Cutty

Since my last update a couple of weeks ago, there have been lots to blog about. I was just too lazy or too preoccupied to write about what's going on. Firstly, the home improvement project is nearing the final phase. Our kitchen cabinets have been installed. Our curtains were put up this afternoon. The landscaper will commence tomorrow. We're just waiting the rest of the furniture, chandelier, oven and stove to be delivered. The re-painting of the current house is about to be finished also. We've decided to put the repair of the stairs on hold since wood is difficult to get these days. Nevertheless, our house will look more like the home we left behind, only bigger. Javi's been sickly the past few days. We've just confirmed this morning that he has roseola. It has been very difficult to make him take his meds. He's been very picky when it comes to his food also. So far, we can feed him spaghetti and nothing else. Johann got hooked on Handy Manny and ...

Vic and I are itching to go back to our own home. We need our own space, to say the least. I am excited to go back that I've already figured out how to dress up the place. I've made a list of what I need from room to room. That way, I can window shop and set a budget for furnishings. I'm just disappointed that I don't have as much as I planned. Ondoy made a big dent in our budget that we still have some items we need to attend to: >repair of staircase >granite for the kitchen counter >curtains >landscaping >a new oven and stove >final payment of our kitchen cabinets and hardware We're over-budget as it is. Sad.

Karl Edward bazaars used to be my prime source of Christmas presents. It'll be Christmas in a couple of weeks and I haven't visited the NBC tent in nearly two months. My weekends have been very busy this season. So far, three consecutive Saturdays were spent attending weddings of friends. Sundays are for performances and rehearsals. Weekdays are for caroling invitations, house construction visits, errands and Christmas shopping. Time in between is spent with my family. I hope Karl Edward opens up on a Friday. I am looking forward to the one in Nuvo City.

In less than six weeks, we'll be celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary. I'm thinking of doing something special to celebrate this milestone. Vic said that we could have a small gathering and we'll probably have the house blessed by then. I'm thinking about celebrating it in a different way. When the 5th anniversary was still more than a year away, I thought about traveling to Europe with Vic. It has been a decade since we were there. However, that plan is slowly losing its appeal because a friend's wedding has been delayed for another year. We'll probably wait for that. Now that PAL has a direct flight to Tokyo, I am asking my travel agent to check out packages for us. I fell in love with Tokyo when ACS went there. Vic was still a kid when he went there. It has changed a lot since then. After meeting with a friend yesterday, I want to go to Dubai. I can hear Vic saying "ang gastos!" Libre naman mangarap (sabay tingin sa emirates.com).

There are so many events that took place last month. Most of our days were spent dealing with the construction of the house and shopping for fixtures. We made several trips to Soler for our lighting and electrical needs. We still haven't gotten anything big enough to adorn the Lanai. We're having it custom-made instead. The Floor Center and Wilcon have become our good sources for tiles and other stones. I couldn't believe that those items could cost so much. Some things didn't go as planned also. Our big MOVING BACK day seems to be pushed further and further. The house is still undergoing painting. Our kitchen cabinets wont be installed till next week. We still haven't dealt with the ruined stairs, guest room cabinets and flooring. Hay, we wanted to spend Christmas there. But, I don't think it is possible. The highlights of the month were Javi's birthday celebration at Fun Ranch and our performance in Piolo's GB5 concert. I have yet to f...

I was in GB4 yesterday to get FIL his Christmas present when I saw this I first heard about it from The Baghag's blog. She said that it was to take the spot occupied by Max Brenner. After several months of seeing the Chocolate Bar still in its place, I figured it was just a rumor. Then, last Wednesday, I read about it one magazine. On Thursday, it was there in front of me. Hay, as if naman may mabibili ako diyan. Window shopping lang ang kaya ng powers ko.

I just realized that we'll be sending our eldest child to school next year. Based on the age requirement above, we'd really have to start scouting for schools. We'd also have to start saving up. Johann will probably have his 3rd birthday party in school also. Hay, expenses are piling up. Kailangan na talagang rumaket.

I was looking for an update for iPhoto, when I saw this ad I haven't even used my folding mouse from Microsoft, and I'm inclined to get the new Magic Mouse . It is so cool. Trust Apple to come up with new innovations to an already useful tool. Click on the link to see the demo.

I've always had this stash of beads. I used to tinker with them when I was on bed-rest with my first baby. I didn't have the nerve to sell them or give them out as gifts. I only wore those I made. Last week, there was an opportunity to earn. Vic's colleague loves necklaces. To me, that is an understatement. So, I tried my skill in creating necklaces. She got 4 out of 5 that I made. I'm quite happy and proud that what I made are actually sell-able. She'll be back next month, so I hope to create a new collection in time for her arrival. This has brought this skill to a new level.

A few weeks ago, I got a text message from Globe. It says, "Globe Advisory: Globe Bangon Pinoy is one with our valued subscribers who were affected by Ondoy and Pepeng . As our way of helping, we are waiving your 1 months subscription fee. Rebate will be posted on your November bill." How true is this? I have yet to verify this with Globe. It is a blessing, nonetheless.

It has been awhile since I last dipped in the pool. Yesterday, the pool was clean and looked inviting. I also had nothing better to do. I changed into my swimsuit and plunged into the pool. I was trying to remember the strokes I took almost 10 years ago. I guess I had too much fun because I stayed in the water too long. Now, I am nursing a cold and occasional coughs. My voice is a little raspy. My throat, a little sore. I thought I was doing myself some good. I can't come down with anything!!!! There are invitations to give out and giveaways to pick up.

Di naman ako kinilig sa kanila . But, I'm glad that they've decided to settle down after all these years. I admit, I do find their timing dubious. Vic even said that it was like a marriage of convenience, for both of them. I understand that it is very difficult to organize a wedding as large scale as theirs, considering that they're both public figures. I also understand that they have to welcome the public to their gathering. From an outsider, it looked like a circus. At a time like this, one would want this most special event to be solemn and perfect. I'd imagine that one would want to focus on her groom and not be distracted by the number of people who attended the wedding. About canceling the reception, I think it is a convenient way of limiting the reception to the closest family and friends. After everything that has happened, I wish them well.

Yesterday, the husband took a day off from work to accompany me to the land of Divi. I planned to get prizes for Javi's birthday. Vic wanted to buy stuff for the home. Right after breakfast, we trooped to Divi and searched for Anding's toy store. I got a lot of prizes, plus some decors for the Halloween Party. It was pretty difficult to look for Backyardigans items. So, I just settled for the farm animals and other non-farm-related toys. I got shirts for the boys. Even Vic got something for himself. I ended up not getting anything for myself. Vic urged me to get Christmas decors already. But since I had no theme in mind, it was difficult to weed through the variety of decors and colors in front of me. We decided not to get anything yet. After a quick lunch, we went to the nearby Soler/Alonzo Streets. We were looking for light fixtures for the part we're expanding and for the living area. We must've gone through every store in search of the one that's cl...

We're celebrating Javi's party in less than two weeks and I have nothing to wear!!! Other than that, almost everything is ready for the party. Hmm ...except for the cake pala ! The giveaways are ready and will be picked up tomorrow. The menu has been settled and the venue is also booked. I just have to distribute the rest of the invitations and try to get confirmation from the invited guests. I'll also have to finalize the order of the program. At this point, I am thinking that I may not have carried out the theme to the fullest. I just don't see any point wasting more money on tarps, additional balloons and standees. Other than those concerns, I have no more worries about the party. I just hope Javi will enjoy whatever we've planned for him.

This afternoon, as I was waiting for my lunch, I received a text message from Johann's former nanny. She was asking about him and about Javi . We exchanged several messages then came a reply, " Di pala katulad ni Johann, naglalakad na nun nag-birthday." That ticked me off. I set her straight that Javi is just like Johann at that stage. I got the feeling that she is proud of her alaga and is taking credit for her alaga's achievements. As a parent, I try not to compare my two kids. Every time I feel it creeping into my head, I remind myself that each child is different and develops differently. I know, it is easy for observers to succumb to comparison. Sometimes, I know, it can't be helped. As a parent, I want my kids to be their best selves. Their best may not be better than others'. Nevertheless, I'd be a proud mom because they did their best. Comparing achievements often lead to sibling rivalry or jealousy or a misplaced sense of competit...

In the few PRP episodes I've seen, I noticed that there's one judge who stands out. She doesn't sugar-coat her words. Like Simon Cowell, she is not afraid to speak her mind. She takes her title to heart with her constructive criticism. Because of that, she raises the bar. Her high level of standards forces the contenders to outdo their previous work. I wonder where she got her work ethics. Her work discipline is so refreshing in an industry where almost everything is ruled by artistic license. I am seeing Magis in action. Opus Dei ka ba? Or pinalaki ka lang na ganyan ng magulang mo? Or nakilala mo din si Lolo Joel sa isang bahagi ng buhay mo?

I agreed to meet with Mother in Magallanes this afternoon. That was before I was told (by Vic) that it was still part of Makati and that I couldn't bring my car. We figured, the quickest and most convenient way was to take the MRT. I got on the Shaw station, through Shangri-la mall. The train ride was pleasant. The AC was very cool and there weren't too many people crowding in the train cars. After one station, I got to sit down. I decided to get off at the Magallanes station. I didn't know I had to walk that far, to our meeting place, at noon. I crossed EDSA through a foot bridge. There was no shade along the sidewalks of Magallanes. I forgot to bring a fan, a hankie and an umbrella. Needless to say, I know I looked ngarag. I felt it. I also felt the dirt clinging to my sweaty skin. Ewww talaga. On my way back, I rode the cab to the Buendia MRT station. I no longer had the strength to walk back from Paseo de M to the MRT station. The heat was unbearable. Be...

Now that Johann is getting stronger and smarter, he is figuring out how things work like turning appliances on and off. He gets excited when he finds a new door to open. He manages to surprise us with his new skills. Just recently, I opened the ref only to find Javi's hairbrush cooling in the shelf. A week before, he parked his tiny toy car on top of his Jellyace. I wonder what other odd thing I'll find inside my ref in the days to come. Come to think of it, I've seen some really unusual things in the ref. > face creams - I once opened my aunt's ref to find a myriad of creams in the door shelves. This may not be unusual to some since there are cosmetic refs in the market. > blood supply - I used to go with my mother during her rounds in Rizal Medical. I was still very young, about 3 or 4y/o. As curious as Johann is, I tried to explore what is within my reach. I opened the chiller thinking I'd find food. I didn't find any. Instead, there were bags ...

The FIL came downstairs very agitated. It seems that he brought home his pocket money for his trip this weekend. He was inquiring about the help who he suspects got the dollar equivalent of 275K from his clutch. The other househelps said that she left 15mins ago and they don't know where she went. The police came within minutes to question the alleged suspect. She admitted to previous instances of theft, but not this one. I suggested to the SIL to have the bundle and clutch finger-printed just to be sure. At present, the FIL is fuming. I hope his blood pressure is normal. ------------------ Unfortunately, it is not my house to manage. Though I have some ideas on how to tighten up the management of the place, I don't think it's time to make such suggestions. I do hope this is the last time and I do hope it can be prevented next time.

To escape the rotating power outages in the Eastern part of the metropolis, Vic and I decided to stay at one of the unaffected hotels. It was pretty difficult to get a room in the Ortigas hotels. After all, they too were affected. Malayan had no power. Shangri-la's reservation system was down. We couldn't get any feedback from our contact from Crowne or Holiday Inn. On the second night of blackouts, Mandarin said that they had an available SMOKING room. Hmmm. That didn't sound appealing to me. I called again in the morning, they said they had an available Business Room (de luxe room with free wifi). That sounded good enough. On my way to Mandarin with the kids and yayas, I got a call that we also got a room in Crowne. Ngek. The rest of Vic's family was staying there. I for one, decided to stick to our reservation in Mandarin because they're going to bill me the same rate whether I showed up or not. We were quite happy with the breakfast selection. Joh...

They say that unfortunate events come in threes. I think I've already reached my allocation for the month. About a week before Ondoy hit, we had to bring Johann to the hospital for febrile seizures. We didn't have much time to breathe because Javi caught his fever. A few days later, our house was devastated by Ondoy. I barely had time to rest my arms from all the cleaning, I had to endure all-night fanning because of the rotating power outages. I couldn't let my boys sleep drenched in their own sweat. God knows, it may lead to another week-long stay at the hospital. It's been very emotionally and physically taxing. I dunno if I can take any more of this. Please let the good vibes come in. I hope the rest of October will be promising. I really am hopeful.

Right after breakfast this morning, Vic and I trooped to S&R to get some items. I wanted to stock up on items for the rainy days. Another reason is this... Needless to say, it was full of people panic-buying and people taking advantage of the good deals. Our carts barely had space to go around. There were lots of buy 1, take 1 items like sheets sets, pillow cases, bath sponges and dinner candles. I got several of the Martha Stewart candles (P29, buy 1 take 1) for the coming Undas. Sunbeam knife sets with stand were sold at P350. Vic was disappointed that the Webber outdoor grill he wanted was no longer available. One big boo-boo of the day was the Hagen Daaz strawberry ice cream that we thought was only P300. I was scanning my receipt earlier, only to find out that we paid WAY more than that. The promo tag was VERY misleading. As soon as I got back, I called the store to have them check the item at the shelf. Best buys from today: > Lifetime foldable tables at P2000. ...

We didn't finish cleaning up the house on Thursday. Vic and reinforcements went back to the house to clean up yesterday. However, due to the impeding arrival of Pepeng , I asked them to leave earlier than usual. I wouldn't want them to be stranded in the flood on their way back to Marikina . Needless to say, they didn't get much done that day. I chose not to go that day because Johann had fever the previous night. I was monitoring him for possible recurrence of febrile convulsions. Besides, I needed time to slip away to check out the party venue for Javi's first birthday. I feel so lucky that the Big Red Barn at the Fun Ranch is still available. I have some minor considerations but I am planning to book it for the party. Besides, I'm already running out of options. With only a month in my hands, I am hoping that the weather will cooperate when I shop for game prizes and party loot. ----------------- On a different note, the husband is contemplating on taki...

Our house was badly hit by Ondoy. We were the first row of houses in the subdivision that faced the Marikina River. The flood submerged the whole first level of our home. It left us with mud about a foot deep. The water pressure has been very poor so the clean-up is taking a long time. After all, almost half of the inhabitants of the subdivision are cleaning up their homes. We're hoping that we'll finish everything today. In the past few days, I bid goodbye to my cake boxes, some family pictures, appliances such as toasters, panini maker, coffee makers, flat irons (most of which are wedding gifts), my convection oven. I'm making arrangements to have the furniture re-upholstered. The unusued pillows would have to go. I am not sure if we can salvage the comforters, curtains and other heavy fabrics. At present, I am scrambling to get a party venue for Javi's 1st birthday. His celebration was supposed to be held in our home, together with the house blessing for th...

...is an ardent reminder of my loss. You see, I left my fairly new jacket in the hotel in California. I removed it from the cabinet so I'd see it on my way out. Apparently, the jacket is white, so are the sheets. In my haste to leave for the SFO airport, I forgot all about it. A few weeks later I called the hotel to check if they found it. It is not in the log book of left behind items. I bet the housekeeping personnel loved it, too and chose to claim it as her own. Hmp! I am not the type of person who loses things. Neither am I the type who gets attached to material things. Nanghihinayang lang ako na di ko siya masyado nagamit. Tapos ngayon, kailangan ko ng jacket na matino. Grrr talaga. I just got that jacket at the beginning of the year. It was such a good purchase then. It has a foldable hood, a thin fleece lining and really water-proof. It is a perfect light jacket for spring and also appropriate for the rain. Now, I am having a hard time finding a replacement. ...

... for helping my kids recover from the dreadful fever. ... for helping us survive the difficulties of the previous week. ... for giving Vic a hefty bonus. May he share those blessings with me =P ... for reliable nannies who can take over whenever Vic and I can not attend to our kids' daily needs. ... for patience and tolerance. ... for providing us another chance to correct yesterday's mistakes and misdeeds. --------------- As the song goes, Thank You God for this most amazing day.

... was mostly spent confined at the Medical City. My first born had high fever on Sunday night. By Monday, he was already uncommunicative. I thought we was hallucinating because he'd scream as if he was afraid of something. It happened three times. I told him to look at the light and he did. He was like that, looking at the ceiling before he fell asleep. He woke up a few hours later, shaking as he woken up from a nightmare. He was shaking for some time that we decided to bring him to the hospital. We made it to the hospital in 8 minutes. I was informed that what just happened was a febrile seizure due to really high fever. I didn't know that if the patient had a family history of convulsions, the patient had higher chances of having it too. In the next time that the patient succumbs to fever, convulsions could take place irregardless of the temperature. We're glad to be out of the hospital by Saturday. Now, all eyes are on Javi who got what his older brother go...

I was in pamper-mode yesterday. I decided to reward myself with a few bits of chocolate from this chocolate vendor in Megamall . It was 24.90 per 10 grams. It was quite pricey so I just got two pieces just to give it a taste. I am a chocoholic and I don't mind paying a hefty price for quality chocolates. Dang! I was soooo disappointed. What I got tasted like it was in the shelf for a long time. It was cake-y and no longer melts in the mouth. I was hoping for quality at par with Leonidas, Godiva or Royce. It was so poor in quality that I wished I spent it on Hershey's, Cadbury or Mrs. Fields. What's most unsatisfactory is that the sales lady deliberately cheated me out of my change. It wasn't a lot and don't usually mind if they didn't have change. She thought I wouldn't notice. Duh!

This afternoon, I sang for a friend's cousin's wedding. It also happened to be the couple's ninth year anniversary. Yes, they've been together for 9 years, seven of which was spent raising a child. The ceremony was short and simple. Highlight of the rite were the priest's lack of "ch" (like church as tsurts) and his signal for the groom to kiss the bride (You may now give eats other the sign of peace). It was a wedding reception like no other I've attended. First and foremost, the oldies were separated from the 40 and below crowd. They were seated at the Jade Hall while the younger ones were situated in the Banyan Hall. They were given plated dinners, while we feasted on cocktails. The connecting room was used by the couple for cake-cutting, toasting and speeches. Secondly, they didn't have the usual entertainment like a string quartet or a wedding singer. Instead, they had several performers to entertain their guests. When we first came ...

It rained heavily when I woke up. As usual, they suspended classes when the kids are already in school…after some (commuting) kids had to brave the rain and flood. A few hours later, the rain stopped. The sun shone. I'm sure when it's my turn to pick my kids and get stuck in traffic on my way back, I won't find it amusing at all. ----------------------------- Can't PAG-ASA find the budget to get a more sophisticated equipment? The technology to forecast weather real-time has been existing for several years already. We can now tell if the hurricane is about to hit in the next minute. Why can't we have that here?

This was the last leg of our trip. This was also the time I dedicated to visit my side of the family. We only had a few remaining nights but I think we covered enough ground not to be labeled as disrespectful . On the day we arrived from SanFo , we had dinner with some of Vic's distant cousins. We had dinner at Buca di Beppo in Pasadena. This was a good discovery for us. We first tried it in Vegas. We don't mind having it again. The serving sizes were pretty hefty and the taste was very Italian. I don't remember what I had but I know it was very good. On their way back, Vic's Uncle and Aunt brought us to my Tita's house in Covina . I was happy to have Pinoy food served to us the next day. I was getting pretty tired of American food. We wasted our time and money in Ontario Mills. That night, we stayed at my cousin's house. They got the model home together with all the furnishings and knick knacks of the realtor. I loved the kitchen so much that...

The day after the wedding, I met up with my cousins Prince and Abe. They drove from Stockton to pick us up in Vallejo. I didn't want this to be another day of shopping since we've been doing that for quite some time already. Besides, we don't have space in our luggage. We decided to go to Sacramento instead. We toured the University and the Capitol. It is a small city, with an old-world charm. Near the Capitol are lovely old style Victorian homes and small boutiques. This place shows depth and history that is lacking in LA or Vegas. Feeling guilty for not bringing them something from Manila, Vic and I agreed to treat them out to dinner at Cheesecake Factory. It was all worth the calories and the long drive. The next day, we met up with the parents of the groom. We went to CIA Greystone . There, I had the most delicious White Corn Soup. It was the best part of the meal, even better than the steaks and desserts. Here are some other shots of the wonderful lunch we had ...

We drove from Vegas to Vallejo. The trip would normally take 8 hours. It took us 12 hours. Since we had senior citizens with us in the car, we had wee-wee breaks every two hours. It was a looooong drive but it was scenic also. We passed through the orchards of Waslo and the cattle ranch beside the freeway. I've never seen an orchard or ranch that spans as far as the eyes can see. Vallejo, like most cities in the Bay Area, has a very pleasant climate. It looks so lush compared to the dryness and heat of Vegas. I can see that there are lot of Pinoys in the area. One said that this is like the Daly City in SanFo. I agree! Even the servers in the restaurants speak Tagalog. We're staying at the hotel fronting the Six Flags Theme Park. We can hear the screams of the people in the roller-coaster as we got out of the car. Exciting! I want to try it out too but no one would go with me. Vic would have a heart-attack if he rode with me. That afternoon we found some time to ...

We've been in the US for 8 days now. Our main purpose of coming all the way to the US is to attend the husband's cousin's wedding. The wedding will be held this afternoon in a Baptist Church in Vallejo. Here's what happened so far. Like what most visitors, we enjoyed the buffet. We had buffet for almost all meals. Buffet is the way to go in Vegas. It is cheaper and is found everywhere. The only catch is we just don't know how long the food is in the same buffet. The Kusina ni Lorraine restaurant Filipino food for a craving Pinoy traveller. Like most Vegas buffets, there is no effort in the presentation. We had our fill of grease and meat. When we were not with our hosts, Vic and I would proceed to our must-visit restaurants like Cheesecake Factory and PF Chang's. We even discovered Buca di Beppo, an Italian restaurant that served really good Italian food, even better than Maggiano's, Italianni's or Olive Garden. the house in Vegas We tried ou...

After three days of going around, we finally managed to go down to The Strip. As expected, I paid homage to the shops at the Bellagio. I braved myself to enter Chanel. I wanted to check out if I can afford one of the items in my wishlist. Apparently, I can. However, if I choose to purchase it, I'd have no shopping money for the remainder of the trip. I also have the option to pay cash for the half of the price then charge the rest to my card. Still, I can't get over the fact that I can buy 1 LV and 1 Gucci for the price of the Chanel. However, if I choose not to get it, I know it will haunt me forever. Ugh! The SA was so helpful. She showed me the stuff I want to see. She even told me that Chanel ships to Manila. My next concern was the sales tax. She said that there'll be no sales tax but she doesn't know how much I'd have to pay Customs to release the bag. There is also a 12-day exchange policy for unused and unworn bags. She really is making it very...

We checked-out of the hotel early on the fourth day. We needed to troop to Yunlin, a province 3 hours away from Taiwan's capital. We were scheduled to sing at the university that evening. But before that, we spent the time going around the city to tour the place. I have only been to the night markets and around the hotel. I needed to explore the city or else, the trip would've been a waste. Our guide Perlette and Josh brought us back to our concert venue. This time, we went around the structures surrounding the Main Concert Hall. When I was younger, I said that I didn't want to go to China and Japan. The ornate oriental structures did not appeal to me. Now that I am older, I am awed by the complexity of their architectural designs. Here's Tria and Binky doing their pose in front of the Main Concert Hall. She's a ballerina and he's a ballerino. Our next stop was Hakka Taiwan, a souvenir shop that sells porcelain, tea, shirts, paper products, pineapple ca...

This was the day of our major performance. For the second time around, we will sing at the Main Concert Hall. This is how it looks like inside. The risers you see are powered by hydraulics. Bongga! This is how it looks from the outside. But before the major performance, we served as the demo choir for the choral workshop our conductor gave. It was held at the lobby, beside the grand staircase. In the beginning, we doubted if we can fill up the place. When they let the people in, it was filled up to the brim. There were also several people standing by the sidelines. But before all that, we had some time to ham it up in front of the camera. Yep, that's ACS for you. We always have time for work and play.

Since it was a Sunday, hearing mass is part of the schedule. At 10am, we heard mass at St. Christopher's Parish in the Philippine Area. In just a few minutes, I sensed that this is one celebration that the OFWs looked forward to. The Eucharist was celebrated by a Filipino priest. The rest of the servers, including the choir, is made up of Filipinos. It felt like their family away from home. Tagalog songs were sung. They had drums, keyboard and guitar. Some of the songs were too "Aegis" for my taste. However, their expression was clearly a sincere offering to the Lord. It was a lively mass, one that I am not used to. After the mass, we rendered five songs. I am glad that mass-goers enjoyed our music. Afterwards, we proceeded to the Taipei Fine Arts Museum for a press conference. Apparently, we were the choir who opened the festival. We sang our "greatest hits" after the Finnish choir. It was quite unfortunate because the all-female Finnish c...

We arrived at the hotel late in the evening already. We were fortunate to have stayed in such a posh hotel in the middle of the Embassy Row in Taipei. The place was quite accessible by taxi and metro. There were lots of small cafes and restaurants around the hotel. 7Eleven was also found in every corner. This chandelier spans several floors We have a lovely view of the wine cellar every time we go up the elevator. Upon our arrival, we were met by Perlette Matthews, a French-American-Taiwanese model/actress/celebrity. She was our translator, coordinator, guide and organizer for the next five days. It turned out that she is married to a fellow Filipino chorister, Fortune. Fortune and Perlette are members of the Formosa singers. Seeing our schedule for the next few days, it seemed that that night was our only free night. It was the only night we can go to the night market. What better time than this this Saturday night? Irene, a kaladkarin friend, and I decided to meet at the l...