Eat, Pray, Tacsiyapo! in no particular order with Carlisle and Bee

After our bar exams, I joined Carlisle, her mom and her lola in visiting the Shrine of Our Lady of Manaoag in Pangasinan. Since Bee is in La Union, we asked her to join us also. So, she drove from LU to Manaoag. It was a very long drive, most of the time I was asleep but the stops are surely fun.

We left Manila around 8am. It was a little late because Carlisle's lola still had to come from Batangas. Thanks to SCTEx, we arrived Manaoag at past 11 am. We lit candles for the intentions we are praying for and attended the 12noon mass.

 Manaoag Shrine from afar

 Mine

Bee saying her prayers before lighting the candles

 Outside the Church while waiting for the 11am Mass to finish

It was Fr. Jerry Orbos who said the 11am Mass

In front of the Church

L-R Carlisle's lola, Tita Evelyn (Carlisle's Mom),

Carlisle and Me

After the Mass, we decided to eat in Matutina's in Bonuan, Dagupan (a nearby town). It is very famous for it's delicious and fresh seafoods. Tummies are all crumbling by 1:30pm. We arrived at Matutina's at around 2pm.  And here are the main stars of our lunch:

We also had Boneless Bangus, Sinigang na Baboy, 

Inihaw na talong with Bagoong and BBQ. Yum!

And of course, before we leave... :)

After stuffing ourselves to the hilt, we went back to Manaoag for Lola to kiss the image of Our Lady and to buy some pasalubongs for her friends. It was already almost 5pm. On our way back to Manila, Tita Evelyn wanted to drop by Isdaan, a restaurant alongside the National Highway of Tarlac. The ambience of the place was superb. Guests are lodged in separate kubos where they will eat. These kubos are placed on a barge floating on a man made fish pond of carpas. :)

Ponds are 9ft. deep

Carlisle and I enjoyed ourselves because of the statues of well-known people around the park and three security guards. :) We later found out that the material used for these statues are lahar ashes.

Ninoy Aquino, Cory Aquino and Cardinal Sin and Erap

The three Stooges este guards.

Of course, I wouldn't miss a chance of a photo op with one of my favorite superheroes:

Iron Man! Tony Stark, I ♥ you. :)

We ate dinner. Tita ordered Adobong Pusit, Bulalo, Green Mango Salad and Spareribs (which is not in the photo). Nom, nom, nom. :)

You can also find in the place the infamous Tacsiyapo. I have always thought of going here after the Bar and I am really happy I did, more happy it is unintentional though. :) According to them, Tacsiyapo is a word used in their local dialect to express disgust or frustration. The attraction though, provides of a wall where you can throw various things against like plates, glasses, vases or TV if you please. The goal is to release "anger". Talk about healthy anger management. Haha. But a little pricey though. :) Each medium sized plate costs Php 18. The cheapest is a mug at Php 15. :)

Guess which part I targeted

Above are stuffs sold at respective amounts 

to be thrown against the wall. 

Carlisle released her first plate. :)

I threw 3 medium sized plates and it felt nice. :) Video to be posted next time. :)

Stella Maris

A week after the Bar month, I paid the Blessed Mother a visit in her shrine in Manaoag, Pangasinan with Carlisle, Bee, Michael, Tita Evelyn (Carlisle's Mom) and Carlisle's lola.

I have always been a devotee of the Blessed Mother.  Ever since I was young, I would always pray to her and ask for protection and help. When I took my Bar Examinations, it is to her that I offered my sacrifices. It is to her that I usually ask for intercession to God especially during the times of frustration and doubt. I would run and cry to her whenever everything I do seems futile...and through all those months the Virgin did not fail me. 

I used to ask a priest friend what does it mean to have a devotion. We never really discussed it fully, yet it dawned to me that devotion leads one to faith, which later leads the person to imitate the virtues of the devoted and eventually grow in them. (I was surprised that the Lumen Gentium says the the same thing. Maybe it's the Wisdom from the Lady.)

On background is the front of the 

Shrine of Our Lady in Manaoag

The week after the Dominican Community in Sto. Domingo in Quezon City celebrated the Feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of La Naval. I have been joining the Grand Procession ever since I was in high school. So for years now, this has been a tradition and a personal devotion to offer decades of Rosary and follow our Lady as she visit the streets. 

This year, I failed to join the procession but I still made it a point to pay her a visit on that day. As usual, I thanked the Blessed Virgin for  all the favors she bestowed on me and renewed my commitment to her and God. I invited a few other friends to come, and I was blessed to know they too were blessed by the experience. 

Our Lady of the La Naval sitting on her throne

Blessed Mother, Thank you for taking me in as your daughter. Thank you for continuously caring for me as your own. I praise God for Jesus' generosity to give you to us as our Mother. May we be worthy to be called your children. Place me always under the mantle of your maternal protection and bestow upon me the grace to be like you. I seek to also cooperate with God in the completion of his Will. Guide me always, remain to be the Star which leads me to the Heaven my heart longs for. Amen. 

One Fine Isaw Day

Our Iskolar ng Bayan Katie hollered to the Ward 7 girls to accompany her in University of the Philippines (UP) to enroll for Advanced Pre-Bar Review...and to eat ISAW from the famous Mang Larry's Isawan. (Isaw is a Filipino street food made of grilled pork or chicken intestines.) Only Bee and I are available. So, at around 11am Kate and Bee picked me up from Espana and off we went.

Katie decided to go to Trinoma first to have her photo taken and to pick up some Smencils for her online shop. Since, we're already hungry we decided to ate lunch. Here are some of the photos. :)

 That's Bee. As usual, she's hungry...again. :)

\

My favorite lunch combo from World Chicken. 

(Grilled Chicken with Ranch BBQ Sauce, 

Pomodoro Spaghetti and Potato Salad for sidings)

At around 2pm we drove off to UP. I love going to UP because of the ambiance and a little nostalgia. It feels like you're being transported out of Manila in minutes. :)

I dint get a picture of the Oblation because that was when

 Katie asked both Bee and I to look at the back for a picture. 

Hahaha! Goodluck sa bangga!

Kate successfully registered herself with the UP Law Center. We also met an old guy, who apparently was a former Dean and he started joking with us. A few sarcastic humor from him, then we said goodbye. Bee was so excited to go to Chocolate Kiss in Bahay ng Alumni for dessert. 

We ordered Devil's Food Cake and Chocolate Suite. :)

My vote was for the Kahlua Chocolate Cake (one with brown icing) and Katie and Bee's is the Devil's Food Cake. I must admit though that it was also good. I am just a coffee junkie. After stuffing ourselves with sugar, Tanya, Bee's friend, came and decided to join us for Isaw! This is really it! :)

It was 3.30pm when we arrived at Mang Larry's Isawan Stall. They are still setting up then but orders are being taken already. We ordered *toot* sticks of Isaw na Baboy, *toot* sticks of Isaw na Manok, *toot* sticks of Tenga ng Baboy, and *toot* packs of chicharon. This is really obscene. :p Here are the pieces of evidence. 

Ate: "Pangalan?"

Katie: "Bee po/"

Ate: "Ve, as in Vektori"

Hilarious!

Cooking hot...

Take your pick! :)

Yum!

..and there was none. Hihi.

After having our load of Isaw, we went  to the shopping center for some Sago't Gulaman and Fishball. It was on Tanya. Yahoo! :)

Katie on her Sago't Gulaman

Pishbol, bow!

I would have wanted to have Palitaw and Balot. But I am so stuffed it was too difficult to move. Haha. :) 

Bye, UP. Til next time. :)

teased...and so these thoughts. :)

I am being teased my friends that one good thing that will come out from my moving out is that I'll meet "the one" for me. I would always let out a lil loud chuckle (which I did as finished typing the last statement.) Really, now? On second thought, maybe. Come to think of it, it's been two years since I attempted to trust someone with my heart. I should say the lull was fun more than a bore. I enjoyed myself a lot. I don't need to call much of a "me-time" because I am practically with myself all the time. It was fun. It was enlightening. It was amusing to find out things about myself. It was also hard sometimes because I have to deal with someone who I can never walk out from. It was good--very good even.

Although sometimes, I would yearn for someone to share the fun with. Yeah, I got my friends. I love them, but sometimes you just look for that one person whom you can make memories with, fight with, make up with, talk with, be silent with, drive around with. Just that one.

Two of my very close friends told me how much they admire my courage in taking my chances on love after every heartache. It was a surprise though because around two years ago, I felt I've already given up. I know at the back of my mind I still keep that faith on love and nth chances of making things right but I guess it was that time that I declared a time-off to finally straighten things up with myself.

I've learned and I've learned a lot. I should say I am wiser that is prolly why I took things aside. I can't say am ready but I do feel am almost there. :) I'm having quite a bunch of sudden changes in my life now...so, I hope this one comes slowly and sure. :)

Current Song: Haven't Met You Yet by Michael Buble

moving back home or moving out?

Recently, my mom decided that we'll have to leave this apartment that we're staying in to go "home". It was Bar month when she declared that so I did not pay too much attention until she asked me to pack my things the second Monday after the last Sunday of the Bar exams. Initially, I was in a quandary as to what must be difficult. Was it the packing or the thought of leaving? It was too damn hard. It was painful that I had to cry (and tell you it wasn't your moviel-like crying. It was your ugly crying. Really.) Until I started putting my law books in the boxes. I realized it was the whole idea of leaving. See, I never knew any other home for 27 years except this apartment. Yes, we do own the house there in Cavite, but I never lived there. I sleep there but I never actually lived there. This apartment was my home. This is where I grew up. This is where my childhood memories are made. This is where my heart will always be.

I would always complain how noisy my neighbors are or how easy the streets would get flooded with a few minutes of hard rain when in fact the whole Manila is dry. I never thought (or appreciate) how accessible my place is to any point of Manila.  I forgot how almost all my friends hung out here after classes or have spontaneous overnights. I never thought how much this place is a part of me. 

(Boo, this is getting to melodramatic. Forgive me, people) 

Good byes aren't for me. I am not good at it. Always. I hope I'll learn to settle in my new house...then maybe later, I can find my own home. Somewhere, I can really call mine. :) Then, maybe then, it'll be less difficult.