National Shrine of St. Anne

It's Christmas season at the National Shrine of St. Anne in Hagonoy, Bulacan.
Photo taken a day before the start of "Simbang Gabi" (12/15/08).

My Bestfriends' Wedding

John and Lei,
I thank God for giving me such wonderful friends like you whose friendship i'll always treasure.

Bortdey!

Happy Together!

Glad to be together again on Christmas day!

Vacation 08: "Mud Crab"

FlipTrip 03: Oyster

"Ang pag-ibig ko sa iyo'y parang Talaba,
Patay na, Kumakapit pa."
(My love for you is like an oyster, it sticks even if its already dead.)

Isa ito sa mga Pamosong linya ng kwelang Rakista na si Kus Amante, Jr. Alay sa kanyang iniirog na si Riza. Pa pa ra pa pa.....


Photo taken by Kus.

Vacation 08: Dad's Pond

 

Vacation 08: K'yapo

 

Nightout

Magkakapatid sa gimikan,
magkakapatid sa inuman!
Cath, ubos na ang pulutan,
Tagay pa tayo d'yan!

My siblings from left to right Fashionistang Amor, Pretty Cath, Cool Chette, Rockstar Kus, and yours truly - promotor ng kalokohan!
Tulog na si Kuya Red kaya naiwan.
Antu, ulitin natin ito pagdating mo!
Sama-saya together!

Kalan de Uling

 

Modernized "Kalan de Uling" made in Pungo, Calumpit, Bulacan

Barasoain Church, Malolos Bulacan

 

We love to celebrate!

We're a family who loves celebrations - birthdays, anniversaries, graduation, Christmas, New Year, etc.. we do celebrate and "Who would cook?" was never a problem. Both my Mom and Dad's side of the family has it's own specialty, like my Dad's Mother, Lola Isyang (RIP), whose line is into Kakanin, she's made the best Kutsinta with Monggo and Puto (steamed rice cake). Aunt Glo, Dad's sister, however managed to learn the way Lola cooks it, but because she's busy with her own "halamanan" she can only share with me her bestest "Atchara" or pickled papaya. Ta'nio (short for Tito Onio) is loved by his famous Kare-kare.
While Tita Rosie, Mom's eldest sister, never ran out of "Suman" the one you dip into a little sugar, she sells it almost everyday in Calumpit and Pulilan where they live. I also love the way Tita Letty cooks "Kilawing Labanos" and "Dinuguan". TF or Tita Fanny is the best nowadays, she knows a lot of pinoy food, name it she can do it. She was our cook when we had our "Greenyard Coffeshop and Kambeerngan sa Halang" and when we were catering for Tierra International or TICC. She's there for most of the occasions in our life, anytime we need her, she's just a text away.
Below is a photo of TF's dishes - Tiffany (inside white cups), Lumpiang Shanghai, Pancit Malabon, Spaghetti and Biko. I did the Macaroni Salad in the bowl.

Until now TF never fails to please us whenever we have occasions at home.

Vacation 08: The day we went fishing

Skye is very excited to go fishing. Since the day we arrived home from Shanghai first Monday of December, she's been asking my siblings - Tito Kuz and Ninang Chette, to make her a fishing rod, but he is busy with the upcoming battle and gig, and she has to go to work for a week. She's been asking me everyday, "Mom when can we go fishing? I'm very excited!" I just said we should wait until Saturday because that's when everybody's available.
She woke up so early that morning, which is very strange, and went to her Ninang Chette's bedroom and ask her to make the fishing rod. Everything's all set by 9am. Chette made 2 fishing rods and we borrowed 2 extra fishing rods from our cousins. All of us were excited because it's Skye's first fishing experience, and I am excited, too, because it's been a long time since i did this.

So, we're on our way now to the fishpond


setting up...

placing worm on Skye's fishing hook

waiting for her first catch.......

after changing spots

she caught her first big Tilapia fish, Yay! When she felt her rod moved she asked for my help and I told her to pull it up and she did and we were all shouting for joy. She stopped to pose with a smile after covering her face and all from the splashes of water because of the wiggling of the fish, I think she's got mixed emotions. After that first one, she's on her own. She was the first one to catch the biggest fish among us, I caught a what she calls a kid fish and her tita Cath had a tiny fish, my cousins caught some, too, and Chette got all sizes. Skye caught 7 fishes in all, and she was very happy.


Snowe, my younger daughter, was also there trying to catch some fish but she wasn't able to get one, but she enjoyed being there shouting with us evrytime we caught one.

we had our lunch there and caught some more and headed back home.

and the fishes that we caught went into the grill that night, dipped with calamansi juice and soy sauce, Yummy!

Congratulations, BananaMangoe!

Rakistang Kus, my youngest brother, again proved his guitar talents together with his Reggae bandmates - Jon, Odie and Boogie as they grabbed the -First Prize- in the battle of the bands entitled "Kabataan sa Musikahan" held in Bulacan State University on December 03, 2008. The program was organized by KALIPI-Kabataang Liberal ng Pilipinas - BulSU Chapter.
Banana Mangoe played Jon the drummer's original composition "Himig Kapayapaan" and a cover song Night Club by the Specials.

From left: Odie-bassist, Boogie-Vocals/guitars, Kus-Lead Guitarist, Jon-Drummer


Himig Kapayapaan - Banana Mangoe


NightClub - The Specials

home at last!

It's good to be back.
Sarap ng sinigang na bangus at adobong pusit, pangat na ayungin at banling alimasag.
woohoo!