Let's just focus first on the stickers here. One Filipno was a project spearheaded by my good friends, where people with alike minds gather to discuss different aspects of us being Filipinos. Check OneFilipino.org.uk for more details.
The next thing we focus is on the bottle. I was in charge of materials and getting volunteers together. I had trouble finding this bottles (minus the stickers).
Marky (one of the project heads and my good friend) suggested this water bottles that he used at home. It's reusable and looks fancier than just plastic bottles. But I just couldn't find it. I checked most grocery store, well mostly Waitrose, for this water bottle that he was talking about. Plus I didn't understand what was so special about it. He ended up buying all the bottles in the picture. I put the stickers to make look neat. Oh how I wish I actually kept one of these. I wonder where this are now.....
Yes indeed, airport departures make me sad. I realise how my friends felt about me leaving, as I was the one seeing good friends off. It's a bit different, since I stand and wave goodbye and see you later at the departure gate. So bittersweet and it scared me because I felt at that time, sooner or later, I would be leaving London. And it was hard, but there was no choice. Well that is for later.
This is how I typically spend my evenings, after work or uni, I wait for my dad to finish work and we go home together. I could go home ahead of him, well sometimes if he has late meetings or dinner meetings. But since I'm lazy and quite tired to commute after work or uni, I just wait for him (sometimes asleep in the car). I don't mind waiting, although sometimes it does get boring, but I get to catch on sleep.
Mostly the food served here is Thai. But we get served something off the menu. Chicken barbeque is one of my favorites they serve for us. They also served pansit (noodles) and fried rice. Always good and filling. Sarap! I remember celebrating my mom's birthday here in 2010 I think. It was a tuesday so it was just us and a few good close friends. Good times....
The spiral staircase is really a nice touch to this restaurant. There is a big enough space in between steps so as to be careful when going up and down. The upstairs can be reserved for special occasions, like we once did for a Kapihan. One sunday, there was a dialogue among Filipino community leaders in regards to migration and Filipino diaspora. We were served coffee and porridge, or Arroz Caldo as we Filipinos like it.
It's a really cozy place where a lot of locals go to. Neighbours come here to catch up for dinner and a glass of wine. There's also a piano here, not sure if you can recognise it from the picture. But if I remember correctly, there's a jazz pianist on the evenings of Friday's and Saturday's, which locals sing along to and dance along to as well.
As you can see, the bar is full of different kinds of drinks. So you can find definitely something to suit your taste.
For a Filipino-owned restaurant in London, this is definitely one that I enjoy going back to. Though they don't serve Filipino food, the ambiance and food are still worth a visit.
Walking home from the Thai restaurant, and this is the view I see. It's so nice to look at, plus makes it so sentimental to walk home to. During one weekend in September, they hold a music Jazz festival, which is packed with people, local residents and their friends. I've been to it once, and I loved it! A laid-back feeling to spend it with good company and they sell food too, outside of their restaurants, for everyone to enjoy!
And this is what I walk home to.... along River Thames, the lights make it so nice to walk home to and to spend with good friends. I've got some memorable moments with people close to me, and I still remember each moment it quite clearly. The lights across the river reflect to the water, and it's another sight to look at. Although I wouldn't recommend to spend too much time here during weather and at night. Awfully freezing cold!
Aside from wanting to eat where food is great, another thing to consider is the ambiance of the restaurant. Just like this Thai restaurant in Imperial Wharf, where the place seems so fancy and the waiting staff were just so accommodating. I enjoy that about restaurants, plus we spend more time talking than actually eating sometimes. Lol.
Here in the Philippines, you'll find a lot of good restaurants here with a nice ambiance. I'm just gonna take it one restaurant at a time.
Chinese New Year in Chinatown, 2012. I definitely spent a lot of dinners here. Not because I'm chinese, but because it was close enough to the Philippine Embassy and most of my Filipino friends craved for rice and cheap dinner, thus here we were!
I remember Crispy Duck, Wong Kei, Hung's, Kung's, Yung's, Cafe C & R, Golden Pagoda, Golden Jade, Mr Wu, Loong Fung Restaurant, Leong's Legends I & II, Harbor City.
There were also Japanese restaurants (Misato), Korean, Vietnamese (the Vietnamese restaurant) and obviously the Oriental 'fusion' restaurants.
The stand outs were the pubs, Costa, Pizza Express and the other Italian restaurant, which I never went in to eat.
Definitely a lot of good moments here, and I'd definitely be back for dinner one day.
Life in London consisted of meetings at the Philippine Embassy. This was for One Filipino, in preparation for a town hall meeting back in early 2011. As you can see, I would be the only girl in the group. But then my presence is much more needed to make sure things don't go out of order on the actually day. I was more the observer to make sense of all that has been said.
There was more of a back story to why I was here too. If I didn't (so-called) attend this meetings, I wouldn't actually be able to talk or see my two good guy friends, who were spearheading this project. Oh well, feels so long ago now. So many things have happened since then - good and bad, but that is for another day.
This was my home for the last six years of my life, in London. And I definitely miss it. The coldness and having my own bed and room. It feels different to be back in our house in Manila. Especially since it's hot when it should be atleast cool in December time.
The end of the whole Olympics and Paralympics season is near. London 2012 has been amazing. I went to ExCel centre in London again to watch the Paralympics with my CB and my Tita Vo. We watched all sports scheduled that day in ExCel - Table Tennis at 930am, Boccia at 325pm, Powerlifting at 6pm and Sitting Volleyball at 7pm. Yes, we made sure to take advantage of the ExCel Day Pass. Hahaha
My Tita Vo and I also went to ExCel centre to watch the Olympics live - we watched boxing at 830pm: the Men's light weight, middle weight and super heavy weight. It was definitely fun to watch especially when Team GB was competing.I remember getting on the train at exactly 12 midnight and getting home about 1am.
I finally bought an Olympics and Paralympics 2012 t-shirt as well. The atmosphere is great because of the support that people give to their respective teams. National pride at the very best! Just like my friend MW with his exposure on the big screen. (Proud Pinoy!) Plus to bump into a couple of familiar faces as volunteers is certainly funny. The only thing lacking in this whole experience is to go to the Olympic Park. No, I haven't been to the Olympic Park. I think I'll try and sneak in on Monday, after or while the athletes have or are leaving. Hahahaha! There has been so much anticipation to the Olympics and Paralympics, and it might actually feel weird that it is all over. No more pick signs on display, no more special lanes, no need to 'Get Ahead of the Games' as they say here.
Go Team GB. Go Team PH. Olympic/Paralympic hangover to begin. sigh.
WOOHOO I'm back. I had to sort out my mom's painting website and it's brought me back here.
I just realised I haven't written a blog in almost 3 years and I wondered why... I've been thinking to what happened in 2010 that got me to neglect blogging or rhyming at all. Was I too busy or not inspired at all? I don't think so. Actually I had a memorable (almost) three years now. I've just been living in the many moments that I experienced. But I'm back now, because I just felt it is about time.
Things are about to change in a couple of months and I'm anxious to find out what will actually happen.
But I won't talk about that yet. For now, I'll talk about my wishlist. Things I'll like to buy here in London and bring back to Manila.
Lens (Canon)
Blackberry (new)
Longchamp bag bought on Sept 2,2012.
Portable 1TB external drive
London memorabilia sign
London 2012 Olympics t-shirt bought on Sept 3,2012.
Well, that's it for now. The rest would just come to me and I'll put updates on this blog.
Oh, I'm Twittering, I'm Twittering, wow! Check your followers, I'm following you.. starting now. Oh, I'm Twittering, I'm Twittering, wow! What else can I see? I hope you're following me..
I can't believe i'm watching this for the nth time. I don't even have it on dvd but they keep showing on cable tv, different channels, and everytime i'm still watching it. It's not that there isn't any other show to watch but... well, i don't really know. i don't really think it's because i live in London and i've been to Notting Hill or that i see familiar places in the movie. Simply, maybe i guess i'll just always be a hopeless romantic.
Below is one of my favorite scenes.
"Don't forget.. I'm also just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her."
ok so this song has just on replay on my ipod and i seriously can't get this song out of my head right now. somehow it just puts a smile on my face, makes me happy on the inside and somehow i feel quite hopeful too. life and love, after all, is all about taking chances. taking that leap of faith that things wouldn't turn out so bad. taking chances without considering the consequences of you getting hurt, sometimes you wouldn't necessarily get hurt at all. sometimes we might just have to take that chance in order for us to be happy.
Don't know much about your life.
Don't know much about your world, but Don't want to be alone tonight,
On this planet they call earth.
You don't know about my past, and I don't have a future figured out. And maybe this is going too fast.
And maybe it's not meant to last,
But what do you say to taking chances, What do you say to jumping off the edge?
Never knowing if there's solid ground below
Or hand to hold, or hell to pay,
What do you say,
What do you say?
I just want to start again,
And maybe you could show me how to try,
And maybe you could take me in,
Somewhere underneath your skin?
What do you say to taking chances,
What do you say to jumping off the edge?
Never knowing if there's solid ground below
Or hand to hold, or hell to pay,
What do you say,
What do you say?
And I had my heart beaten down, But I always come back for more, yeah. There's nothing like love to pull you up, When you're laying down on the floor there.
So talk to me, talk to me,
Like lovers do.
Yeah walk with me, walk with me,
Like lovers do,
Like lovers do.
What do you say to taking chances,
What do you say to jumping off the edge?
Never knowing if there's solid ground below
Or hand to hold, or hell to pay,
What do you say,
What do you say?
Don't know much about your life
And I don't know much about your world
avatars are too cute. they are a cute way to make a statement. and no, i'm talking about the movie by james cameron. well, not yet anyway.
below are some avatars i picked that i like best that could describe me.
sometimes a song can say what i really feel better than anything i'll write.
good luck indeed. get ready heart for a rollercoaster of emotions.
well, i wouldn't call it "love" just yet. maybe a "strong like". yeah maybe that could work. i fell in "strong like". ok, hmm.. nah, doesn't really work. so fine.... i fell in "love"
completely no idea. i'd like to keep a secret for a while.
ok this one was just HAHAHAHAHA! still HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
and here's one i really like, so worth a watch. enjoy!
ok i guess that's enough for now. don't want to flood my blog with too much avatars. cuteness off. 3d glasses on.
Friday, 25 December 2009
Wishing you all the timeless treasures of Christmas,the warmth of home, the love of family and company of good friends. Have a blessed Merry Christmas!
all my love, Kat xx
Merry Christmas to everyone back home! Most especially to my amazing friends and their families. I miss u guys so much!
All my love, anakat. xx
My special gift to you guys, i dedicate these songs.
For my love of Glee..
And of course, a tagalog song. Because this is one memorable song this year.
