Blast from the Past

cobblestone paths and gorgeous buildings all around

This is a super delayed post about a place that I placed in my vacation goals.  Fortunately, I was able to visit this place last summer!  Here is Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar through my eyes!  All pictures taken using our Canon point and shoot.

First up, you will get to see a whole lot of pretty in this place.  You will get to see things in a grander scale especially in the morning light.

even the lamp posts are divine

a wall of windows in our loft

 

yung bahay sa kanto
(the house around the corner) 

 The place takes on a different mood at night for sure.  It may appear eerie at time but the details take on a whole new depth once the shadows settle around the resort.

who ever thought of making a chair like this has a wild imagination

ladies on the veranda

chandeliers even outside the buildings

UP represent!!! This is from the old Fine Arts Building from the Manila Campus

all the details are highlighted by night

imagine someone coming up these stairs to court the young lady of the house
or someone doing a harana until someone peeks from the veranda. 

 

the door to our loft look at the door frame! so ornate

 You won't run out of eye candy because of all the details of each room, house or building.

a beautiful mural made of tiles in the most expensive house in the resort

trying out what it feels like to be an "aliping sagigilid"

imposing lion's head fountain

someone is hanging out at the bed side lamp

fruits on the ceiling

amazing ceiling and moldings

ceiling shot! together with the ceiling fan

chandelier and ceiling shot

arch upon arch

tikabalang hanging out

manananggal literally hanging out

amazing callado details from verandas, look at how the light shines through

a fountain depicting different chores that were commonly done back in the day

the sarimanok boat

a fan shaped detail above one of the loft doors

beautiful pillars from any angle

grapes along the gazebo outside our loft

a cherub blows us a kiss

a giant face of an old woman in the lawn

we had to take a picture with the "locals"

Facundo! Nasaan na ang kape?!?

Our farewell shot

The beautiful sunset by the beach

I definitely want to go back to this place and I want to bring my Lolo and Lola from my mother's side of the family because two of the houses came from Jaen, Nueva Ecija where they grew up.  They actually knew the people who used to live in the houses showcased in the resort so I bet he can actually share a thing or two with the tour guides about those families. 

The place is welcome respite from the modern world.  You feel so fortunate to be a Filipino and to be part of a culture that was able to create and develop such beautiful structures.

H & M is coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh yes this post deserves all those exclamation points. (At least for me!) Let me explain, when I first went here I spent way too much time in the store that we ended up running along the streets to go back to the hotel because we thought we might miss the bus that was supposed to bring us to the airport! I totally lost track of time.

When you get an official contract signed and a target date of the opening then it most certainly must be true! Now I just hope they can keep the mark ups at a minimum. :)

Super thanks to manilafashionobserver.com for the breaking news! Now let's all wait for
Ikea! :)

Gracias! Felices Fiesta!

A Fiesta is a feast hosted by different towns and cities in honor of the Patron Saint of the primary parish of the area. It's a day of celebration with overflowing food and drinks. It's a day of being with family and friends. Some even go as far as inviting people from out of town to visit on the day of the fiesta to celebrate with the rest of community.

Here in Cavite City, our patron saint Nuestra Senora Soledad de Porta Vaga's feast day is celebrated every 2nd Sunday of November. A miraculous image of Our of Lady of Solitude that was discovered along the shores of Sea and she has since stood as the patrona of the Cavitenos. Amidst the revelry, the tiagge, the perya, the food, we must not forget that everything we do today is also for thanksgiving. A day to be thankful of all that we have achieved over the last year, the blessings that we have received and the calamities or problems that we overcame. A fiesta is a way of giving it back to the Lord and acknowledging that none of those triumphs would have been possible without the help of the One Above.

The show cabinet for fiesta! Top left: toothbrush holders as vases from Uniwide with faux green flowers, Top right: poster paint ombre art - DIY (frame from sulit.com.ph), gold and white pumpkin like container from Uniwide, revived lamp with cloth from Ilaya bangketa and mini gas lamp from the toy section of the market, Bottom right: wooden basket from a Santi's Christmas gift basket last year, green leaves from the garden, Bottom left: long vintage finish frames from SM Rosario (on sale 100 each!) with DIY fiesta and thanksgiving signs (I really need to learn calligraphy!) and round vase from Uniwide

Now off to my Mom's for food! Happy fiesta everyone! :)

Green and Aubergine

Just because leaves are pretty too.

Leaves from outside. The vase is from Uniwide.

It's a bit rough around the mouth edges. I think it's supposed to be a perfume bottle.

I'm not complaining though, it's a steal at Php 35.00!

Rainy - Sunny Days

Just a couple of weeks ago we were battered by torrential monsoon rains.  This week there's more than enough sunshine to drive our dogs to the back of the garage to find shade from the heat! 

One rainy afternoon, I happened to change things up in the display cabinet. Yellow for the sun, blue for the rain and green because yellow and blue makes green. Here's to better weather as we enter the hectic -ber months! (That's a lot of -er's!)

 

Top left: All owls and the elephant came from Uniwide

The elephant made it's presence known by blaring "Eeeeeeeeeooooooaaa!" 

(Yes that is my elephant animal sound.  In your world what sound does an elephant make?)

This owl saw the elephant first and shouted "What is this madness!?!"

I like my animals in a solid color and doing pretty weird poses. Makes it easier to think of lines that they might say to each other.

Top right side: Eiffel Tower from 168 in Divisoria, green jar, cake stand and owls from Uniwide, assorted books and our palaspas from last Holy Week. (Oh yes let's use what we can!)

Lower Right: Ceramic beige flower from Uniwide, Intertwined elephants from Mandaue Foam, Blue jars with bronze glaze gift bought from the US and the letter M.

Lower left: All jars and vases from Uniwide ( I love the cobalt blue and the yellow one with flowers perched on the side!), the letter T and wooden frame message board from Robinsons.

Next time you see the shelf it will be spruced up for Halloween!!!!! Soooooo exciting! 

In the mean time,

what sound does an elephant make? :)

Cebu Bound!

Ok this is a super late post this happened last February (summer started early for me!) but I think I won't be able to post other summer outing activities before I share this one.  

I had the amazing chance to spend a couple of days at Cebu!  It was better because we were able to go there together with the rest of my hubby's side of the family.  It was my first time there and I have to say squeezing in a wedding, a baptism and a house blessing in 36 hours left us little time to take in the full Cebu experience.  Here's quick run through of that trip.

We stayed at Quest Hotel which is literally across Ayala Center Cebu.  Luckily we got a corner room which got us floor to ceiling windows!  This gave us a great view of metro Cebu.

 

We got to attend a wedding the very next day at a lovely air conditioned chapel.  8:30AM was the start of the wedding so everyone got dolled up pretty early. :) A small wedding with paper flowers and a brooch bouquet! :)

 Then we proceeded to the wedding brunch at a restaurant with a roofdeck view like this...

After lunch we went to a baptism that was held at this chapel.  It was a very quiet ceremony with no more than 20 people. :)

By the time afternoon rolled around we headed over to Mactan Island to attend the wedding reception.  We got stuffed silly at the food stations (takoyaki, okonomiyaki, roast beef, shakes, crepes, lumpia) and we still had to save room for the actual buffet (which had lechon cebu), the dessert buffet and free flowing beer.

The wedding has a "Who has the best 'stache?" contest so of course we had to represent!

 To kill time kids played with fire...

Next morning we went around for our city tour.  Our first stop is the Chinese Temple.

 

You gotta have time to take home OTAP and Dried Mangoes.  (see the giant Otap on the ceiling and the graffiti at the mango store!)

 Someone is starting to get bored...

 And everywhere you went there was a chapel or a church.

Of course we had to visit Magellan's Cross.  With a 'stache of course!

 Famous Ceiling Shot!

We had a late lunch at The Ching Palace (because we are the Chin Family haha)

When I get the chance to go back to Cebu I will definitely:

• Fall in line to pay respects to the Sto. Nino de Cebu
• Hit the beach!
• Try out the local restaurants at Ayala Center!

Any other activities that you might suggest?