Archive for Going Places
Candice: 2 Summers Ago
August 11th, 2010 Going Places, Memories, Motherhood & PregnancyTags: Candice, Cavite, Days Hotel, Tagaytay
Time flies.
This picture was taken 2 summers ago in Tagaytay City. Candice was about 6 months old and still kalbo and bilog. It was my first time to be away since I got pregnant with her in January 2007. I was like a bird that’s flown out of a cage. I was so happy.
We were checked in at Days Hotel – Tagaytay for about 2 days. My husband and his colleagues gave a seminar to public school teachers. We were “part of the package” so we got hotel accommodations, too.
Can’t wait to go out of town once again. Yeah, getaway agad ang nasa isip. Haha. I’m already dreaming of another Tagaytay trip — maybe 3 months after I give birth to Baby 2.
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Fun at Water Camp
March 25th, 2010 Going PlacesTags: Candice, Cavite, G, Kawit, resorts, summer, swimming, vacation, Water Camp
After weeks of enduring the early summer heat, we finally drove to a nearby resort and took the plunge. We set off at around 7 in the morning of March 19, packed lunch in trunk, and with a sleepy baby on board. (I actually had to pack her breakfast so she wouldn’t have to swim on an empty stomach.) On the way, we thought we’d get caught in the usual Friday traffic. But surprisingly, we got there in less than an hour. We took the path that snakes its way through Imus proper. That route is a joy for me, because it includes a good view of old houses built during the Spanish era. I fed Candice teaspoonfuls of rice and corned beef while I oohed and aahed over those antiquated houses.
We reached Water Camp at 8 a.m. G made arrangements with the resort management days before so we were, uhrm, given special treatment as soon as we got there. The Punzalans gave us a room in this neat villa situated very near the pool. Candice was so ecstatic upon entering the premises. She kept yelling “Swimim na! Swimim na!” She was jolly jumping in bed, still wearing her pambahay clothes.
It was Candice’s first time to visit Water Camp. Gino and I are second-timers. I was glad to see the same pool that runs through a round-the-clock filter. The service and the ambiance did not change. The local staff are ever friendly and courteous. The resort is clean and orderly. What more, there are trees everywhere! It’s like you’re swimming in a flowing stream surrounded by flora and fauna. (OK – there was no fauna.)
We were ready to go dipping in less than 15 minutes. Father and daughter went ahead of me. The water was COLD. It was like swimming in an enclosed body of water that’s not getting enough warmth from the sun. I slathered SPF30 all over Candice’s body before I let her slip into her airplane floater. I’m thankful for this floater, by the way. It’s got smooth leg holes that somehow secure your baby on the pool. Unlike the usual round floater, this one lets you save some energy because you won’t have to hold on to your toddler all the time. You just let her tread and kick and tread and kick. You can get this floater at SM for PHP170.
^ This long and narrow lazy river is about 3 feet deep — relatively safe for elves, trolls and giants.
After about 2 hours of swimming, we dried up and had a hefty lunch (you wouldn’t believe how much I ate!). Candice and G took their naps. I wasn’t too sure if I had a good one. I was deeply troubled by the tsk-tsk-tsk’ing of a lizard that’s probably stationed somewhere near my pillow.
We went swimming for another hour before finally calling it a fun day. I wish I had more time at the pool, but I was too careful not to overdo things. Candice enjoyed the water, the playground, the people. My dear husband, as usual, got TIRED. Heh heh. I hope we could go swimming again before summer ends.
Water Camp is a family-friendly resort. Alcoholic drinks are prohibited. Horsing around at the pool is highly discouraged. (Lifeguards blow their whistles every now and again.) Water Camp is for those who just want to swim, eat, sleep, cool down and/or chat. It’s the only nearby resort that I’m very fond of.
Have you been to any resort in Cavite? How was it?
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Lunch at Sofitel
June 24th, 2009 Food & Health, Going PlacesTags: buffet, Candice, hotels, lea salonga, restaurants, sofitel, spiral
Yesterday, Ninong Allan (Candice’s godfather) treated us to an overwhelming lunch at Spiral in Sofitel. It’s Candice’s first ever eat-all-you-can experience, so I thought to bring a camera and document everything.
As it turned out, bringing the camera was a perfect idea. An events officer tipped us that Lea Salonga was in the Davao function room for the launch of an age-defying Avon product. Ever the Lea fan, I waited with bated breath until she came out of the function room. I don’t know where I got the courage to approach her. I just calmly walked towards her, introduced Candice, and asked if my husband could take our picture. She was in a hurry to leave, but she said okay.
Wait a minute… I’m supposed to write about the lunch, right??
It was my second time to eat at Spiral. I do love everything that they have, and I wish I could try all sorts of entrees and main courses available. Unfortunately, I’m never an asset in a pig-out place and would only try whatever I feel like eating. It doesn’t matter if this or that food is something that I can’t have on an ordinary day. I will ingest what my tongue speaks of.
For the first few rounds, the food choice depended on Candice’s preferences. I got her tempura, fried veggies and lumpiang shanghai. After her finger-food delight, I introduced her to miso soup. She loved the bits of tofu in it! Then I let her try the soft cakes, the chewy chocolate chip cookies, the fruit-flavored ice cream, and the churros dipped in chocolate. Because Candice has the wonderful appetite of a Toddler One, she chewed on whatever stuff that got into her mouth.
For my last few plates I got slices of roast duck, a bowl of spicy beef and leek soup, this baked potato dish that tasted really good and with a name I couldn’t pronounce, pasta with pesto sauce, two slices of Italian pizza, and mediterranean salad in balsamic vinegrette. I nibbled on chocolate chip cookies in between meals. For dessert I had a cup of green tea ice cream with white chocolate chips (hindi sila bagay, eeww), cakes, and more chocolate chip cookies.
I didn’t feel too full when we got home. Bakit kaya? Maybe the excitement over meeting Lea Salonga made my body burn a lot of calories. Or perhaps everything went down to my bum’s subcutaneous fat. Or maybe because I didn’t eat rice. Whatever. I want to go back to Spiral and eat some more choco chip cookies. I just might spot another celebrity I like.
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Holy Wednesday
April 8th, 2009 Family & Friends, Going Places
It’s the Wednesday before Easter:
One of our dogs died this morning. It was a slow and agonizing death. I don’t want to sweat the details.
G buried her in the garden. He planted forget-me-nots atop the shallow grave. I thought that was sweet.
***
We drove through the long stretch of Buhay na Tubig, temporarily relieving ourselves of grief by checking out live farm animals and interesting signboards.
***
We went to SSS at noontime to check our records, get forms, etc. I really need to pay my SS religiously. It’s something that I need to work on this year. If I remember it correctly, my last contribution was in July 2007, a few months before I gave birth.
***
Had a late lunch with my sister (who’s vacationing from Canada) and my other siblings at Reyes Restaurant in Manila. Afterward, we drove her to her house in Dasmarinas. It was a long and tedious drive for G. Traffic was terrible in Bacoor, as usual. To make the slow road trip bearable, we chatted gaily about life in Alberta and all the cheerfulness its cold climate could possibly entail. It looks like my sister’s settled there altogether. She’s in a good place. It’s convenient, clean and comfortable. It snows 5 months a year in AB, though. Brrrr.
***
It’s already Maundy Thursday. Who knows what this holy day will bring.
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A day in the park
January 1st, 2009 Going Places
We spent the afternoon of Dec. 27th walking around Velasquez Park, a small park in Salcedo Village that sits quietly amidst tall condos and office buildings.
As usual, Candice had a whale of a time exploring new things. She loves the outdoors so much.
1. examining the tiles, 2. first time at the swing, 3. by the flowers, 4. a grassy adventure, 5. checking out the flower with tito bunny, 6. walking with daddy
Created with fd’s Flickr Toys.
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