Serenity

den bathroom

the family room at dusk

same room come evening time


Happy New Year!!!

Hope you all had a merry Christmas and a happy celebration

Been quiet and just basking in the serenity before the busyness kicks in

Love being busy and active

But nothing beats quiet time at home with the family to rejuvenate and recharge

Am all set for 2012!

Here's to great beginnings!

In this neighborhood

our old bakery, King's Bakery

our neighborhood flower shop

where we used to buy fruits

our parish

waiting for the tram to Happy Valley


Just sharing with you our old neighborhood, Happy Valley

Neighborhood where I first called home as a married woman

Where I first became a mom

Where we first lived as a family

Where I grew into my own

How I miss it!

How can you not miss a place where even the name has happiness to it...

Happy weekend!

Our new old ikat blanket

our old ikat blanket from Bali circa 2003

We still have some stuff in our old place

The other day, I decided to get all the blankets that were still there

Am trying to create several cozy corners and comfort places

where one can just read, nap, and just relax

It inspired me during the typhoon when everyone was home

And at times we will all be together

And at times each one wanted a space of their own

I chose the den and soaked myself in old magazines in the sofa

Made myself comfy with the blanket (not this though) and more pillows


It's nice to always rediscover our stuff

Shopping without spending

Hope you all had a good Monday, I sure did!

Story of my day... tomorrow

Night!

Good news for my conservative friends :)

the shutters have been installed in the powder room

It's been taking awhile for some stuff to be installed, delivered

These shutters have been made since May but only installed last Friday

I liked the look of bare windows

If you've been to Felix in Peninsula HK

You would know that when you use the restroom

You have the view of HK for you to see

And vice versa, haha

So, on my last party

Some friends got so paranoid

with the bare windows

Finally, the shutters have been installed

It looks very cozy and woodsy

Finally, they can use the powder room with lights on!

I never had a problem with it

Haha

Have a fun Sunday!

Fabric love

Love fabrics

They totally make the room

So choosing which is one of the major steps in planning to decorate

Since I need to reupholster

I got samples of fabrics which reflect our taste

But since our home is still such a work in progress

The whole thing need to look coherent with the other things coming in

Will show this tonight to Olivia so we can work better with her installation

Snuggle up, that's what rainy days are for.

Rainy Days and Tuesdays

watching Barefoot Contessa, the only show I watch
pardon this part of the house, still in progress

played Twister

played Wii

There's another typhoon in the Philippines

There was also an earthquake last night

Too many things going on in the world, with nature

I wonder why good things are not always reported

Just how media prioritizes and affects

So today, since it's a day for lounging

We did just that

Though still did errands

then to Soumak, my fave furn store to have our antique table refurbished

Then my youngest played tennis

When we got home

We all lazed around the house

My eldest on the computer

My youngest played with Wii then Twister

I read and watched them

Then watched Barefoot Contessa

I would love to be invited to her house!

I hope everyone's keeping safe in this weather

Have a good night!

Olivia d'Aboville

the gorgeous, Olivia d'Aboville

Yesterday was again one of those days where I scheduled people with regards to

works pending in our home

From 9 a.m. onwards, I had carpenters for the shutters which still they were not able to

install cause, okay, fine, it wasn't per standard

Then the fabric supplier came and gosh, what lovely fabrics they brought

Went out to go to the parlor, then bought flowers

Came home then waited for my appointment with Olivia.

Met Olivia d'Aboville last year

When I just started doing the society pages for Town & Country

Olivia's art exhibit in the prestigious main gallery of Ayala Museum was one of the first

I covered

First time I met her, I thought she was beautiful

Actually, I met her prior to her exhibit

At the Bastille Day at Sofitel

She caught my eye already hence I asked if she can be photographed by our photographer

Only to find out she was "the" event I was covering the next day

Through the course of the year, we would , few times, keep in touch through e-mail

Then she found me on facebook though I really am not a FB kind of person

Then would see her at events then the rest is history

When I saw her work again at the Sofitel last week

I had to ask her if she can come and do something for our place

Cute as she is, she excitedly said yes

She is one talented young person and the more I conversed with her yesterday

The more impressed I got (I don't get impressed easily)

I even had to ask, how did your parents raise you? haha

Such a beautiful, talented, grounded person.

What's more

She loved our place

She said it's amazing and inspiring!

Wow, she really was impressed!

Told her

Coming from her, I was flattered.

So here's Ms. d'Aboville

She will go a long way

What a wonderful person at such a young age

Beautiful, beautiful, my kind of beauty

Keep it up, Olivia!

Can't wait to see you shine even more!

W by Rachelle on Heart-2-Heart

Just sharing with you the link from my good friend, Rica's blog:

Check out:
http://heart-2-heart-online.com/2011/07/17/w-by-rachelle/

Enjoy!

Lazing around

My view while lazing around

It's the weekend

Could've done a lot but it's one of those days when you just don't want to move

Been so busy with routine stuff, events, and entertaining my mother-in-law

So today, just thought will lie around, read, blog, listen to music with my kids

Have to go soon anyway

Finally have the final design for our kitchen

Need to go to Space 2000 for signing

Afterwhich, pick up some clothes for alteration

Church then go to a wake

Dinner with MIL and kids, she's treating

while hubby's at work

So while I still have an hour before I leave

Am enjoying my quiet, do-not-disturb time

Happy rainy weekend!

Back in Manila

It was a very clear & nice day last Sunday, this was at our roofdeck, we always have visiting birds around

Sunday's my favorite day when we can just relax and hang out

Always lovely to see mountains & the river on a clear day.

It's almost Friday, hope you're keeping warm in this weather.

Fab dinner with friends

this is me after the party

after party

We hosted a dinner last night for the godparents of my son in Confirmation
Was really a fabulous time being around people you like

And intellectual people whom you can converse with

With just about anything

Sharing thoughts, ideas and learning from their different fields of expertise

We weren't able to take photos as we were involved with the gastronomic delights

prepared by my husband

So these are just the photos I can share

I hope you sort of get a glimpse of the fun we had...

Happy Monday!

Nature tripping

Testing my new trowel

I love plants

Must have been the influence of my green-thumbed mom

She can make dying plants come back to "greenhood" once again

Since I have a roofdeck and a pocket garden

I bought several potted plants for me to take care of

Our gardener comes only once a month to check on the status of the plants

Otherwise, I just need to water them everyday

The gardener taught me that I need to loosen up the soil once in a while

He also gave me a poison when I start seeing insects /white spots on the plants

So, yesterday, while at True Value

I saw their choices for a novice gardener like me

Got my 1st gardening tool, the trowel

And of course was excited to use it right away

I hope as time passes, gardening will be second nature to me

As it is for my Mom

Happy Tuesday!

Our powder room

The Art Has Been Replaced!

our new mirror

the plywood provision

I blogged about this plywood provision months back

It is really very interesting how a lot of people

mistook it as art

Hmm, I should've sold it then, hahaha

Well, today, I covered that art

With something I need

Hard to brush teeth without seeing them

Finally, things are falling into place

I bet this time, this doesn't look like anything else but a mirror

Okay, it can be art in itself

Good might!

I'm re-decorating

Got a new plant, the scroll bench not supposed to be there, was re-decorating and moving things

As early as 7 this morning, I already called the maintenance guy

to help move around things

As my husband was leaving, he asked

"What are you doing?"

"Am re-decorating", was my reply

To which before he kissed goodbye said,

"We're not even finished decorating and you're already re-decorating"

Hahahaha, he should've known , am always 2 steps forward.

Ahh, the difference between men & women.

Happy Tuesday!

Up there

antique narra table - ours 4 chairs - borrowed (hubby had a small get together) fookien tea plants - bought in garden shop in White Plains Our roofdeck, just like the rest of the house, is still a work in progress But, we're enjoying already the perks of dining outdoors And the cool breeze I would still want to have my vines growing That would take time though Can't wait to wake up to lots and lots of greens! Happy Monday!

Fully Booked find!

Was in Fully Booked Thursday and Friday for their store sale Guess how lucky I was to get this Carolyn Roehm book for just a little over 500 pesos!!! I just love her style! I'm gonna go read now...

Sunday mess

Relaxing on a Sunday Watching Friends DVD Kids played with Wii Lazing around in the comfort of home Have a relaxing Sunday! Everyone knows how obsessive compulsive I am when it comes to neatness (Fine, fine, in just about anything)

So, Sunday is my day off from being that

I let myself go and relax

Watching "Friends" on DVD

Kids playing with Wii

while organizing still on the side

Don't you just love Sundays?

Enjoy...

Handpainted towels

I love anything when it comes to interiors and home

Love collecting towels, tea towels, handtowels, kitchen towels, bath, etc

Just recently purchased these cute , colorful handtowels from the bazaar

Can't wait to use them for my vintage glam guest bathroom

Happy Friday!

Ma'am, si Pastor

Well, I really don't have any photo to share with this post
Just something funny that happened to me
Probably, those living in Western countries can't relate as much
but folks in Manila would

While I was quietly on the computer checking e-mails
and at the same time on the phone with my son's school
Our helper comes to me and says
"Ma'am, may naghahanap sa'yo, si Pastor"
(Ma'am, someone's looking for you, a Pastor)

Of course, I, reacted, first of all, the guards here know
how I'm a stickler for protocol and they didn't call that I had a guest
2, I was in a vulnerable state of being in my houseclothes
And 3, which pastor? I'm Catholic, what do they need from me (hahaha)

So, on the verge of calling the guards
and complaining to ask why they sent someone up without calling
I figured, wait a minute, if they didn't call (okay, I should've given them more credit)
that means this pastor has access to come in
Ah, it's not pastor, it's Ambassador!!! hahaha


So, rightfully so, when I opened the door, it was my very gracious, sweet,
thoughtful neighbor just saying hi to me 'cause she hasn't seen me in a while (how cute is that?)
She also met someone who wanted to say hi
Small world, it was one of our godfathers in our wedding whom we lost contact with and now
we can stay in touch through her, wow, the way of the world

Moral of the story is
That's why I don't always believe everything I hear
and it is a small world for my neighbor to know our Ninong (godfather) in our wedding.


Smile, and keep your sense of humor.

Enjoy the day!