tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188903222024-03-05T04:11:04.655-05:00j'aime moonshine & pifflemelissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540722360751087358noreply@blogger.comBlogger291125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18890322.post-58761305188617940612013-08-09T10:54:00.001-04:002013-08-09T11:11:00.813-04:00leaving the nest<img src="http://distilleryimage10.s3.amazonaws.com/6af2849cfc5011e2bf4822000aeb0cde_7.jpg" />
<br> tomorrow we are moving into our first home as a married couple.
<br><br>the apartment's painted white, scrubbed clean, its cabinets & drawers lined and floors pine-sol'd.
<br><br>having this little apartment would mean:
<br>- homecooked meals
<br>- less time commuting, which means
<br>- more j&m time
<br>- more crafting
<br>- more entertaining with friends
<br>- exploring toronto without the hassle of taking the 404 + DVP (booyah). looking forward to using this <a href="http://blog.fieldguided.com/2013/07/a-guide-to-my-toronto.html">guide</a>!
<br>- being able to use our wedding presents
<br><br><br>can't wait to build new memories here. one more sleep. melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540722360751087358noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18890322.post-67548028553642169252013-07-09T10:55:00.000-04:002013-07-09T11:12:34.898-04:00happy birthday, johnny! <img src="http://distilleryimage4.s3.amazonaws.com/ed945a86dc5e11e2890322000a9e48f1_7.jpg" /> <br />
<br />This post is a few weeks late but I wanted to share the cake that I made for John. <br />
<br />John's 28th birthday was a bigger deal than normal because it was the first birthday that we got to celebrate physically together as a married couple AND since we started dating 6 years ago. <br />
<br />I am more of a cupcake person, so when I decided to bake a three-layered red velvet cake I was a little nervous. I went through several blogs and found the best one, which I have shared below. Baking the cake was actually really enjoyable. I baked, assembled and iced the cake in three days. Hiding the cake from him was the more difficult task. <br />
<br />What did I learn from all this?<br />
- mise en place is really important, especially if you're doubling the recipe <br />
- take out the butter first thing in the morning or the night before! <br />
- not to be too bent on getting the icing really smooth because I made a bigger mess of it. I had to re-ice the cake until it finally came out like this. <br />
<br />If this is your first foray into cake layering and icing, you might find the following resources really helpful:<br />
<br />Hummingbird High <br />
<a href="http://www.hummingbirdhigh.com/2012/11/baby-shower-challenge-pt-1-secret.html">Michelle's Red Velvet Recipe</a> <br />
she shares tips on how to make red velvet really red<br />
<br />Completely Delicious <br />
<a href="http://www.completelydelicious.com/2011/02/how-to-build-a-layered-cake.html#comment-39895">How to Build a Layered Cake</a><br />
making a layered cake without leveling<br />
<br />A Pair of Pears<br />
<a href="http://www.apairofpears.com/2011/08/diy-vintage-party.html">Bunting Cake Topper</a><br />
<br />melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540722360751087358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18890322.post-19198889475294020872013-06-03T16:04:00.001-04:002013-06-03T16:04:14.244-04:00(re) united and it feels so good.it's been more than a year since i updated this poor little blog. last time i updated it was still in the middle of wedding planning! <br />
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<img src="http://www.jeffandlisaphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/johnandmelissa69.jpg" /></center>
photo courtesy of the amazing <a href="http://www.jeffandlisaphotography.com/">Jeff & Lisa</a>
<br>head on over to <a href="http://www.jeffandlisaphotography.com/?p=5427">Jeff & Lisa's blog </a>for more pics
<br>here's our <a href="http://vimeo.com/60088360">wedding video </a> by the talented Bob Nicolas
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planning a wedding in manila was pretty tough. it involved sewing up a hundred ribbon wands, sleepless nights, coordinating mockups via skype and numerous emails back and forth (i have to admit though that i miss waking up to emails about the wedding!) but despite the little stresses it all came together beautifully. walking down the aisle was pretty nervewracking but seeing john at the end of the aisle steadied me and i just wanted to run to him and give him a hug.
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we have been married for 6 months now and am learning so much about john and being his wife and am loving every. single. second. of it. melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540722360751087358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18890322.post-66764888950089836952012-07-16T10:55:00.000-04:002013-08-09T10:56:47.783-04:00a wedding updateFollowing the bridesmaid fittings last Saturday was my wedding gown "try on", which was basically to try on the dress after having ordered it in February. The first fitting where alterations will be determined won't happen till October.
I have to admit that a few days after <a href="http://moonshineandpiffle.blogspot.ca/2012/02/dress-veil.html">buying the gown</a> irrational fear slowly crept into my heart. What if I bought the wrong gown?!? Should I have tried on more dresses? Is the dress not "fancy" enough for the church?
But when Ashley from Ritche unzipped the bag and exposed my dress, I fell in love with my gown all over again. I've decided to name her Audrey. Audrey is unfussy, simple and elegant.
So things are slowly coming together. Trying on dresses with the girls is turning things into a reality. My entourage list is finally done and I can now send in the invitation drafts for approval. Which means we can start printing invitations soon.
I have to admit that I've had several bridezilla moments since I've gotten engaged. Since the wedding is all the way in Manila, I would stay up till the wee hours of the morning emailing vendors and getting some wedding planning done. The stress manifested itself in thinning hair and pimples (at my age!) and the occasional bursts of tears (yes, I am the biggest crybaby. I cry and tear up at everything, even commercials or that episode of How I Met Your Mother with the teacup pig. I want a teacup pig)
One of the best advice that I received is from my best friend (whose first year anniversary is coming up in a week!) who told me that when things are not going as planned, or planning is becoming stressful instead of fun, to remind myself of why I am marrying John and of that long awaited "I do".
I'm still learning let things go, to give in more and to be more detached. I still care deeply about details but I no longer obsess about them. I've stopped checking my iPhone multiple times a day, waiting for my wedding coordinator and stylist to email me. My hair's thicker and my face has cleared up. I still cry, but mostly just little tears and they're now tears of excitement, or tears after watching a <a href="http://www.bobnicolas.com">Bob Nicolas</a> video.melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540722360751087358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18890322.post-59788696991805692812012-02-19T11:32:00.000-05:002012-07-16T12:25:46.010-04:00the dress + the veilI can add two big fat red check marks on my list - my wedding dress and my veil.
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No offense to other brides out there! But nothing could have dragged me into a bridal store - visions of squealing girls and heavy hideous gowns and crying bridezillas came to mind. I wanted to get my dress made. But at the request of john I dragged myself to <a href="http://ritche.com/">Ritche</a> on Avenue road with my parents and sister in tow yesterday morning. Let me tell you that i was more excited about having breakfast at Mcdonalds.
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A lovely lady named Anna helped me out. Since I was unprepared, I flipped through a binder of dresses and marked them as i went (i never leave home without floss and post-it page markers), as the girls next door oohed and ahhed over their friend bride-to-be.
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Anna brought in five dresses.
I tried on the first and second but didn't really like them.
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Oh, but the third dress!
When I tried it on, I just knew. And that's when i started crying.
I didn't even have to try on the others.
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Anna clamped me up and I went to show my parents. My sister (also the MOH) and mom started crying and my dad tried not to look because he wanted to reserve all his feelings for the day of.
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Anna showed me some samples of veils and I fell in love with a chapel veil lined with lace. It was quite a splurge but I wanted to make sure that the veil is as translucent as possible in pictures.
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I gave Anna multiple hugs, thanked her profusely and left feeling even more excited. All my prejudices of bridal stores were dissolved that Saturday afternoon.melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540722360751087358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18890322.post-63699250049358937822011-12-29T23:45:00.003-05:002011-12-30T00:11:22.542-05:00wedding progress.i haven't blogged about wedding progress at all.<br />and since our neighbor is inconsiderately shoveling snow and scraping ice off their driveway at this ungodly hour here it is.<br /><br />january 4, 2013 is the official date!<br /><br />the following are finally booked:<br />- church, santuario de san antonio<br />- reception, north forbes pavillion<br />- strings, leggiero<br />- photographer, jeff+lisa<br /><br />the next big things that i would really like to cross off in our to do list:<br />- wedding coordinator, third party - i am really hoping that we get them. they were recommended by lisa (our photographer)<br />- caterer, i prefer k. by cunanan but john has other ideas<br />- the wedding dress - to buy or to get it custom made, that is the question. i don't want a traditional, puffy vera wangy dress. i need something that i can crazily dance in. i am definitely not changing out of it for the reception, so it has to be gorgeous and comfortable at the same time.<br /><br />i know that we have a little over a year (1 year and 5 days) so why do i feel like i'm behind? i am really trying not to worry. as someone who plans events and who would like to do that as a career i can't stand it when i don't hear from vendors right away or when information is not readily available online. i have to remind myself that not everyone checks their email every 5 minutes like me and that i just need to be patient and to trust that everything is going to be okay.<br /><br />i am really, super duper excited though. 5 years of ldr and in a year and 5 days we can finally close that gap between us.<br /><br />and lol, just for kicks. this cartoon says it all:<br /><img src="http://data.whicdn.com/images/16167366/Favim.com-32197_large.jpg" />melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540722360751087358noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18890322.post-30560522511444071292011-10-31T11:27:00.000-04:002012-07-16T11:29:26.872-04:00YES.john finally asked me to marry him.
SWOON. FINALLY FINALLY.
october 30, 2011.
he asked me at the bluffs, by the water, at sunset.
we have been together for 5 years now.
5 years of phone calls, skype sessions, text messages, facetime, handwritten letters, packages, weekend visits, tears at the airport.
now the question is, how do you plan a wedding in a city that’s in a different time zone? i can see myself staying up late nights, just to talk to vendors. i think this is the most stressful (?) part of the planning - finding the perfect venue that can fit your guests (yikes, speaking of stressful, i think this is the huge stressor yet! the guest list!), your taste and your budget.
nevertheless, on january 4, 2013 i finally get to marry the man of my dreams. :)
i can’t wait to say i do.melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540722360751087358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18890322.post-207023073772479432011-08-15T18:42:00.002-04:002011-08-15T19:00:14.872-04:00madrilenos<div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6146/6040095052_6db3169ec8.jpg" />
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<br />here are some pics for now.
<br />will follow with more.
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<br />the view from the apartment
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<br />the view from the apartment
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<br />melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540722360751087358noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18890322.post-9453843841277482832011-08-09T21:27:00.002-04:002011-08-09T21:41:21.700-04:003 more daystill we fly to madrid!
<br />i am so excited.
<br />but first things first...the packing must be done. as you know<a href="http://moonshineandpiffle.blogspot.com/2010/11/free-woman.html"> i have an aversion to packing</a>. i don't know why. i'm looking at this heap on my bed (with a bag of miss vickie's. argh. argh) and thinking, <span style="font-style: italic;">it just can't be done</span>. harhar.
<br />i need one of these things:
<br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Twh-oF6VHUo" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" width="425"></iframe>
<br />bbt, season 2, ep 1
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<br />where does one get a contraption like that?
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<br />anyway, we've been planning this trip for months and it's now all coming to fruition. i don't think i'll be able to sleep a wink on thursday night!
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<br />benedetto y father javier, see you soon! :)
<br />melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540722360751087358noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18890322.post-91217886471203755812011-06-04T17:08:00.007-04:002011-06-09T12:16:38.084-04:00spring cleaning.cleaning my room never fails to drive me nuts and always takes me at least a day to do. now that life has slowed down a bit, i've decided to roll up my sleeves and tackle my room, with gretchen <a href="http://www.happiness-project.com/happiness_project/about.html">rubin's </a>10th commandment in mind: "do what ought to be done".<br /><br />i'm starting off with all the visible clutter - remnants of a past crafty life, altoid tins (i don't know why i thought it would be cool to start collecting them), empty rouge coco #19 lipstick tubes (why do i keep them???), bank statements, etc....then work my way to<span style="FONT-STYLE: italic"> the closet</span>.<br /><br />(confession: i have a hamper of folded clothes from when i unpacked from my vacation. in <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">december</span>. gak.)<br /><br />it's going to be a long afternoon. so for those spring cleaners out there, have a snack, put some good tunes on (katy perry? hehehe), open the blinds and bust open that window. then start your engines.<br /><br />have a pleasant weekend :)<br /><br />UPDATE:<br />2 1/2 bags of garbage<br />2 bags of clothes for donating<br />1 pile of crafty stuff sold at a garage sale<br />1 clean happy room.<br /><br />it took only 7 hours to do. geez.melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540722360751087358noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18890322.post-10667052191925496612011-03-16T12:36:00.006-04:002011-03-16T14:47:00.442-04:00espana, aqui vamos!<p align="center"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5140/5531152298_eb0e844d6b.jpg" /></p><p><br /><br />i don't know if this is accurate, but this was taken in correigdor, philippines. according to this, madrid is only 6672 miles/kms away. for us, madrid is approximately 130+ days away!<br />we have finally booked our flights to madrid and put down deposits for the apartments. we are going to one of <a href="http://www.madrid11.com/en">the world's biggest catholic celebrations of all time</a>. after an awesome week in madrid with the pope and the world, we will be taking the train to barcelona, a city to me that's become synonymous with javier bardem and penelope cruz (think, vicky cristina barcelona. swoon).<br />this definitely gives me something to look forward to at work, especially on gray days like this (except rain = spring, so that's totally okay). i can almost taste the paella and the churros.<br />if you've ever been to spain (particularly madrid, barcelona and zaragoza), i'd love to hear from you. and if you're going to world youth day, see you soon! :) </p>melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540722360751087358noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18890322.post-87403503605597093182011-03-14T17:16:00.006-04:002011-03-16T14:31:49.319-04:00little finn.<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5099/5530572249_0f1db5f095.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5015/5531164014_93749bcccc.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5256/5531162664_f3924fb565.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5051/5531161816_1266aae719.jpg" /><br /></div><br />2011 started off with a dismal bang with the death of linden, our faithful cat. his ashes (yes, his ashes) are contained in a pretty jar, which sits in the display cabinet. each family member got a little paw print on terracotta and a snippet of linden's little fur. it sounds crazy, i know, but linden was like a grandpa, dog, baby all rolled into one. he's been with us for over ten years and to come home without him waiting for us by the door was just too painful. the day we had to put him down, we sat in the living room waiting to leave, and my little sister in tears, blurted out, "if it hurts so much for linden, how much more will it hurt for a human being?"<br />i signed his life away, and i felt culpable for his death, even though it was the right thing to do (for an animal, anyway). that day nobody wanted to go home.<br />the house was not the same without a pet, so after careful deliberation, we decided to get a puppy (i wanted to get another cat, but it would have never been able to fill linden's shoes. er paws.).<br /><br />meet finn.<br /><br />(no, not from glee)<br /><br />he is 10 weeks old, loves his sock money (and the family den rug. yikes. had to pull out a chunk of it from his mouth!!!), hates his leash, goes to puppy kindergarten, taught himself to go down the stairs, wags his little tail a lot and gives kisses as much as he can.<br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5091/5531165496_d42ee80262.jpg" /></div>melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540722360751087358noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18890322.post-55483756366721188932010-12-16T10:46:00.004-05:002011-03-16T14:34:58.940-04:00jollibee + bora<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5127/5265010433_51527d00b1.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5009/5265621960_5776bd0474.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5125/5265619172_80f5147e88.jpg" /><br /><br /><br /><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5169/5265627134_059b53651f.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5288/5265626358_31d4a24dcb.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5081/5265627986_644a77d154.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5288/5265630384_e9d23dd555.jpg" /><br /></div><br />day 9 in the motherland.<br />our days are numbered. there are so many things to do, so many people to visit but so little time. i don't want to leave.<br />woke up at 4 today to go to mass at 4:30 am. today starts the <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">simbang gabi</span> a novena in preparation for christmas (mass at dawn). i love how christmas is pretty much still christmas here and not happy holidays.<br />i just got back from boracay and i had the greatest time. everything was amazing; the seafood, the water, the sun. i am stocking up on vitamin d for when i get back to gray, cold fast-paced toronto. i didn't take as many pictures - i had the hardest time fiddling around with the cam settings and it was too sunny that i couldn't really see what i was taking on the cam's lcd.<br />a summary of my bora trip:<br />- jollibee's before our flight: 1 burger steak+chicken joy = heaven<br />- 1 flight on a propeller flight + 2 bus transfers + 1 boat ride = gorgeous beachfront<br />- mojo potatoes at shakey's<br />- buko shake+papaya shake = not a good idea (but still very tasty)<br />- running on the beach without shoes on<br />- seafood under the stars and live music<br />- island hopping<br />- pukka shells on pukka beach<br />- sun bathing on the parao (sail boat with nets on either side that you sit on)<br />- breakfast of champions: garlic fried rice, over easy egg, dried fish (tuyo) with vinegar<br />- waking up at 5:45 am and sleeping past midnight<br />- starbucks runs and white chocolate sans rival (DIVINE)<br />- massage on the beach<br />- falling asleep on the beach<br />- firedancers<br />- mochi balls stuffed with ice cream<br />- a nice definitive tan line from my bathing suit<br /><br />tomorrow's excursion involves greenhills. the quest for black, cutout flats continues.<br />enjoy the pictures and have a great weekend everyone!<br /><br />ps: more pictures <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/moonshineandpiffle/sets/72157625608814772/">here</a>melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540722360751087358noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18890322.post-37053609221119249342010-12-11T13:33:00.003-05:002011-03-16T14:35:41.447-04:00mmmmaniladay 5 in the motherland.<br />- i am having so much fun. especially with my adorable cousins.<br />- still jetlagged, as you can tell. i was thisclose to falling asleep but then i had to take a shower.<br />- or maybe i just can't sleep on time<br />- i have been having wooonderful food, three times a day. unprocessed, home cooked and fresh.<br />- i love that when i come down there is breakfast waiting for me. sigh.<br />- getting used to the traffic. now i totally get why they say <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">filipino time </span><br />- in fact, i'm loving the traffic (since i'm on vakay). i get to nap in the car.<br />- more on traffic: despite the horrible traffic, there's not a lot of road rage, from my experience anyway. since traffic is an accepted reality, there's really no point in getting mad.<br />- they don't have intersections here. they have u-turn slots! i kinda like that better.<br />- bought bathing suits and dresses for $137 CDN<br />- i am excited for <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">bora</span> on monday! i cannot wait to tan. can't go back without one. teehee my aunts were being funny about it..."really, that's what you want?"<br />tomorrow is the rosehill reunion. can't wait to see the old classmates!melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540722360751087358noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18890322.post-2745318210971986132010-12-06T11:04:00.007-05:002011-03-16T14:35:59.181-04:00homecoming.i am in manila now. i survived a 15 hour flight and a 2-day stop in hong kong with my lovable but mischievous brother.<br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5209/5244393882_7ec5374d67.jpg" /><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">sunset on the plane.<br /></div><br />i first had my misgivings about the city, upon seeing the line of smog that the plane had to descend into and being welcomed by the familiar smell of foody mart as the cabin doors opened.<br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5281/5244394362_0668846f97.jpg" /><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">smog.<br /></div><br />but i am in love with hong kong. it was definitely an assault for the senses, in the best possible way. lights and huge ads everywhere, people shopping and laughing at midnight, christmas songs, the smell of perfume and food. believe it or not, it felt like paris to me.<br />shopping is so cheap, if you know where to go. :) my aunt, being in the garments business, took me to an area where everything is at wholesaling price. *_* swipe, swipe went the card, but i didn't feel bad. i bought so many for less than $100. i spent more on wifi access (relatively speaking) than i did on clothes.<br />on our last evening i finally gave in and tried peking duck. i probably wouldn't try it again when i go back to toronto, but it was a good combination of the taste of pork and chicken. hehe. our most gracious host gave us some lessons on dinner etiquette...like tapping your index finger twice when the server pours out your tea for you. or having your left hand on the table while eating.<br />my last day in hong kong was spent in macau, china. we took the turbo jet which sped through the murky and brown waters of...the south china sea? i'm not sure what it was, but it looked pretty dirty. luckily i didn't have that much to eat that morning because the ride was sickening. so i popped a gravol, slumped into my seat, closed my eyes and listened to music all the way to macau. we didn't do much gambling, which is what macau is known for, but we did have lunch there and strolled around the venetian.<br />we took the 10 pm flight to manila and i was ko'd. i felt drugged and beaten up. i woke up at...2 pm today. my aunt drew the curtains, and for the first time looked at manila in daylight. banana and papaya trees in her backyard, all swaying with the light breeze (not so hot after all! thank god we're here in december!). i sat down for lunch (sinigang! spareribs! ah!) and marvelled at the bananas - they are soooo yellow and soooo sweet here! (compared to the oversized, white canadian bananas). my shirts got ironed for me (i cannot and should not get used to this) and my wonderful, wonderful aunt took us for a massage and i felt pains that i never knew existed in my legs. oohhhhhh it was lovely. afterwards we went for dinner at eastwood, which finally satisfied my curiosity.<br />oh dear friends, my vacation officially started today. my brother hid my citrix token for me. so i can stop checking my work emails. tomorrow i am going to wake up at the normal hour, get waxed, get a haircut and get a bathing suit.<br />enjoy the hong kong pics. i have yet to take pics of manila. coming soon :)<br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5003/5237864921_534b225e83.jpg" /><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5284/5237867307_f25e34a48f.jpg" /><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5047/5237866867_00cfd69cba.jpg" /><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5282/5237868267_9f12a728d9.jpg" /><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5046/5237870481_b2181006ca.jpg" /><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5250/5237870911_6bb65e005e.jpg" /><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5081/5237874081_d6d4008125.jpg" /><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5206/5238471366_69e42497f1.jpg" /><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5284/5237875677_105f644209.jpg" /><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5122/5238473500_6ce2b13b64.jpg" /><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5161/5241520615_da3aa089bd.jpg" /><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5088/5242113572_ac033bbb07.jpg" /><br /><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5245/5237878889_d128e526ab.jpg" /> </div>melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540722360751087358noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18890322.post-2067946282960918792010-11-26T17:33:00.003-05:002010-11-26T22:52:11.451-05:00a free woman.<p align="center"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/5210253326_32526ab96e.jpg"><br />(taken with jarvis. in, of all places, oakville.)</p>i have been staying till 9 pm at work and coming in over the weekend just to finish things. 200 kits, a bunch of BEO revisions, 18 canadian cities, 18 expense reports and 2 nerve-racking events later, i am now a free woman. harhar. what saved me from all the insanity was hot, sweaty yoga. yum yoga.<br />finally, dear friends. i have finally allowed myself to get excited about my two upcoming trips: mont tremblant for our national sales conference, and the long awaited family-food-fun-heat filled manila trip.<br />the only downside really is packing.<br />i HATE packing. what's worse is i have to pack for two kinds of weather.<br />so being the googler that i am, i googled how to pack for a trip. and i found a nice <a href="http://www.travellerspoint.com/packing-list.cfm">packing list</a>. it's quite helpful.<br />and just like when shopping, i think it's important to have a full belly to pack. and this is when i say good bye and make myself a nice open-faced nutella sandwich.<br />yum.<br />have a good weekend everyone. and if you're packing for a trip too, good luck. :)melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540722360751087358noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18890322.post-4203369828493989532010-11-17T15:44:00.002-05:002010-11-17T16:10:38.308-05:00it was so easy and the words so sweethow time flies! and this poor blog hasn't been updated in ages. i looked at it today and i must admit that my little countdown on the left shocked me a little bit. <br />16 days before i leave. and before that i will be travelling again. <br />gak. <br />*i need more time!*<br />so many things to do: applying for travel insurance, getting shots and drugs (teehee, dukoral!), packing (which i hate), clean my room, do my laundry, getting painfully waxed. <br />as it gets closer though i am getting more excited for this grand finale of the year. i am in need of a break. <br />despite all the savasanas and deep inhales and exhales, the mind can not relax. when i used to dream of forgetting to hand in essays or being caught cheating, i now dream of work - missing speaker's notes, conference materials that never made it to its destination, missing a plane.<br />i will make sure that this break will be full of <strong>simple</strong> things, to erase those cold, grumpy november days. i will have 8 hours of sleep. i will forget about work. i will spend quality time with family and friends. i will take pictures. and eat freely. <br />have a good day everyone.melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540722360751087358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18890322.post-30280792482222628972010-08-11T21:52:00.003-04:002010-08-12T10:27:03.652-04:00goodiesmy siblings did such a good job with birthday presents this year that i must share!<br />from my sister i got the prettiest tea set (cups+saucers, dessert plates, creamer, sugar pot and a teapot). i don't really drink tea. the closest thing to tea that i drink is um, bubble tea and tea that they serve in japanese/chinese restaurants. i don't really go out of my way to make myself one. when i want something warm and comforting to drink, i usually go for coffee or a latte. my room is like a little kitchen cupboard with my teapots and teacups and cake stand. the next thing i want are...no not pans...but worse: fake little macarons. harhar.<br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4139/4883539205_ec50939120.jpg" /><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4138/4883519537_c8eeca33dd.jpg" /><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4102/4884144910_e7da4a3d29.jpg" /><br />i love the packaging...just like hat boxes<br /></div><br />she also got me a copy of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Miss-Dahls-Voluptuous-Delights-Appetite/dp/0061450995/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1281578389&sr=8-1">miss dahl's voluptuous delights</a> !<br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4120/4884217382_0f6ffd79fa.jpg" /><br /></div><br />i must admit that i have been watching<span style="FONT-STYLE: italic"> delicious miss dahl</span> over and over again. when i want to induce myself to sleepiness, this is what i watch. not because it's boring but because her voice is so calm and soothing and her show has the best soundtrack ever. unfortunately the BBC cancelled it. she wasn't very well received in the UK: she was accused of being a nigella wannabe, was slammed for her want of kitchen skills, and was criticized for exploiting her "rich girl" and literary (her grandfather is roald dahl) roots to create a cookbook (blargh, but who doesn't really these days? we've got disney actors/actresses-turned-singers). but argh, sophie, we love you here. she is exactly what we need. i think food shows nowadays are either too testosteroned or too technical. every week they take you to the grocery or the market. sophie dahl cooks from childhood memories and takes you to a fromagerie one day, an antique store, to the cemetery or to the seaside. her food is easy and simple to make and if i had to describe it would be like a blankie or your favorite doll: it's comforting.<br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4114/4883544467_909bb74eff.jpg" /><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4134/4884213608_5aa83dda68.jpg" /><br /></div><br />my brother bought me four of <a href="http://thepenguinblog.typepad.com/the_penguin_blog/2008/11/fine-books-from-penguin.html">the pretty penguin classics designed by coralie bickford-smith</a> to start off my collection (which has led to a purchase of another eleven from amazon.com). i only have 5 left to collect (have to wait until they are released in september). unfortunately crime & punishment and madame bovary are sold out, and i refuse to buy lady chatterley's lover (the last thing i want is for one of my future/imaginary kids to crack open the book and lose themselves in lady c's lustful escapades with a...gardener? was lady c's lover a gardener? i only know this because i HAD to read it for school and write a paper on it).<br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4082/4883654309_2556f2b604.jpg" /><br />i remember reading little women when i was in grade 2. having re-read it as an adult, i have to say that i still hate amy and love jo but have now finally come to terms with the fact that she ended up with mr baer and not laurie. jo and laurie would have killed each other.<br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4101/4883661351_4a3ddc9bb7.jpg" /><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4136/4883656313_917faa5558.jpg" /><br />i love the bookmarks.<br /></div><br />that is all. i should really update this blog more often.<br />today felt like thursday. it should be friday tomorrow but alas it isn't.<br />if you want to buy the tea sets, indigo still has them. as for the books, hurry before they are all gone!<br />have a good week all :)<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Miss-Dahls-Voluptuous-Delights-Appetite/dp/0061450995/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1281578389&sr=8-1"></a>melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540722360751087358noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18890322.post-9735999818037807322010-07-27T22:09:00.003-04:002010-07-27T22:40:20.339-04:00a quarter of a century oldi turned 25 yesterday. funny, looking back at a post from last year, my birthday again, was full of flowers, yummy cakes, italian food, hugs & kisses AND harry potter. this time it's a little different. i actually got over my fear of organizing something for myself and did a movies under the stars with my closest friends.<br />there is nothing better than eating sandwiches with the sun setting behind you and watching where the wild things are outdoors, listening to your best friend talking about her wedding plans (i love you, A), sitting on blankets and running across a field to the parking lot, hand in hand with the sweetest girls.<br /><br />i've promised myself that before turning 26 that i would<br />- run a 5k<br />- learn taekwondo<br />- get my license (g1. yes...i failed my g2. twice. blargh)<br />- learn spanish<br />- learn to use illustrator <br /><br />and again, because i like making lists, here is a list of things i've learned and am still learning in my 25 years here on earth.<br />- treat others not because you want to be treated that way. but because they are people.<br />- fake it till you make it. that includes confidence.<br />- do not expect too much from others. be understanding. make excuses for people, but never for yourself.<br />- always be on time for others<br />- keep your promises or think before you say yes<br />- delegate<br />- think before you speak, email or text.<br />- ask for forgiveness right away, even when it hurts.<br />- love not as much as you can, but as much as the person needs to be loved<br />- only you can change your course. so take charge.<br />- quality, not quantity, in clothes and in friendshipsmelissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540722360751087358noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18890322.post-51547967520476513512010-04-27T12:48:00.002-04:002010-04-27T14:11:29.246-04:00it's official: philippines!we finally bought our tickets! it took us two months to decide on the dates and i am relieved that it is all finalized. we are doing a two-night stopover in hong kong and then manila. i haven't been back since we flew to LA for christmas in 1996 and then moved to canada in 1997.<br /><br />that's <strong>13 years</strong>!<br /><br />i am so excited. i have cousins that i've only heard of and met through facebook.<br />so yeah, being the dork that i am, i've put up a countdown on the sidebar of this blog. it eases the pain of not being able to take any vacation days right now.<br /><br />have a great day everyone!<br /><em></em>melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540722360751087358noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18890322.post-37868552715865033982010-04-26T23:04:00.003-04:002010-04-26T23:32:47.541-04:00cherry blossoms<div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3558/4556688514_77d4c73bd9.jpg" /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4061/4556065171_9ef2f5562e.jpg" /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3404/4556691716_de90fe8a7c.jpg" /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">it's 11:10 PM and the wind is howling like crazy. is it the same for you or is it just in markham?<br /></div>a week from now and john will be on his way to new york. it will be sad, but he needs to do what he needs and wants to do. i just need to be patient and to keep trusting that everything will fall into place. i must admit that i am excited for him. it's the type of thing that you watch in movies. :)<br />but ah, enough emo-ness. we finally got to experience the much talked about (and photographed!) cherry blossoms. we started the day at ikea teehee and watched chloe.<br />BLARGH. we didn't know that it was going to be THAT bad, but knowing that it was an atom egoyan film should have given it away. never again.<br />to remedy the failed motion picture experience, we walked to <a href="http://petitethuet.com/">petite thuet</a> and bought macarons. their macarons are so much better than the ones i got from la bamboche. they were perfect: a nice little outer crust and chewy inside. my favorite is rosewater. the girl at the cafe even tied a little ribbon around the box ("purple or blue?" could i have pink please? ha.) we took the train to high park and followed the crowds.<br />if you haven't gone, you should. it is so beautiful. it looked like...pink snow. light pink snow. and everyone there just looked so happy.<br /><br />have a great week everyone.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3251/4556688190_f9b3babe9a.jpg" /><br />a canopy of pink loveliness.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3302/4556061171_654c218629.jpg" /> <img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3416/4556061565_36f40ccf0f.jpg" /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3121/4556687550_335a1b796a.jpg" /><br />i will miss this old man.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3515/4556064407_08376d2c90.jpg" /><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3169/4556693002_58cf24a66d.jpg" /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3221/4556065425_07fd8e3b8f.jpg" /><br />rosewater, hazelnut and salted caramel.<br />sigh. i can eat them all day.<br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3104/4556065665_aefcffaab2.jpg" /><br />macaron-shaped heart.<br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3263/4556065907_02d0755ca5.jpg" /><br />macaron toast. we toast to everything. even chopsticks.<br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3060/4556066839_c00829063e.jpg" /><br />john's very first macaron experience.<br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3585/4556691234_a6c91a17c4.jpg" /><br /><br /></div>melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540722360751087358noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18890322.post-24998718810814274992010-04-23T10:33:00.005-04:002010-04-25T10:13:14.657-04:00more pictures from victoria<p align="center"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4007/4530480722_ee7a8654ae.jpg" /></p><p align="center"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4069/4529776585_65a2c99ab6.jpg" /></p><p align="center"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4028/4530371168_34edc4233f.jpg" /></p>victoria is one of the prettiest and cleanest cities i've been to. i walked for three hours just taking pictures, but it would have been nice to have shared it with someone too!<br />highlights from the victoria trip:<br />- scariest room ever: i stayed at the fairmont empress, which is apparently haunted. i swear, i was woken up in the middle of the night by something or someone, tugging at my comforter (something a cat would do when they're trying to wake you up).<br />- chinatown - i loved, loved their chinatown<br />- discovering <a href="http://venussophia.com/">the venus sophia tearoom</a><br />- japanese takeout on my bed, with food network in the background<br />(scroll below for more picsies)<br /><br />have a great friday everyone!<br />tomorrow john and i will make the trek to high park to see the sakura trees and i'm hoping that we'll have time to watch <a href="http://www.theback-upplan.com/">the backup plan</a>. harhar, yeaaaaahhh, it's j. lo and the idea's <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0871426/">been done</a>, but i also enjoyed <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0209475/">the wedding planner </a>and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0252076/">maid in manhattan</a>. harhar.<br />enjoy the sunshiney day.<br /><br />more <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/moonshineandpiffle/sets/72157623905328668/">here</a>.<br /><br /><center><div id="PictoBrowser100423125036">Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer</div><script src="http://www.db798.com/pictobrowser/swfobject.js" type="text/javascript"></script><br /><script type="text/javascript"> var so = new SWFObject("http://www.db798.com/pictobrowser.swf", "PictoBrowser", "500", "500", "8", "#EEEEEE"); so.addVariable("source", "sets"); so.addVariable("names", "victoria, bc"); so.addVariable("userName", "meltete_85"); so.addVariable("userId", "8215437@N08"); so.addVariable("ids", "72157623905328668"); so.addVariable("titles", "on"); so.addVariable("displayNotes", "always"); so.addVariable("thumbAutoHide", "off"); so.addVariable("imageSize", "medium"); so.addVariable("vAlign", "top"); so.addVariable("vertOffset", "0"); so.addVariable("colorHexVar", "EEEEEE"); so.addVariable("initialScale", "off"); so.addVariable("bgAlpha", "79"); so.write("PictoBrowser100423125036"); </script></center>melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540722360751087358noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18890322.post-4083805687523699992010-04-18T00:41:00.006-04:002010-04-18T01:19:10.852-04:00i love you, room.<div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4043/4530259678_2ffe964130.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4016/4530259438_01ca18c356.jpg" /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4029/4529628513_5d7899c2a4.jpg" /><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4046/4529628991_62facfcda0.jpg" /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4022/4529629407_78cef0637a.jpg" /><br /></div><br />in the past 6 days i have gone on 5 flights, slept in four hotels, been to 4 different cities, and rode in one tacky white stretch limo (to saskatoon, can you imagine) and have indulged in abundant conference food and client dinners. i had a lot of fun and learned a lot and feel so blessed and thankful to have been given this awesome opportunity, but i am so glad to be home. to be with family.<br /><br />i came home yesterday and wanted to get down on my knees and kiss the carpet of my room. i know that sounds a little dramatic, but sleeping in a different hotel room every night is not as romantic as it seems. it is lonely and in some ways, a little freaky.<br /><br />today, i have never felt so happy to wake up in my own bed and to spend the day just la-dee-da-ing around. in joy i have eaten 3 bananas with nutella and made a nice salisbury steak and mashed potatoes dinner for me and my sister and john, watched three movies (out of 9 movies i've checked out from the library) and reruns of <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00rs7c9">the delicious miss dahl</a>.<br /><br />i hope your saturday was as good as mine.melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540722360751087358noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18890322.post-12535914909240206712010-04-13T02:22:00.003-04:002010-04-13T02:38:37.047-04:00victoria<div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4008/4516693561_50073f0a6f.jpg" /><br /></div>hello all.<br />i am in edmonton now (after the most horrible flight with westjet) but just wanted to share a few iphone picsies from victoria. these pictures of course don't do victoria justice. i took more pictures with the dslr but will have to wait this weekend to upload them.<br />anyhoo, victoria is GORGEOUS. fresh air, beautiful mountains and surrounded by water. very jealous. i flew earlier than the rest of the company (we are doing client roadshows for work in different cities) and spent three hours walking around. i've always wanted to do solo escapades but i realized yesterday that it's not a lot of fun to be completely alone. it's nice to share the experience with someone. we stayed at the fairmont empress and hated it. i hated my room. it looked freaky. but i did like the fact that i can borrow gym clothes.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4063/4516693943_3d824652ed.jpg" /><br /></div>(teehee it came with socks! i thought i would have to wear my BLACK trouser socks! hardeehar)<br /><br />i am wide awake for some reason, considering that it is 2:40 am in toronto. hm. i am liking our current hotel much better. cannot wait to wake up for breakfast as i am h-u-n-g-r-y!<br /><br />must count sheep.<br /><br />good night all. all this traveling sorta reminds me of up in the air.melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540722360751087358noreply@blogger.com0