STAIRWAYS TO CHANDELIER HEAVEN

"i like shiny sparkly things"

 'tis the season for all things with bulbs.

ichigo: "i wonder why i like chandeliers so much?"

buko: "do you know the story of the moth to flame?"

ichigo: "you're right! i'm mesmerized by all those shiny bright bulbs!"

buko: "i know how you feel. it's like, must. touch. them."

ichigo: *hypnotized* "must. touch. them bulbs."

buko: "go for it!"

ichigo: *runs up the stairs of makati shangri-la hotel and stretches arms to the giant chandelier*

"must... must... touch... them... bulbs... aaaaaaaa..."

buko: "so?"

ichigo: "almost. i'll try again next year. my arms will be longer by then."

buko: "ok."

  on ichigo: chandelier print t-shirt, japanese pop culture project; white denim skirt with suspenders, levi's; leggings, zara; shoes, converse

 ichigo: "i have a bright idea!"...

sparkly christmas ornaments found at the main lobby of the makati shangri-la hotel.

buko: "what?"

ichigo: "i can touch these shiny christmas tree balls instead!"

STREET SURFING

one of the boys?

since it was bonifacio day (holiday), aryanna and i decided to "celebrate" at bonifacio high street. little did i know that "celebrate" meant aryanna hanging out with her peeps, while i did the usual boring adult stuff (according to aryanna, looking at furniture is boring).

aryanna's gear:

black wooden bead necklace, a cuteture sneak peek. striped knitted shirt from zara.

cream bonnet, zara

milk sling pouch, toy kingdom; white shorts, lost girl; leggings, zara; maryjanes, keds; d-board, toy kingdom

aryanna: "let's roll!"

aryanna's "peeps"

ichigo: "mom, stop taking photos!" *shakes head*
buko: "just one!"
ichigo: "you already took two shots!"
buko: "fine. i'll leave."

*after an hour
buko: "i think it's time to leave."
ichigo: "what? no! not yet, please?"
buko: "ok, so when do you want to go?"
ichigo: "i'll let you know when. why don't you go look at more furniture?"
buko: *pfft!*

*one of the wheels of aryanna's d-board breaks
ichigo: *shows me the broken wheel* "mom..."
buko: "i guess it's finally time to leave, huh?"
ichigo: "yeah. it's a sign."
buko: "you think?"
ichigo: "thanks mom. i owe you!"
buko: *evil grin* "in that case, go with me to bo concept".
ichigo: "mom, i came here to d-board, not get bored!"
buko: *lol*

MANGA COUTURE

cuteture

i was invited by my best friend tim yap to go on a trip to thailand last july. it was one of the best trips i've ever had with my friends!

shopping was great too as it was bangkok's annual summer sale. i scored lots of great finds but i got aryanna the best dress ever! her first ever couture dress:

attack of the manga couture!
aryanna is wearing k. goong manga couture dress from eight e eight eight. it was the only one of its kind that was produced. designer k. goong uonly used it for her fashion show in japan. i was lucky to have found this dress. tim bought the tuxedo jacket version of it.

manga dress by designer k. goong
aryanna is way too young for couture but not for cuteture;)

great manga details

layers of tulle and satin fabrics under the dress

what's really interesting is that the dress is made from tarpaulin material with printed manga. this piece was made for aryanna.

eight e eight eight

ichigo: "mom! i love it! it's perfect!" *hugs mom*
buko: "i had to buy it. i know the dress was for you."
ichigo: "thanks mom!"
buko: "try it on!"
ichigo: "huh? no way! i'll read it first."
buko: *scratches head*

*photography by tom epperson

GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM

stop, look and listen

the guggenheim museum is one of our favorite museums.

buko: "what do you like about the guggenheim?"
ichigo: "it's a fun museum to go around in. every turn is interesting and you can get "lost" in it without really getting lost."
buko: "i can't lose you."

stop...

look...



and listen.

cold silence

waiting to exhale

DIMSUM GO GO

roughhouse dining

the last time we were in new york, we discovered a hole in the wall dimsum place in chinatown. while looking for a place to have lunch, we spotted the red, bold signage of dimsum go go. the restaurant was packed with chinese people, foreigners and a que of other customers lining up for a table. clearly, this place was the place to eat at, but we were too hungry to line-up.

we went back to dimsum go go for a late dinner that night and we understood why people lined-up at this joint — the food was simple, tasty, and you didn't feel bloated and lethargic from msg after eating.

it was almost closing time when we left the place, but before leaving we chatted a bit with the waiters. they shared with us that the place has been there for nine years and there are a lot of locals, tourists and celebrities that frequent their restaurant. they also told us that their new lease is coming up and they fear that if the rent goes up, they may have to close down the place or move. we hope not, because their current location has character and the food was superb.

we went back to dimsum go go several times during our stay and i even took some friends who had been living in new york for years and had never heard about the place. everyone gave it a two thumbs up.

dimsum go go is located at 5th east broadway (212-732-0796).

check out the numerous awards and positive reviews on dimsum go go.

write your own orders. this is a fun and smart way to take orders. no pictures though, but the food is pretty self-explanatory.

complementary oolong tea

peanuts and assorted dimsum sauces

steam buns (tdf) and assorted dimsum

fried spring rolls

i forgot the name of this dish, but it has a mushroom filling and wrapped in rice wrappers with light soy sauce and vinegar.

ichigo: i'm full. let's go home.
mr. roboto: cool red signage.

TWELVE FOREVER.

it's never too late to stay young

one of the gifts being married to tom is that there is never a dull moment with him. he is a born adventurer, a master prankster and a joker. unlike me, who's uptight and serious. not anymore. when you are part of this family, you have to be able to dish it out and take it as well. over the years, i have learned to loosen up and hone my skills on pranks and dishing it well.

it is no surprise that aryanna turned out to be another joker. i wish i recorded all her funny one-liners and comebacks because she is sharp as a tac when it comes to dishing it out. she just has to learn how to take it, but she's only twelve. she's allowed to be sensitive once in a while. lol

if you are wondering why aryanna is busting up in this photo, it's because we were planning an "attack" on dad. strategy and the element of surprise are the key to a successful prank.

researching and planning for a good strategy.

must. read.

research material

buko: did you find anything we could use on dad?
ichigo: not really, but i found something i'd like to try.
buko: what?
ichigo: you won't like it.
buko: *excited* i'll like it! c'mon, show me.
ichigo: *shows the page*
buko: aryanna!!!
ichigo: lol... told you.

nice try.

THE CITY BAKERY

hot chocolate break

i still have a lot of photos that i haven't uploaded from our last trip to new york, so i will just randomly post it here since this is really more of an online family album than a blog.

one of the best cafes we've visited in the big apple was the city bakery located at 3rd west 18th street, footsteps from 5th avenue. they are known for their breakfast pastries (each one is hand made with organic flour), their cookies are the most popular in the city, and they bake them every 30 minutes all day long. they also serve one of the best hot chocolate by maury rubin. the city bakery is also the creator of birdbath neighborhood green bakery — a must-visit place also when you're in nyc.

the ambiance is cozy and the smell of the place wreaks of good chocolate, dessert and divine food. it's the perfect place to have a coffee or hot choco break!

the food station and cashier are located at the center of the coffee shop.

a special room houses some of the best chocolates in the city.

warm, soft and mouth-watering cookies!

a cool diner is located on the first floor.

cookies and pastries served fresh from the oven.

get a heads up from the city bakery via twitter. don't you just love twitter?

i ordered brewed coffee and a hard cookie. i prefer hard cookies over soft ones.

tom and aryanna got the same black bottom. aryanna had hers with hot choco and tom with capuccino.

melt in your mouth goodness!

they serve their hot chocolate in a small bowl. aryanna used a straw to sip it — how cute!

this is how she does it. tom and i were amused by her.

a candid shot of aryanna and i taken by mr. roboto. why do we look so serious?