after almost a five-month hiatus...

Wow. I had no idea until now that I haven't been updating this blog for almost five months! Tsk, tsk. Such a shame!

So, what have I been up to the past months that I've become such a lame blogger? Work, mostly.  It's been crazy-busy, but mostly fun. I am not complaining. In between the hectic work schedule, though, are pockets of glitter and joy.

Last February was our 5th wedding anniversary.  Francis planned a surprise dinner date for us. A full day of anticipation found me with my sweet hubby at La Cocina de Tita Moning. It was such a romantic dinner, and the food was really good! 

Pretty blooms from le hubby on our 5th anniversary

Then it was his birthday and mine. We spent Francis' hatch day with a brunch date at Rustic Mornings, then headed to Nuvali on a whim. Impromptu roadtrips rock, yes? Meanwhile, my big day was spent reviewing Philippine history and culture at the National Museum, and was concluded with a fantastic dinner at Harbor View Restaurant in Manila, where we basked in the marvelous sunset of Manila Bay. 

A lovely mid-morning at Rustic Mornings as hubby and I celebrated his birthday

On my 34th birthday, we got front-row seats to this magnificent view!

There's so much more to be excited about in the coming months. At the top of the list is an upcoming Hanoi trip with my family. It's going to be a belated celebration of my Mom's 60th birthday. Despite the different travel philosophy between me and my sister (haha!), I am very much stoked about this trip. It's been a while since Francis and I have flown out of the country, so this is a much-deserved break. Add to that the fact that this is the first time my family will be traveling to another country, so it's going to be a fun riot, for sure. I just pray that the weather here in the Philippines will be bright and sunny as we leave and come back from Vietnam (it's going to be summer there, so hurrah!). 

Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi. Image from meracushotels.com

Another wonderful thing that has happened is an unexpected collaboration with my fave sandal brand of the moment: Renegade Folk. I have written about it in my other blog a few month's back, and I've already purchased two pairs from this amazing local brand. Naturally, I have posted a few Instagram photos of me wearing my pairs. It's one thing to have them like those photos; and another to see them asking for my email address. I immediately replied, of course, and was a bit intrigued. Long story short, they asked me to do a collab project with them! It's so amazing and surreal, really. Aside from the obvious perks, what I love about this endeavor with them is that I get to be really creative and expressive using a medium I love: photography. Along the road, I hope to once again rekindle my passion with photography (my 400D misses me already!), and ultimately, inspire others to embrace their passion and celebrate their uniqueness. See more of this cool collab on my Instagram and on my VSCO Grid.

My third Renegade Folk pair, along with some of my arsenal for our Hanoi trip

And yes, I really, really will work harder in updating this blog more often. Definitely no months-long hiatus!

Have a wonderful weekend!

surprised and stoked

When I said in my previous entry that I shall surprise myself on the  32nd year of my life here on Earth, I never thought I'd be faced with a situation that will require me to do so: surfing in Baler.

See, I am such a lame swimmer. I can only "swim" if my feet can still touch the bottom of a pool/the sea. Throw me in the middle of the ocean and I'd most likely drown without a fight--that, or I'll lie on my back in an attempt to float until I, uhm, die. So when I joined Francis and his officemates for a trip to Baler for a wedding, I was already prepared to get disappointed at myself because I know I'd chicken out and would not even attempt to learn to surf. Even Francis was hesitant with the idea. He was actually almost discouraging me because if I fall off the board and drown, even he can't rescue me because, well, his swimming skills are also limited. And so during our first day, I was content to just take a dip in Baler's warm but restless waters. 

Our second (and last) day in Baler was different, though. 

It was a Saturday, so tourists and surfers alike flocked the beach to catch some waves. There were actually a lot of student surfers. One of Francis' colleagues, Alyza, braved the waters and was able to stand on the board despite not knowing how to swim as well. Seeing the precious joy in her face the moment she was able to stand on the board gave me much encouragement, to my husband's dismay. Therefore, mustering up all the courage I have, I decided to give it a shot. 

With frazzled nerves and a rented rash guard that's obviously two sizes bigger for me, I went into the water and entrusted my life to a stranger (my assigned instructor) I have known for barely five minutes. And this was how it went...

 

Now ain't that neat for a first-time surfer who barely knows how to swim?!? I felt (I still do!) so proud of myself! Even Francis was happy to see how his stubborn wife was able to actually balance herself on the water! Haha!

It was really, really, really cool! It's already been over a month since that experience, but whenever I go back to it, I still have that stoked feeling. I feel more proud of myself because I was brave enough to get out of my comfort zone and actually try something that daring. I know that I would have regretted it big time had I let the opportunity pass. What are the chances that I'd get to go back to Baler again, right? I'd probably hate myself if I didn't even dare to try. But I did, and I have photos to prove how much fun I had. So now, there's actually a reason to go back to Baler, eh?

I'd like to believe this is the first of the many happy surprises in store for me. I can't wait!