I See Dead Roses

 

So last Mother's Day, my sweet and thoughtful niece Rochelle ordered some roses online for her Gwama (my mom) and her Great Gwama (my gwama).

She lives in Virginia so ordering online was the most convenient and practical thing to do.

 

 

Rochelle and Gwama
Great Gwama and Rochelle

 

 

Rochelle picked out a dozen red roses each from www.egiftsphilippines.com for the two mommies.

 

This one for Gwama

 

 

This one for Great Gwama

 

 

She was so very excited about Gwama and Great Gwama receiving her gifts I didn't have the heart to tell her what disasters they were.

Look. 

 

Bouquet # 1 looked very tired and thirsty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Akala siguro nila madadala sa glitters. Lol!

 

 

But nothing could have prepared me for Bouquet # 2. I didn't know whether to laugh or to cry.

It was dying right before my very eyes!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear www.egiftsphilippines.com, ANO BA YAN?!?!?!?!?

 

My sister, Rochelle's mom, called their hotline to complain, to which they replied it was impossible for the flowers to arrive in poor condition as their office is only 10 minutes away from our house.

Blah blah blah.

In the end, after they saw the terrible photos, they promised a delivery of fresh roses which, of course, to this day, never arrived.

 

Mom still as lovingly as ever arranged the fugly flowers in a vase. After all, it was the thought and the message that count.

Even if the message was incomplete.

Yup, www.egiftsphilippines.com printed out only a very short portion of the message my sister composed for Mom.

The card for Gwama didn't even make it.

MAJOR FAIL.

 

P.S. My Dearest Rochelle, IF one day Ninang Jin becomes a mom, please, just send me chocolates.

Chef Laudico Guevarra's ♥

 

For my cousins Nikko and Hosea's joint birthday, Nikko chose to celebrate at Guevarra's.

 

 

 

I've been here long, long, long time ago when the place was still a spa and lounge called Tian Di. Now it has been converted into a bright and white Filipino restaurant.

 

 

The Fatterside invaded this room. The rest of the restaurant was full that night.

 

 

I am not really a big fan of buffets and Filipino food. Guevarra's made me love them even a little bit less. 

 

 

Grilled and fried appies 

 

 

Salads and sashimi

 

 

Hot dishes

 

 

Desserts

 

 

The only thing that excited me was this soft serve carabao's milk ice cream machine
(because there was ube!) 

 

 

They charge a penalty for leftovers so I tried not to take too many food that didn't look
interesting. It wasn't very difficult. 

 

 

My plates: 

 

The fried green chili called Bicol Express Surprise created fire in my mouth. I loved it.

 

 

YES, I ate these isaw and adidas thingies. 

 

 

Other dishes were simply forgettable

 

  

From the dessert spread, I only liked the tablea mousse. It was dark and delicious.
I noticed the shot glasses were not very clean-looking. 

 

 

My favorite from the whole buffet spread was this ube carabao's milk ice cream.
Such a pretty color, too! :) 

 

 

This was my cousin JB's ube-vanilla soft serve. I imagined if Barbie had
a pony, its dung would look like this. :P

 

 

The staff surprised our celebrants with a birthday song number

 

 

And mini birthday cakes. This was Hosea's.

 

 

And this was Nikko's

 

 

Of course, we brought our own cake buffet, too!
Baby Yulo Strawberry Shortcake, Dianne's Homemade Chocnut Cherry Cake
Guevarra's Cupcake, Hyatt Toblerone Cake, Honeybee Assorted Cakes, Guevarra's Choco Cake
Pia y Damaso Figs Cheesecake, Gregory Guy Chocolate Cheesecake, Midnight Snacks Cupcakes

 

 

WHAT THE H?!?!?!?!?!
After much pleading from Nikko, they agreed to waive the corkage.

 

 

 Happy Happy Birthday, dearest cousins!!! :)

 

 

It was nice to hang around at the gardens after eating too much cake

 

 

 Guilty as charged! 

 

 

Chef Laudico Guevarra's: 387 P. Guevarra Street corner Argonne Street, Addition Hills, San Juan. Tel: +632 705 1874, +632 705 1811

Chef Laudico Guevarra's Facebook Page

 

I'm Back!!!

 

So happy to be back from one oven to another! :P

Spent the afternoon catching up with Mom over coffee and sweets, and then watched The Great Gatsby.

 

In the movie, Daisy said, "I hope she'll be a fool - that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful fool."

 

 

(Photo grabbed from here)

 

 

Fools.

Isn't that what we all are.

We play dumb, we refuse to see and accept, we force relationships and pretend everything is perfectly okay when deep inside we know it will never be, because we do not want to deal with the truth that is staring right at our faces.

 

Because truth hurts.

Like this new and bigger number staring back at me from the weighing scale.

OUCH.

 

Goodbye and Hello!

 

I kissed Siem Reap goodbye
(LOL!) 

 

 

And I'm saying hello to Pad Thai!

 

 

Update you guys on Instagram (@jinlovestoeat) and Facebook (click here!)

Sawatdee kah! :)

Manila Bulletin Heroes Night Thanksgiving Party

 

 

 

Manila Bulletin's Thanksgiving Party 2013 was superhero-themed.

Thank you, Ahia Emil, for inviting! I was wowed!!! 

 

Manila Bulletin staff dressed as superheroes

 

 

My cousins Jordan and Gerrald came in costumes, too!

 

 

Media partners Wonder Woman, Superwoman and Dragon Ball

 

 

I spied Storm!

 

 

The NBC Tent was transformed into a place that looked like a scene from a superhero movie 

 

 

It felt like Batman would make a surprise appearance on top of one of the buildings

 

 

Love the lighting centerpieces and newspaper "table cloth".
Newspaper was Manila Bulletin, of course! :) 

 

 

FOOD STUBS!!!  

 

 

Manila Bulletin Super Popcorn

 

 

Hotdogs

 

 

Magnum ice cream

 

 

Plus a buffet catered by Cafe France

 

 

I wanted to bring home the menu cards! Lol!

 

 

Boursin Cheese on Cherry Tomatoes

 

 

Mini Burgers

 

 

Vol-au-vent: Tuna, Brie, Smoked Salmon, Spinach and Mushroom 

 

 

Assortment of Canapes: Chicken, Brie Cheese, Salmon, Egg Mayo, Crabstick, Tuna

 

 

Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken

 

 

Potato and Bacon Salad

 

 

Shrimp Salad Skewers

 

 

Cream of Squash Soup 

 

 

Crusted Fish Fillet Served with Chips

 

 

Hickory Scented Baby Back Ribs

 

 

 Roast Herbed Chicken

 

  

Meatballs Mariz

 

 

Chicken Cordon Bleu

 

 

Spaghetti Shrimp Pesto

 

 

Linguine Seafood Marinara

 

 

Mini Fruit Tarts

 

 

Superhero Mini Cupcakes

 

 

Homemade Chocolates: Hazelnut, Espresso, Caramel

 

  

I dream of these yummy things :)

 

 

My plate
(FYI, I ate about two plates already while taking photos)

 

 

MB Bottled Water

 

 

The hosts Rovilson Fernandez and Giselle Sanchez

 

 

The night was filled with exciting activities like dancing...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheering...

 

 

 

And everyone's most-awaited prize awarding!

 

They gave away smaller prizes like Celeteque gift packs

 

 

To bigger prizes like this Apple Products Showcase
Winners got not just one, but ALL THREE!!! iPhone 5 AND iPad Mini AND Macbook Air!

 

 

And the biggest surprise of the night...

 

 

WHO WANTS TO WIN A HARLEY DAVIDSON??????????

 

 

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!! They gave away not just one, but TWO Harleys!!!!!!!!!

 

 

The crowd went wild and crazy. So did I. Lol! 

 

 

This very lucky lady won one of them handsome babies

 

 

And look who won the other one

 

… NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

Oh well, maybe next time. I just drowned my sorrows in this ice cream bar. :P

 

 

 It was a very successful and insanely generous Thanksgiving Party. Can't wait for 2014's!

 

 

Congratulations, Ahia Emil!!! Hi Miss Isabel! :)

 

 

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