Capricciosa Ristorante @ Greenbelt 2

Capricciosa Ristorante, one of the latest addition at Greenbelt 3's wide array of restos proved to be a really nice place for people dining in groups.

The food:
They had the usual antipasti (appetizer), zuppe (soup), insalata (salad), pizze (pizza), spaghetti and gelato. For cheese lovers like me, a must try is their Quattro Formaggio pizza. The combination of 4 cheeses using blue cheese as the base was a very good complement to the soft and semi sweet pizza dough.

The pasta servings were huge but taste was not sacrificed. Nothing fancy with their version of Pesto but their Mushroom Spaghetti was to die for! Noodles were cooked to perfection and the tomato based sauce was infused with a generous portion of cheese. YUMMY!!!!!

The staff/service
We were waited on by Joker and Glyna and they were so nice. Yes, it took a while for our food to arrive but they were nice enough to check on us a few times until orders were served.

The price
It's not as expensive as other Italian restos as the servings were good for 3 or 4 people. However, you have to ask them if you're ordering too much or too little since you may not leave any room left for dessert.

The verdict
Capricciosa is a relatively new place which definitely left room for improvement. My expections were met as far as the quality of food they serve. However, since it is a new place, not a lot of people are familiar with their menu. It would've helped a lot if their menu had more illustrations. Eating is a feast for all senses and then next best thing to actually tasting it is seeing how it's gonna come out.

I'm a sucker for Italian food so I will definitely go back. I have yet to taste their wine so i'm lookin forward to that.

Because I Said So

In a desperate attempt te ensure that her youngest daughter doesn't end up like her, Daphne Wilder (Diane Keaton) decided to search for the perfect man for her.

But when Milly (Mandy Moore) found out that the Jason (Tom Everett Scott) and Johnny (Gabriel Macht) both came out of the personal ad that her mom made, she finally had to say something.

Because I Said So is a story of a mother's love that tries to answer questions like "Where does it begin and where does it end?". It is a film both the young and the old can appreciate. A mix of comedy and romance plus a heavy dose of reality sure make this film worth watching.

And yes, it may help one to understand why moms are the way they are sometimes.

Lesson Learned #1

"If you love someone, you say it right then, out loud. Otherwise, the moment just passes you by. "

- My Bestfriend's Wedding

I made the same mistake a couple of years back when i failed to acknowledge what i felt for this guy. His name is Gen - smart, funny and everything else i wanted for in a man. We had that kind of a connection which can never be replaced. One that happens only once in a person's life.

The catch, he had a gf. I waited for him to choose me over her but the time never came so i decided to let him go.

Last week, he called and for the first time, we got to talk about what really happened. What we both discovered came as a surprise, a big one. Turns out, while i was waiting for him to choose me over her, he was waiting for me to make him choose as he was ready to be with me. He thought I didn't feel the same so he kept quiet for fear of losing what we had. When i finally called it quits, all his fears were validated. That to me, it meant nothing. And so, he quietly bowed down.

If only someone said something.

He's back in my life now. For what reason, i have yet to discover

I did miss him. More than anything, i miss the friendship.

"It's time to make new memories," he said. But he still has a gf and the lessons in the past may come in handy this time around. For now, just knowing he's back will suffice.

It's never good to assume so now i'll be taking everything with a grain of salt.

I'm older.
I'm smarter.
I know what i deserve.

American Idol : 6 - Top 16 Disappointing Results

i'm sure a lot would agree about last night's vote results. heck even Sanjaya Malakar couldn't hide his surprise when his name wasn't called out. it's just too bad America didn't go with what the judges thought of Aj Tabaldo who's performance was better by a mile over the others.

as for the girls, i stand firm to what i previously said about Antonella Barba. i don't like her at all. fine, she can sing but there's somethin about her i'm not diggin. would've loved to see more of Alaina Alexander instead of her.

next week is the last elimination for the final 12. let's just hope that America would realize it is a TALENT show and vote based on that.

~~~~~

Kellie Pickler sure did "grow" a wee bit dontcha think? she's got curves where it matters now hehe! way to go country girl! just try not to look slutty next time. you got the voice sweetie, and ur pretty face need not be covered with such mess-up!

Foxxxy Ladies Night @ TGI Friday's

ladies, if you love margaritas as i do, you have to check out TGI Friday's Foxxxy Ladies Night every Wednesdays.

For just 435Php++, you get a 3-course meal: a choice of 1 appetizer, an entree and a sorbet martini for dessert. The best part? You get free flowing margaritas! woohoooo! It's literally margarita til you drop! Imagine how happy we were!

Their Ultimate Margarita, served in a glass sembling a fishbowl (and i mean fishbowl!), is a dream come true for margarita freaks like moi!

Choose from 3 different flavors :

• The Ultimate Margarita*, their signature Margarita made with Jose Cuervo Gold, Cointreau and Reynal VSOP.
• The Candied Orange Margarita, kinda like the classic but served with orange
• The Mango-Berry Margarita* which a combination of Jose Cuervo Gold, fresh strawberry puree and the sweet flavor of mango or the new Espresso Martini, made with ABSOLUT Vanilla, crème de cacao and Starbuck’s™ Coffee Liqueur.

What are you waiting for? Visit any TGI Friday's all Wednesdays of March and drink til you drop!

Cheers to us foxxxy ladies!

*ingredients were taken from TGI Friday's press releases

American Idol : 6 - Fearless Forecast

only on it's second performance week and i already got the Idol fever. well, maybe not as high as last year's but i'm expecting it to heat up as the weeks pass.

i know it's too early in the season but my fearless forecast is that a girl would win this time.

while Lakisha Jones had a very commanding first week and obviously an early judges fave, my cards are on Jordin Sparks . i simply adore her!

for the boys, i'd say either Phil Stacey or Chris Sligh would be the last guy booted out. if the audience decide to vote based on talent, that is.

as for last week's eliminated idols, Antonella Barba should've been the one sent home instead of Amy Krebs.

it's idol night once again tomorrow and i can't wait. hopefully the guys do better this week.

valentine shmalentine

not that i'm a bitter, self-righteous biyatch but i really really don't understand the fuss that people go through just to get by this day.

flowers, balloons, restaurant reservations, love letters, countless text messages are the main (if not the only) concerns of everybody.

all in all, today is a day destined to be a day of mush. a day where lovers/couples try not to fight and be at their best behavior.

don't get me wrong. i'm all for being nice and sweet. i just don't get it why people choose but one day to do this. one day. just one day. while it's true that doing one thing all the time robs it of it's special what-not, that i love you said all the time takes away it's meaning, that dinner reservations often made kinda makes it just one of those ordinary meals, i still don't get it why everybody chooses only this day for such.

wouldn't it be nicer to have valentine moments even in march or june or august? it doesn't have to be a dozen expensive roses or a fancy dinner. just a simple note or breakfast in bed or a well thought of movie will suffice.

random acts of sweetness are better by a mile over the expected events that would transpire on valentine's day.

i may seem like the scrooge of valentine's day but at least i don't wait for today to come to do the things that most people do on this day.

still, in the spirit of St. Valentine ....

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

happily ever after

he is a 71-Yr old retired farm consultant.
she is a 56-Yr old full time housewife.

he was her 1st boyfriend.
she was his 13th.
they were each other's last.

he whispers i love you to her every morning.
she can't eat without him.

they hold hands even inside the church.
they would fight but will be laughing a few minutes after.

i've seen them in their highest of highs and their lowest of lows.
they are each other's strength.

as i sat across them on the dinner table, i tell myself that someday, i too will have that kind of love. one that is unconditional. one that is real. one that will weather any storm. one that isn't perfect but almost is.

in the age of broken marriages and falling outs, they stand firm to their vows, committed since the day they were married.

they have given me hope.
a hope that a love as beautiful as theirs still exist.

Happy Anniversary Mama and Papa.
All my love to both of you!

Someday, i will have my turn.
My happily ever after will come.
I know that because of you.

2006 in a glance

April asked me to answer these questions to recap 2005 but I didn’t. I figured that wasn’t a good year for me and nothing I write could make it any better. Now 2006 was a completely different year and I feel that it merited a blog entry so here goes. The Year That Was 1. What did you do in 2006 that you’d never done before?

• Virgin hair no more as I had my first ever highlights courtesy of my ever trusted stylist, Topher
• Went out of the country at my own expense. While my wallet does not agree with me, I’d say that was the best thing I’ve done last year.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I never was nor will I ever be one who makes them. 3. Did anyone close to you give birth? My cousin Helen gave birth to a really adorable baby boy named Harvey :) Mamu is a brand new mom with bouncing baby joshua

4. Did anyone close to you die? Tatang, my mom’s eldest brother did :(

5. What countries did you visit? Singapore and boy do I wanna go back!!!!!

6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006? Rest! Sleep to be exact! My insomnia days are beginning to catch up on me and I’m not getting any younger!

7. What date(s) from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

• October 19 – the day I first set foot on Singapore
• January 1 – met Ygy, one of the girls my EX cheated on me with. What a nice way to celebrate the first night of the year huh? The funny part is, we became friends. Forever in the mission to cuss men like THE EX hahaha!

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

• Financial stability
• Survived a really terrible break-up with grace

9. What was your biggest failure? Can’t say I failed big time in 2006.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Besides the usual flu, nothin really major thank God!

11. What was the best thing you bought? Most of my purchases last year were for jewelry. As they say, diamonds are a girl’s best friend so I’d have to say my best buy would be the diamond set of earrings and ring (6 diamonds a piece) woohoo!!!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

• My brother Jimbo, for turning into one of the most responsible people I know.
• My good friend Nilo, for coping the way he did after his own personal tragedy.
• April, for being there when I needed someone the most, even when I said I wanted to be left alone.
• My mom and my dad, for loving each other even after 32 yrs of marriage

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

• The EX – for bein the jackass that he was. For hurting not just me but his daughter as well. For the false security. For his cowardice in facing me. And for the many other crazy stupid things he did.

Appalled yes, but I was not depressed. No use stressing over depression over someone like him.

14. Where did most of your money go? Clothes. Shoes. Jewelry….lots of jewelry!!!!!!

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? My trip to Singapore.

16. What song will always remind you of 2006? Feels Like Home – Chantal Kreviazuk

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: happier or sadder? -- A whole lot HAPPIER thinner or fatter? -- Thinner woohooo! Lost about 10lbs last year!!! richer or poorer? -- I’d say richer. Not by a mile but makin lil baby steps :)

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

• Gym.
• Save money.
• More leisure time with my parents. A simple weekend out of town or dinner. More of those would’ve been nice.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Plotting of ways to make the EX pay! Hahaha! Seriously, though, It would’ve been nicer not to have spent that much on impulse shopping!

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

Spent Christmas eve the way I’ve spent it since I was born. Major family reunion with my relatives in Bulacan. This year though, we were a few members short :( Christmas Day was my Dad’s family’s turn. Had the usual Christmas dinner in Alabang.

21. Did you fall in love in 2006? NOPE

22. How many one-night stands? Not my thing

23. What was your favorite TV program? Definitely Grey’s Anatomy and a near second would be One Tree Hill

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? Nope, i still HATE the same person I did the year before! Hahahhaha! But on a more serious note, I don’t hate anyone now. I may not have liked the way a few people in my life behaved but I don’t hate them. Neither do I hate the EX. I could care less for what happens to him but that doesn’t mean I hate him :)

25. What was the best book you read? I only read the Shopaholic Series last year so I’d say those three :)

26. What was your greatest musical discovery? Bethany Joy Lenz . Too bad her album didn’t come out last year.

27. What did you want and get? A Well deserved vacation. Peace of mind.

28. What did you want and not get? A Classic II Lacoste bowling bag . But a very sweet friend gave me a really nice Longchamp bag so I’m cool! Thanks fafa R!

29. What was your favorite film of this year? Happy Feet! Was smiling from start to finish!

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? Compared to last year’s major bash, my 31st birthday was simple and quiet, spent with my family.

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? A heartfelt sorry would’ve made forgiveness easy.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006? 2006 was a year of reinvention for me. I now have, in my closet, an array of Kikay, flirty clothes and shoes.

33. What kept you sane? Closest friends. My mom and my dad.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? McDreamy! Sexy and enticing as a forbidden fruit!Yummmmyyyy!!!!

35. What political issue stirred you the most? I’ll have to pay more attention in 2007.

36. Who did you miss?

• My sister. Our usual midweek dinner/magarita/coffee nights.
• Justine, the EX’s daughter. Her unconditional love. Her songs. Her laughter. The hugs and kisses.

37. Who was the best new person you met? Celia! A Fab new friend. Smart and driven, the latest addition to my bitches!

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006. If you want things to happen, you gotta make them happen. No matter how hurtful the circumstance may have been, forgiveness will eventually come.

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. “I’m every woman, it’s all in me!”

~~~~~

2005 ended with a sad note. And while 2006 started in the same tune, I’m glad the melody changed as the year ended.

alone = lonely?

i was watching a rerun of before sunset last night and this line stuck: "being alone is better than being with a lover and feeling alone" - Celine

so why put up with it?

it's just a pity how some people stay in unhappy relationships just coz they feel that being alone would kill them. or that it's better than having no one. thing is, you may have someone beside you but still that doesn't guarantee a warm and cozy bed. it could very well be just as cold, even more. isn't it better sleep in an empty bed rather than have someone beside you who isn't really there?

again, i ask. why stay?

i'm glad i didn't.

i'm better off. i'm happier. and no one will again make me feel otherwise :)

not settling for anything less

my cousin bing is getting married in 2 weeks and while the idea of a dayful of mush, tears and more mush makes me cringe, i promised myself i'd behave come "the day". i will, after all, play hostess and sing a song or two. talk about over exposure huh? i just hope i don't forget the lyrics and the string quartet won't gimme a hard time with the music.

still, behind my cynical and almost stoic view on weddings, i, of course wish them both a life filled with bliss, a roomful of happy lil bings ang andreis and a marriage based on trust and love. i've seen them grow as a couple so i'm sure married life will be a breeze. they are young, they are happy and they're in love!

"Anything less than mad, passionate, extraordinary love is a waste of time. There are too many mediocre things in life and love shouldn't be one of them." -- Dream For An Insomniac

ate bing quoted that in her blog and i'm quoting it again. i once told myself this "i may turn 40 but i will never settle just because i HAVE to get married". and thanks to the 4 ladies of Sex and the City, the once view on singledom has completely changed. i have nothing against getting married but like what my cousin said, anything mediocre is a waste of time so why bother?

gone are the days when society sees single people as social curses bound to spend a life of solitude and dejection. see, now being single does not make one a disgrace or a sociopath but rather a person who is free to choose. one who does not give in to what society expects.

i'm not saying that marriage isn't for me. all i'm saying is until i find that someone, i wouldn't mind walkin this earth as a single, fab woman. life is too short to waste on the wrong person. i know my time will come.

who knows, maybe someday, ate bing's love for mush might rub off on me.

my first bday present for the year

it's not even december yet and i already got an unexpected, uberly welcome surprise bday present! it's a fold-able lilac handbag from the Le Pliage Longchamp collection . now, do i like it? i LOVE it! woohoo! life is good!

i'll be turning 31 next month and unlike last year's bash, i won't be celebrating it with a bang this time.

a lot has happened over the year. a lot of them were good, with a handful that could always be charged to experience as they say. i'd like to believe that i'm much wiser than i was at 30 with the same confidence as saying i'm more FAB now hehehe! (with a fab new bag to boot!)

happy birthday to me!

WTF?!

he came up to me and said "i'm sorry i hurt you".

i didn't recognize him at first. who the hell is this guy? it took me a few minutes to realize who he was. it's him . i couldn't reply. i didn't know how to. why now? why not when i needed him to?

he was waiting. his eyes showed a side of him i never thought existed. sensitive and honest. he never said another word after that. he just kept looking. waiting for his absolution i guess. but i couldn't give him that.

and then i woke up.

poker princess

my second attempt at playin the game and i ended up the big winner woohoo!!! yupyup i'm officially on the road to becoming an addict! the other week, i was at this bazaar at the NBC tent and i was immediately drawn to this box of poker chips! i didn't buy though, not yet anyway hehe!

and once again, i've proven "the boys" that women are better than them in more ways than one!

hahaha who's the man? i'm the man! woohoo!!!

from a much needed break

and might i add, a WELL deserved one at that.

yes people, i was a bum for two weeks and it felt wonderful!

Singapore was everything i thought it was and more - clean. organized. alive. rich in culture. from the people to the busses and trains, to food and shopping malls, to the zoos and all the other tourist spots, a trip to the city of fines is definitely a must have for all ye travel freaks.

ten things why i loved my trip:
1. the public transport
i HATE commuting but there, it was a breeze -convenient and practical. plus, you get to go from one end of the city to the other with just one train ride. and if you have to take a cab, the drivers are ALWAYS pleasant.

2. the malls
for someone who doesn't like shopping as much as most women, i did have lots of good finds. from DAISO (2dollar store) in Jurong East to the classy Takeshimaya at the Orchard, one is sure to find something that would dazzle the eyes.

3. tourist spots, animal attractions and nature trip
walking isn't my thing but i didn't mind. the view made it all worthwhile. I feasted my eyes at the Magical fountains, took the cable car and skyride at Sentosa; was awed by the dolphins and other marine life at the Underwater World; got to see and feed the birds at Jurong Bird Park; went up close and personal with the elephants and orangs at the Singapore Zoo; saw the majestic Chawang and other creatures of the night at the Night Safari; had my first encounter with a carnivorous plant at the Botanic Garden; enriched my mind at the Science Center and got to experience how it felt at -8degrees at Snow City

4. the food
hawkers galore! from bakwa to chicken rice to pork floss to ice cream wrapped in wafer and lots and lots of noodles! yum yum yum!

5. the long walks even at 1AM
yup you read it right. 1am and i never felt safer.

6. the night life
The Esplanade, Clark Quay, Chinatown and the Orchard come alive the moment the sun sets. whatever suits your mood - have dinner and cocktails by the river or indulge your palette at Glutton's Bay or feast your eyes along the streets for midnight sales or dance the night away with a glass of the famous Singapore sling at bay and you're sure to party up to the wee hours

7. the discipline; the system
and i don't mean the kind where you practice only when someone is lookin! one that is practiced by all.
8. their love for nature and clean environment
there is very minimal, if not, non-existent trash; the drainage works; the air is fresh and they even have a PSI level flashed on TV to indicate the level of pollution at any given time!

9. the language
everyone speaks English which made it easier to ask for directions - a must when you find yourself lost in the middle of the city or when tryin to get a bargain

10. lastly, the people
from the guards to the sales assistants to the drivers to the cashiers to the gatekeepers, everyone was so nice. they won't think twice when you need to help. one even walked 5 blocks with us at 1 am just to make sure that we got home safe.

all in all, i give my Singapore adventure a 9 and i wouldn't mind goin' back :)

an itch i couldn't scratch

and it's drivin me nuts!

yup! last year, april was the one who had it! hers got scratched and now she's at peace. good for her. gone are the what ifs and her could've beens.

now it's my turn. damn it!

what is it with things (and people) that you almost but can't quite have that makes you WANT them MORE????? and the stupid thing is, you're not even sure IF you would like what you get in the end. it could just be a fluke, an itch that once it gets scratched, it goes away. leaving no trail that it ever existed.

but what if it isn't? what if it's the start or a sign of something good. a promise of greater things. a month, year or a life together. then you lose sleep thinkin about it.

NOT GOOD! NEVER GOOD!

arrrrggghhh! kill me now! please?

of letting go and moving on

you don't see nor talk to him
you don't miss nor think about him
you don't hate him, you just don't care what's up with him

all these said, you ask yourself...have you finally moved on?
sadly, it doesn't always follow. while you know that you don't have a strand of feelings left for him, you still can't claim that you have.

letting go is easy. it simply means that you have accepted the fact that he isn't a part of your life anymore. that there is no "US" but rather two "I's". it means that you no longer utter a secret prayer of getting back together. no you don't think of revenge. you're no longer hurt nor have the urge to strangle him or make his life miserable. you just don't care.

moving on is different. it's getting on with your life. it's being the same person as you were before you met him. it is the readiness to accept and meet someone new. it is the willingness to take yet another risk. it is taking that oh-so scary plunge once again. it is relearning how to trust...believing in other people's goodness. it's like learning how to walk again.

unless you have done these, you have yet to move on.

you simply said goodbye

Miranda?! Moi????

Well well well who would've thought?!

I am Miranda after all! Hahaha! My cynicism on men and relationships is catching up on me! Hmnnnn I wonder who could that person in the past be?

You Are Most Like Miranda!

While you've had your fair share of romance, men don't come first Guys are a distant third to your friends and career. And this independence *is* attractive to some men, in measured doses. Remember that if you imagine the best outcome, it might just happen. Romantic prediction: Someone from your past is waiting to reconnect... But you'll have to think of him differently, if you want things to work.

Which Sex and the City Vixen Are You?

consistently inconsistent

for the last couple of months, the lack of action in my lovelife has been very well compensated by the overly complicated roller coaster rides that my friends from left and right have had.

from affairs to cancelled weddings to fallouts to holding on and letting go...
from silly lil fights to almost but not quite breakups...
from straight to gay couples

name it and chances are, one of my friends is in it!

oh and must i mention that most of the time, i was (still is) in the middle of it? you know, bein the friend who listens and scolds....the one who tries to knock some sense into their already clowded yet somehow interesting dilemmas...which, at most normal circumstances, usually works!

but no! not lately! lately, most of them are ridiculously stubborn!

i am actually surprised myself. i mean, these people are really smart and driven but when it came to affairs of the heart, they have been consistently inconsistent! hormones are flyin everywhere and not just estrogens!

so now, i'l change my strategy. instead of bein the bitch friend who doesn't sugar coat and says things as they are, instead of saying countless pieces of advice and telling them what i think, i'd keep quiet and just listen. they're not hearing me anyways.

and since i know they're smart enough to figure things out for themselves, i'll just lay back, have a glass of wine and chill and wait for the time for them to come around.

as we grow up

"...we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let you down probably will. You will have your heart broken probably more than once and it's harder every time. You'll break hearts too, so remember how it felt when yours was broken. You'll fight with your best friend. You'll blame a new love for things an old one did. You'll cry because time is passing too fast, and you'll eventually lose someone you love. So take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you’ve never been hurt because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back".

true...but it just doesn't get any easier each time.