Ibyang
Ibyang

Magnificently Melbourne

In celebration of our 2nd anniversary and my 32nd birthday, we decided to take a quick break from Sydney and spend it in MELBOURNE!!!

Melbourne is such a refreshing and welcoming place, so let me share with you the things I love most about it.

I love their quaint alleyways that entices you to follow your senses: you’ll smell heavenly food offered by eccentric little cafes and see dainty boutiques that sell fashionable clothes, bags and accessories.

I love their different modes of transportation: the colorful trams, old and new buses and their cute cute trains.

I love that this place is the coffee and chocolate capital of Australia. Every nook and cranny, you’ll find cafes that serve delicious chocolate and coffee.

I love that this is the fashion and shopping capital of Australia. Need I say more?

I love that everywhere I look, I find something artsy like sculptures in the middle of the sidewalk, graffitis that doesn’t seem offending, and some of their buildings’ architecture here are more innovative-looking that can rival structures in Dubai and Hongkong.

I love it that they have the better Casino place here that boosts of a great hotel (where Roger Federer stays so I’m told hehe), a beautiful view of the Yarra River, posh restaurants and designer boutiques.

I love that they have Nobu Restaurant and TGI Friday’s here.

I love that this is the home of the Australian Open. This was an event that we weren’t keen on participating on the onset, but we’re glad we spent one day watching games at the Australian Open. It was such a marvelous experience.

I love their night market: numerous stalls of clothes, bags, house decors, lamps, food and even massages!

I love that they have an avenue full of photography shops where we even found a cafe called “Zoom Cafe” (how cool is that!)

I love that this is the maiden home of “Wicked” The Musical. It is because of this musical that made my birthday doubly special…and one of the main reasons why we chose Melbourne to spend our 2nd anniversary and my birthday in.

Our anniversary and my birthday were significantly more special because we spent it there, all the more making our trip to Melbourne magnificently memorable.

We were in Melbourne for only four days, but it felt like home…and we would gladly go back there with or without a special reason.

For a more detailed account of our Melbourne experience, please click on the following links:

First day in Melbourne

Anniversary Dinner at Nobu (Crown Entertainment Plaza)

The Australian Open 2009 Experience

Melbourne at Night

A “Wicked” Birthday Celebration in Melbourne

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Roger Federer

He was so happy during the semi-finals…

…but this morning (the finals lasted till nearly 1am), it was painful to see him give in to his emotions and let the tears out. It was remarkably admirable though to see one of the greatest tennis players in humble acceptance of his loss–such a gentleman. Australia was deeply saddened when Federer lost what could’ve been his 4th Australian Open, his 14th major title and a chance to probably regaining his Number 1 position in the Men’s Tennis. Nevertheless, win or lose, he is still a champion and a legend. He’s already made history and no one can take away what he has done in the world of tennis.

As for Rafael Nadal, I’m not yet a fan in the way that I am a Federer fan–wala pa sa level na ganun hehe…but I don’t mind Rafa being the number 1, he fights well and has a heart, like Federer, so maybe in the years to come, I would become a Nadal fan.

As for me, eto wala pa akong tulog. After the game and awarding, I was so sad, I can’t sleep—ganun ako ka-bothered hehehe. During the day, it was so hard to concentrate working because (1) I was so sleepy and (2) I kept exchanging emails with Ara and Chloe because we were analyzing the dynamics of the Federer-Nadal game. Kaloka!

However, we were all relieved too that the Aussie Open finally ended dahil two weeks na kaming puyat!!!!

Oh well, it was a great Australian Open this year. Lots of players that stood out, lots of surprises. Hopefully next year, it will be better.

To those who are planning to watch the Australian Open in the coming years, I highly recommend it because I swear, no country does Tennis tournaments the way Australia does. I’m not even being biased about this. I know someone who came from another country just to watch this year (and who is more of a tennis fan than I am) and said that the crowd here in Australia is so much better than any other crowd all over the world. Another friend has even vouched that in some tennis tournaments, the crowd’s boring that’s why tennis players love playing in the Aussie Open. All I can say is, Australia is a country who loves sports and who oreganizes events almost perfectly–and I think that alone is good basis.

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Thank You!

Before I am once again caught up with the “busy-ness” of everyday life, I would like to say my Thank You Shoutouts to everyone who remembered me on my birthday.

Thank you for the personal greetings, emails, messages via blogspot, Multiply, Plurk, Friendster and Facebook, birthday cards, gifts, text messages, phone calls and for those who simply thought of me on my birthday—MARAMING-MARAMING SALAMAT!!!!

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A Sinful Weekend

1 February 2009 9 Comments Category: Food, Memes

It’s so hot these days and during the week, I saw Magnolia Ice Cream at the Asian store. I told husband about it on Saturday morning so he indulged me by accompanying me to the store and buy a gallon of Magnolia’s Macapuno Ube Swirl.

I’m not a fan of late nights and late night eating. But last night, I ended up baking Potato Au Gratin at 12 midnight.

I was surfing the net last night, looking particularly for Potato Au Gratin’s recipe. When I found it, I realized I have the ingredients and so I did it. At 1am, Husband and I found ourselves enjoying my first try of Potato Au Gratin. The Husband loved it :).


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Is it Love or Toxic Love?

30 January 2009 7 Comments Category: Deep Thoughts, Tips

Here’s an article I found that might help in figuring out whether someone’s relationship with a significant other is doing one good.

I’ve had a lot of counseling sessions about L-O-V-E and one thing that I never forget to ask the counselee is whether the relationship they have with their loved one always (or generally) bring out the best in him/her. This article below somehow supports my views on the kind of love that a person should have, not because of societal standards but mainly because each person deserves to be truly loved.

A short list of the characteristics of Love vs. toxic love (compiled with the help of the work of Melody Beattie & Terence Gorski.)

1. Love – Development of self first priority.
Toxic love – Obsession with relationship.

2. Love – Room to grow, expand; desire for other to grow.
Toxic love – Security, comfort in sameness; intensity of need seen as proof of love (may really be fear, insecurity, loneliness)

3. Love – Separate interests; other friends; maintain other meaningful relationships.
Toxic love – Total involvement; limited social life; neglect old friends, interests.

4. Love – Encouragement of each other’s expanding; secure in own worth.
Toxic love – Preoccupation with other’s behavior; fear of other changing.

5. Love – Appropriate Trust (i.e. trusting partner to behave according to fundamental nature.)
Toxic love – Jealousy; possessiveness; fear of competition; protects “supply.”

6. Love – Compromise, negotiation or taking turns at leading. Problem solving together.
Toxic love – Power plays for control; blaming; passive or aggressive manipulation.

7. Love – Embracing of each other’s individuality.
Toxic love – Trying to change other to own image.

8. Love – Relationship deals with all aspects of reality.
Toxic love – Relationship is based on delusion and avoidance of the unpleasant.

9. Love – Self-care by both partners; emotional state not dependent on other’s mood.
Toxic love – Expectation that one partner will fix and rescue the other.

10. Love – Loving detachment (healthy concern about partner, while letting go.)
Toxic love – Fusion (being obsessed with each other’s problems and feelings.)

11. Love – Sex is free choice growing out of caring & friendship.
Toxic love – Pressure around sex due to insecurity, fear & need for immediate gratification.

12. Love – Ability to enjoy being alone.
Toxic love – Unable to endure separation; clinging.

13. Love – Cycle of comfort and contentment.
Toxic love – Cycle of pain and despair.

Love is not supposed to be painful. There is pain involved in any relationship but if it is painful most of the time then something is not working.

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