Patience and Rain

My dad is a very patient man, at least with me. For the past weekends, we have been going to different malls and shopping. As you know, shopping with girls can be very tedious and boring at the same time.

From an interview with a guy, he said there was nothing more boring than sitting in couches and waiting in vain for their girlfriends, sisters, friends, mothers to try on garments they will never buy anyway. Or try on garments of the same style with different colors.

I did just that. We went mall-hopping and then I went to every boutique with a really nice clothing selection, browse through racks and then try on stuff I know I'm not gonna buy. Dad was really patient, waiting outside the shop for about 15-20 minutes. Sometimes, I would buy just 1 piece after trying about 7 pieces.

When we got to the lingerie section, he would leave me to my devices [ie. try on lots of styles] and then just come back if I'm ready to buy. Lingerie in Jakarta is cheaper than in Manila. Wacoal here is priced around 60% of the stuff in Manila. Recently, the mall had a sale with buy 3 for 2 and I'm full of lingerie. Of course, I didn't forget to buy my mom and sister their bras [they know their sizes].

After that, we went to Starbucks to hang-out [dad can be cool if he wanted, really]. We tried their new frapp, Banana Mocha and it was really good. Dad didn't get to finish his because it was too sweet.

After that, we were supposed to head to Pondok Indah to play tennis. Unfortunately, as we got there, it started raining so we had no choice but to have it rescheduled for the next week.

We ate at this seafood restaurant that's out of the way. Despite it's location, it's still flocked by people, mostly expats. And the food is really good. They are only cooked after we order it.

When we got home, I got a pen and paper and started and inventory of the stuff I bought for the day, complete with the item description.

COMPANY PROFILES:
Company names here in Indonesia you'd think twice before engaging in...

1. Bank Jabar - 'Ja' [Jakarta] and 'Bar' [Barat meaning central]
2. Bank Mandiri
3. Optik Melawai

More to come...

Time Flies

I can't believe two weeks already passed.

Time flies so fast.

Dad and I have been bonding this past week and I've learned a lot about him. Mostly he's been telling me about professionalism, ethics and career paths. Most of all, I feel very mature whenever we talk about matters he has never told me before. Family matters, his personal life, basta ganun. We do this as we eat dinner at restaurants, usually Chinese.

I feel mature.

Not that I'm immature all the time...

The responsibility I'm about to take. The overwhelming freedom and independence I'm given since I graduated...

It's all starting to pile on my shoulders. It's not that heavy yet tho..

Anyway, I went to Jakarta to reflect on my future. I wanted to get away from pressures of getting a job and trying to secure a future. But I'm not really sure about the path I want to take. I have a future, but it's still ambiguous and hazy.

I'm glad for the days I'm on my own. Dad's usually in the office but he calls within the day to check on me [make sure I'm still alive or something]. It gives me time to reflect on what I have done, what I am doing and what I will do in the near future.

Two weeks really fly so fast... and even if I have spent those two weeks contemplating and discerning, I'm still very unsure about my life.

Taya~!

the first player of this game starts with the "6 weird things/habits about yourself" and people who get tagged need to write a blog of their 6 weird habits/things, as well as state this rule clearly..in the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names..don't forget to leave a comment that says "you are tagged" in their comments and tell them to read yours.

this is for kris, who tagged me...

1. I have an OC-ness with sunblock... this doesn't mean I want to stay fair-skinned forever. I wear sunblock because my skin is prone to freckles. And the fact that exposure to the sun increases chances of skin cancer. I DO want to have a tan once in a while, though.

2. I'm very careful with my teeth because they are very brittle. Too much flouride while I was still in mom's tummy. I bite my food using my molars. The teeth in front do nothing, except show themselves when I smile.

3. I am a very nostalgic person that's why I can't let go of my childhood things. I've had Pagong since I was 4-ish. And I've loved 80s more than any other generation.

4. Although I enjoy shopping with my friends and mom, I still prefer to shop alone. Besides the fact that I can have my own pace, it gives me time to reflect on my inner thoughts and contemplate.

5. Crying is more therapeutic than sweating it out... mababa luha ko.

6. I have this weird, almost sick fascination with pretty boys... I'm gonna end there.

Anyway, other people to tag...
1. Jem
2. Leanne
3. Paolo
4. Ericka
5. Rach
6. anyone?

The Week that Was

MONDAY:

• Dad woke me up from my beauty sleep to meet the new maid: Ella. She doesn't speak English... yeah, like I know Bahasa... we communicate using what I desperately call hand signals
• Spent the day lounging around. Since Regency is a serviced apartment, had the sheets changed and the floor sweeped and mopped.
• Watched Smallville the whole afternoon.
• Dad and I went to Plaza Indonesia to buy groceries at Sogo. Bought bread in Bread Talk (Bread Talk is such a hit here, even at 9PM, people are still queueing for their bread! The bestseller here is the floss, fire floss to be specific)

TUESDAY:

• Went to the Gym at the 9th floor.
• Pigged out with Chitato...and Cheetos... damn!
• Ate at a Chinese restaurant in Plaza Indonesia for dinner.
• YM-ed my friends the whole night... updated the blog

WEDNESDAY:

• Played tennis in the afternoon at dad's old apartment. Was glad that my trainers still knew me. They told me my stamina went down and my grip was very poor....
• Because of that, I got 2 major blisters in my left hand (poor grip makes the racket twist in your hand as you hit, creating friction, causing skin to thin; water goes to the area to cushion the skin below)... the one in my ring finger had burst during training. It had hurt so bad but I continued playing.
• After tennis, changed my clothes and went to dad's office in Tanjung Priok.

This was along the highway. There was traffic. We were going to exit at Tj. Priok.

• After picking up dad, which was around 7PM, we went to this nearby mall which had Chowking. I ordered Fan Chow rice and halo-halo (yum!) while dad ordered beef and mushroom. We also bought buchi.

SIDE NOTE--- This has been the third consecutive time I've been eating Chinese food. The first one was at Changi Airport and the 2nd one was in Plaza Indonesia. We ate there before as a family... I really can't memorize the name. It has many Chinese characters and the Roman equivalent just spelled it out, rendering it useless to memorize.

THURSDAY:

• The blisters had hurt like hell so I decided to just relax today.
• Finally got the hang of dad's coffee maker. I want to learn how to make a capuccino tho...

This machine required more than just pressing a button. Had to grind the beans using the thingy at the right, then put them on a metal cup, attache them to the underside of the coffee maker, put water then turn on the machine.



This puts my barista skills to the test.

• I bummed around again and watched Smallville. I'm having a Lex Luthor fixation right now. I'm not usually attracted to bald guys but I'm so into Lex and Chris Daughtry of American Idol right now!
• Dad and I ate dinner at a Cafe near our place. But the food and coffee was too expensive (more expensive than a nice cup of coffee at Starbucks). It wasn't special food so dad vowed never to eat there again.

FRIDAY:

• I put my Bora bikini to good use again and went swimming today. It was at the top floor and I was the only one in the pool. I sunbathed first, putting more tan on my legs before splashing in the pool.
• I remember that we were here during the 1998 crisis. On this exact floor, we saw the whole city in smoke. Riots were everywhere and you can hear sirens all around. It was chaos.

But now the city is fine. Life goes on.

• When dad got home from office today, we decided to order Pizza. We got a Personal Super Supreme Pizza, Chicken Wings and Garlic Bread. We ate while watching Monte-Carlo Open. Semi-finals na bukas. I hope Nadal wins.

Anyway, that's about it for this week. Dad and I'll go to Senayan tomorrow and eat lunch at a Japanese restaurant.

Sunkissed Goddess in Jakarta

I arrived in Jakarta last Sunday evening, around 2230, Manila time. I met dad's new driver and sat on his new car (Nissan Xtrail). The trip back to his apartment in Menteng was faster compared to the apartment in Pondok Indah (Menteng is nearer to the airport and the CBD).

As we arrived in the apartment, dad showed me my new room and my own bathroom. I started unpacking and putting my blouses and pants in hangers as well as familiarized myself with the place. His apartment is relatively smaller than his previous.



My recently opened suitcase. Notice the plastic in the middle. It's our birthday gift to dad, now safely resting behind my bed.



My cabinet, which used to be dad's supply closet. Still trying to stuff my clothes in.


My bed, which housed my laptop and pagong (left side of laptop... he was dead tired too!)



View from my window. It was kinda early when I took this pic so it was still hazy.



Typical breakfast... taken around 10AM.

Singapore Slings

I woke up for our flight after a 4-hour sleep. It was Easter Sunday. Despite the fact that I travel to Jakarta on a regular basis, I still couldn't shake off the excitement. For me, traveling would always feel surreal. The fact that you are going outside your country is a very big thing for me. Stepping out to another 'world' is what I feel everytime I get off the aircraft.

Anyway, dad and I got through immigration and check-in pretty quickly (we had a special line, hehe). We stayed for a while in the lounge and ate breakfast. Dad said not to eat too much because the stewardess would keep on asking me if I would like another roll or more coffee.

Anyway, highlights on board the Boeing 777-200:

• My compartment was nearly empty. Because of the fact that it is a holiday and it's the first flight to Singapore. Too early.
• Because of this, the ratio of passenger to stewardess was 2:1. I felt so pampered. She kept refilling my cup with cappuccino and my glass with apple spritzer. Rolls never ran out. She would come back with the basket and I was so full of bread I tasted every variety they had.
• I had belgian waffles for breakfast...yum yum yum... There goes my weight!
• I watched RENT (thank God for Wisemen... you can pause, ff or rewind your movie) and cried at certain parts... it was great. I wouldn't know if the broadway was better.
• My skin then decided to let go of the burnt layer on my upper arms[i love you, Boracay]. I had to go to the lavatory twice to apply moisturizers. sidenote: I noticed the tan/bronze look 2 days after I went home.
• I missed Pagong. I had to check him in with the luggage...
• When we disembarked, I thanked the stewardess for taking such good care of me.

I love Changi Airport! The carpet...the walkalator... the shops [duty free and GST free!]... the lounge was perfect. All the Evian, Haagen Dazs and Lindt you can gobble. Dad and I opted to get out of the airport and go downtown first.

To say that dad treated me like a princess while we were in downtown Singapore was uber understatement. These were the highlights of our 6-hour escapade in Orchard Road:::

• We took the MRT going downtown. It was fast, convenient and smooth. It's easier to travel using MRT rather than take a taxi or bus.
• Orchard road was full of Pinay DHs... since it's Easter Sunday, they all have time-off
• Dad said that most Pinays have Bangladeshi or Indian boyfriends... it's kinda complicated
• Orchard road was also full of hot chinitos...damn...I'm in heaven.
• Lyn Ching was there, doing a segment for some show. Dad and I tried to get close to her so we can be included! Haha, we have star complex!
• Dad bought me iPod video... I swear I will take care of it to the fullest of my abilities. The guy there, Mark, who helped us, is sooooo cute!
• Takashimaya is my favorite mall. They have the largest Kinokuniya in Southeast Asia...they also have designer boutiques.
• We bought Mom's wallet at Braun Buffel. I think we had a discount.
• Gucci was on sale! Haha, like I'd buy from that store and get out in one piece!
• The Bvlgari handbag that I wanted was the last piece. Hahaha
• Dad and I ate at McDo. They had more types of burgers and meals than in Manila!
• We went to Kinokuniya to collect the books that my sister ordered. I love this place so much!
• At Paragon, I bought a nice black skirt. Can't wait to wear it.
• Dad was such a gentleman. He carried everything we bought!
• In the late afternoon, it rained very hard. We were glad we were inside the building.
• We got back to the airport using MRT again.
• We ate dinner at Jade Palace. Food was good!
• I swear the 2 guys who sat beside us are gay. One Singaporean-Chinese and a Caucasian. I heard a bit of their flirting.
• Dad and I went around Changi, checking out the shops. Bought perfume for mom. Dad has a discount card and was able to purchase mom's Lanvin 10% off.
• During our way to the gate, a kid riding the pushcart fell when they exited the walkalator [the walkalator had an elevation and I guess the kid got off-balanced]. It caused a pile-up and dad and I had to walk backwards to avoid joining the pile-up. The kid was not hurt badly; I think it was just shock. Several foreigners helped them.

Dad and I took the last flight to Jakarta and it was only an hour. I spent the flight watching Scrubs, Will & Grace and a bit of the Simpsons. Dinner was shrimp and mocha pudding. I also had a first taste of champagne. I think I had 2 glasses. I was totally buzzed.

Anyway, the next entry will be my first few days in Jakarta.

Oh, yeah, wala pa pala akong Bora entry!

Later.

Isang Tulog na Lang!

One more day and I'll be off to a well-deserved vacation! I haven't started packing yet but I've made a list of clothes and stuff to bring. I packed borrowed One Tree Hill and Smallville DVDs as well as stuff this laptop later.

My dad and I will be spending a month together in Jakarta. He transferred from Pondok Indah to Menteng Regency Apartments. I haven't been there but dad told me there's a pool and a fitness center at the top floor. I feel really guilty that I don't know how to cook that well. I guess I'm not one of those women who really have an innate inclination to the kitchen.

We'll be starting the day by taking the first flight to Singapore. There, we have around 7 hours of downtown shopping. We'll just commute using SMRT to and fro the city. Dad said to minimize hand carried baggage so I'll have to put Pagong in the check-in luggage.

Sorry, Pagong... no more inflight entertainment for now.

Then we'll take the last flight to Jakarta, where dad's driver will pick us up.

Pretty busy day, huh?

Excursion

We do this annually.

During the Holy Week, we would take advantage of the fact that a lot of people are inside their homes or praying in the churches. After Visita Iglesia, we would take a tour of Metro Manila.

The whole Metro Manila.

We would fill the car with gas and then start our trek in places we don't usually go.

Like Avenida...

Bluementritt...

Binondo...

Malabon...

Caloocan...

It's mostly the northern part of Manila.

For me, it's more like a family thing. Since my brother and I learned how to drive, and the fact that my dad only comes home about 3 times a year, it's the perfect way to bond and see the metropolis. But I'm having this gut feeling that this is more for my parents.

They would usually drive up to the University Belt, where their colleges were. They would never fail to show us the street where their boarding house once stood... my dad's boarding house is now a ladies' dorm! I think it's a nice way for them to reminisce their college times. After all, I don't deny the fact that it's one of the greatest experiences of my life.

Dad would always tell us how he walks from his boarding house to his school... that the food they usually have is fried galunggong... that once, he was almost a victim of holdup...

Mom would point out the place where her boarding house once stood. Then tell us where she buys her 2nd hand books... that she would go to Divisoria all by herself, check out shops the whole afternoon and come home with having purchased just one blouse!...

It was nice, seeing the gleam in their eyes as they tell us their own college experiences.