. Tsk. tsk.

The Tivoli Pool on Deck 12 didn't have the long, looping water slide that Carnival Valor had. But the four, ample sized Jacuzzis surely made up for it.

Day in and day out, P and I would see the same people sitting on that 100.4 degree water. For hours at a time. Talk about boiling your own eggs.

We quickly established our lazy routine. During the day, I'd be reading on a lounge chair by the pool while S was having a ball with her new friends at the Kids Club. If P wasn't lying down next to me, I knew I would find him at one of the bars. His favorite watering hole was the outdoor, covered Bier Garten (above, center) overlooking the pool. German pilsner and hefeweizen. Need I say more?

The sea condition was considered "moderate" - meaning, the waves were between 4.5 - 7.5 feet high. Not bad at all.

On our second night, as the gentle rocking of the ship lulled me to lala~land, I dreamt of our perfect Caribbean family vacation. Sunny blue skies, warm turquoise waters, lush palm trees swaying in the wind, white sand beach, sea water splashing on my face. Yes, I even felt the salty spray - cool!

I woke up to hear S calling my name from the top bunk:

S: Mama...

P: Zzzzzzzzzzzz...

Me: (half-asleep) Hmmm? Are you okay, sweetie?

S: No... I feel sick.

I suddenly became aware that I had a large, wet slop on my cheek. Gingerly, I wiped it off with my hand.

The sea water spray in my dreams turned out to be, in fact - puke.

A Few Images of Easter...

2007-04-08T23:39:00.000-04:00

Lovely tulips from hubby...

Funny bonnets on display during the Easter parade...

...and a brief sighting of Duane "Dog" Chapman (star of A & E Network's "Dog, the Bounty Hunter"), his wife, and entourage as they made their way out of St. Patrick's Cathedral after the 1:00 PM Sunday mass.

LINK:
http://www.dogthebountyhunter.com/

Gone Fishing

2007-03-23T13:32:00.000-04:00

To celebrate our 7th Wedding Anniversary and have some fun on S' Spring Break, were leaving for an 8-night Caribbean Cruise tomorrow.

St. Thomas (UVI), Tortola (BVI), and Samana (Dominican Republic) - here we gooooooooo!!!

Pics to follow...

Through a Child's Eye: On Religion, Space, Etcetera...

2007-03-13T11:44:00.000-04:00

In a plane:
S: (peering out of the window) Are we flying over the clouds, Mom?
Me: Yeah...
S: (squints eyes and looks around) So... Where's God?

***

S: Tell me - how does "milk" in the Milky Way taste like?

***

S: Is Oma G (her 75 yr. old grandma) an orphan?

Me: (Quick to answer) Oh, of course not. Why do you ask?

S: Well, if her mom and dad are dead, that means she doesn't have any more parents, right?

***

S: Which is higher, the galaxy or heaven?

***

S: "A" (her friend) said that she doesn't pray at night before going to bed. Does that mean the angel's won't come and watch over her when she's sleeping?

***

In a grocery store:

S: What's next on the list?
Me: (Checks list) Heavy cream.
S: I got it. I got it. Follow me.

She went straight to the dairy section and picked up the biggest bucket of Shedd's Country Crock spread.

S: Here, Ma. "Heavy" cream.

Steppin' Out: Village Underground

2007-02-26T13:45:00.000-05:00

Wanna groove to fantastic live music but unwilling to pay $20 bucks for cover charge fees and shell out more $$$ for pricey drinks?

Just head out to West 3rd Street (bet. MacDougal St. and 6th Avenue) on a Wednesday night and check out the UnionN Band at the Village Underground. They play kick-ass R&B, funk, classic rock, and reggae music. Oh, and they'll throw in an occasional Gypsy King tune while they're at it.

They're so good - I could almost guarantee (*note: the amount of alcohol that you had imbibed will play a big factor in this) that you'll find yourself working it on the dance floor before their set is over.

The show starts at 9:30 PM and ends by two-ish.

For those (as in: us) who think that 2:00 AM is a tad too early to call it a night, the good news is - the bar/lounge upstairs (Fat Black Pussy Cat) stay open till way past three.

LINK:

http://www.thevillageunderground.com/index.shtml

Got the hunger pangs at 4 in the morning?

Just take a quick stroll around the corner. The $4.50 shawarma in this tiny falafel joint (Mamoun's - at MacDougal St. between West 3rd and Bleecker St. ) is simply the best this side of town!

The Ultimate Playdate

2007-02-17T11:44:00.000-05:00

It was the start of a long President's Day weekend.

As a special treat for S and her "BFF" D, I picked them up from school yesterday for an afternoon playdate and evening show date.

It started with an early dinner at Uno Chicago Grill/Pizzeria where they made their own pizzas...

...and downed a couple of rounds of red/blue slushies.

Talk about sugar rush...

After we got home, they spent about an hour playing "Cool Girls" (their own term for: dress-up) and danced/sang to Hannah Montana and High School Musical songs.

Then with only 5 minutes to spare, I had to almost drag them out of S' room where they've been busy primping with baby pink Lillifee lip gloss and pastel eye glitter in preparation for their first night-out together.

LINK:

http://www.prinzessin-lillifee.de/

Fan Yang's Gazillion Bubble Show

2007-02-17T11:42:00.000-05:00

(photo credit: soapbubbler)

Fan Yang is a half-Vietnamese, half-Hungarian bubble artist (known more as a "bubble sorcerer") who was born in Vietnam and grew up in Yugoslavia. He now resides in Ontario, Canada.

His ability to create bubble-magic landed him in the Guinness Book of Records - holding multiple titles. Making the "Largest Bubble Wall" (156-ft. long and 13-ft. high), the "Biggest Bubble ever Blown", and the "Most Soap Bubble Domes (twelve) Created Inside One Another" were among his feats.

As soon as we made it to the World Stages Theatre, the girls settled down in their front row seats. They could hardly contain their excitement.

The show was two hours long and had no intermission. I think the fact that it was interactive, fun, and was set to throbbing techno/house and lively jazz music (not to mention the cool laser beams) kept the younger kids from dozing off.

This guy's really unbelievable. At one point, he blew a smoke-filled balloon inside a bigger, clear one. Then he reached inside the outer bubble with his hand and simply plucked the smaller smoke-filled bubble out. Just like that.

Without popping either one!

Did I mention he can also make a square bubble?

Oh - and S got her "15 minutes of fame", too. Fan Yang picked her out from the crowd and brought her onstage for a bit part in the show.

As a gift, she got to take home one of Fan's Ultimate Bubble Toy for free!

Fan Yang's Gazillion Bubble Show is ongoing until Sept. 2, 2007.

Fan Yang with D and S

LINK:

http://www.gazillionbubbleshow.com/

Central Park Winter Jam 2007

2007-02-14T17:14:00.000-05:00

For the past few weeks we've had days with single-digit temperatures, yet not a single speck of snow fell. I've had my share of frostbite-like "burns" at the back of my hands and knuckles that no amount of salve can soothe - yet not a single snowflake I saw.

We've been waiting and waiting. Everyone anticipating.

As a last resort, P and I took S to the Naumburg Bandshell in Central Park last weekend for their annual Winter Jam. The main crowd drawer was the fact that event organizers brought their own snow! There was cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, a snow boarding ramp...

They even built an igloo for the kids.

What was so damn ridiculous was the fact that we had to freeze our asses off while we stood in line for about half-an-hour before we could even get in the roped area to play with the "snow".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzDUERtyDf0

Among other attractions were pro-snow boarders during tricks and flips on a trampoline, ice-sculpting demos, and great music provided by Jibbs and DJ Mark Ronson.

Dunkin' Donuts provided free hot chocolate and in another tent, cups of hot apple cider were being given away freely as well.

S and a friend (above) playing with some measly 3-inch man-made snow.

Winter is hands down, my least favorite season of the year. But I must admit - it'll suck even more if we don't get the chance to have a thick blanket of powdered soft snow covering the streets, tree branches, and rooftops at least once before Spring finally pops its purty tuliped-head in.

I thought I'd never say this but the fact is, I'm sure GLAD were having this snowstorm today. Bring it on!!

LINK:

http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_newsroom/daily_plants/daily_plant_main.php?id=20038

Steppin' Out: SPRING AWAKENING

2007-02-02T18:39:00.000-05:00

PLAYBILL

(Photo from: broadway.com)
Eugene O'Neill Theatre

(Photo from: broadway.com)

This play is set in a provincial German town in the 1890s .

Jonathan Groff, who plays Melchior created the role of Melchior Off-Broadway at the Atlantic Theatre. He has toured with The Sound of Music, Fame, Bat Boy, and Honk!

Lea Michele, who plays Wendla has been a part of Spring Awakening for the past 6 years. She has also appeared in Fiddler on the Roof, Ragtime, Les Miserables, and played the lead role in The Diary of Anne Frank.

The reviews have been great. The alternative/rock music score - amazingly fresh and hip. Some even touted this as the next "RENT". Besides, it was kinda intriguing to watch a Broadway show based on a 19th century play that has been banned for 71 years.

Braced for a different kind of experience, my friend and I decided to check out Broadway's SPRING AWAKENING.

The author, Frank Wedekind was born in Hanover, Germany in 1864. During his lifetime, his plays were repeatedly banned and only performed in censored versions. Spring Awakening (1891) was his first major play and was considered scandalous, for he dared to deal with issues of sex, homosexuality, masturbation, puberty problems, suicidal issues, violence and even death. His work broke through all the cliches of the theatre of his time, and today he is considered one of the founders of modern drama.

Charm Me

2007-01-26T13:32:00.000-05:00

My mother-in-law has come and gone, and one of the many gifts she gave me was a Thomas Sabo sterling silver bracelet with some silver/crystal charms.
I totally adore it -

- although I thought I heard her trying to stifle a dismayed gasp when I impulsively added a $5 dollar Hello Kitty "Rock" charm to the bunch.

The next must-have charms on my list are the naughty handcuffs, studded flipflops,

sparkly heels, sexy g-string...

And who knows...
If I'm extra good, maybe P will shell out $249.00 for this sterling silver black CZ handbag charm?

LINK: http://www.thomassabo.com/en/sterlingsilver/intro.html

A Tribute To My Great Gramps on New Year's Day

2007-01-01T13:29:00.000-05:00

This article about my great grandfather, Datu Gumbay Piang was published in The Mindanao CROSS on November 11, 2006.
It was written by Charlie C. Senase.

Datu Gumbay Piang was an Army captain remembered for his ferocious stand to lead 20,000 strong bolo-wielding Maguindanaos that he organized to support a beleaguered American contingent in a war against the Japanese Imperial Army holed in our beloved homeland, Mindanao.

Piang was at the helm when other Moro datus (Salipada Pendatun, Udtug Matalam, Ali Dimaporo, et al) joined him in his daring adventure to assist an ally drive out invading troops in the early 1940s.

Here, we take the cudgel of highlighting the legendary exploits of the man who hailed from Dulawan, Maguindanao - the town that is now named after him. Born on New Years Day in 1905, the Moro hero of the World War II once more comes to mind as Mindanaoans observe Piang's 57th Death Anniversary tomorrow. He died of an illness that he got when he was a POW at a Japanese garrison command.
He was 44.

Piang's sterling leadership spanned from the military to the realm of politics. It was in the early stage of his military career that the US government saw the loyalty of the Moros. Col. Wendell Fertig, commander of the US military in the Southwest Pacific area, officially relayed General Douglas McArthur's radio message of October 2, 1943 to Piang which in part reads: "(what) you have done is renewed evidence of the unflinching loyalty of the Maguindanaos in the face of heavy and sustained pressure from a ruthless enemy."

That patriotism and gallantry in defense of Mindanao against the invaders had led to the 1946 Philippine Liberation and immortalized an American vow ("I shall return!") of General McArthur to return to the Philippines when he and his troops landed at Palo, Leyte.

Piang, who finished a Bachelor's degree in Education in Manila's Philippine Normal School, later moved to further his study at UP in Quezon City where he obtained his pedagogy and anthropology titles. Briefly, Piang had a stint with an agricultural school in Upi, Maguindanao.

Years later, he was privileged to be part of the prestigious US-based National Education Association, and the Society for the Advancement of Education, Inc.
He was also an active member of several horticulture societies in America and Europe.

His political career began in 1946 when he was elected the first House member representing the lone congressional district of the undivided Cotabato which is now made up Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, Shariff Kabunsuan, South and North Cotabato.

To the surviving American forebears, the Moros of Mindanao will forever be in their hearts as true friends and allies. Kristie Kenney, the US envoy to the Philippines, aware of the Mindanaoans past ties with her people, has guaranteed outpouring socio-economic aid for the island with the Bangsamoro assurance that true peace shall have reign.

LINK:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datu_Piang,_Maguindanao

Busy-Busy-Busy

2006-12-11T11:21:00.000-05:00

I've got loads of stuff to post but I just can't seem to take a breather.
I've been running around like a chicken without a head and the few times when I can actually sit down and relax,
I promptly nod off and snooze.
Sigh.*
I need a few vacation days.

Did You See Me, Santa?

2006-11-29T09:56:00.000-05:00

This sucks. Something wrong with the computer's USB port. All of a sudden, it's rejecting my camera's cable so I can't download any pictures at the moment.

Computer's probably thinking: "I've had enough of your junk!".

So anyway, I guess I'm just gonna do some aimless tattling about my shopping experience last weekend instead.

Despite the TV news of some moronic guys fighting and punching each other's eyeballs out over an inane toy, the whole family decided to join in the fun and mingled with the throng of mad shoppers last Sunday.
Store discounts are biggest on Black Friday but a lot of stores had extended their discounts throughout the weekend.

Anyway, we decided to do a one-stop shopping and dropped by this mall which carried everything we wanted:
* P wanted to buy some shirts and ties (denim blue, sky blue, cobalt blue, light blue with dark navy stripes - could he possibly be color blind?),
* I was looking for an espresso machine and wanted to browse through some great houseware bargains as well,
* and S wanted to drop by the Toy Department to watch a 25 minute puppet show about some Christmas moose.

As I passed by the Housewares Department, I happened to see some soup bowls (which matched my dinner plates) on display. There was a large red sign propped up next to them stating that they were on sale for 50% off its lowest price.
The original price for a bowl was $14.00, and I saw that it was already marked down to $6.99 each. Hey, I could buy the whole lot for just $3.78 (including tax) each!
Not one to pass up a good bargain, I scooped up all remaining ten of them.

Strangely, when the cashier rang them up, it came up to $4.53 each. I pointed out to her that the sign clearly says "50% off" and not "40 % off". She retorted somewhat snippingly that the half-priced discount was "effective only last Friday". They had just "forgotten" to take down the sign.
Miffed, I spoke to the manager who didn't make a big deal out of it.
She immediately instructed the cashier to give me the 50% discount while she took down the sign.

Now I don't know if that cashier was mathematically challenged, or just didn't know how to adjust the price change on the cash register. All I heard after she fiddled with its buttons to ring up my purchase was:
"Your total is $22.70 for ten bowls. Is that okay?"

Okay? Are you frickin' kidding me?? BAG THEM UP, MISSY!!

I glanced down at the receipt that she handed me.
Printed on the bottom was: "Your total savings is $128.85".
Poor woman took off 50% more from the 40% that she had already deducted from the sale price. Ooopsie...

The question is, did I point out her blunder?

Well, all I can say is:
"Santa - if you were watching me that day, I can rest assure you that during the rest of the year, I had been a very very GOOD girl".

I hope I don't choke on the darn soup.

Date Night: "CASINO ROYALE" Advance Screening

2006-11-17T08:19:00.000-05:00

P received a couple of invitations to the advance screening of Martin Campbell's "Casino Royale" yesterday, courtesy of the Omega Watch Company (007's official time piece).

Due to the drizzling rain and traffic, we made it to the theater in the nick of time - just as the opening credits was starting.

All I can say is that Daniel Craig was the purr-fect choice to play the role of James Bond in Ian Fleming's first novel. He succeeded in making a few other actors before him (excluding Sean Connery) look like a bunch of pansies. Getting downright gritty, he wasn't squeamish about having a few drops of blood (okay, it was more like a pint) stain his ertswhile immaculate white shirt.

This is one Bond who didn't rely on the latest gizmos to bring his enemies down.
(I got so carried away that I half-expected him to snap their torsos in half with his bare hands!)
Were sure that the sappy scenes he had with sultry, green-eyed brunette, Vesper Lynd (played by French actress Eva Green) was crucial to the story line.
However, our sole gripe was that we thought those lovey-dovey parts got more air time than they deserved.

What-evah - who gives a hoot about our own personal opinion anyway?

Besides, the excitement and action during the first 20 minutes of the movie alone will be worth the price of the movie ticket.

The Vesper Martini:

3 parts Gordon Gin
1 part Smirnoff Red vodka
1/2 part lillet Blanc aperitif
To finish: lemon peel

Shake well with ice and strain into martini glass. Garnish with lemon twist.

LINK:
http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/casinoroyale/site/noflash.html

Steppin' Out: SON CUBANO, NYC

2006-11-13T17:43:00.000-05:00

"Come out, Come out, Wherever you are..."

(SON CUBANO photo credit: cooltownstudios)

OK, I needed a "me-time" break again. Yup, it's Mamita's time to play! P agreed to do some father-daughter bonding while I did the Latin lounge rounds late Saturday night. He even graciously offered to take S swimming the next day so I could sleep late Sunday morning.
*Muah! Danke schoen!

Son Cubano is located at the heart of the Meatpacking District. Tasty tapitas and flavorful Cuban entrees are served during the evening, with weeknight entertainment provided by a live band. A DJ takes over Friday/Saturday nights from 10-ish till 4AM to spin the latest dance mixes.

The door policy is thistight after 11 PM - so make sure to dress to impress.

Oh, the DJ was gooooood. He was playing some really cool stuff - good enough to make everyone get up and bust a move in dancefloor.
One of the highlights of my night was when he beckoned and placed me in his spot for a few minutes.

But nothing beats being on the dance floor. Worked up some serious Latin-House induced sweat with my party-animal cousin and some zany friends.
Parched? Dehydrated?
No problemo.
Their Green Apple Mojito was simply deeeevine...

LINK: http://www.soncubanonyc.com/

NYC EVENTS: 37th Annual NYC Marathon

2006-11-07T23:54:00.000-05:00

*Yawn.
Woke up last Sunday morning to the sound of loud commotion downstairs. Why of course - it's Marathon Day!

Scrambled downstairs with S just in time to see a few ingenious guys settling down on their own prime viewing spot.
There was a jazz band playing (courtesy of Central Park Conservancy), people lining up the streets, enthusiastically waving long, orange inflatable wands, a firetruck in one corner on stand-by for any emergency, people cheering and yelling...

Soon enough, the leader of the pack came into view - and everyone did a double-take.

Who the heck is this stranger?

For the past 2 days, the TV Marathon coverage was all about last years' winners - Kenyans Paul Tergat (2005 Winner) and Hendrick Ramaala (2005 1st runner up) and speculations on who would take the top spot this year. No one has ever seen this guy before. Before anyone could close their gaped mouths, he was gone in a Speedy Gonzales flash.
In less than two hours, everyone knew who exactly Brazilian Marilson Gomes dos Santos was. Finishing the race in 2:09.58, he is the first non-African man to win the NYC Marathon in 10 years. He also made history for being the first South American champion ever!

He opened a half-minute lead by Mile 20 and surged past the elite pack on First Avenue. Kenyan Stephen Kiogora came second at 2:10.06, while world-record holder (and defending champ) Tergat came in third at 2:10.10.
Olympic gold medalist Stefano Baldini (in gold, above) came in 6th.

But the most popular runner wasn't the fastest. The person who drew the most cheers was none other than 35-year-old cancer survivor Lance Armstrong (above in green shirt, shades) who placed at 856th.
The seven-time Tour de France winner barely made his personal goal of completing the race in 3 hours - finishing with a time of 2:59.36. Wow, that left him with only a few seconds to spare!
Which reminds me - I would never ever place a bet against Lance.
After the race, he stated in an interview that "In 20 years of endurance sports, triatlons, cycling, even the worst day on the Tour, nothing was as hard as that, and nothing left me feeling the way I do now."

More than 38,000 runners participated in this years Marathon. Senator Pia Cayetano and successful businessman Fernando Zobel De Ayala were among the handful of Filipinos who also joined the race that day. MABUHAY!!

While most came on foot wearing typical running gear, some opt to run sans tops. Brrrrrr.

Some came in wheels...

... while a few thought skateboarding was the only way to go.

LINK: http://www.philstar.com/philstar/index20061108.htm

On Tooth Fairies

2006-11-03T17:36:00.000-05:00

Why can't Toys R Us give the Tooth Fairy a corporate discount?

First of all, she doesn't get paid to collect all those teeth from millions of kids each night.
Nor does she get any compensation for providing safe, overnight delivery service to Tooth Heaven.

Nowadays, not only do kids expect to find a dollar under their pillow in exchange for a broken tooth - but anticipate a new toy as well!

Come to think of it, the Tooth Fairy doesn't even exist for kids in the Pre-school category. Tooth Fairy, who?
But once a kid hits 5 or 6 - BOOM!
She suddenly becomes the "It" figure .
Like Santa Claus in a white tutu and shimmering wings - sans the mustache and Christmas.

S lost her two lower front teeth within weeks of each other.
When she lost her first one, the Tooth Fairy got so excited that she snucked a pair of magenta Disney princess ballet slippers under her pillow instead of a shiny quarter. Or a shiny crystal.

BIG, BIG MISTAKE.
A well-meant but very unwise gesture, to say the least.

When the second one came off, this was overheard during her nightly prayers:

"...Hello, Tooth Fairy? I have a tooth for you!! Ummm... can I please have a Pixel Chix this time? Pretty Pleeeaaase?..."

What's the biggie with this Pixel Chix amongst first graders anyway?

Well apparently, it provides more entertainment than a Tagamochi or this interactive dancing alien (below) we got in Germany last Summer.
(BTW, is it just me or does this toy look like it shouldn't even be for kids? Couldn't they have picked another shape/design that didn't remotely resemble an erect phallus?)

This virtual girl (or Chix) is a spunky one. She works to earn money for shopping - which she then pays for in cash or withdraws from an ATM machine. Oh, but she has her moods too. She'll impatiently tap her feet, swap flies and even stick her tongue out at you if you're too slow in pressing the buttons. Hell, she even goes to the loo!
But what cracked me up the most was that even she couldn't get too many breaks - her uptight boss would suddenly show up and promptly tell her off!
Now that's a dose of harsh reality right there for you.

So anyway, right now were counting S' remaining baby teeth.
Me thinks the Tooth Fairy will be needing a bit of financial assistance by the time the last one falls off.

LINK: http://www.everythinggirl.com/pixelchix/home/