Olympic Spirit

Posted by Salve on Jul 16, 2008 in Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, Event, Places, dining, food, personal

I’m sure all of us are excited about the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, which will officially open in less than a month(look at the countdown in the sidebar). Wherever we are in the globe, we’d want to take part in this event, right? You must have listened and watched Jackie Chan sing “We Are Ready,” even if you barely understand the lyrics of the song. I am also very sure that you’d like to have a souvenir of the Olympics, no matter how little it is as long as the Beijing 2008 Olympic logo is carved on it.

We’ll, I’ve got mine already, and you can grab one too. Because at McDonald’s - one of the official partners of the Olympics - for only 20 pesos, you can have a Limited Edition Luminarc glass with the Coca-Cola logo on one side and an Olympic event and the Olympic logo on the other. There are five designs (Olympic event) to choose from. All you need to do is buy any of McDonald’s value meals, add 20 pesos to buy one glass or you can buy all five. Me I bought all the five glasses!

My Olympic glasses from McDonal’s

Tags: Beijing, food, games, Olympics, restaurant, sports

Nature Tripping in the City

Posted by Salve on Jul 14, 2008 in Culture, Places, personal, travel

For most of us living in the city, relaxation would mean an out of town trip. With our fast-paced everyday life, we have no time to stop and smell the flowers or appreciate the little things in our surroundings. Fresh air is a luxury. And family bonding means a trip to the mall.

Unknown to many, a nature sanctuary is nestled right in the heart of Quezon City, where one can experience serenity, even for a while. The La Mesa Eco Park has been there for years. It has been rehabilitated a few years ago and is now open to the public again. It is a sanctuary for nature lovers, health buffs and for families who want to spend some quality time with each other.

Tags: Manila, nature park, Philippines

Art Project

Posted by Salve on Jul 8, 2008 in Interests, People, art, personal

I belong to a family whose members are mostly (humbly speaking) gifted in the arts. I have an aunt who’d been scrap-booking long before scrapbooks became a fad, makes letter cut-outs without using whatever kind of pattern, creates paper mosaics, and does her own greeting cards. As a young man, my dad worked as an illustrator for Tagalog Komiks, now he’s into photography. My sister showed, at an early, her artistic talent, hence, she took up fine arts in college. Recently, I discovered that a cousin is starting to make a name in photography in Singapore.

Being surrounded by these people, I’ve learned to appreciate the arts at an early age. I’ve learned to open my eyes and somehow see beyond a picture or painting. Most of all, I got to try my hands at painting/drawing! Here, take a look at some of my pencil drawings:

Food, Music & Pilita

Posted by Salve on Jul 4, 2008 in People, around the metro, dining, personal

Our office barkada was able to go on a mid-week night out last Tuesday, since the next day, July 2, was a special holiday for us people working in Ortigas Center, Pasig. Our stop this time was Pilita’s Restaurant in Greenhills, San Juan. It was also a birthday celebration for one of our officemates.

Pilita’s Restaurant is located at Greenhills Shopping Center, near the movie theaters. This cozy little place is owned by Asia’s Queen of Songs, Pilita Corales and her husband Don Carlos. Pilita’s has a very relaxed ambiance, a perfect place to hang-out after a long day at the office. Its walls are filled with numerous memorabilia of the hip-bending singer from her career. One wall serves as a gallery of her photos in black and white. Meanwhile the upper wall behind the stage displays covers of her vinyl records in the past.

Seeing Green

Posted by Salve on Jul 1, 2008 in Interests, Life, personal, shopping

I dropped by SM’s Kultura yesterday, with a goal of buying a pair of comfy local-made slippers. I love handmade/native slippers, being born and raised in Albay - home to numerous abaca handicrafts. Anyway, back to my slipper-hunting activity. There weren’t a lot of choices, so I just wander around the store to look for some interesting items. And I did see some: wedge sandals displayed together with bags made from buri and some from braided abaca fiber. My eyes were actually fixed on a certain item: a pair of wedge sandals with green straps. What really attracted to them are the green straps. The color green.

I have an ever-changing color preference. Depending on my mood. But seeing those green straps, my fascination for purple (supposed to be my current favorite) was slowly slipping away. Immediately, I tried on the sandals, asked for my size, and tried them on again. Satisfied with how it on my feet, I headed for the cashier to make the purchase. I was so excited with my find and planned to wear them the next day at work.

Conquering Corregidor

Posted by Salve on Jun 27, 2008 in Culture, Life, Places, leisure, personal, travel

A day tour to Corregidor is a little expensive, costing around 2, 000 pesos via Sun Cruises. But the ferry ride to the island was inviting. It’s not everyday that I get to ride one! Although not a swimmer, still, I’m a fan of the sea. Just inhaling the cool sea breeze relaxes my mind and my nerves. The water couldn’t sound more wonderful when it kisses the shore or its waves slap over boulders of rocks and brave sea vessels. Yeah, I love the sound of the sea. That’s why, I couldn’t resist the trip to Corregidor!

Since the island was a military reservation during World War II, Corregidor is a favorite destination among war veterans, Filipinos and Americans alike. It is also frequented by students, teachers, foreign visitors, and Pinoy travelers, too. Like myself.

Going to Corregidor is more or less an hour’s ferry ride from Manila. The ferry leaves CCP terminal at around eight o’clock in the morning. As the boat traverse the sea, you are free to go around; buy some snacks, take pictures, or you may go to the second deck where you’ll be able to enjoy the panorama of the ocean, the islands and mountains from afar and even the diminishing view of the city you left behind. When the ferry finally docks in Corregidor, tourist guides, tranvias and their drivers await the visitors at the port, ready to take them around the island.