Christmas is LOVE at the Children's Home! :)

December 9th, 2012 - I thank the Lord for this day! It's the big day at the orphanage (related post here...) and it's my hubby's birthday! :)

We started the day right with a holy mass at Sister Maria Bertilla Vangelista Children's home, celebrated by Father Serg.  We were extra grateful that Father Serg made it to the event despite his busy schedule this month. It was a fun-filled celebration as kids were enchanted with Father Serg's comical stories and antics.  

After the mass, we started with the kiddie party hosted by two of Jollibee's crews.  The orphanage was filled with laughter as the first half of the day was swept away by games, dances, Christmas tunes and nothing else but fun!  Kids were all thrilled to participate in each and every game.  They all compared prizes, kept them aside and then played some more...

Prepping for the next game!

All eyes and ears...

Little kids can do the cup dance too.

Kids enjoying the cup dance! 

The twin = Partners in crime! :)

Showing off the prizes!

Newspaper dance

My nephews, Rap and Gab

A kiddie Christmas party wouldn't be complete without the showcase of talent from the kids.  My nephews and niece showed their moves in front of the 17 young girls and the cheering nuns.  Well, it's been a long time since I've seen them dance so I consider it the highlight of my day as well.  Behind the rolling camera I was holding that moment, I can see my Nanay and Inay laughing and enjoying their performance as well.  It was priceless!

"Everyday I'm shuffling" - From my nephews, Gab and Rap & my niece, Zak

Of course, kids at the orphanage also prepared a special intermission number for us.  It was a joy to see all of them on the dance floor!  I can tell the nuns were so proud of them, too, being their parents. :)

The young and talented kids at the orphanage

After an hour, a long table was set up for a sumptuous lunch.  Everyone feasted on Jollibee's crispy fried chicken with gravy, cheesy spaghetti, steamed rice, peach mango pie, and the oh-so delicious dirty ice cream in 2 flavors -- pinipig (roasted rice flakes) and cheese. It was also the best time to enjoy the Christmas songs in the background, the calming view and the cold breeze of the place.  To add, it was the perfect time to enjoy the company of my family!

Inay and Nanay

The happy bee!

Thanks to my friends Manel, Genica, Rod and Jason for sponsoring the ice cream.  Everyone enjoyed it! :)

My sistah with my nephew, Hav

My brother in law as "Mamang sorbetero" with the kids queuing up and all excited for their turn

And who doesn't love "The Jollibee" himself? The kids went gaga over the presence of Jollibee the mascot, especially when he danced with the crews.  He still proves to be the ever graceful and most famous mascot in the country. :)

Jollibee and Havvi

After a couple of snaps with Jollibee, we ended the party with gift-giving.  We gave each kid a wrapped toy and green eco bag with sandals in it.  You can just imagine the genuine joy as each of them opens their gifts.  Of course, we never forgot to bring presents for our beloved sisters, too.  After all, they've taken the noble responsibility over these kids and they love them as their own.  We also left the orphanage with two sacks of rice courtesy of my four besties, whom I'd never get tired of mentioning here - Manel, Genica, Rod and Jason.

My brother in blue, with my brother in law, nephew and niece

To my family and to my dear friends who made this event a success, thank you for making my Christmas extra sweeter this year.  To the nuns and kids of the orphanage, thanks for welcoming us!  I hope we will all be in this together again next year! :)

12.12.12

It's 12.12.12 and I'm in the Philippines!  I promised to start my own legacy to be at somewhere special doing something special on such a historic date.  In fact, I captured my promise on this blog. :)

Well, being in the Philippines for a short, pre-Christmas vacation is already a blast.  Although I did not wake up in a fancy hotel at one of the tourist spots in the Philippines (not what I initially planned), I am thankful to be here in my hometown when this historic date hits.  After all, there's still a lot of things to be thankful for; and being alive and kicking today is one of those many things!

What made the day extra special is my visit to Divino Amor Redemptorist Church at Lipa City.  The church is well-known to be the place of profound devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help for most Batanguenos.  On Wednesdays, the church is packed with devotees from all walks of life.  In fact, today's scene is not far from what it was like when I was still a kid.  The church's structure may have already been renovated but it is still the same place where people would squeeze in to light candles or would rub hankies on Mama Mary's portrait.  I'm glad, most Filipinos continue to believe in Mary's intercession.  The massive presence was amazing!

Snapped after a powerful novena on 12.12.12

It felt great to attend an all-Filipino version of the novena once again.  It's been awhile since I celebrated this devotion with fellow Filipinos 'coz in Singapore, I normally do the novena alone. In here, the rites are familiar, the tunes are familiar and I sang out loud! 

And oh, did I mention about the puto-bumbong and bibingka stalls just outside the church? Yummy! Only in the Philippines... :)

Perfect for the cold December breeze.

OEC lah!

So I learned it the hard way.  Last Monday, I went to the Philippine Embassy at around 10-ish to have some documents certified and to obtain an OEC (Overseas Employment Certificate).  Processing the documents was a breeze but I was surprised to know that the Philippine Embassy has imposed a quota for OEC processing during this period.  I felt sorry that I wasn't a frequent visitor of their website so I was totally uninformed.  I know it's a busy period since a lot of fellow Filipinos will be rushing to get their OECs for Christmas  vacation.  I just didn't expect that the said quota will be out before 10 AM on a Monday... and just an FYI, the embassy opens at 9 AM.  That quick!

With this awareness, I went back at the embassy yesterday (Wednesday) and started my trip at 6:30 AM.  Yes, I had to wake up at 5:30 Singapore morning to get ready!  Zombie-like, I reached the embassy at 7:30 AM and this was the scene that "woke" me up:

Long queue outside the Philippine embassy at 7:30 AM, on a weekday. Queue was doubled behind me by 7:45 AM.

Other embassies nearby were still "sleeping" but the Philippine embassy was already quite a scene.  Super early birds were on queue (and standing) as early as 6:30 AM and most of them already complained of hunger.  People I've spoken to were on their 2nd trip as well and were unlucky to be served previously... just like me.  Leave was wasted so they had to file for another leave or a medical leave to make this 2nd trip.  Well, you'd hear different stories and make friends during this time. :)

Finally at 8:50 AM, after waiting and standing on queue outside for more than an hour (or more for the others), they let the first batch in.  Official queue numbers and forms were given.  I was number 56!  In a day, they give out 250 queue numbers, to be processed until 3 PM.  All 250 were given out by 9-ish, I guess.  I bet more than a hundred behind had to leave and didn't make it yesterday.

I hate to say this, but it was still a mess while we're inside waiting.  It was normal to expect that at least, due to the quota, it would be a bit manageable.  Unfortunately, it wasn't.  Most people were confused, angry and impatient. Well, probably due to the time and effort they need to endure to get the thing done. You have to be at 2 windows/counters if you'll only be processing an OEC.  If you haven't paid for Pag-ibig (which is a requirement), you have to visit a total of 3 windows.  For those who would renew OWWA membership, you need to devote more time.  Hold on to your queue number, you're going to need it the whole time you "come and go" to and from the windows.  A classic story of the Philippine window-system...  What's worse, at around 10:20 AM, they announced that people holding 151 and above will be served at 1:30 PM.  Imagine how loud the "aahhhsss" were!  They were advised to go out first, eat, or pass the time and then come back after lunch.  Considering the location of the embassy, I don't think people would want to walk under the hot "Singapore" sun or take a cab to pass the time and be back again... Oh well.  

I was number 56 and I finished at 10:45 AM.

So if you want to finish before noon, plan your trip and be there at 7:30 AM latest.  Sunday might be worse, though.  Make sure to bring all the requirements with you.  For OEC/OWWA processing (Employees) you'd need passport, work pass, pag-ibig receipt, air ticket (they no longer check this, but bring it anyway), and the duly completed form, the one you need to fill out on the embassy.

Wishful thinking, I hope they'd consider an online OEC processing.  Embassy has started with an e-appointment for electronic Passport so I'm hoping we're not far from doing most services online...  It will help both the embassy and the people anyway...  God bless the Philippines! :)

Our very own "Christmas-for-a-cause" event

I am overly excited that I'll be back home in the Philippines this coming Sunday.  Aside from the fact that I'll be reunited with my family, I am so looking forward to our first ever family "Christmas-for-a-cause" event!  This year, we have picked Sister Maria Bertilla Vangelista Orphanage in Lipa City as our beneficiary.

The Sr. Maria Bertilla Vangelista Home for Children is an orphanage dedicated to Sr. Maria Bertilla Vangelista, a member of the Congregation, who strongly desired to continue the work of Mother Chiara Biagotti in the care of the poor, abandoned and orphaned children.  Currently, it is home to 17 young girls aged 5-15.  There are 4 nuns who take care of them and almost run the whole orphanage.  Mostly needed are rice grains, canned goods, girls' clothes and sandals.

Our family's effort is to do an early Christmas event for the kids and to donate goods for them.  We are so lucky to have generous and kind-hearted friends who are also willing to contribute to the event as soon as they heard about it (Thanks all! You know who you are).  We have everything planned on the 9th of December starting with the holy mass at 8am. Kiddie party will follow after.  What's another delight is to have it on my husband's birthday!  He may not have his last year's "birthday-for-a-cause" in Singapore, but we are blessed to organize such an event this year.

I can imagine how much fun it will be not only for the kids, but for us, too!  We are very grateful to have been moved by God and share in our own little way.  After all, Christmas really means giving...

Will definitely post fun photos after... :)

Sweet November

It's the 11th month of the year. I still have 60 days more to accomplish even my littlest goal.  Oh, how quick this year unfolds! But before I recall how my 2012 has been and in the spirit of the All Saints Day and All Souls Day, i post...

Today, I thank all the Saints I have called upon during my lifetime for the hope and intercessions given to me.  

"How shining and splendid are your gifts, O Lord


which you give us for our eternal well-being


Your glory shines radiantly in your saints,

O God
In the honour and noble victory of the martyrs.


The white-robed company follow you,


bright with their abundant faith;


They scorned the wicked words of those with this world's power.


For you they sustained fierce beatings, chains, and torments,


they were drained by cruel punishments.


They bore their holy witness to you
who were grounded deep within their hearts;


they were sustained by patience and constancy.


Endowed with your everlasting grace,


may we rejoice forever
with the martyrs in our bright fatherland.


O Christ, in your goodness,
grant to us the gracious heavenly realms of eternal life."

                           - A Catholic Prayer In Praise of the Saints

And who could ever forget the Philippine tradition that November 1 & 2 are the busiest 2 days in the cemeteries nationwide?  Although memories of our departed loved ones live in our hearts everyday, we pay our utmost respects by visiting their eternal homes, bringing flowers, lighting candles and most especially, offering time and prayers.  Most of the time, the event serves as a family reunion when both days are declared national holidays.  Trick or treat for children, halloween costume parties everywhere, creepy shows on tv... Now, I'm missing my family more. I miss my dad more.

"Just as Jesus died and rose again, so will the Father

bring with him those who have died in Jesus.

Just as in Adam all men die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

God our Father, we ask that you hear our prayers

and bring us some consolation in our lives.

As we remember in our prayers all of our loved ones who have died,

we pray that they have received the promise of eternal life

and that they are with you in experiencing the joy of heaven.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your son,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, forever and ever.  Amen.  "

- A Catholic Prayer For  the Souls of the Faithful Departed

To my father, you are always remembered and we miss you everyday...

Home

Oh, I missed blogging! I was out of action for a few weeks to attend my cousin's wedding back home.  It was an unexpected homecoming having decided a month back that we'd no longer attend due to hubby's work.  But hey, life's full of surprises! 3 days before the wedding, we booked our flight to the Philippines and carried on.

Two days after the wedding, I bid farewell to my husband who's bound to go back to Singapore for work.  It was heart-breaking, knowing that he loves being home and being around a lot of people by the time he wakes up until the wee hours.  It wouldn't be that way in Singapore.  It was also the longest time ever we were apart since we became a married couple.  Well, it was all part of the experience, and although my hubby only stayed home over the weekend, I got to stay for another 2 weeks to sort out some family stuffs.

For 2 weeks, I stayed with my parents.  It's been a while since the last time I spent my entire vacay with them.  After being married, I seldom stay long with my folks 'coz we need to divide our 'limited' time between my husband's family and mine.  Well, this homecoming was different.  I realized just how our house aged over the years.  Along with it, I realized how we all aged.  I can understand that my mother and my grandma can no longer maintain the place.  Even I, cannot leave everything to my brother.  The house has now gone too big for the three of them. I remembered how our place was once filled with the presence of everyone.  All the memories came crashing down one night, while I was staring at the ceiling, not moving a muscle to try to sleep...  

The memories of my father being alive watching his favorite PBA games

on his favorite spot in the living room... 

my mother helping my grandma cook in the kitchen...

my three siblings busy doing their own things...

and those times when my niece and nephews were all over the place...  

Those were the days when our house was filled with noises, laughters and non-stop chit-chats!  Those memories were priceless, brought tears to my eyes...

Knowing that I can no longer live the past, I tried my best to let my family feel my presence during those 2 weeks.  I cooked when I could. At least, for a moment, I tweaked  the wrinkled faces of my mom and grandma and brought those familiar smiles again. The smiles hinted how their faces looked like when they were younger and when our home was livelier. Maybe, things will be different when we're all home. Maybe, in a way, we can stop being sooo busy growing up when our folks were all left growing old.  I know I wanted to be there for them... physically... being there for them.  Now, this is our motivation to finalize our plans and be home to reunite with our families for good.  I hope it will be soon.  No matter how great our achievements are, no matter how far we've travelled, at the end of the day, we all want to be HOME.

It's the 1st of September!

It's the start of the "ber" months once again! They say Philippines has the longest Christmas celebration ever. Well, I can't argue. September marks the joy of the Christmas season. In a few weeks time, expect colorful lanterns and blinding lights around. Christmas carols will soon be played in every place you visit. Shopping malls, towns, cities and homes will be filled with decors, big and small. News of crazy Christmas discounts and party invites will soon flood everyone's calendars! Oh, I can go on forever...

The practice might be a bit different overseas but I'm certain that most pinoys all over the world (including myself) know that September is a red flag. It elevates our moods, too. Yes, although we're far from our native land, we still have the spirit. Truth of the matter is, overseas pinoys might even be busier come September, working really hard so they can go on with their much-awaited Christmas homecoming; or so they can fill their "balikbayan" boxes (packages); or probably, so they can send more money back home. This is a usual scenario and I can personally attest to it.

The usuals (like the preps above) will never be out of place, but this year, I want it to be different and more meaningful. It may sound cliche as we've heard several times that "Christmas is more than just fancy gifts, new clothes or extravagant parties and food". I'm sure we all know this and we may often tell the same statement to kids who ask what the real Christmas is. Beyond knowledge, it is my hope to live by the real meaning of Christmas.

This year, what do I really want?

Definitely, it's not too late to start living the true essence of giving. Of course, giving is not only limited every Christmas, but it is a good legacy to do something extra special for others during the season. So as early as it is, I'd like to sort of fuel the joy of the first "ber" month by listing a few stuffs that I plan to do for Christmas. I sure need divine intervention to tick them all!

1. Make 2cubes' (my hubby's) "birthday party for a cause" bigger for the benefit of "Pamaskong Handog" (on its part 3 this year)

2. Make cupcakes for orphans (in the Phils or here in Sg if it's allowed)

3. Confess before Christmas day. (Whenever I celebrate Christmas in Sg, I missed out on confession)

4. Buy inexpensive but meaningful gifts to friends

5. Buy gifts to family (not monetary)

6. Complete the "Simbang gabi" or 9-day novena.

7. Take a good couple photo

8. Send greeting cards to special people who are miles away to let them know they're remembered

9. Get the 2013 copy of Didache

10. Smile to strangers

Watch this space. I'll keep listing...

What would you do differently?
Positive vibes for September! :)

Is it the blue moon?

Different kinds of emotions come rushing in, just like that. I suddenly felt warm tears rolling down my cheeks and I heard myself sobbing. I fought back, afraid to wake my husband up. My throat hurts and so is my head in my effort to stay silent. I can barely smell the scent coming from the essential oil I heated up before i went to bed. All I see was darkness until I opened my phone up. It's now 2:30 AM and I'm still wide awake, crying. I had no idea what went wrong...

Is it true that the rare blue moon will show up on August 31, 2012? Could it be the strong energy coming from this phenomenon that's causing my emotions to go haywire? Weird...

I wish, just for this moment, I can fast forward the time so I'd laugh this off in the morning. Mornings always give me another hope, and paints a fresh new mood... Just let me sleep now.

Empowered and inspired

I missed my blogspot for a few days being busy with a lot of things with my husband. We have taken a few steps to start doing our dream project and we were swarmed with how huge the involved tasks are.  No, I am not ranting 'coz I enjoy every bitsy of it and there's no complaining doing something that I've longed to do.  What it is, I will reveal when the time is right.  :)

So yesterday was a sort of my "rest day" and I attempted many times to write up a post, but was too tired and uninspired to do so.  It's probably one of those days... Today is a different day and is the best time to write.  I am empowered, inspired and excited all at the same time. 

Aside from where our project could take us, what inspires me the most is a post by one of the Philippines most admired young host, reporter, columnist and a blogger.  She's Bianca Gonzales and I'm glad I came across one of her posts last night:

Historic dates, historic places http://www.iamsuperbianca.com/2011_11_01_archive.html 

The post is about being in a historic place or somewhere she's never been on a historic date like 09-09-09, 10-10-10, 11-11-11.  She'd normally do a "tumbling" shot at the place she has chosen.  How cool can it be?  No matter how busy she could get, its fab how she came up with ways to sustain this activity.  Talk about seizing the day and always being reminded of the simple things you can do to leave a legacy to yourself.   She ended the post by asking where she'd be on 12-12-12...

This made me wonder too.  Where will I be on 12-12-12?  With so much inspiration from Bianca (thanks to her! she touches lives of the many, including myself), from now on, I will start my own legacy and will make sure I'll be somewhere special, doing something special on 12-12-12! 

It can be simple. It doesn't have to be grand.  

Note to self: I always have the power to create little things or ordinary days into something really special. 

Bring it on!

Will I earn online?

For the past weeks, I have been spending over two hours a day trying to find out things I can do online to earn a few bucks while doing the normal things I do over the internet.  I have come across various ads boasting few hundred US-dollar earnings, but obviously, not all of them are legitimate and real.  Most of them are too good to be true and are proven to be scams.

Two months ago, I almost signed up for the Amazon's internet marketing home-based gig that was described as a great way to earn extra money during one's free time.  I've read a couple of reviews, both positive and negative.  From what I've gathered, it seems legit enough, although most people complain of having to add & do more things to get a decent earning.  I tried to dig deeper and filled out a form to see where it would take me.  I was cautious enough and did not put any credit card details, etc.  I guess, I just filled out the form to get more information from them past the "pre-registration".  Come the payment form, I just closed out my browser and did not go further.  I reckon, I couldn't get more details without paying first.  To my surprise, my phone rang after a few hours and a guy (who sounded like an American) was on the other line.  He said he's from Amazon and he's asking why I did not push through with the registration.  Surprised to receive such a call,  I did not give him any chance to upsell and immediately bid goodbye.  The guy on the other line was courteous and  told me that most people are hesitant at first just like me.  He provided me with Amazon's hotline number in case I made up my mind and wanted to speak with someone for any questions I might have before signing up.  As per the reviews, earning was slow and not substantial.  Well, that was the end of it.  I did not sign up.

I know I could still get something out there.  In fact, I've done a few surveys and polls online and I was rewarded with vouchers and paypal credits.  Not bad for a start, huh? :) In addition I landed to this interesting website and it looks really promising.  I've seen so many reviews about the company and what it offers.  One site has tickled my senses and led me to believe that this "might" be the one that I'm looking for.  You'll work for the money and it doesn't seem to be a "get-rich-quick" thing. I will not share specific details on this post yet.  I'm still doing my own research to make sure I won't be scammed.    Will I take the risk and earn online?  Give me few days and I will share once I tested the water.  Wish me luck! :)

Life is what you make it. Go for Yoga glow!

"It's never too late to have a happy childhood.  Walk in the rain, jump in mud puddles, collect rocks, rainbows and roses, smell flowers, blow bubbles, stop along the way, build sandcastles, say hello to everyone, go barefoot, go on adventures, act silly, fly kites, have a merry heart, talk with animals, sing in the shower, read childrens' books, take bubble baths, get new sneakers, hold hands and hug and kiss, dance, laugh and cry for the health of it, wonder and wander around, feel happy and precious and innocent, feel scared, feel sad, feel mad, give up worry and guilt and shame, say yes, say no, say the magic words, ask lots of questions, ride bicycles, draw and paint, see things differently, fall down and get up again, look at the sky, watch the sun rise and sun set, watch clouds and name their shapes, watch the moon and stars come out, trust the universe, stay up late, climb trees, daydream, do nothing and do it very well, learn new stuff, be excited about everything, be a clown, enjoy having a body, listen to music, find out how things work, make up new rules, tell stories, save the world, make friends with the other kids on the block, and do anything else that brings more happiness, celebration, health, love, joy, creativity, pleasure, abundance, grace, self-esteem, courage, balance, spontaneity, passion, beauty, peace, relaxation, communication and life energy to all living beings on this planet." - Bruce Williamson

I can't remember how many times I googled and posted this quote (or part of this quote) as it's one of my favorite reads of all time.  I learned swimming at 29.  Believe it or not, I can barely walk around the swimming pool without somebody holding my hand (yes, at 29!).  I would normally just stay in one corner, plunge my head once in a while, making sure I'm still holding on to the pool wall.  Why I tell you this is not to take pity from anyone ('coz I still enjoy "swimming" that way), but just to prove that, indeed, it's never too late to have a happy "childhood" and to learn a new thing.

I still have a lot to tick on my list of things to do before 40.  I'm proud to say that I have accomplished quite a few this past months.  I've started this blog, contributed on trip advisor, learned swimming, and recently, took a baking class.  The few others, I've chosen not to disclose. Hehe!

I'll blog about the new thing I've tried, Bikram Yoga.  I can summarize this practice in 2 words, sweat and cracking.  Those poses literally pull every bone in your body... in the opposite direction! Day 1 was a torture, taken that my body's not prepped up few days before.  No exercise at all!  But my friend and I were proud to have finished 90 minutes of the session.  Although we haven't done most poses perfectly, we managed to stay in a chamber heated to 41 degrees!  It was the only expectation for a newbie and we did it. Kudos! :)

The first 2 minutes of the drill, I was all sweaty, even in some parts that I didn't expect to produce such a sweat. I did yoga classes before, but Bikram proved to be more effective for me, judging through the amount of sweat I squeezed out from the clothes I was wearing.  Every pose has a benefit for your body and is considered a cure for something.  The instructor was amazing as well as the ladies who seemed to be veterans of Bikram (Gosh they're great and I don't know where they get the energy from!).   They all encouraged us to come back and I'd quote the instructor "Staying in this room is half a battle won".  Well, that's soothing... 

Finishing the session takes me to a whole new level.  I felt relaxed and I slept really well (earlier than usual).   I'm set to come back to finish my 10 day challenge.  Let's see what happens after.  Will I come back for more?  Will I master the art of breathing? posing? I can't tell, but for now, I'm up to unleash the beast within. Go!

We survived Day 1! :)
Credits to my dear friends, Yhen and Jowan, who encouraged us to join.
We'll be back and bring someone along. :)

The joy of baking!

One of the things I enjoy the most being a housewife is preparing good food for my loved ones.  Cooking is not new to me.  In fact, I love cooking and everything that comes with it!  I may not always serve 5-star look dishes but, at the very least, I can come up with decent meals that could put on those smiles of satisfaction afterwards.

Baking is a different thing though, and I still consider myself a neophyte. I can only do classic chocolate & vanilla cupcakes,  “perfectly chocolate” chocolate cake (courtesy of Hershey’s), brownies and blueberry cheesecake (recipe from a very good friend of mine).  Dealing with the mess after baking is one thing, but for me, the greatest struggle so far is to do the measurement part.  I have no patience.  My normal cooking doesn’t always need to measure each ingredient but could still turn out to be edible.  If there’s something missing, you can add something in.  In baking, you can’t undo!  Well, the last time I didn’t religiously follow the measurement, my “Pan-de-Sal” turned out to be as hard as a rock and none of them were edible!  What a waste!

Thanks to my friend, Mae, who introduced and encouraged me to this course center, Bake It Yourself.  They offer various baking and decorating courses and to my delight, they do hands on classes!  Courses are endless!

I recently finished “The Ultimate Cookie Baking and Decorating” course at BIY.  It was awesome and a fun place to be! I learned a lot of things and the littlest tips they shared were extremely handy!  I loved the decorating part of it and was inspired with all the designs made by the other ladies. Kitchen was overflowing with the aroma of baked goodies and I was overjoyed to have gone out of the class bringing home real tasty cookies, coated with art! 

Oh, it was also the first time I ever set a perfect icing!  My previous attempt when I did my friend’s “wedding cake” turned out to be really messy… “icing” that can very well be used as a fondue! Hahaha!

Captured moments below :)

B-I-Y shop along Bukit Timah Road
Bottom right: Mae and I :)

The preps

Baked cookies in fun forms!

Finished products! You'll be an instant artist!
Upper left: Made by yours truly :)

The ladies rocked the kitchen!

Love the cert!  Makes me proud, lol!

I put my baking/decorating skills into good use when my couple friends had their going-away party 2 days after my course.  I baked cupcakes for them and since they're heading to New Zealand, I tried my very best to have a NZ themed cupcakes.  I had so much fun in the process and I'm glad everybody loved them, especially the kids!

My very first deco project after the course.
I used a neutral fondant and colored them myself!
The chocolate frosting is always a favorite! :)

A thoughtful present for my friends

Travelogue: Bali - Feb 2012 (Part 2)

Check out Part 1 of this post here.

We woke up next day from the smell of pan-fried bacon and instant coffee.  Thanks to my hubby who woke up early to prepare brekky with the stuffs we bought from Bintang Supermarket the previous day.  Nothing beats dining in an open-air kitchen with lovely friends around, who all woke up on the right side of the bed.

Although it was pouring, we still prepped up for a long day. We were greeted by a stern-faced man outside our villa who looked at his watch by the time we climbed up our rented van for the day.  We were a bit late from schedule (and yes, we apologized) but I didn’t think we deserve that kind of treatment.  It must’ve been the gloominess of the day that affected his mood, somehow.  Instantly, I regretted having hired him a day before we left Singapore. We could only wish he was the friendly Ketut instead. 

Celuk Village: It houses gold and sterling silver jewelries.  We had a short tour inside to see how every piece of jewelry was made by local, skillful artisans.  Our eyes feasted on the sparks of the finished products displayed in the gallery.  We didn’t buy anything. :)

Goa Gajah / Elephant Cave: A mystical place.  We were given “sarongs” to wear before we entered the park.  It was also bizarre that a woman who has her monthly period is not allowed to enter.  I wasn’t sure if it has something to do with their religious belief or simply, they just did not want to stain the sarong.  Luckily, girls were safe and we all went in!

Goa Gajah

The cave entrance once thought to depict a picture of a giant elephant, hence the name.  However, the carving was said to be the mouth of a demonic creature. Scary, but it was believed to ward off demons and evil spirits from the cave or sanctuary.  Aside from what looks to be a small version of mausoleum, there’s nothing much to see inside the cave.

Facade / Entrance of the Elephant cave

Bathing Temple: This is located at the park where the Elephant Cave is.  It was excavated and built few steps down the ground.  The water is shallow. There are human-rock figures lined up by the wall.  Each has pots of water that served as fountains.  We enjoyed taking photos here but it’s always a struggle to climb up the stairs! Hahaha!

Bathing temple

Kintamani Volcano / Lake Batur: We enjoyed the buffet lunch overlooking a majestic view of volcano and Batur lake.  It was drizzling when we arrived and the place was all foggy.  We took a break from taking photos for a while and enjoyed the spread at the restaurant.  The group especially enjoyed their version of banana fritters with milk and beef barbeque / beef satay. As soon as we tasted them, we were thankful they were unlimited! :)  With happy tummies, the fog gradually cleared up and we said hello to a lovely view! 

Just realized, we do not have a good photo of the volcano :(
On the right: Zero visibility 'coz of the fog!

Wedang Sari Agro Wisata: This is a medium-sized coffee plantation where we got to taste different kinds of coffee and tea, including what they term as “ecological coffee”.  This particular kind (they call it Luwak coffee) is chemically treated and fermented inside the tummy of a civilized animal called Paradoxurus or Luwak (in Bali).  It was kinda cool to learn such a thing, although I am not able to remember its taste now or to even recognize the distinct greatness of this coffee from the others.  It might just be me, though.  

Coffee & Tea tasting at Wedang Sari

They also sell spices!

Tegallalang Village / Rice Terraces: It was such an attraction and I’m glad we managed to get our tour guide to bring us out here!  By this time, our driver seemed to be in a hurry and was already a bit cranky… Still, we enjoyed the scenery!

Oh so lovely green!

Tanah Lot: It is home to a pilgrimage temple.  True enough, the place was so packed with worshippers when we arrived at the place.  We were informed that there was an ongoing event at the time.  We braved the long walk, the heat and the craziness of the crowd – All paid off after seeing the “mighty” temple set on a huge rock, sculpted by the tides of the ocean surrounding it.  It’s more like a floating temple, very dramatic.  Of course, we all swarmed to the best photo spot… uhh,... with hundreds of tourists around, at least we managed to get one.

Tanah lot  

The faithfuls

After a long drive back to Kuta, we treated ourselves with a Balinese massage and a Japanese dinner at Ryoshi Restaurant.  It was the best way to end our adventure, although we wished we could stay a bit longer.  We still missed a lot of places during the trip and if I will be asked, I’d want to go back.

At Ryoshi Japanese Restaurant

Early the next day, we bid farewell to our newfound friend, Ketut.  Yes, we’ve spent a good 40 minutes with him again.  He drove us back to the airport. :) 


Our trip back to Singapore was another adventure… or misadventure! :)