Ode to Our Attic

     Our attic like the rest of our house has gone through too many transformations. We were not even supposed to have one in the first place. While our home was under construction though, it took sooooo long for the roofing contractor to install the actual roof that I spent hours on top of our roofless house hating that contractor.  (I forgot to mention that was pregnant with Blue at that time. Maybe that explains why he has a temper?)) It gave H and I enough time though to re-think the option of building an attic. Turned out it could not only accommodate a room but a small bathroom as well. H and I decided to make the attic a TV room and guest room. 

    

     There were times when it served as just a storage room for the many times, we purged and decluttered. Raising a family is messy! We have added storage, repainted and re-positioned furniture.  Remember I told you we were downsizing? Our next home won't have an attic. In fact it will have less rooms. Waaah! So this post is dedicated to our attic which I will miss. The photos on this post are of its current state. Last year we had out of town guests three times and I hope they loved staying there. Hmmm.... what if I will ask everyone for sleepover soon, movie night et al. Naah, I bet the kids will just be staring at their phones and chatting with their friends. ROAR! 

    So it will be good-bye soon. Sniff!

Tayo na sa Antipolo!

     We are not spontaneous. If there is one thing about my little family, we like things planned. As early as when my kids were babies, their feeding was time, sleep time were scheduled. Everything in almost quartz precision time. ( Not as I had hoped.) Our travels are no different. Each adventure is born from meticulous research; reading numerous reviews, countless drops of Eye-Mo for eye strain from looking at the computer screen. Still a question hangs if H will approve or will be not too lazy to drive us. After all, he is the king of I-love-my-comfort-zone. If he does agree, then after the initial shock and disbelief, the thrill of spontineity begins. What? Huh? We are actually going? Well one day in April this year, luck was on our side and H was uh, spontaneous and agreed to go to my 'planned' Antipolo Day. 

     We left the house at around 7am and took the back door of our village (Marikina) to Antipolo. First stop was Antipolo Church or the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage Shrine. We were just going to stop by and pray but luckily Holy Mass was starting and we decide to stay and hear mass. Though Red ( Yellow is now Red since she moved schools.) and I were wearing shorts the ladies in church had sky blue shawls ready to lend church goers and use as cover-ups. It was such a blessing to hear mass as Our Lady in Antipolo is the patroness of travel and we were leaving for two trips in May. Yey!!! Praise God!

Bought some rosaries for H's mom here.

     After church I bought a bunch of samplings of the suman and sapin-sapin (Native Filipino snacks) that are or me quintessentially Antipolo so the kids can try. I grew up going to Antipolo every month of May and eating these. Sadly my kids are not fond of local food like this. They tried them though and said ok. Okay! 

 I love this suman! I used to eat it with sugar now muscovado! Healthy daw!

     Next on our itinerary was Crescent Moon Cafe and Lanelle Abueva's pottery studio. I loooove pottery and I've been a fan of Lanelle forever. In fact the double sinks in our master bath are made by Lanelle. We got lost a bit. Waze's fault. It has been too long since I went there. 

Koi pond is still there!

     Lanelle makes the same kind of pottery though updated but I really go there for the rejects pieces in the back. The guy charged me P200 a kilo I think I read P150 somewhere but I was too excited to care plus he gave us lots of freebies. My mission was to buy condiment dishes and I did so I was happy! 

      Next stop PINTO Art Gallery!

 

     The last time I was there was to watch a Cecile Licad concert with my mom as we were invited by her med school senior who is the gallery owner, Dr. Joven Cuanang. Yup! Again, ages ago. It has expanded so much! We got a guide! We always get a guide or a docent when we go to museums. He was a student doing OJT and we learned a lot and appreciated the pieces more because of him. (Plus, he saved me yanking out my reading glasses to read about the pieces.) It was the height of summer and it got really hot. (If you intend to come here, please wera summer clothes.) We were thirsty and hungry after the tour and though the museum coffee shop was tempting, we were hungrier than the looks of the coffee shop. 

     Meanwhile please scroll all the way down and enjoy my Pinto porn! Too many beautiful art and spaces!  You'll know where we ate at the end of the post.

     I wanted to have lunch at a place owned by my high school friend Diana Lee and have read good reviews about. We had to go back up Antipolo a bit to get there from PINTO and the traffic was already bad. How sad that we are so limited sometimes by this terrible traffic jams. Anyway, after much debating we all agreed to drive down from Antipolo altogether and eat at Rustic Mornings in Marikina. Yummy, every one's favorite! So much for Antipolo Day... So there you go our planned, spontaneous Antipolo + Marikina Adventure! 

      Where to next?

Fried Chicken and Waffle at Rustic Mornings

I π A New Brekky Place

     If there is one thing I love doing, it's checking out new restaurants.I enjoy trying out new dishes and watching how they serve the food, the plating, the plates.... I am no food critique. I just love to eat. Actually I am more critical of how the place looks, feels and smells. I also hate crabby service people...

     Anyhoo, I read about  Breakfast and Pies in the Internet and since it is so near Blue's school, let's go!

     I read it has been opened for a year and is right beside and is owned by the same owners as Pino and Pipino in Malingap Street Sikatuna Village. 

     I do not know which opened first though it does not matter but the interiors remind of Wildflour in way. It's kinda New Yorky- Industrial to me. 

     Service that morning was straightforward and okay but not warm and welcoming or is it the black and white?

Cute lighting!

Attempt to Subway tiles...3 Stars!

Love this!

          I  ordered the Eggs Benny. I love eggs. This was good but I want the Hollandaise less sweet. But I liked it anyway. Filling and comforting!

This dish was the bomb. Caramelized Spam. H ordered it. I am not a big fan of Spam but this dish elevates it to Hall of fame status for me. Surprise was you eat it with Kimchi. The combination was deadly yummy!

I mean look! H was sweet enough to share with a little grunt! Oink to you too!

Chocolate chip cookie for dessert.....This was okay lang. Yellow bakes better. 

  I am so curious though of their breads..... Next time!

     I told my friend Mayet the next time I get the blues I will go back to this place and eat the Spam dish with passion...Haha!!!! Heard the Wagyu Tapa is good too.

π Breakfast and Pies39 Malingap Street, Teachers Village, Quezon City
Open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

A Beautiful Farm House in Davao

     Have you ever thought about retirement?

     H and I have. In fact we did very early in our marriage when we had to shelve plans to move to Palawan and raise a family.  We thought them "Okay, we'll retire here."

     Years after though and our kids are now both in high school. I am thinking twice about it. (Don't tell H. )  I am thinking about how I am gonna miss the kids and how I would want to see my grand kids often, that I do not want to manage a big house anymore (and deal with the helps), that I want to continue trying out new restaurant and eating cake and coffee...I can't do all these in Palawan.

     With all these thoughts in my head I am beginning to admire those who leave it all behind and not just close a chapter but actually started writing a new book in retirement. I know a lot who have gone into farming, livestock and the like and move to remote, open places. We visited a beautiful retirement home and farm house in Davao last month. The place was simply a welcome reprieve from a Manila city rat like me. 

    

     
          I wish I could pick a spot and sleep. Inside though it was the yummy spread that was such a pleasant surprise.

This is what we all 

love about Davao! 

The fruits!

          Our group just had a very easy, relaxing afternoon with the kind and gracious hosts.

       There was even a little putting green for the golfers.

     How nice to wake up to the sight of these tall coconut trees and the clear blue sky!

     (Sigh!) BUT I still want my grand kids, the cafe and cake and coffee......Too early a worry for someone in her thirties like me......

(Disclaimer!!!)