Thursday 31 May 2007

My first baha in Makati

Steng, Rose and I live at Cityland 8, Buendia Makati City. We chose that condominium because they offer units that our budget can afford. And it's very accessible, there's a bus stop right at our doorstep. We didn’t heed the warnings of some friends telling us, “Ay bahain dyan kaya mura.” I thought, “Grabe naman! Carry lang naman siguro yung baha, if ever babaha.”

Then last Tuesday, we finally experienced at first hand what they had warned us about.

Steng, Rose and I stayed at Greenbelt after work for dinner and to wait for the rain to stop. It had been raining hard since dark set in. It was already around 9pm when we saw that the rain turned into a manageable drizzle that we decided to hail a cab.

The driver of the first cab we hailed shook his head when we told him our destination, “Baha dun!”. We looked at each other, brows furrowed “Hala! Baha daw! Tinuod kaha?” or “Is it true that it’s flooded there?” (Naman o, ang hirap translate to English, hehehe). So we hailed another cab and tried to improvise, “Kuya sa Buendia po.” “Saan sa Buendia?”, the cabbie asked (aba, wa-is!). “Err.. ahhh.. sa may Mayapis po.” “Ay ayoko! Baha dun!”, he shouted. Oh my God…

We gave up and walked towards MSE (Makati Stock Exchange) and decided to ride a bus. We were surprised that at the normally bus-littered bus stop, there was no bus in sight. “Baka na-stranded mga bus dun sa baha?”, I commented out loud. “So, ga-baha jud diay didto?” (“So, it really gets flooded there?”), asked Rose. Obviously she was still in-denial, hoping that what the cabbies told us weren’t true.

We were able to ride a jeepney and got off near Petron station (across Export-Industry building). As we started walking towards Cityland 8, Rose exclaimed, “Hala George, tan-awa ga-baha jud!” (“Look George, it’s really flooded!”). And true enough, right before our eyes, there’s a garbage-strewn flood, about mid-leg high (between the ankle and knee) at the Washington-side of Buendia.

We started trekking at the aisle, since the it wasn’t submerged in the flood. But we had to move with tiptoe steps because the only edge of the aisle was cemented, the middle part was muddy. (Sayang naman yung Charles and Keith sandals ni Steng, madudumihan…) We were carefully trekking when suddenly a car sped by causing the flood to wave towards us, so the water splashed at our feet, grr! (Ay goodbye ang Charles and Keith ni Steng, nabasa, hehehe =p)

We then arrived at the aisle “opening” across Cityland 8. Our problem to cross the flood was resolved when there was a trisikad driver (yung tricyle na bike) offering us to carry across. The charge was 20 per person, a price we’re willing to pay rather than wade the garbage-filled flood, ewww! (Pero bilib ako sa Pinoy, always nakaka-isip ng racket, hehehe).

The three of us went to the Makati Executive Tower front. Wow, the flood at Dela Rosa-Washington was a lot worse, it’s above the knee! And the only way you can cross the flood was to hop on a boat (yes, bangka) or on an raft with improvised seats on top (na feeling prinsesa ka pag yun sinakyan mo...).

One would expect that Makati, being the Philippines’ business center, with all the skyscrapers scattered around, is well developed. A normal expectation since a large percentage of the country’s profit is collected from the taxes of the working professionals here. The city’s drainage system should be A-OK. But no!!! They say, our area always get flooded during heavy rains, years ago pa raw, tsk! Where did our taxes go? What we experienced was a case where you could shrug and say, “Only in the Philippines… “
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Tuesday 29 May 2007

Ria's Bridal Shower

Last Saturday, May 26, I had an indulgence of Haagen Daz and men...

After lunch Rose, Stella, Jaspher and I went to Häagen-Dazs Café at Glorietta 3. It's Jaspher's long overdue treat. It's my first time.. hahaha poor lang kasi ako e. After 2 gluttonous servings of fondeau and pizza ice cream we were all suffering slight headache due to the chocolate/ice cream overload. (Also the attempt to lose that unwanted pounds around my tummy flew out of the window, grrr!) Now when I pass by the Haagen Daz cafe, I squirm and shake my head. No thanks, been there, done that! (O diba ang taray? I'm saying no now to Haagen daz...) But maybe in a month or two, I'll be smiling again, ear-to-ear, if someone hands me a free cup of Haagen Daz, hehehe =)

Around 8pm Rose, Stella, Ria, Jaja and I cabbed to Tomas Morato where Josh and Mau were already waiting in Inno bar, along Sgt. Esguerra. The food was great. It's a little bit pricey but that's understandable since the place was chic and cozy with its dim yellow lights. The only thing that ruined the coziness was the band - the singer was horrible. She was literally shouting that by the end of My Immortal we were relieved she's done and only a handful gave her polite claps. After eating, we jump started Ria's bridal shower.

Bridal shower's purpose is to shower the bride with gifts. (Obvious ba?) So we showered Ria with gifts...

Josh and Mau gave her a CD so she can acquire prowess on Erotic Massage that she can use for Dan.

Jaja and I gave her a flimsy, see-through black nightie. The camisole top had 2 holes on the chest (So each breast can go peekaboo and say, Hello world!) and each hole could just be closed by knotting the cute pink ribbons. It had a matching black thong, which was also see-through. (Kakabagan talaga si Ria when she wears this ensemble...)

Rose and Steng's gifts were a seamless lace panty and a box of nipplets. (Worse than our gift because Ria ONLY has the nipplets to cover her chest...)

After dinner, we told Ria that we're going to a Videoke bar. But actually we already had planned to take her to Adonis for the finale...

Josh dropped us (They had to look for a place to park) in front of Adonis, which almost ruined the surprise - tsk! Ria was already shouting, "Wow, mag-Adonis ta?" "Nope Ri, dyan tayo sa Church So Blessed" (Really there's a Church So Blessed, worship center I guess, beside Adonis. Ironic, diba?) We lied, telling her we had to walk towards GMA because the Videoke bar was there. When we neared GMA, Jaja immediately blindfolded Ria and we guided her towards Adonis where Josh and Mau were already inside, making arrangements for a VIP room.
I was immediately shocked when we entered the place. Three cute guys were already "dancing" on stage. Shocks ang gagwapo nila, muscled and mga tisoy! My eyeballs nearly popped out when the center guy took out his *blip*, brandishing it like a trophy for all to see. I heard Steng exclaimed, "Hala! ka daku!" or "Wow! It's so big!" (Yep it's a trophy...)

We were led to the VIP room, dragging a blindfolded Ria. She was made to sit on a chair in the middle. While waiting for the macho dancer we hired for her, we ogled by the one-way mirror at the men on stage. We removed Ria's blindfold because we wanted to share the blessings, hehehe. Muscled guys wearing nothing but unconventional, skimpy briefs, were twisting their bodies at odd directions, grinding to the music in slow motion. Some of them bending, sitting on air while posing and twisting (O diba? Kaya nyo yun?). Others even managed to bend and kick while turning around (Di ko gets anong nakakahorny dun?).

There was even a guy who wrapped his *blip* with a sarong, then he scooped an ice bucket using just his *blip*! "Hala! ka gahi!" or "Wow! It's so hard!", someone among us exclaimed. (Again. Di ko gets anong nakakahorny dun...)

Finally our macho dancer arrived. We immediately sat on the couch to watch him do his thing on Ria. Seeing he was wearing a sarong covering his lower body, I expected a strip tease show. Suddenly, he removed the sarong and some, if not all of us, screamed because his *blip* was in plain view - shocks he's butt-naked! He turned to our direction and asked, "Pwede rin ba kayong sayawan?". "No, yung bride lang please!", we protested. When he started going towards Stella, grinding while doing that (Again. Kaya nyo yun?), we panicked. Rose, Steng, Jaja and I were scrambling away from him - trying our best not to be cornered. Watching macho dancers dancing on stage from afar was fascinating. But having a macho dancer running after you, with the goal to corner and flaunt his member at your face was another matter... Scary! We were screaming, our adrenaline pumping as we rushed to the opposite direction of Chabby (That's the macho dancer's name, which is for sure, not his real name). I heard Josh and Mau laughing, saying that we were like in a horror booth. We found an effective way to hide. We made sure we just stayed behind Josh and Mau's, causing us to grab their shirts just to make sure they didn't leave our side. Di kasi lumalapit si Chabby sa kanila e. Takot yata sya sa bading e, hehehehe =p

Ria handled Chabby, unfazed and with grace. When Chabby danced in front of her, Ria just looked at his *blip* and said "Hello... Okay ka lang dyan?" Hahahahaha!

Too bad, it's not allowed to take pictures inside :(

After the ala horror-both experience, see how drained we were...
Click here for more pics.
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Thursday 24 May 2007

Murdered Dress

Ria asked me months ago what part of her wedding do I want. I answered without a moment's hesitation, "bridesmaid", he he he. Then she said she didn't plan having bridesmaids because she thought it's corny. So I tried to convince her, saying that it'll be a dream come true for me since I have never been a bridesmaid and I may never have a chance since I'm not getting any younger. Thank God she agreed, and also added 2 of her BFFs as bridesmaids. So there are 3 of us playing the corny part :D

Ria provided for the entourage's gowns. She personally handpicked the fabric, and I was impressed because her choices were lovely. I didn't know she had a knack for that. We (Ria, Jaja and I) went to the same dressmaker, Aling Fe, whose shop is at Liwayway St. J.P. Rizal (ayan memorize ko na address nya). Sue was the one who recommended Aling Fe because she also had a gown made there last year and it turned out really well.

Last Sunday, Jaja and I went to Aling Fe's to claim our gowns. Ria texted me the previous night that she already saw my gown and it seemed sexy. So before I went there I already fantasized on how my gown should look - lovely, sexy, sweet. Then, I saw the gown hanging on the wall. I inwardly shook my head and tried to console myself that maybe the gown would magically transform when worn. I tried on my gown, looked at the mirror and grrr... I looked hideous.

The size was off. The design was off. Everything about it was off. It's too large for me - because the underarm sides were flapping, I felt like a character in Startrek. The bust cups' padding were bit pointed - wow, para akong si Madonna (gusto ko kumanta ng a ma-material, a ma-material girl!). It's also too high-waist... imagine I can feel my pusod BELOW the satin belt! And the skirt looked too balloony because the chiffon there was too shirred, making it look like there's a petticoat underneath. I felt like a duck, pero pink duck naman kasi pink yung dress... Pink duck with big pointed boobs HAHAHA :p

To make matters worst, I compared my gown with Jaja's - hers is beautifully done - she looked so sexy with it, perfect. Ouch! Naman o, wala akong karamay sa kamalasan ko...

They probably lost my design and my measurements, or another dressmaker made it since Aling Fe had a stroke 2 weeks ago. Ria demanded to have it not just altered but overhauled. Sheesh it costed her another bucks to buy additional cloth for my dress. We're going to check on it on Friday. Fingers crossed, I hope they'll get it right this time. Or else I don't have a choice but to look for an RTW.

But still, I'm excited to be a bridesmaid :)
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Friday 11 May 2007

Wanted!


I miss this guy, especially when he wears this lovely shirt. It was his decision to buy it :) He even wore it while strolling around Makati on a normal working day. I swear I didn't force him =P He's so sweet diba? (Hehehehe)
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Tuesday 8 May 2007

Lovely City of Vigan

I have long wished of visiting Vigan, Ilocos Sur since I saw Claire and Ria's pictures there and finally that wish came true last April 22. Harley's father was such a dear to drive us there - mind you it's 3+ hrs drive from Bauang, La Union (Harley's hometown).

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