The End of Hibernation

It’s no surprise that I haven’t touched my camera in months. With my iPad being able to take photos of what I need to blog about, I find no need in having to bring my bulky camera everywhere. After a while I have realized I lost my love for the one thing I was so passionate about ever since I was a little girl.

I was talking to a friend last night, and he shared with me an article on the subject. He also said that it takes a lot of practice to improve, that being lazy is not an excuse. He told me to go on Photowalks by myself or at least get out once in a while just to shoot. Since I know myself a lot more, I knew I had to make a game out of this to keep me from being bored.

I challenged my sister from another mother: Gisele to join me in a Photo Scavenger Hunt. At the end of the challenge the loser buys the winner a book.

I’ll be posting the list soon! Can’t wait to start.

Photo by Cassiopeia Nicerio

The Ruins

My cousins Sean and Ronna were supposed to bring me to this place last May when I went to Bacolod to take care of my late grandma. Things happened so fast that one minute I was there, the next I was in Manila.

Nevertheless while my mom was busy bonding with her siblings. My sisters and I went with our cousins to see this place they called; Ruins.  We got there at around dusk after a extremely long and bumpy ride. To the government officials of Talisay, you might want to have that taken care of. 

The first few minutes at the place was really annoying, there’s this weird lady who keeps on getting in my shots, my butt still hurt from the insane ride to the place and I needed to pee badly but my bladder doesn’t like functioning in just any rest room.

Out of nowhere, magic happened and the sky turned azure in seconds. Not having a tripod did have it’s downers but I was still able to get a couple of good shots. Here, check them out:

This was the fountain in front of the mansion. Took me 4 shots before I got to this, must say I’m pretty pleased with the outcome.

And this is the Mansion. 

It’s a great place to hangout at. There’s a restaurant, a mini-golf course and a souvenir shop. A perfect place to bring tourists and visitors. You’ll sure appreciate Talisay’s beauty here at the Ruins.

Saturday at Intramuros

It’s been forever since the last walk but after the revamp and all it was high time to touch base with the newbies and shoot. Despite the terrible weather we had for the past week, I kept my hopes up and wished for sunshine on the 11th. True enough we got all the sunshine we wanted, heck it didn’t even rain that night.

The call time for the members was at 1PM and we; the admins had to be there earlier to make the necessary preparations but being Helios no one comes on time no matter what effort I put in to schedule things. Regardless, things went well so I’m not complaining.

FC and I met in ATC at around 10. Got on a bus to SM Manila and waited for Darrell and Nikki at Wendy’s. We still regret letting our hunger get the best of us and ordered separate meals when we could’ve ordered a bucket meal and split the bill. Anyway. We went to Starbucks at around 1PM and waited for the others there. By the time Bobbit arrived, off we were to Intramuros.

Nico and his brother were already there. Jarryd followed shortly and we started the walk. The theme of the walk revolves around the statement; The Filipino Spirit is Waterproof. I have no idea what to shoot, so I have decided to take the BTS shots and random so-called artsy photos instead.

It was a good walk if you’d ask me, despite the fact that I have gone beyond my 1500 KCal diet. Till the next walk yo!

See the entire set here.

Tumblr Crushes

Monica’s doing a 30 Day crushes challenge. See here. And I need to stall, so I’m going to this too!

1. Aia Solis – One of my favorite girl friends. We really think alike, I mean seriously. We love the same shows, hate the same things and over-all? We love each other to bits! She’s a talented photographer; one of the Philippines’ best self-portraitists! Check her blog here.

Aia Trivia: She’s the girl in RA Rivera’s Tales from the Friend Zone featuring Ramon Bautista. Yeah, she’s artistahin like that.

2. Zab Trinidad – My lovely fashionista daughter. She’s basically Tumblr royalty followed by thousands! Her epic re-make of My Amnesia Girl’s post-it has been televised on ABS-CBN’s In Da Loop. Details here.

Zab Trivia: She’s a nurse by profession but a fashion designer by passion

3. Anri Iga – My little bookworm. We share the same love for books and nail polish! She’s got a thing for mustaches. I have no idea why though. She has an adorable baby girl who I have yet to meet. One of the best moms I know. Check her blog here.

Anri Trivia: She’s an awesome hair and make-up artist. Though she hasn’t take up any formal training, she’s great!

4. Beng Ergina – She’s my KPop crazy kid. And when I mean crazy, I mean; seriously hooked on KPop. Sorry, I can’t seem to understand KPop. Beng has a really strong personality, I guess she got it from me. We’re the same in so many ways! She’s like my soulmate. Check her blog here.

Beng Trivia: She’s slobbery. Hahahaha!

5. Franz Lopez – Founder of The Helios Project International, part of PHL 360′s production crew and my best friend. Yeah sure, we’ve been through a rough patch. But it’s all good. He’s an awesome photographer and graphic artist. You should check his work; click here. I’m so proud of him.

Franz Trivia: He’s a really good cook, he’s just really messy in the kitchen.

6. Bobbit Lim – He’s one amazing artist; actually the epitome of multimedia artist. He’s the one person who can make me laugh when I’m broken and I love him for being there for me always.

Bobbit Trivia: He’s the boyfriend and personal photographer of Zab Trinidad

7. Jaypee David – One of the best travel and techy bloggers I know. He’s the man behind Pinoy Appler check out his site here.

Jaypee Trivia: He’s also a foodie. Follow him on instagram. You’ll see what I’m talking about.

8. Living Wonder – I have no idea what her real name is but I know she’s a photographer from Australia. I love her work and her Tumblr. A lot of inspiring photographs.

Living Wonder Trivia: She’s a Canonian.

9. Cedie Lee – This. Kid. Amazing. He’s my favorite doodler! You must check his work out here. I can wait to start on my doodled wall! He’s helping me.

Cedie Trivia: We played this memory game last August and he got so drunk that he took the shot despite the fact that he was able to answer correctly.

Follow these amazing people on Tumblr

A Gantea; Simple Bliss

Being half Sri Lankan I do know a thing or two about tea. Frankly I don’t like it. But with the sudden boom of the Milk Tea culture here in the Philippines, I just have to give tea a second chance. So yes I’ve tried almost everything from Serenitea to Happy Lemon to Gong Cha and what-have-you.

It was only yesterday when Francis had me try this new place in Greenbelt 2, A Gantea. They have this snazzy little place just across Italianis.

Francis suggested I start with the QQ Milk Tea, but I have this thing for Tapioca. So I opted to have it removed and I’d just go with the crystals. Then Matthew said he’d like the Cocoa Milk Lid. I decided to change my order. Yes, they had me at Milk. Best decision I’ve ever made for this week.

This drink contained  the very essence of my chocolate milk-filled childhood. A sip just brought you back to that familiar place and time.

Now the trick to this drink is not to use the straw. You get to the chocolate so fast that you skip on the milk lid part. Its the perfect symphony of salty and sweet. The flavor just rolls in your mouth like sweet caramel and salt fused together. Amazing taste I tell you.

If you’re ever in Greenbelt, give it a try! Definitely worth the trip.

For the Love of Middle Eastern Cuisine

I have always been a fan of Middle Eastern Cuisine. I guess it’s because I grew up in the Middle East. There’s just something about the flavors and spices you just can’t let go of.

When I first got to Manila in 2005 I would get these weird cravings for Hummus, authentic Chicken Shawarma, Kabsa, Tamis and Falafel. Sadly none of the places I’ve been to, that claimed they served Arabic food met up to my expectations. I just waited for my mom’s care packages or yearly trips home to satisfy my cravings.

One fateful day my best friend was telling me about this place in Jupiter Street where they had real Arabic food. I was skeptical at first. But we gave it a try. Let me tell you this, the first bite of that Chicken Shawarma oozing with Garlic Sauce takes you back home.

I usually take my childhood friends to Manaish. And they all say the same thing; it’s definitely the best in Manila.

Last 2011, I met Francis at a supposed watch-harry-potter meet up with old friends. I found out a couple of days later that he grew up in Oman. I was itching to tell him about Manaish. We eventually had dinner there with a couple of our other friends from our Photography Club. Needless to say; Francis was speechless after his first bite. If only I had a photo of his reaction.

Check out his story here.

I just got back from Bacolod the other day and being away from my dear friends for almost 2 months called for a celebration of some sort. Francis invited us to have dinner at Manaish.

They had us try their new dish; Baked Chicken and Beef Shawarma

It’s technically the same Shawarma but the Kofta Bread is baked along with the chicken or beef. This definitely gave it a different texture. Highly satisfying.

For appetizers we ordered the Mezza Platter but customized it with four servings of Hummus and four servings of Moutabal. Our friends loved the Hummus, unlike most Arabic restaurants in Manila, the Hummus in Manaish has a milder taste with a very smooth texture, heaven is an understatement to how good Manaish’s hummus is.

We also ordered the  Manaish Pizza. I had it the last time I was there with friends and I wanted Francis and the rest to give it a try. Unlike your usual pizza, Arabic pizza has more flavor play. Various toppings laid on a thin crust baked to perfection.

And since Francis and I are huge fans of garlic sauce, we ordered three servings of their garlic cream. I kid you not when I say this is not the usual garlic mayo you get in local markets. This is the garlic sauce of the middle east.

After dinner we all had Shaii. Compliments of Manaish. I’m not a fan of tea but Arabian Shaii is different. It’s a bittersweet blend with a hint of mint. A splendid way to end a meal.

If you’re around Manila, looking for the best place to satisfy your craving for authentic Arabic cuisine, visit Manaish. Located  at Jupiter Street, just right behind the Jaguar/Land Rover showroom. You can’t miss it!

Taking A Leap

I’ve done a lot of crazy things for love. My best friend can surely attest to that. I’ve commuted all the way from Laguna to Mendiola on a school night with a cake to say I’m sorry. I’ve driven from work to Cavite every single day just to be with that someone. I’ve learned to accept baggage no matter how big and disturbing they are. And the craziest perhaps is that I’ve learned to love with no bounds despite the fact that I’ve already been left behind.

Stupid? Cheesy? We all go through it. So what’s the craziest thing you’ve done for love?

Watch PhotoMNL’s latest;

Obsession With Black and White Photographs

It’s no secret that I love monochrome, desaturated and gray-scale photos. If you can make a photo look great in black and white, there’s no doubt that you can make it look great in color.

My plans for going on a solo photowalk have been foiled due to my rather busy schedule; I have my grandma to watch at night and business responsibilities to take care of in the day, technically time is a luxury I cannot afford at the moment. So instead of flipping through channels by my grandma’s hospital bed I have decided to convert some of my old shots and update my Tumblr with my black and white set.

Follow me on Tumblr!

To The Mooon and Back

I’ve already featured Mooon Cafe before, see here.

I was supposed to meet up with Renz that day, we were scheduled to have some cake from Calea. So I decided to wait for him in Robinson’s Bacolod.

Opted to have lunch without Renz since it was taking him forever to get there. Decided to try Mooon Cafe again. While deciding on what to have for lunch I ordered their Pumpkin Soup. Apologies for the photos, I didn’t have Seth with me at the time. I just used my iPod.

It was superb. I have never tasted a creamier bowl of Pumpkin Soup in my entire life. I love the way the taste of the Pumpkin still lingered on my tongue moments after my first sip. Yes, I have a thing for pumpkins.

After and hour or so, I’ve decided to order my main course. Renz wasn’t replying and it was already raining hard. I decided to order the Fish Fillet Melt; breaded cream of dory with melted mozzarella and tomatoes. The breading was kind of thick but the creamy texture of the fish made up for it. The tomatoes were not ripe enough tough. This was sort of a disappointment, they could’ve sautéed ripe tomatoes with basil or even just a little salt and pepper. Unfortunately all I got was heated tomatoes swimming in bland tasting tomato juice. This dish definitely needed improvement. Note to self: Next time order the Beef Stroganoff

Nevertheless, they still had really affordable meals for a classy place. I hope they open up a branch in Manila soon.

The Art District

Sean and Jan have been telling me about this place for days since I got here. The so-called Cubao X of Bacolod. Contrary to what I was expecting The Art District is a lot classier and bigger.

Locals call it Art. My kid cousins go; Mapa-Art kami sa Sabado, upod ka?

Anyway, this place is really nice compared to Cubao X, the comfort rooms are spotless and don’t reek of urine, the place is pretty organized; there are proper parking spaces and all. This is the Rich Kid’s version of our beloved Cubao X.

After years of partying and chill drinking in college, I have gotten tired of the whole drown yourself in alcohol thing. Besides I don’t get drunk, what’s the fun in it? So my kid cousins were enjoying their buckets of beer while Sean, Alvin and I had;

Fish and Chips: I can tell that it wasn’t cream dory that was used in this dish. I don’t know what fish was used but kudos to the chef. Thanks to the spices the fishy smell was eliminated. They could’ve exerted a little effort on the chips part though. Well, can’t complain. This entire platter only costed P95!

Nachos: You’ll probably think I’m exaggerating but I kid you not when I say that this bowl of nachos was the best I’ve ever had. And I had my fair share of nachos. What’s amazing is for P75 you have this huge serving of nachos with all sorts of goodies. Sean literally licked the bowl clean!

We gulped everything down with;

Raspberry Iced Tea: This was kind of overpriced I guess it’s because they used Twinning’s Tea Leaves to make this. But it’s so amazing that you’ll be craving for more despite the fact that an ordinary glass of it is worth P75 imagine all the awesome bowls of nachos you could’ve bought! 

Sigh, why does everything in Bacolod have to be cheap and delicious? I’m starting to get homesick.