Books & Magazines

I have always loved reading. May it be book, magazine or newspaper. I actually started reading when I entered high school. When I'm reading, the time goes by smoothly fast and it actually broadens my vocabulary. I have also read somewhere that reading can prevent a person to have an alzheimer's disease. It actually has tons of benefits. :)

My small Preview mag collection.

My older sister's OK! mag collection but she had already stopped collecting. Saaad!

The first ever book I've read. And the only book my father bought me. Haha! When reading this at first, I was like "Oh Em Gee! Is that true?" Then when I saw the FICTION word written on the side of the book, I was not affected at all anymore. :)

Books we own but I don't want to read as of today. Oopsie, sorry! Maybe I'm gonna change my mind one of these days though. We'll never know! :p My Ate actually have tons of Joel Osteen but I only got to see this one so maybe some are borrowed. :)

Rules girls should know! I learned a lot from this books! Sherry Argov knows it all! :))

My Twilight (the first book) is with my Ate's friend. We let our friends & cousins borrow our books. (I just hope every book is in good hands and every book is given back after reading. *sigh*) BTW, I think I have to say this: I'm TEAM EDWARD from the very beginning! :)

I LOVE NICHOLAS SPARKS!! He is a genius for love stories! I love A Walk To Remember! I love The Notebook (borrowed), The Wedding (borrowed), and Nights in Rodanthe!!! I cried reading all of his books and I'm not joking about that. I'm a hopeless romantic!! Now, you know. We don't have a copy of Dear John and The Last Song but hopefully I get to buy soon. :)


**I also love Paulo Coelho!! He is also a genius writer! I'm in love with his By The River Piedra I Sat Down And Wept but unfortunately it's missing. Boo hoo! I'm hoping it's only borrowed.


**If you have read my previous blog post, we have a copy of Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert but I haven't finished that one yet. But I'm gonna finish it this 2011! Promise! :)


**We (my Ate and I) also have Mitch Albom's books: Tuesdays With Morrie, 5 People You Will Meet In Heaven & For One More Day. All of it are borrowed!!

Ta-nan!!! My favorite writer, Cecelia Ahern! ♥ My favorite book made by her is Love, Rosie (borrowed) then P.S. I Love You. She is a brilliant writer! Every book has an unexpected story. There are happy endings and there are also tragic ones. Gotta love her! I swear!

Gossip Girl book series :) I am addicted with GG's tv series so I forced Ate to buy me these wonderful books. ♥

There are books I have read because I borrowed from friends just like the Cosmopolitan mini books. I have read a couple of those and some classics from Danielle Steel. I am actually lost of count of the books I've read. And that's good! That only means, I have read A LOT! Some books doesn't have an impact on me, and I tend to forget those but the books that touched me are in my heart forever. Last 2010, I have not read a lot of books but I'm gonna break that curse and read tons this awesome year. :)

Nothing comes easy..

I am currently taking up Culinary Arts in GCHA and I just finished my Level 1. Our Level 1 comprises the history, knife skills, and the Culinary Arts basics. We already have made it to the kitchen but we still haven't cooked anything yet. So I'm really looking forward with my Level 2 because we will already start cooking in this level. :)

I'm fortunate enough to pass the Level 1 but some of my fellow student chefs are under probation or had already acquired their retake. Under probation means when you have been under this situation, you cannot afford to fail anything within the program. Anything means everything. Quizzes, exams, laboratory works, every single thing we do. And about the retake, every student is entitled with only 2 retakes all through out the program. This two situation varies on the student's grades. The chef weighs first the grades then decides if the student will have his retake or if he is automatically under probation.

I now then realized that nothing in this world ever comes easy. When you want something, you have to work hard to be able to earn it. Hard work is the key!

Wish me luck! :)

Love,

A ♥

Concerts

The first ever concert I attended to was Lady Gaga's Live in Manila, August 2009 in Araneta Coliseum. The ticket was a gift from my beloved Ate (older sister in Filipino) for my 18th birthday. I am really Lady Gaga's biggest fan so it was really surreal to have a patron ticket. She's THE bomb! I got gaga over her. ♥


The next concert I attended to was Akon's Live in Manila, October 2009 in Araneta Coliseum. I'm not an Akon fan but my cousin is so she asked me to come with her. We got a lower box tix and I will never ever regret the day I said yes because it was worth the time and money. I really enjoyed and I got Akon-ized! :)


Then the third was Timbaland Live in Manila with JT & Jojo, March 2010 in SM MOA Concert Grounds. I actually forced my Ate to watch and with some circumstances, she paid for our Gold tix. :D I'm in love with Justin Timberlake! I fucking swear!!! I wanted to go to Sofitel that time to be a paparazzi. :) He is LOVE! I felt euphoria when he showed up on the stage and performed. ♥♥♥


When I experienced watching concerts, I became into it. Just like watching the movies, it makes me happy. Dancing on air happy. Though, there are also concerts I wanted to watch but wasn't able to because of budget and venue constraints. I really got depressed missing out Katy Perry, Usher, Boyz II Men and Ne-Yo.

I don't want to watch concert anymore on SM MOA Concert Grounds because it's hassle. It's open, no chairs, and faaar from our place. Araneta Coliseum is perfect!!!

Early this time, I got to see the list of the ones who will have their concerts here in the Ph for January to May. It's hell crazy! To name some are Janet Jackson, Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, Justin Bieber, etc. And a local performers I'm dying to watch are the ASAP Sessionistas on February 5, 2011 on Araneta Coliseum. I'm currently dying because I got no money honey. Damn Girl! LOL :p

Love,
A

Global Culinary & Hospitality Academy Life

The wall beside the stairs.

Wall of the room. Photos of kitchen equipment and utensils.

The front part of the room.

Spices

"If painters have their paints, we have our herbs & spices." -Chef Brando

Vinegars on the outermost part and Cooking oils infront: (L-R) Sesame Oil, Vegetable Oil, Corn Oil, Peanut Oil, Coconut Oil, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

My work place. :)

My knife skills lab work. I got 91/100. Hah! I'm proud! :p

Kangkong - Chiffonade. Parsley - Chopped. Singkamas - Tourne, Paysanne, Brunoise, Small Dice, Julienne, Batonnete. Onion - Mince. Garlic - Mince. Shallots - Mince. Eggplant - Rondelle, Bias, Fan.

Lecture & Demo for Lamb by Chef Brando

My lab work for de-boning chicken. I only got 83/100. Boo hoo! Better luck next time! :D

"Culinary schools can just teach you as much, it's your part to practice it and be well-skilled." -Chef Brando

Love,

A ♥

EAT, PRAY, LOVE

I have tried reading this book for three times, but every time I reach the Pray part I get bored and always stop. Forgive me for doing such stupid act. So I really got excited when I knew that the story would be shown as a movie and my favorite actress Julia Roberts will portray the role of Elizabeth Gilbert. Apparently, when it was shown here in the Philippines I haven't watched it during that time. So I was glad when I saw a DVD copy in our house on the 31st of December and I've watched it right away, most probably January 1st around 1am. :)

"There is a wonderful old Italian joke about a poor man who goes to church every day and prays before the statue of a great saint, begging: “Dear saint, please, please, please let me win the lottery.” Finally, the exasperated statue comes to life and looks down at the begging man and says: “My son, please, please, please buy a ticket.” So now l get the joke. And l’ve got three tickets." -Liz Gilbert

I love love love ITALY!! I wanna go there someday. I wanna eat there soon. I want to improve and broaden my palate. :)

"Keep grounded so it’s like you have four legs. That way, you can stay in this world. Also, no looking at world through your head. Look through your heart instead. That way, you will know God." -Ketut Liyer ♥

Because of this movie, I loved Manila more. Mnl is prettier and I guess more civilized compared to India. I got curious about meditating too and wanna try yoga someday. :)

"Ruin is a gift. Ruin is the road to transformation." -Liz Gilbert

The Love part is pretty awesome because if you'll think about it, it's the only thing Liz haven't planned. It just happened. She went back to Bali, Indonesia because Ketut Liyer said so, for her to teach Ketut English and for Ketut to teach Liz how to balance her life--enjoying & praying. But then destiny has an amazing gift--LOVE! ♥

"The only way to heal is to trust. It's okay to have a broken heart, it means you have tried for something." -Ketut Liyer

I love everything about the movie!!! It's a must watch!!! :)

"Sometimes, to lose a balance for love is part of living a balanced life." -Ketut Liyer ♥

P.S. All the quotes are from the movie. There are great quotes all through out the movie but nothing really beats the book. I promise to finish the book. And, disclaimer here, the photos used that bears some of the movie scenes were grabbed from google. :)

Love,

A

Holiday 2010

I have been MIA here in my blog so I'm gonna fill it up today with the things that have happened and the thoughts that has been on my mind. This post would be about the Holiday that I had. A normal holiday of a regular Filipino citizen. :)

First Christmas party I have attended to is with my friends that I used to live with in a condominium in Manila when I was still studying in CEU. We decided to do Sex-And-The-City-ish celebration. Actually, I suggested it because I'm pretty addicted with SATC series & movies. I merely love Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte & Miranda. :)

Our room. Very healthy living, we didn't drink for the night and we don't smoke either. :)

[I was wearing a red F&H dress and a red cardigan from Weet Collections.]

Gotta love the spa!!! ♥ (L-R) Kiyomi, Nikka, I & Chenee ♥

Kiyomi & I had steamed bath, sauna and full body massage while Nikka & Chenee had hand and foot fruity massage.

After going to the spa, we ate dinner at Shakey's just across the hotel. Then we went to our room and shared what has been happening in our lives. :)

Next party I went was with my cousins with my Tatay's side. ♥ It was fun though I arrived late 'cause I came from SM Megamall.

(L-R) Ate Mei, my brother Ace, I, Ferlie & Judiel. :)

[I was wearing a dark gray PRP dress with a MNG sling bag.]

Fretzie, I & Jel.

And now it's Christmas Day!! :)

In the morning, I attended the baptismal of my godson, Lord Harvey. In this photo, I'm with my kumpare & kumares. :)

(L-R) Edgar, Tintin, Joanne, Diane, Mim, I, Iris, Eloisa, Heidi (Harvey's mom), & Kiyomi

[I'm wearing a red boyfriend polo & black leggings from Greenhills and a black heels from Forever 21.]

In the evening of the 25th, my cousins in my mother's side and I had some drinking session while karaoke-ing. :)

(fr top; L-R) I, Apols, Je, Tin, Edry, Lyka, Ate Candy, Epi, Pati, Yet, Nins, Kiyomi, Angge, & Aryan. ♥

[Same boyf polo that I was wearing in the morning but I changed into shorts from Gh too and the bag was vintage from my mother's.]

Welcoming 2011! :) We stayed in our place for some foods and firecrackers & fireworks. :)

(L-R) Angge, I, Jaja, Pati, Lyka & my favorite goddaughter/niece, Changchang. ♥

I, Nanay, Ate, Ace & Changchang ♥

The fountain with Ate. :)

So far, that's how my 2-3 weeks had been with only the highlights. Some days, I shopped and some days I was in our store and some days I was home, watching SATC series or a romantic/comedy movie. Apparently, this has been my longest post ever. :) That's all folks, HAPPY 2011! This is going to be an amazing year for all of us! Positivity!!! ♥

Love,

A