CHICAGO Night

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Last December 20, after dressing up the first ever Miss Merie bride, I headed to Mall of Asia for my college barkada's musical date. We were not complete that time yet and was rather early for the musical so we had dinner first at Lugang Cafe. I was already feeling a bit under the weather pero tuloy pa rin! Syempre catch-up catch-up with everyone. On a non-musical-related note, I am so proud of what my friends have achieved so far, feeling nanliliit ako in terms of the career we started taking, we took up business courses. There were career-shifts (one thing I am really really praying for which I find it hard at this career stage of mine), promotions, expansions and even setting up charity organizations on top of good business. Clap clap!

So to the musical-related part... It was a first for everyone of us inside The Theatre Solaire. The broadway musicals we've seen were all held in CCP. The Theatre Solaire is something similar to Resorts World only bigger. The place looks untouched, obviously newly opened. The sound system's really good. The stage is nothing like CCP. I guess it won't hold much musical shows. But it's a good venue for other shows like pageants and concerts. 

Of course photo op everywhere! Ang mahal kaya ng ticket sulitin pati ang posters everywhere! Hahaha! Seven out of ten SFF were present! Ang saya! One of our biggest gatherings hahaha! Tin, Jose and Kat have been my musical buddies and this is our second musical for 2014. Glad that Candy, Roma and Kaye were also available this day! 

Now I know why Chicago's the longest running musical show. It was really good and entertaining! The music and the dance moves are to watch out for. Something happened to me halfway through the show so I kind of not completely watch it boo but this musical should be on anyone's list of must-watch musicals.

And now I leave these photos of selfie-podding we got a little crazy somewhere in Solaire's carpark. 'Til our next musical date!

Credits to Tin and Kat for the photos.

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Weeknight Catch Up

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Thursday night? Working in Alabang? Who says I live a boring life?? Well NO!! Hahaha! Just because of this one night with Kat and Jose! Ang totoo I have some stuff to return to them hence this another spontaneous catch-up. Mas spontaneous mas natutuloy talaga alam niyo yan. It was a night of steak and ice cream at Mad Mark's and what a catch-up. We are growing up!!! Oh no!!!! Thankful for this night! 

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Ang ya-Yabu Niyo!!

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Yabu, Glorietta 5

May 10, 2014

This was supposed to be a celebration of Seph's (who would be flying back to the US of A) and Candy's birthdays, and also the chance to gather us again after the wedding. Boo. E ayun ang yayabu drawing. We were just four and a plus one. Kaya Yabu dinner na lang.

Yay, at least kudos Geh you made it and glad to meet your girlfriend. Ayieee. Nagbibinata na hahaha! It was yet another night of laughter and catching up.

So SFF, kamusta naman tayo? Kailan na tayo mabubuo?

Cr: Tin for the photos!!

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Seph and Reatha's Wedding

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Need to blog on this, despite the three months lapse, because it's just the second wedding among ALL my closest friends! And the first was last 2010?? 

Seph is a close college friend. He just migrated to the US and had first tied the knot there last year. Nakakalungkot ang layooooo. But as they (with his wife) promised, they went back here last April to again give their wedding vows Philippine edition haha. 

We traveled to Pampanga, the couple's hometown, last April 26, to witness the unfolding of another chapter in their lives. Sadly, SFF wasn't complete. C'mon it's a wedding and still we can't be complete! Haha! We've been to Seph's place in Pampanga a few times during college days. And being back somehow relived them. We then just needed some escape from the toxicity of college life and now we're back for a wedding. Time flies so fast. 

Seph's "coursemates" and co-owners of Aedes Corp. were also present making the group merrier. Seph is the second one to tie the knot in this group. Cindy was first. Guys, pakasal na kayo please invite niyo ulit ako. Oh the joy of happy endings and exciting new beginnings of weddings. Dali dali dali! Haha!

Mabuhay ang bagong kasal!!!

I liked the reception set-up wherein there was like a gallery of the prenup photos. Gives me an idea hmmm...

The newly weds!!

Purple theme!! Of course it's my favorite color. Makes me wonder what them I'll be using on my wedding when the time comes. My eyes also feasted on some of the gowns of the sponsors. If only I took photos of them. The purple gown worn by Reatha above is to my liking. 

You know you are getting older when friends start to be engaged, get married, have babies. And this is one of them. Somehow, witnessing this made me wonder when my turn will be. Hmmmm. Tapos lumalabas pa yung pagka-hopeless romantic ko when I heard their vows. I pray that their love will continue to blossom and excited for SFF's baby!!! See you soon again Seph and Rheata. We are willing to be ninang's and ninong's!

Now, who's next??

Cr: Tin, Kat, and Cindy for the photos.

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The WICKED Weekend

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Wicked The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz

The Broadway Musical

CCP Main Theater

February 15, 2014

It's another dream come true seeing the "Broadway's biggest blockbuster (NY Times)" in real life! More than a year ago I was also blessed to see the Phantom of the Opera and finally, it was a rather long wait for another internationally big musical!

So what is the story of Wicked:

Long before Dorothy dropped in, two other girls meet in the Land of Oz. One, born with emerald-green skin, is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. How these two unlikely friends end up as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good makes for the most spellbinding new musical in years. WICKED, the untold story of the witches of Oz, features music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Pippin, Academy Award® winner for Pocahontas and The Prince of Egypt) and book by Winnie Holzman (My So Called Life, Once And Again and thirtysomething), and is based on the best-selling novel by Gregory Maguire. (Source: www.wickedthemusical.com.ph)

As soon as I came to know that they're bringing this musical here in the Philippines I immediately sent tweets to my musical buddies which are also my college friends. Duh obviously it was a GO! And after some delayed tendencies, this musical got extended and I felt like it was extended for me and my friends' sake! Hahaha!

We bought Balcony 1 seats. Someday we'll seat just in front of the stage or we'll grab the best seats the theater will offer but for now, Balcony 1 sufficed. The best seats were sold really fast.

Come the WICKED WEEKEND and I was just sooooo giddy!!!We met early and had lunch first just like what we did the last time. We had some good chat and tons of laughter in between as usual. We entered CCP just in time for the long queue and we waited to be seated inside their main theater. CCP always always gives me good vibes. If only I have so much money to spare, theatrical and musical plays would be my kind of splurge. I grew up watching them e wala e mahal maging hilig to. Hahaha!

The stage set-up is really amazing. I feel like it was no less than the set-up abroad. I haven't seen any musical abroad YET. I just based it on videos and photos online haha. More than just the stage set-up was the musical play itself. It was soooooooooo amazingly wonderful spectacular I almost cried! I love it, I do! I think we all did! We can't help but clap on wow-ing scenes. GRABE ANG GALING AMAZING! Actually, I can't put into words how I felt about the musical. All I know is I was happy and fulfilled while watching it. Fulfilled talaga?

Meet my college friends/musical buddies. Candy's missing but hopefully next time we could be complete. That's Tin in the middle. Parang tatakbo lang for BnE2008 officer/representative (it's our batch assembly in La Salle) hahaha! I missed them! It was also nice talking to them about their recent trips in Europe and New York. We haven't seen each other in quite a long time. Wait lang, maalala ko wala akong nakuhang pasalubong. Hahaha!

So this is half of my college barkada. And I can't wait for April for us to be complete! And also I can't wait for our next musical to watch. Hmmm, what Broadway big would land the CCP theatre? 

Now this is the obligatory picture with this as our backdrop. Tangkad mo Kat!! 

And that is me writing on behalf of us.

That's all for the Wicked Weekend that we had. If only I could watch it all over again, I STILL WOULD! Kudos to the production and the cast. BUT I suddenly remember, it would be GREAT if I could see Idina Menzel as Elphaba, tapos sabay kanta ng Let It Go. Hahahaha! 

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253. To The South

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Yayyy! The last time I bonded with just SOME of my college barkada was when we  watched The Phantom of the Opera in CCP months ago. I guess we’re just too apart from each other and we have different endeavours that we find it difficult to schedule a get-together. Gone are the days that we go out of town during our really “cute” term breaks!

It was last spontaneous Sunday that Geh randomly messaged us in Facebook and two hours later we found ourselves already on our way to Sta. Rosa – I, Jec, Jose and Geh! We’re the south people of our barkada. E pwede naman palang ganun lang magkakasama na kami! hahaha! But I felt really glad that we got to catch up with each other! Thanks Geh for drinking Mountain Dew that kept you awake and hyper that we reached Nuvali and Paseo de Sta. Rosa and we were able to bond the afternoon away.

Jose/Gelo treated us at Cafe Breton, Paseo de Sta. Rosa! Oh crepe oh crepe!!! Super yummyyyy!! UL/LR - Dejavu; UR - Funtastyc; Le Manifique

So many things happened already and yet there are things that still remain. We may have “higher raison d'être” or higher motivation or reasons to do the things we’re doing now but we still laugh on shallow things and goof around. Actually, I missed them! I miss those college days!!

So thankful that this Sunday afternoon spontaneity happened!

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127. Good Times with Friends!

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An anonymous saying goes “Books and friends should be few but good.” I don’t just agree but totally can relate to it – both in books and friends. Let me dwell on ‘friends’. Having few but definitely REAL friends is way better than a lot of on and off shallow friendships. It’s better to have few of whom you can surely turn to on down times than to be passed around to those numerous friends. But I am not against having many friends! If you’ve really got a lot of trustful ones, then you are blessed! Having few friends -- I blame it for my being introvert, my conservative parents, being a home buddy – content with art and reading materials, writing medium some TV shows. I may have a few but I’m more than definite to keep them for the rest of the time I’m breathing air. 

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even the heavenly bodies give us hope

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Hello blog! It's already December. Christmas and the dawn of yet another surprising year will be unfolded in a matter of days. I am so excited for this year's last week. So excited for many things. I am excited for the bondings, for the parties and stuff. Excited for the possibility of me and my family going home to our provinces, be it Bohol or Isabela. I am excited to spend Christmas with my relatives. Excited for the fireworks (not the firecrackers, puhleez). And excited to feel the harmony this season brings us, right?

I just want to share what happened for the first few days of the last month.

Dec 1, 2008

Christmas it is!

bestbuds! ^_^

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photos can paint 24 hours in seconds

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Disclaimer: Too much photos.

Let these photos do the telling first...

October 17, 2008 - 6:00pm - 9:00pm
McDo, Las Pinas
with Gil, Nick, Chi and Julie
"Eyeball"
more photos here

October 17-18, 2008 - 10:00pm - 6:30am
CGM Church Children's Ministry Room
with YU2G
"Overnight Prayer"
more photos here

October 18, 2008 - 10:00am - 6:30pm
Tramway & Trinoma
with SFF
"Eat-all-you-can"
more photos here



Ocotber 18, 2008 - 8:00pm - 11:30pm
Holy Trinity Memorial Chapels, Sucat, Paranaque
"Lamay"
more photos here

Now let me do the 'talking...

Back when I was studying (naks, graduate na kasi haha!), back when I was just writing our thesis, I used to have no sleep at all. I'm awake for more than 24 hours. You feel so tired and yet you go home, you still need to be awake to continue working on thesis coupled with some other academics stuff. Exhausting. But just last October 17-18, I was awake more than 24 hours not because of school stuff - but because I've been to different 'places' with different people. Those were still tiring but FUN! I've been to Las Pinas, Quezon City and Paranaque in 24 hours. I got to bond with HS friends, college friends, churchmates, co-ministries and with my sister and be with my family in 24 hours. I laughed, shared and heard stories, had fun with friends, ate-all-I-can (Tramway, thanks Candy), watched movie (Tropic Thunder, one hilarious movie. MUST-WATCH), felt sadness (loved ones depart), cried, listened to the Word of God, prayed, worshiped, exhorted -- in 24 hours. That's how much time we have. Imagine our lives, when we don't need to sleep 8-hours and don't get tired or sleepy, we can do really really lots and loads of things. But at the end of they day. We need sleep. I need sleep.

And isn't it also lovely that photos can paint 24 hours?

Some more photos here:

competition between
Boy Bawang and this Boss bawang

Last Tuesday, we played dress up and had this what we call "photoshoot". Thanks to Julo. Try visiting his sites DA here and multiply here. Some of the shots:

complete set of photos HERE

"MERRYL Christmas"

(not again, haha! Thought the DQ girl got it right
when I saw her writing the first 3 letters right,
not until I saw the next 'R' doh)

P.s. Today's Nik's bday! His debut! I've been friends with him since we were nursery. That old. So, happy debut! Nikolai Ante Flores!

You're the one who gives me shelter...
and You're the light that leads me home
You're the love that gave forever...
Lord You're all that I know

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