Please proceed to my new blog address

This blog is no longer updated, for my personal blog, please visit:

Ramblings Rewind


My other current blogs are:

Travel Binge

Wellness Counselor

Catholic Pilgrim

Arsenic in Water Linked to Diabetes

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ProudlyFilipina.com joins Go Negosyo Women Entrepreneurs Summit

Babae, Yaman Ka Ng Bayan! (The biggest women negosyo event of the year!)

March being Women’s Month, Go Negosyo is holding a summit for women entrepreneurs entitled Babae, Yaman Ka ng Bayan! The event will be held at the World Trade Center on March 2, 2009. A woman empowering event, the summit will include forums to help the Pinay reach her full potential as a person and as an entrepreneur.

Read more on how you can join us here.

International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima Philippine Visit 2009

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Visit My other blogs

Please visit my other themed blogs :

Maan's Travels (on word press) (new) : A more professional look and version using my own domain. Similar content than my old travel blog but edited and from now on will be the one updated.

Spa and Wellness Blog (new) : Observations, Information, Experiences

Maan's Travels : Sharing years of experiences with my greatest passion - Travel!
Includes my adventures in North Pole without mounting an expedition, culturally fulfilling sites in various European countries, both eastern and western side as well as those in the tropical cities of Asia.

Maan's Pilgrim Site : A collection of my various religious pilgrimage trips - photos, insights, experiences.

Maan's Multiply Site: Another ramblings and musings blog but I mainly use it for the photos. Easier to upload dozens of them.

Filipina: A Tribute to the Filipino Woman

Filipina: A Tribute to the Filipino Woman is a hard-bound coffee-table book paying tribute to the women of the Philippines that features striking photos of the Filipina captured in the different facets of her womanhood:a caring mother, a hobby enthusiast, a spiritual person, a determinate athlete, a professional or a simple citizen.

This book is a journey into the heart and soul of the Filipino woman, both famous and unknown.

On every page, the reader will get a hint of why the country is so much indebted to its women : the virtues of the Filipina reveal themselves as we can see her create a piece of art, perform on stage or in the sports arena, harvest rice, demonstrate on the street, or simply attend to her children.

The book was painstakingly produced by Louis Paul Heussaff, CEO of Supply Oilfield Services, as a testament to diversity’s feat, vividly presenting the different faces of a Filipina’s womanhood. No one can understand a filipina more than this french national married to a wonderful Pinay herself.

A collection of over 200 photographs, a myriad faces of the Filipina are highlighted in this beautifully designed book. The Manila urbanite finds her place alongside women from the remote hills of Sabtang. Celebrities, artists, politicians and ordinary women are presented in these photographs which highlight the elegance, determination, devotion, sensibility and individuality of the Filipina.

The book is sold at Amazon for $295 (Php 14,500) but thru the kindess of the publisher, it will be made available to proudly filipina members only for Php 1,500 ($30) for a limited time. You can pre-order the book by contacting us here, and you can pick this up during the launch on Dec. 27. For those outside Metro Manila or the Philippines, we shall inform you of the courier charges.

After the proudlyfilipina.com launch, the regular price will apply.

Filipina: A Tribute to the Filipino Woman

Filipina: A Tribute to the Filipino Woman is a hard-bound coffee-table book paying tribute to the women of the Philippines that features striking photos of the Filipina captured in the different facets of her womanhood:a caring mother, a hobby enthusiast, a spiritual person, a determinate athlete, a professional or a simple citizen.

This book is a journey into the heart and soul of the Filipino woman, both famous and unknown.

On every page, the reader will get a hint of why the country is so much indebted to its women : the virtues of the Filipina reveal themselves as we can see her create a piece of art, perform on stage or in the sports arena, harvest rice, demonstrate on the street, or simply attend to her children.

The book was painstakingly produced by Louis Paul Heussaff, CEO of Supply Oilfield Services, as a testament to diversity’s feat, vividly presenting the different faces of a Filipina’s womanhood. No one can understand a filipina more than this french national married to a wonderful Pinay herself.

A collection of over 200 photographs, a myriad faces of the Filipina are highlighted in this beautifully designed book. The Manila urbanite finds her place alongside women from the remote hills of Sabtang. Celebrities, artists, politicians and ordinary women are presented in these photographs which highlight the elegance, determination, devotion, sensibility and individuality of the Filipina.

The book is sold at Amazon for $295 (Php 14,500) but thru the kindess of the publisher, it will be made available to proudly filipina members only for Php 1,500 ($30) for a limited time. You can pre-order the book by contacting us here, and you can pick this up during the launch on Dec. 27. For those outside Metro Manila or the Philippines, we shall inform you of the courier charges.

After the proudlyfilipina.com launch, the regular price will apply.

Filipina: A Tribute to the Filipino Woman

Filipina: A Tribute to the Filipino Woman is a hard-bound coffee-table book paying tribute to the women of the Philippines that features striking photos of the Filipina captured in the different facets of her womanhood:a caring mother, a hobby enthusiast, a spiritual person, a determinate athlete, a professional or a simple citizen.

This book is a journey into the heart and soul of the Filipino woman, both famous and unknown.

On every page, the reader will get a hint of why the country is so much indebted to its women : the virtues of the Filipina reveal themselves as we can see her create a piece of art, perform on stage or in the sports arena, harvest rice, demonstrate on the street, or simply attend to her children.

The book was painstakingly produced by Louis Paul Heussaff, CEO of Supply Oilfield Services, as a testament to diversity’s feat, vividly presenting the different faces of a Filipina’s womanhood. No one can understand a filipina more than this french national married to a wonderful Pinay herself.

A collection of over 200 photographs, a myriad faces of the Filipina are highlighted in this beautifully designed book. The Manila urbanite finds her place alongside women from the remote hills of Sabtang. Celebrities, artists, politicians and ordinary women are presented in these photographs which highlight the elegance, determination, devotion, sensibility and individuality of the Filipina.

The book is sold at Amazon for $295 (Php 14,500) but thru the kindess of the publisher, it will be made available to proudly filipina members only for Php 1,500 ($30) for a limited time. You can pre-order the book by contacting us here, and you can pick this up during the launch on Dec. 27. For those outside Metro Manila or the Philippines, we shall inform you of the courier charges.

After the proudlyfilipina.com launch, the regular price will apply.

Filipina: A Tribute to the Filipino Woman

Filipina: A Tribute to the Filipino Woman is a hard-bound coffee-table book paying tribute to the women of the Philippines that features striking photos of the Filipina captured in the different facets of her womanhood:a caring mother, a hobby enthusiast, a spiritual person, a determinated athlete, a professional or a simple citizen.

This book is a journey into the heart and soul of the Filipino woman, both famous and unknown.

On every page, the reader will get a hint of why the country is so much indebted to its women : the virtues of the Filipina reveal themselves as we can see her create a piece of art, perform on stage or in the sports arena, harvest rice, demonstrate on the street, or simply attend to her children.

The book was painstakingly produced by Louis Paul Heussaff, CEO of Supply Oilfield Services, as a testament to diversity’s feat, vividly presenting the different faces of a Filipina’s womanhood. No one can understand a filipina more than this french national married to a wonderful Pinay herself.

A collection of over 200 photographs, a myriad faces of the Filipina are highlighted in this beautifully designed book. The Manila urbanite finds her place alongside women from the remote hills of Sabtang. Celebrities, artists, politicians and ordinary women are presented in these photographs which highlight the elegance, determination, devotion, sensibility and individuality of the Filipina.

The book is sold at Amazon for $295 (Php 14,500) but thru the kindess of the publisher, it will be made available to proudly filipina members only for Php 1,500 ($30) for a limited time. You can pre-order the book by contacting us here, and you can pick this up during the launch on Dec. 27. For those outside Metro Manila or the Philippnes, we shall inform you of the courier charges.

After the proudlyfilipina.com launch, the regular price will apply.

Filipina: A Tribute to the Filipino Woman

Filipina: A Tribute to the Filipino Woman is a hard-bound coffee-table book paying tribute to the women of the Philippines that features striking photos of the Filipina captured in the different facets of her womanhood:a caring mother, a hobby enthusiast, a spiritual person, a determinated athlete, a professional or a simple citizen.

This book is a journey into the heart and soul of the Filipino woman, both famous and unknown.

On every page, the reader will get a hint of why the country is so much indebted to its women : the virtues of the Filipina reveal themselves as we can see her create a piece of art, perform on stage or in the sports arena, harvest rice, demonstrate on the street, or simply attend to her children.

The book was painstakingly produced by Louis Paul Heussaff, CEO of Supply Oilfield Services, as a testament to diversity’s feat, vividly presenting the different faces of a Filipina’s womanhood. No one can understand a filipina more than this french national married to a wonderful Pinay herself.

A collection of over 200 photographs, a myriad faces of the Filipina are highlighted in this beautifully designed book. The Manila urbanite finds her place alongside women from the remote hills of Sabtang. Celebrities, artists, politicians and ordinary women are presented in these photographs which highlight the elegance, determination, devotion, sensibility and individuality of the Filipina.

The book is sold at Amazon for $295 (Php 14,500) but thru the kindess of the publisher, it will be made available to proudly filipina members only for Php 1,500 ($30) for a limited time. You can pre-order the book by contacting us here, and you can pick this up during the launch on Dec. 27. For those outside Metro Manila or the Philippnes, we shall inform you of the courier charges.

After the proudlyfilipina.com launch, the regular price will apply.

Sugar overload? Swig some pure Neem Extract! Nature’s cure for Diabetes

By: Rissa Calica-Gimenez

One of the ancient home remedies for balancing high blood sugar or diabetes is just as close and down-to-earth as your garden. read more at http://www.proudlyfilipina.com

What's New at ProudlyFilipina.com

Hello All Proud to be Filipinas!

Once again we would like to invite you to register and join the new online magazine and Social Network for Filipinas all over the world.

We have a lot of interesting reads, from Caren's "Second Generation Entrepreneurs" where she mentions that 420 women go out and start their own businesses and most of them are growing revenues, profits and creating more jobs than the businesses itself!

---to Rissa's new natural health find, "Sugar overload? Swig some pure Neem Extract! Nature’s cure for Diabetes" Find out the secret brew in ProudlyFilipina.com

Corrine Blogs about her craving for "Ensaymada" but she says that "When I think or say Ensaymada I do not mean I am craving for sweets but for the comfort of what I am missing" . Isn't that sweet!

You will all be inspired by Lella's Halo Halong Halo, A heavenly mix of things that make life worth savoring.

Join us and comment on the various ongoing Forum topics such as Living with Extended Family, Dealing with your mother in law, Top Attractions in Europe and many more! Create your own thread and let everyone else join the fun!

We hope to see you there. Just hit Register, type your name and email then get your free account activated.


http://www.proudlyfilipina.com

Catholic Pilgrim Blog

I have moved my religious blog, Catholic Pilgrim to a new domain and this time using Wordpress. Please check it out at:

http://catholicpilgrim.org

My new personal blog

Got tired of this old blog so created a new one at Serious Prattle this time using
Word Press. I now believe my friends when they had been suggesting moving to Word Press. Its more flexible and widget friendly.

So see you all around in my new personal webspace!!!

Serious Prattle : My new personal blog

I was so 'sawa' with my old personal ramblings site so decided to shift to a new one using word press. Yup, wordpress is a lot better than blogger so please do visit my new space at:

http://seriousprattle.com

Will I celebrate D day up on Air?

It has been a tough and challenging period. Had some bouts of depression as something I worked on for a long time has not come into fore. Sometimes it has crossed my mind that I shouldn't have banked on a close friend too much but hen I know I learned a lot from the long study. It has drained me financially however.

Anyway, I am supposed to celebrate a milestone in my life soon and for that I had always wanted to be in my favorite city, Paris. Unfortunately it can't happen. Anyway, I had a memorable birthday in Paris last year, thanks to St. Ignatius.

God is good however. He knows I don't like to be in manila for my birthday. I just wanted to be somewhere out there batanes, appari, timbuktu or the himalayas.

Comes the miles ----- yeah I have them enough to fly half way around the world but how will I pay my accomodations and everything else that comes with the trip?

Sydney!!! Yup, Christine has been inviting me for decades to her place but being a corporate slave then, had only so much vacation leaves which must be used to help out my dad in his trips.

Christine is the I in TAFI, the acronym of our high school barkada - Tolentino, Almeda, Flores and Imperial.

I emailed Christine and told her my thoughts. Both of us were really banking on something we had been working for years, unfortunately, the other party was sickly and perhaps lacked enough focus. Both our birthdays are on the same month and just a few days away.

I told her I will start working on my visa. I havent been to that part of the world so I needed to ask how to get the visa. While gathering the documents, my miles suffered a snag which I thought would derail my trip. Fortunately with prayers all was resolved.

I placed all my faith in Him and He works wonders. All of a sudden I decided to call PAL to reserve. They told me there was just one seat left before my birthday. Goodness gracious I had to grab it. Had myself waitlisted the day before though.

I was told the visa will take two weeks. When I finally filed they said one week. Well well well, miracle of miracles, I got it in two days ha ha! Intl visas seem to love me recently.

This means I can fly anytime but--- I can't. I still need to hire the replacement staff in our immigration office otherwise my partner in Manila, Gerry will go crazy. Also, I want to fly closer to winter. Why? It's too darn hot in manila! I am almost melting with the heat so I want to go somewhere really cold.

I think sydney was a good decision for i can mix business with pleasure. My other business partner Nick, is based there as well as our principal, so I guess I really need to meet up.

I just hope and pray I can confirm that wait listed day otherwise, I will be up on air on my birthday boo hoo......and if it turns out that PAL's arrival will be late--- I may leave the airport (after baggage claim, customs etc) after lunch.

Oh well, you can't win 'em all. Just can't wait to fly again. I have a mole under each foot and after a few months of sticking to land, my feet really itch to leave. I guess I took after my dad.

Oh and by the way, Aura, my ex officemate now based in Vienna told me she will also be celebrating her milestone soon and she maybe in Paris for this since their bank branch in the city of lights will be needing her that period. I was sooooooo Inggit!

Tagaytay, Taal and unexpected side trips

L

Last Sunday, Bebeth and I brought Ruben to Tagaytay. She brought her van, fetched Ruben in Makati then passed for me in paranaque as I was nearest to the south expressway.

First stop was Starbucks at Petron station to get some hot drink for Ruben who has not yet taken breakfsast. I brought sandwiches, a large cooler filled with drinks and bottled water.



We reached Tagaytay shortly before 11am and I decided to visit the Little Souls convent I heard from a friend. She gave me a small bottle of holy oil dipped in a Sacred Crucifix which came from Belgium. I wanted to know more about this so since it was too early for lunch might was well visit. You can read more about this in my Pilgrim blog.

One thing though, I will surely return to this very peaceful place.


I researched new places in Tagaytay through the internet the evening before we left and I read much about the new place in town which is the Cliffhouse along the ridge quite near the rotonda. We asked a few people along the road but they don't seem to know this place.

The best landmark would be right after the huge Yellow cab sign. It is actually besides Leslie's a similar concept area filled with various restos such as Cafe Lupe and Starbucks.

I will show more photos of the Cliffhouse in a separate post. The most popular restaurant in this area from my internet research seemed to be the Italian resto Buon Giorno followed by FireLake Grill.

Although I was curious to try Buon giorno, I was not that keen on eating Itaian food that time, the same with bebeth and most specially our balikbayan guest. Besides, we noticed the place was really full so no chance for an immediate table.





The only place which has a good view of the lake besides the italian resto is Fire Lake so we opted to take lunch here.








Although it was cooler inside the restaurant, we decided to take the table outside for a better view.

The meal was great but very pricey. More details of our meals in another post.








We couldnt leave the area without having a photo against the
lakeview, what everyone goes to Tagaytay for.








Since I kept mentioning Our Lady of Caysasay, which apparently is in the next province, we all decided to trekk to Taal, Batangas. We asked the waiter for directions and he mentioned that it takes him around 45 mins to reach the place when he uses his motorcycle.

Ruben was also interested in going there as he stayed in an antique house right in front of the basilica.

This then was our first stop when we reached Taal, Batangas, the home of the Calanog family situated right in front of the Taal Basilica.



Ruben greets the matriarch of the family who was only too surprised to see him.









Almost everything in the house is a collectors item like these set of old pottery....

and of course my favorite Angels.

Bebeth was so surprised to see this very old turntable, the kind that you need to wind on the side for it to start.

more antiques....

A combination of old and new images of our Lady.

Time for goodbyes to go to our next destination....

The Taal Basilica or better known as the Basilica of St. Martin de Tours.

On the left altar, one can find the statue of St. Martin de Tours in whose name the Basilica was named after. Will write more about the sain in my Pilgrim's blog.

On the right altar, is enthroned Our Lady of Casaysay, whose devotion spanned hundreds of years. I expounded on the history of Our Lady in my Pilgrim Blog.

The image is very small unlike similar ones of our Lady. We went up the back altar to be able to kiss her mantle.

This was the poster which came out during the 400-yr jubilee celebration (2003) of Our Lady of Casaysay.

I bought a couple of stampitas and novenas after the visit.

Before leaving again for the next stop, bebeth had to have a shot beside the street name as this is her maiden name :)

Next stop as requested by Bebeth is the Taal Market. Here you see her buying the famous Tapa. According to the seller, the recipe was handed down from their great grandparents.

Here you see Ruben holding one of their famous 'sumans'. Bebeth bought one bagful which we all took for merienda. Very delicious! Highly recommended.

All i bought was charcoal and native vinegar. Charcoal cost 5 pesos per bag, in manila it's 15-20 pesos. The small bottle of vinegar was priced at only 6 pesos. Great huh!





Now you see Ruben standing behind a store selling native clothes and bags embroidered the Callado way where Taal is famous for.









Bebeth wanted to buy a 'calladoed' Pinya cloth.






As it was past 5pm, I tried to hurry the two since I really wanted to see the church of Our Lady of Caysasay. We had to ask around for some of them were not familiar with this. Some of them still direct us to the basilica.

We finally found it, a short distance actually from the Basilica. Its really the chilren vendors in the basilica area who were familiar with the church.

This is the inside of the church or chapel of Our Lady of Caysasay. Her image is found right at the center of the altar.

The full story of Our Lady including the miraculous spring found a few mins away from the chapel is discussed in my Pilgrim blog.




By the time we finished with the unexpected pilgrimage in Taal, it was already early evening and we decided to hurry back to manila since Ruben needed to catch the last mass.

Unfortunately, the traffic was horrendous, hardly moving when we reached Tagaytay. When we reached the area of 'Antonio's', Bebeth suggested going down to take dinner instead of waiting inside the car for traffic to ease.




It was all our first time to try the very famous "Breakfast at Antonio's".










We actually took dinner outside but this photo was taken inside where we took dessert because bebeth was feeling cold. Yeah right, she felt cold despite the pashmina. Very unbelievable to hear when you experience the scorching heat of manila these days.



I have more photos and reviews of our dinner but it will be the subject of a separate post.

Dinner at Abe, Dessert at Cupcakes and Hot choco at Mary Grace

I was suprised to learn the other day that Ruben is in Manila.

Bebeth called to ask if I knew and apparently Ruben sent me a text message earlier but was not able to notice it as I was in a meeting.

Ruben brought us around Vienna last year together with Au.


We all then decided to go out last night at the Fort Serendra area, the Bonifacio High Street as it is the newest place in town.

We first strolled along the area to check on the newly opened restaurants. It was only last January that I was here but since then, so much eateries has opened.


I had wanted to try out the other restos that I have read about such as Chelsea, Brazil, Portico but somehow we ended up again in Abe!

This must be my fourth time here. I usually tend to go here if I have guests so specially the balikbayan ones like Ruben. They tend to choose a place serving good old filipino food.


We actually had a feast starting with Bebeth's favorite chicharon bulaklak (cholesterol delight), and two bowls of kinilaw.










The waiter recomended the Tamarind drink which Bebeth and I tried and boy it was really good!!!











This was followed by our main meal, the signature Bamboo Rice,








another cholesterol filled, Abe's version of Dinuguan (cant recall the actual name but it starts with a T).











and of course I wouldn't miss my favorite vegetable dish, gosh I can't recall the name again but it is made of squash, and some greens. Most of the names in the menu sounded exotic.








This was the first time I noticed the Rellenong Suam na Mais. Apparently it is made of corn and shrimp cooked akin to an omelette.







As I am a soup person, there must definitely one during meals and Ruben chose the Sinigang na belly sa Guava. Actually it was for 3-5 persons but we went ahead and got it.










Finally any balikbayan will not be able to resist trying our good old Manggang buro (pickled mangoes) so despite the tons of orders this must still be part of it.







Obviously we were not able to finish all the 'takaw tingin' orders so we had to request the leftovers taken out.

Because we were really so full, we decided to walk the block to bring everything down. Bebeth suggested we cross the street and take a look at the new Serendra strip made up of more restaurants and shops.

I have heard of this area before but this was the first time I saw it and gosh I was suprised with all the newly opened outlets such as Italiannis, Bos Cafe, Starbucks, Havaianas, Fish o Fun and a lot more.


Took a shot of Ruben and Bebeth trying this gigantic steel decor. One has to climb it then jump a bit as suprisingly it has a trampoline effect.







This was another op art design at the park fronting the strip.













After going around both sides of the serendra shop area, we decided to go back and have dessert as planned at Mary Grace. While walking towards the place, I suddenly saw the small Cupcake snack place and I said I must not miss this. I had been reading a lot about to-die-for Cupcakes by Sonja. We all went in to take a look.









These mouth watering cupcakes surely cant remain on their display areas for long so









I decided to get us one each just to try - Ruben got the nutty type, Bebeth, the one with mint and I chose the one with berries.

Nice simple bags huh? Bebeth showed Ruben the Rest Room while I lined up at the cashier.

After I paid for the cupcakes, I waited outside the shop. I liked the painted antique chairs and tables used. I remembered those furnitures in our old home in manila where we lived with Lola and Lolo. Too bad it was given away when we moved to quezon city.

A few minutes later Bebeth called to tell me they are at Mary Grace which apparently was closing so she had to order their famous chocolate which we can just take outside.

I first thought bebeth meant a chocolate cake but apparently Mary Grace served a very delicious hot chocolate drink similar to our local tablea.

Since we were the last clients to pay, we just requested a pitcher full of iced cold water. The weather outside though almost midnight was really too hot and humid.

Everyone must try this highly recommended choco drink. It is really sooooooooo good. I will need to go back in this place soon just for this sweet delicacy.