Mobile Blogging

Trying out mobile blogging for the first time. Added a picture of my cat Michifu.

Reiki: Relaxation and Healing

I had the opportunity to meet Tomas Særmark and Cristina Gonzalez Navarro – two of the Reiki masters which we met last Saturday. I barely knew Reiki when Cristina said that she’s visiting the Philippines to conduct Reiki workshop. Obviously, she was friends to some of the people on Facebook whom I share interest about meditation.

Reiki is a Japanese form of relaxation, meditation, and healing. The masters (Tomas and Cristina) said that upon finishing the workshop, we can start using it for people who needs it especially those who needs physical and spiritual healing. The couple started the workshop with a brief introduction about the Japanese spiritual practice which is Reiki including its Five Principles:

• Do not be angry,
• Do not worry,
• Be grateful,
• Work with diligence,
• Be kind to people.

Since I moved to Manila, I became very interested with meditation and the different forms of spiritual healing. It may look and sound weird to others but we can all take these stuff similar to how we approach religion and spirituality. We NEED to believe they work the same way as believers believe that God exists.

The main Reiki workshop started with attunement (not sure with the spelling). This stage involves “receiving” Reiki. The second part is the application, and third a brief meditation.

I enjoyed the workshop so much add to the fact that Cristina is Spanish from Madrid. I had the opportunity to practice my Spanish speaking skills during her stay. We took her to a Gratitude restaurant at The Fort, Taguig after the workshop. Sharing the pictures we took during the day.

"I love the Philippines and everything we have experienced"

Gratitude: More Than Just A Restaurant

The topic of food and restaurant has swarmed my recent posts. I hope you guys won’t mind if I’ll post another 😀

Because it was my friend Jamie’s birthday, we decided to check out the new restaurant, Gratitude, at The Fort Global City in Taguig. The resto, is owned and managed by Analei and her husband Kahlil who usually leads the meditation group Jaypee and I attend to. We missed the opening but I guess the old adage, “better late than never” applies.

The restaurant, as its name implies is ‘more than just a restaurant’. It offers meditation sessions and counseling. It promotes an individual’s well being being by choosing a life of inner peace and calm through meditation. If you’re interested in any of their courses, feel free to contact Analei by calling (632)519-1725 or sending an e-mail to info@gratitudephils.com. You may also visit the Gratitude website for more info.

The names of the food on the menu are interesting. They’ve brilliantly came up with a name that represents each meal or drinks. Take a look. More pictures on Facebook.

Photography by Jaypee David.

I had so much ‘fun’! Did I just say fun? I don’t normally eat everything on my plate but this time I did! The food was awesome and I’ll surely be back. 🙂

The restaurant is located at Unit 1G, Sapphire Residences Condominium, 2nd Avenue between 30th and 31st Streets, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Metro Manila.

Chicken soup. Love it.

Banana and Grape Shake

Jamie, the birthday girl, and Jaypee

Read while you wait.

Capiz Jewelry Boxes from the Philippines

For the past few months, we were busy making jewelry boxes made from capiz shells because of some orders from the US. I also had a friend from Bacoor, Cavite order some of these to use as a prize token for his blog contest.

These are quite difficult to make. The planning stage took us almost a month because my family and relatives who work on these can’t seem to figure out what I want to see in the jewelry boxes. LOL. I’m very meticulous when it comes to creating handicraft but I’d rather do the talking and instructing rather than doing all the work although I know how to do each of the process involved in capiz production.

I’ve made chandeliers as well. In fact, we’ve produced the body already but I still haven’t figured out how to work on the top part. Because I am currently studying, budget and time constraints are hindering me from finishing them.

Jaypee David took pictures of two of the jewelry boxes we’ve finished so far. If you’re interested, contact us by sending us an e-mail. Click the following link to visit our Capiz de Filipinas Facebook Like page.

El Día E 2010 at Instituto Cervantes de Manila

Almost two weeks ago my school, Instituto Cervantes de Manila, celebrated the El Día E or El Día del Español 2010. It was a day full of exciting activities where some of them I participated. I joined the photo contest and the juego del Español but lost to all of them! LOL! But I had fun 🙂

We took our lunch there and stayed until the late afternoon to witness some other activities set for the day. No one celebrates festivals like Spaniards. They just love to party!

A little note on joining sporting events…When we allow ourselves to be bested by someone, we immediately give way to people to achieve and meet success. We can’t all be winners in one field. Somebody has to do the dirty job of getting the title. But we must always think that each of us are “good” at something and by doing something well, we offer something great to people and give something special to people we truly care about.

Sharing some of the pictures, Jaypee M. David took during the event. More pictures on my Facebook account.

Listening to Luisa while she gives instructions on how to play Juego Del Español

With IC's Director, José Rodriguez

Wife of the Spanish Ambassador. Very pleasant and lovely.

Kaffe Razzo: Redefining Metro Living

Unless you’re a foreigner with your money multiplying up to the 80th power and can buy a soul for a dollar or euro, the word “Manila” elicits one to conjure up thought of incredibly high prices for regular commodities such as food, transportation, etc. While I lament in full bitterness about the rising cost of living in the metro, the opening of this restaurant in Aurora Boulevard in Quezon City where super cheap are food offered that even a beggar could afford comes like a refreshing aroma of plants and trees with all their dews falling on the ground during a sunrise. The name of the restaurant is Kaffe Razzo.

I feel honored to be part of the restaurant’s soft opening. The owner’s generosity to starving bloggers is inspiring. In seconds, the food cooked that were supposed to serve a hundred visitors were gormandized by 10 bloggers.

Kuya Edsel and I

Kidding aside, Kaffe Razzo is one of the few restaurants in Manila offering good food in a lower price. Nowadays, seldom you would find restaurants like this in Manila’s hungry economy. Imagine ordering a bowl of Mongolian rice filled with sea food and chicken meat for PhP65 (approx USD$1.44) and a cup of super rich mocha-latte coffee for the same price. Now, Starbucks has got to decide on lowering its coffee prices hehe!

Let me share some of the cool pictures taken during the event. I respect copyright. These pictures aren’t mine. They are mostly from Henry Allen Yu, Antonio Magno Carranza, Jr., and Jaypee David.

Sisig

Mongolian Rice

Kuya Edsel and I

Pier 1 Society

Proper posture when drinking coffee

Loving Paella Valenciana

Just enjoying eating paella at Instituto Cervantes De Manila during the celebration of Día del Libro.

Summer Getaway – Sagada, Mountain Province

This is a continuation to the Summer Getaway – Banaue, Ifugao I posted on April 7. We didn’t take much pictures here because we went inside Sumaging Cave in Sagada. It was such a beautiful place but looks like becoming polluted because people smoke inside the caves both the guides and tourists. Nevertheless, I enjoyed spelunking and looking at all the magnificent rock formations inside.

Here, I was with some of the casts of Up With People who visited the Philippines last month and some cool photos of the place. This place is kind of colder than Baguio. You can check out more pictures on my Facebook account.

Hanging Coffins of Sagada

Life is Short

With the passing of a loved one, one would realize just how fragile life is and how we should appreciate and celebrate every minute of our lives. May you rest in Peace, Mik.

You’re one of the few people I know who’s very passionate about photography. These shots aren’t as good as yours but I hope that these serves as a salute to an incredible life you’ve lived; a life worth emulating. Descanse en paz. Que Dios te bendiga.

Summer Getaway – Banaue, Ifugao

Let me start this Summer Getaway saga with my Baneue, Ifugao trip. I’ve been reeling on trying to get the chance to blog about my three-day tour to the northern Philippines but I just find it hard to loosen my schedule up. Good thing I got a “time off” from school life to share with you the beauty of my recent travel.

I had the chance to visit one of the Philippines’ great tourist destination in Ifugao – the Banaue Rice Terraces. Although the terraces are found across the Cordillera region, some of the most magnificent sights are those in Banaue. I didn’t get to see the “amphitheater” though but I saw a few that were really beautifully crafted which is enough to inspire me with awe on my part.

It is saddening that some parts of the Banaue Rice Terraces are showing signs of degradation or erosion already and some are not given enough attention probably because the good locals don’t have enough manpower or machinery to repair them. The drought is also causing some parts of the rice fields to collapse as well.

Let me share with you some of the pictures I took during my visit to Banaue.

Banaue Rice Terraces, Ifugao, Philippines

Lovely flower 🙂

Rice 😀

It’s quite cold when we get there

Enjoying the Sight

Banaue Rice Terraces, Ifugao Philippines

Banaue Rice Terraces, Ifugao Philippines

They call this “Chongla”. The natives believe that it helps drive away bad spirits