Yes, I am BIG on anniversaries. I'm so BIG that I fought with my only ex on our first year anniversary because he promised me a surprise only to find out on the night of our anniversary that the surprise was a movie and dinner in Rockwell... something we do every weekend. It's our FIRST ANNIVERSARY, you schmuck! It's suppose to be special! And if I remember correctly, he didn't give me anything that night (the gift came after a couple of days and for the life of me, I can't remember) while I got him original VCDs of the Star Wars Trilogy, his favorite movie of all time. Do I have the right to make a big fuss if it was both our first time to have an anniversary? He was my first boyfriend. I was his longest relationship, fer godssakes!
Anyway...Water under the bridge... We broke up a month later, but not for that particular reason.. Moving on!
On our first year anniversary, A took me to Aqua. A fine dining restaurant in the Enterprise Building in Makati. We had the whole restaurant to ourself (as nobody was eating there at 10pm anymore).
On our second year anniversary, we decided to experience Paseo Uno's very expensive buffet. I think it was about P1,000 per person. And because it was so expensive, A decided to stuff himself to the brim and then, eat more of my share! (Para sulit daw!)
Needless to say, after dinner, A clutches his bulging belly while gasping for breath and says, "Babe, I can't drive. Can you drive?" and half way home, he opens his eyes looks at me and says oh- so- sweetly NOT! "Babe, can we pass by Mercury Drug? I need antacids." (Tama ba? Antacid nga ba yung medicine?)
This year, A told me to leave the plans to him. The night before the anniversary, he told me he wanted to take me on the Tennessee Walker, a yacht with a restaurant that cruises while you dine. I was totally game for it.
Unfortunately, A woke up on Monday feeling weak and coming down with colds. I, on the other hand, was too lazy to go all the way to Pasay. So we changed to Plan B: Eating in yet another fine dining restaurant. Our choices: Le Souffle (for their mouth watering steak) or Red Crab (because A has been craving for crabs and well, me for the steak... because I don't eat crabs).
But because A wasn't feeling well and wasn't in the mood to get all dressed up and wanted to just wear shorts and sandals, we moved to Plan C: Eat anywhere.
I took us to Eastwood. I was famished that I was excited to eat, then have dessert at Cheesecake Etc or maybe at Floyd's or... wait! They have Fuzion! Maybe we can have fruit shakes after! Yes, I wanted everything in sight. And then, we saw Heaven and Eggs!!! We haven't eaten there before but have been wanting to since we saw the Heaven and Eggs construction in Glorietta 4. But as we waited for our table, we had more choices to make. There were so many great and appetizing viands to choose from that it was so difficult to choose!
After dinner, we walked and windowshopped and eventually stopped at Xocolat for dessert where we shared a Taza de Xocolat or simply, a cup of pure hot chocolate. I was worried that it might disappoint but as I waited for my order to be made (7-10 minutes to be exact because each cup was a labor of love), I imagined what it would taste like. Rich and thick and very sweet. And it was exactly what I had in mind! Heaven in a cup! It's the Pinoy version of Max Brenner, only much more affordable! The sad part is, because it can get too sweet, even a chocoholic like me couldn't finish a cup. At one point, I worried I might get diabetes from it.
We got home to my house at around 11:30pm and decided to pop in The Year of The Yao on DVD, a movie we missed seeing while it was being shown in the cinemas.
And that was the end of our 3rd year anniversary celebration.
It may be different from our previous- and expensive- anniversaries but it was just as special and meaningful. I loved it the way it was. I guess it just goes to show yet again that it's not what you do... but who you're with.
Oh, and what did I get A? I got him a very cool lava lamp. He's been wanting one ever since but we never managed to buy one because it's so expensive! (I stumbled upon one... actually a lot... in Divisoria with a low strata three digit price tag!!!) He loves it!
The past weekend wasn't just another "long" weekend to me. I celebrated two things: my 25th birthday and my third year anniversary with A.
While everything last year was the whole she-bang, this year was all about being low key. It was already Thursday and I was still couldn't decide whether I should have a birthday party or not. I finally texted people and invited around 10 people, excluding my officemates because they hang out at the bar after work anyway before midnight on Friday.
Despite the last minute invitation, only three people did not come. Between all of us, we shared 3 bottles of GSM Premium Gin (a product I've been endorsing as it is the ultimate tequila replacement minus the hangover and it is only P88 in the grocery!) and roughly 4 buckets of beer. We were dead drunk and dancing to music covered by Unity, whom I'm really good friends with. (Fate was really on my side that night. Unity's regular schedule was every Wednesdays but that week, the band slated for Saturday nights asked them to switch!) Take a look at the pictures below and see how much fun we had!
With Tito Henry (VP of Food & Bev) , Froilan (Manager of the outlet), JP & Kat of Unity, Seph (Graphic Designer), Lito (VP of Logistics), Me and Ms. Iya of San Miguel
The Crew: Glady, Migs, Me, Jeane and Wes
Me, A, Bri and Elaine
My Uncle and Boss who was forced by the band to sing a song. He's very shy in the sense that he doesn't like beng in the spotlight so he had to take a lot of Gin shots to be able to sing 'Ipagpatawad Mo.'
A playing the drums after being forced by Kat to go upstage and pretend to jam with the band. The band suddenly played 'Laklak' (minus the vulgar lyrics) and what do you know? A can play this song because he sings it in videokes! This was the first time I've seen him play in public and it's the best birthday gift ever!
Party Poison: Cigarettes, Water (for sobering up), San Mig Light and the ever famous (or infamous) GSM Premium Gin with lots of orange slices
Pouts for the camera (I seriously have a bad habit of pouting to the camera)
My man
A's presents: A beautiful yet simple and sexy anklet, a paperback copy of Inheritancy by Lan Samantha Chang and my favorite (expensive chocolates) Guylian pralines.
I really had so much fun. Everybody had fun. We took a total of 137 pictures, each with (drunken) smiles on our faces. People who just met that night took pictures together, arm in arm as if they've been friends for years (but I bet upon seeing the pictures they can't recall each other's names!). Some even hugged (but I guess it's because they were both dizzy and needed someone to lean on). But the best reaction I've ever gotten was that they were so drunk, they don't even remember how they got home at all!
It was soooo much fun that if I didn't have an event this weekend in Tomas Morato, I'll celebrate again!
Why?
Because A just won a BRONZE at the recently concluded Araw Awards.
Wish I could post a copy of the award winning print ad but I have yet to see the ad.
MMDA: Patingin ng lisensya!
Cat: (While grabbing my purse and pulling out my wallet, I teasingly say) Boss, di ako maganda rito eh!
MMDA: Wala akong pakialam kung maganda ka o hindi! (Grabs my license and walks to the front of my car to read my license)
Cat: Tarantado to ah!!!
MMDA walks back to my car and I put on my smile again.
MMDA: Titiketan kita ng reckless driving!
Cat: (cheerfully) Sige po!
MMDA: Mag-aattend ka ng 14 hour seminar!
Cat: (cheerfully) Sige po!
MMDA: Ko-confiscate ko lisensya mo!
Cat: (cheerfully) Sige po!
MMDA leaves to call the ticketing officer. He arrives after a few seconds with the ticketing officer.
Ticketing Officer: Ma'am, ko-confiscate ko lisensya mo. Bibigyan kita ng ticket. Pupunta ka sa municipyo, babayaran mo yung multa.
Cat: Teka, diba may bago na ngayon na di pwedeng kunin yung licensya? Kelangan bayaran na lang yung multa?
Ticketing Officer: Hindi, OVR ito eh. (And he goes on, explaining. I honestly don't understand his point or explanation) Basta, kukunin mo yung lisensya mo sa municipyo ng Thursday ng hapon.
Cat: Saan municipyo?
Ticketing Officer: Sa Mandaluyong.
Cat: Anong oras sa Thursday?
Ticketing Officer: Mga 1 ng hapon.
Cat: Pwedeng Friday? (smiling at him)
Ticketing Officer: Pwede, ma'am!
Cat: (cheerfully) Okay!
Ticketing Officer: I- fill up ko na ito ha?
Cat: (cheerfully) Okay!
Suddenly, the MMDA who caught me interjects.
MMDA: Ma'am, di na kita pahihirapan! Ibalik na namin yung lisensya mo, para di ka na mag- attend ng seminar, bayaran mo na lang yung multa sa municipyo!
Cat: (smiling) Okay! Thank you!
MMDA: (clearly very annoyed) Ma'am! Di na nga kita pahihirapan! Umalis ka na nga!!! (While roughly passing to me my license).
I was ready to go when I realized I should have given him a token of appreciation.
Cat: Boss, anong oras ang out niyo?
MMDA: Bakit?
Cat: Kasi po, anniversary ng branch namin. May party ngayon dun.
MMDA: (quite rudely) Ah! Hindi ako mahilig sa mga party- party na yan!
Ticketing Officer: Saan ba yan?
Cat: Sa Roxas Blvd po. May free drinks!
Ticketing Officer: Ako, ako! Dadaan ako doon pauwi! Cavite ako eh!
At this point, MMDA peeks through my open window and sees that I was with 5 pretty girls in our sexy gimmick attire.
Cat: (Handing the ticketing officer 3 invites with drink stubs) O, ayan! Tatlo yan pero good for 6 yan. Sama mo mga kaibigan mo ha?
And then I rolled up my windows and drove away into the bustling traffic.
And that's how I got away from getting a ticket. I just acted like I was happy to get a ticket!
PS. I don't think the ticketing officer went to the party.
I'm back from my second trip to Boracay. This time, let's do the highs and lows of this trip.
LOWS
- The terribly awful turbulence on the flight to Caticlan. It was sooo bad that I thought I was gonna puke any moment. And to think I have very high tolerance for motion sickness.
- The real world catching up to me. Getting work- related phone calls while I was trying to rest and catch up on my sleep. I didn't get sleep before leaving. I was up all night!
- Having to transfer rooms because the room I was suppose to stay in was being painted a day before I arrived.
- Busted water heater in the bathroom (which was later replaced with a brand new unit)
- Getting a bum tummy (from the Mangga't Bagoong I ate during sunset on our second day)
- Not feeling the urge to drink for 2 days (probably because of my bum tummy)
- A's snoring
- A's snoring when he goes to bed drunk
- Missing mass last Sunday because A and I took a nap and woke up too late
- Not getting a tan (How can I get a tan if we'd swim at 4pm, when the sun's rays aren't strong?)
- Jonah's not having Mango Strawberry shakes
- Jonah's being always full
- The aircon losing its cool in the middle of the night
- Walking all the way to my lolo's laundry shop only to find out that it was closed for the day as it was November 1
- Feeling like a hog sometimes: Eat, sleep, eat, sleep
- Not eating a single Chori burger this time. I don't know. I just didn't feel like it. I wasn't craving for it.
- Fast melting ice cream
- Prices of food are as high as the prices here in Manila
- How Boracay is getting more commercialized by the second. I wanted to cry when I saw what the Elizalde's built beside D'Mall. It's Boracay's very own Greenbelt!
HIGHS
- Passing by McDonald's to get a Longganisa meal breakfast. I rarely eat breakfast (because I'm usually asleep around this time) and since my flight is in the morning, I pass by Mickey D's to get my favorite breakfast meal. This is the one thing I look forward to every time I have to fly somewhere. (And now that I realize, since I go to Boracay three times a year, I have the Longganisa meal three times a year as well!)
- Getting an earlier flight
- Staying in on my first night and going on a Comedy Thursday marathon on Star World while playing Cinema Tycoon on my laptop (I watched The Apprentice and I cried when Chris got fired, not because I like Chris but because I felt so bad for him!)
- A finally arriving in the island
- Sleeping and waking up in A's arms
- Getting drunk with A
- Hot showers
- Getting a much needed massage for A and I.
- A going to the ATM for me when I was too lazy
- Getting the premiere copy of Marie Claire's Philippine edition (I was getting bored with Cosmopolitan already and was thinking of subscribing to Marie Claire US. The Philippine edition came just in time).
- A being patient with me whenever I was getting annoyed
- Eating in new places like Lemon Cafe, Real Coffee and Ole Tapas Bar and Restaurant
- Swimming in the rain, watching everybody run for cover when the heavens poured
- Finding a sea snail twice and letting it crawl on my hand. (I wanted to take it home to Manila and give it to my brothers).
- Jonah's being open 24 hours so we could have shakes anytime we want
- A finally being able to relax and have a vacation
- The Simpsons marathon last Sunday
- Drinking our daily vitamins and lots of water
- The chocolate coating of Mister Twistee ice cream
- Being with A for 6 days straight
- And the highest of highs, the OHMYGOD- I- don't- care- about- my- diet food. This has got to be one of the best dinners A and I ever had.
Andoks Chicken, Prawns in Sweet and Spicy Sauce, Fresh Oysters. Slurp!
Look at the size of those prawns!
I'm getting foodgasm just looking at the pics!
