Manila Girl at Heart

Viewing: Manila Girl at Heart

Maternity style: Tropical edition

By the time I flew home for the holidays, I was tired of piling on ten million layers before going out. So I was looking forward to wearing my “real” clothes (which is how I think of my summer clothes) and feeling like myself again for three weeks.

What I loved about dressing for pregnancy in the tropics:

Getting to wear sandals. Pretty toes, yay.
Packing only two pairs of shoes, because staying with my mom and sister means a bottomless shoe and accessory closet—and a trip to Landmark means shopping for cheap flats!
Putting away my thick, woolly maternity tights and seeing my legs again

What I didn’t love:

THE HEAT. OMG. Being pregnant, your body temperature is already higher because of increased blood circulation and being plunged into tropical heat does not help. At all. On my last few nights, I couldn’t sleep unless I had both the aircon (set to 21 degrees) and the electric fan on. December showed no mercy to this pregnant mama.
Bloating and expanding because of said heat. I didn’t go up a shoe size, thank goodness, but I gained FIVE POUNDS of water—which I lost the day I returned to wintry Amsterdam.
Humidity-triggered frizzies. Good thing there’s The Twist!
Sweating your way to that dewy (read: oily), no-makeup look. I found myself quite startled to see how much makeup women pile on in Manila (some women really need to lay off the foundation!) until I remembered that it melts off in minutes.
Being forcibly reminded of how everyone dresses in the same preppy/simple girl uniform. I lost count of the number of neat ponytails, Longchamp Le Pliage bags and round pearl earrings I saw in my two weeks back home!

All that aside, what I loved most about dressing for the heat was getting to dig out some of my favorite outfits from storage—like the printed vintage shirtdress I hadn’t seen since August…

and being able to wear my normal, non-maternity clothes… even in my third trimester.

[Read more...]

7 Comments
Posted on January 30, 2013
Category: Manila Girl at Heart, Personal Style, Pregnancy · Labels: baby bump, Manila, Philippines, pregnancy, Singapore, style

Sofitel staycation

Disaster struck when I returned to Amsterdam from Manila: my entire hard drive crashed. I last backed up right after learning I was pregnant, which means all my digital keepsakes from my entire pregnancy—ultrasounds, weekly belly photos, videos—except for what’s on this blog, are gone. I don’t want to think too much about it, it hurts my heart.

Thank heavens for small blessings. While trying to piece together what little I had left, I discovered the pictures from our fifth wedding anniversary still in my SD card. Marlon and I like to celebrate anniversaries at the beach, but I couldn’t bear another flight on top of two long-haul ones between Manila and Amsterdam. So this year, we opted for a weekend staycation at the Sofitel Manila, which we’ve never been to and had an appealing resort-in-the-city feel.

I’m so glad I still have pictures to remember this wonderful weekend: breakfast in bed, with a side of something special…

which turned into lazy afternoons (we had two!) by Sofitel’s gorgeous pool, lined with tall coconut trees and directly facing Manila Bay.

[Read more...]

9 Comments
Posted on January 28, 2013
Category: Manila Girl at Heart · Labels: Manila, Philippines, sunset

Let’s do Brunch in… Tagaytay

It’s the first brunch post of the year! So I thought I’d do something a little special and take you to one of my favorite brunch spots, which I can only visit once a year when I’m back home in the Philippines. And that is Breakfast at Antonio’s in Tagaytay.

Tagaytay was always my family’s halfway point during frequent weekend drives to the beach—Puerto Azul in Cavite, and when that went downhill, White Sands in Nasugbu. Five years ago, Marlon and I were married there. It’s now way more developed than I remember (and more than I’d like), but for a weekend activity, a long leisurely drive to Tagaytay never gets old… not when what awaits you is a fresher, cooler climate and a beautiful view.

This classic panorama of Taal Volcano—a lake within a volcano within a lake within a volcano—is exactly the view from Breakfast at Antonio’s backyard.

The younger sibling of Antonio’s, one of the Philippines’ best restaurants and a yearly pick for The Miele Guide’s 20 Best Restaurants in Asia, Breakfast at Antonio’s serves all-day breakfast in a setting that reminds me of a weekend resthouse.

It could belong to someone you know: an older friend, maybe an relative. That is, if you have relatives who are really… successful (read: rich).

[Read more...]

4 Comments
Posted on January 27, 2013
Category: Food & Drink, Let's Do Brunch, Manila Girl at Heart · Labels: brunch, food, Let's Do Brunch, Philippines, Tagaytay

Quiet time in the city

Too many years of pre-Christmas chaos led me to expect that Manila would be crazy, jam-packed and debilitated by traffic. But I was pleasantly surprised. It seems we arrived home at just the right time, or maybe everyone did their shopping early this year. Maybe it was because Christmas was on a Tuesday, giving everyone a much-needed weekend to get things done.

Whatever the reason, I found the Makati commercial/business district surprisingly quiet on the Sunday before Christmas. And that was actually nice.

After living in a city where very few buildings are over 4 stories, Makati’s towering, densely packed skyscrapers are almost a strange sight. I’m not used to them anymore.

Neither am I used to such insistent brightness, or spending so much time in malls…

… or being confronted with such urban density. For example, Makati’s population of approximately 530,000 (about 2/3 of Amsterdam’s population) is squeezed into a city roughly 10% the size of Amsterdam. This is why people who whine about how crowded Amsterdam is always get a blank look from me.

But hey, I’m not complaining. I’m not used to swimming outdoors at 6pm on a December evening, either. But it doesn’t mean I didn’t relish it.

And when the city rolled out its one of its famous sunsets, this slice of quiet time became even more precious. This, I miss.

Did you manage to find a pocket of quiet time this holiday season? It feels wonderful, doesn’t it?

2 Comments
Posted on December 28, 2012
Category: Manila Girl at Heart · Labels: Makati, Manila, Philippines

Filipino favorites at Sentro 1771

When Marlon and I first started dating, we were 22 year-olds whose typical date was a movie and dinner at Greenbelt 3, then newly renovated and thus the trendy place to be. One of our dinner favorites was Sentro 1771, which we revisited last week after catching The Hobbit at Greenbelt.

I *love* Sentro. I can’t believe it’s now going on 10 years old!

After almost two years of living in Amsterdam, it now strikes me as a bit strange to find an excellent restaurant in a mall. You’d be hard-pressed to find a mall in Europe, much less a decent restaurant inside one; it seems the rule of thumb is, the further away from a commercial establishment, the better the chance of a good meal. But Pinoy culture is different: the mall is the place to be. Thus some of the best, most loved restaurants are in malls.

Like Sentro. I’m pleased to find that the food—classic Filipino favorites with a modern twist—is still as good as it was when it first opened 10 years ago. That deserves major props!

I think it’s hard to make Filipino food (which is generally brown and messy) look pretty, but Sentro did a great job with these Smoked Fish Spring Rolls, a nice spin on the usual fresh rice paper spring roll.

Our favorite dish, Corned Beef Sinigang (beef short ribs in tamarind broth), is still as good as ever. And they still bring a small tasting cup of broth to your table, so you can adjust the sourness and spice to your preference. I’ve always thought it’s a great way to bring the feel of a home-cooked meal to a restaurant setting—after all, everyone makes their sinigang (and similar traditional dishes) just a little bit differently from everyone else.

Sentro’s coffee pie is one of my all-time favorite desserts, and a real must-have. This tiny slice combines a rich, dense coffee mousse with a moist but crunchy chocolate-cashew crust.

Sentro is really generous with the brewed coffee! Marlon couldn’t finish his mug (and what a lovely mug it is, too). I love that coffee is served with muscovado sugar.

For a restaurant that’s been around for 10 years, Sentro is doing spectacularly. It still has that modern Filipino look (love these lamps and all the warm wood), and more importantly, food that’s consistently delicious. So glad I got to revisit this Filipino fave!

Comment?
Posted on December 27, 2012
Category: Food & Drink, Manila Girl at Heart · Labels: food, Manila, Philippines

My Ateneo Christmas

How was your Christmas? I hope it was filled with lots of good food and great presents! (And not so many nosy relatives.) I enjoyed a nice, low-key Christmas with my family at my sister’s house in Laguna, with our usual holiday traditions: carving up the Majestic ham with the wrong knife, fruits and queso de bola at the Noche Buena table, and guessing what each present is before opening it (something my mom is really good at).

Aside from these holiday rituals, there’s one Christmas tradition I truly treasure… but it’s not one that I share with my family. And that’s celebrating Christmas at my university, the Ateneo de Manila.

For me, Christmas isn’t complete until I do what I’ve been doing for nearly 10 years, which is sing at the last Simbang Gabi mass before Christmas, on the evening of December 23rd. As part of the Ateneo Chamber Singers (which always sings at the same mass every year), I did this all the way until I moved to Singapore. Even when I wasn’t in the choir anymore, I’d still fly home, make the trip to the university, and sing at mass with my friends.

My Ateneo Christmas always makes me feel that I’ve come home. In fact, my Ateneo Christmas has a home: the university church, the Church of the Gesu. I think it’s one of the most beautiful Catholic churches in Manila, but I may be biased.

It’s illuminated by garlands upon garlands of Christmas lights, strung from the massive trees lining Bellarmine Field in front of the church.

It’s warmed (and fed!) by freshly cooked bibingka—rice cakes with hot butter, salted egg and grated coconut, for my non-Pinoy friends—and light, crisp churros con chocolate.

It’s made beautiful by the gentle faces of the Nativity by the altar, and by the decorations hanging from the highest point of the Gesu’s peaked ceiling. They’re different every year, but they’re almost always in the school colors of blue and white.

And my Ateneo Christmas is filled with music—with songs that I’ve known by heart for years, sung by the beautiful voices of people I love and miss. Their voices really are beautiful, and this time I’m not biased!

It always makes me a bit sad to just be a member of the audience—instead of singing with them for the mini-concert before the mass—and realize that there are songs I don’t know anymore. But I’m just too happy to be surrounded by this music, to really dwell on what I’m missing. And when I do get to add my voice to theirs for the mass, it’s the happiest feeling. It’s Christmas, and I’m home!

Comment?
Posted on December 26, 2012
Category: Manila Girl at Heart · Labels: choir girl, Christmas, Manila

Old Manila notebooks by 23060

I seem to be in the mood for architectural drawings these days. After sending out my canal house Christmas cards, I rewarded myself by placing an order for these illustrated kraft paper notebooks by Kath Mitra of 23060.

I first saw them on Daphne’s blog and was immediately drawn to the line drawings of old Manila churches—I just love old buildings. I eventually found my way to Kath’s Facebook page and ordered a set of three notebooks (Php 559, or €10) to add to my little stationery collection. They will be sent to my mom’s house while I’m in Manila for the holidays, so yay!

An architect by profession, Kath draws buildings for a living and for fun. Fascinated by stories her history professors would tell about old Manila, Kath set out to create notebooks and products that bring Manila’s faded architectural treasures to life. She has a series of notebooks featuring Manila’s Art Deco cinemas such as the Metropolitan and Capitol Theaters, and is working on designs for mugs, cushions, coasters and more.

“I make notebooks so people will know about these buildings, and appreciate the fact that these beautiful structures are not found in Paris, Tokyo or wherever, but in the Philippines,” says Kath. “It makes me happy whenever people recognize the buildings printed on the things I sell. I get a sense of fulfilment whenever the architect behind the buildings I use is acknowledged or remembered. I guess I’m sentimental like that.”

With just a few days to go until I fly home for the holidays, Manila is very much on my mind. I know the heat will probably be torturous, but there’s nothing like Christmas in Manila. I can’t wait to be home!

4 Comments
Posted on December 14, 2012
Category: Manila Girl at Heart, Shopping & Finds · Labels: Manila, notebooks, paper

Baby names: The search is on

This week, Marlon and I find out if we’re having a girl or a boy. YAY! Neither of us have a stellar track record for delaying gratification, so we do intend to find out. I’m excited to find what Little Mango will be, so I can thinking about the fun stuff. I want to start choosing colors for baby things and nursery furniture. I want to launch into a whirlwind of activity—knitting, sewing, painting,shopping. And I want to start calling Little Mango by name.

So, baby names have been on my mind lately—both our minds, actually. Our baby name conversations got us thinking about our own names and what we liked (or didn’t like about) about them.

Our names on the menu cards at our wedding reception

[Read more...]

43 Comments
Posted on October 16, 2012
Category: Manila Girl at Heart, Pregnancy · Labels: baby, baby names, Marlon, pregnancy

Thinking of home

It’s hard to continue with the rest of my Iceland posts when Manila is under siege from the rain.

Apocalyptic panorama by Adrian Dungo, via Facebook

With 172 mm of actual rainfall and no letup seen until Thursday, home is the focus of my thoughts and prayers. My social media feeds are filled with photos of flooded streets, calls for rescue, and stories that seem all too familiar. (Have we really learned nothing from Ondoy? It seems prediction systems are better and response times are faster now, but not by much.) It doesn’t seem appropriate to be all chipper and colorful on the blogosphere while all this is happening—much like it seems inconsiderate to order in for food and send the poor delivery boys out in this madness! People, please.

I may be far away but the power of social media makes this feel immediate. While I’m thankful my family and close friends are safe and dry, there are many thousands who are not. If you’re back home, here’s how to help. And if you’re back home, I’m thinking of you. Please stay safe and take care.

I will continue with the last of the Iceland posts (Reykjavik and the Blue Lagoon) on Thursday. Till then, please say a prayer for Manila.

Comment?
Posted on August 7, 2012
Category: Manila Girl at Heart · Labels: Philippines, rain

Countdown to Kleine Fabriek

A few months ago, I signed on as one of two booth managers representing the Philippines’ own googooandgaga at a trade fair called Kleine Fabriek in Amsterdam. (Read more about this art-driven children’s wear brand, and how I got involved here.) That means when I get back from Iceland, I’ll need to hit the ground running… because the day after I get back is the weekend of Kleine Fabriek!

I love receiving packages in the mail, don’t you? In the runup to Kleine Fabriek, I’ve been receiving them nonstop over the last few weeks. Angelique, googooandgaga’s brand partner in Europe, has thought of everything. From her, I received my half of a trade show kit that includes business cards, catalogs, invitations, double-sided tape, sample sizes, even a cute little dish for collecting business cards, and more.

From Audrey in Manila, I received samples of googooandgaga’s latest collection for boys…

… and for girls. Cue the baby pangs!

I also met up with Willem-Jan, my co-manager, which was a lot of fun. It turns out he lived in the Philippines for six months… and LOVED it! He stayed in Mandaluyong, near Jose Rizal University, which is as local as you can get—far from where most expats would dare to live and just minutes where my family used to live, in fact. Willem-Jan’s stories about being the strange white six-footer taking the jeepney and boxing at the Elorde gym on Shaw Boulevard cracked me up, and his evident enthusiasm and fondness for the Philippines warmed this Manila girl’s heart.

The ability to attract such enthusiasm, whether for art, children’s clothes, or the Philippines itself, speaks volumes about the kind of business googooandgaga is. I think it’s a reflection of the passion AJ and Audrey put into their product and brand—love and madness, as they would say.

I’m so excited for Kleine Fabriek, and proud that I get to be part of bringing an awesome Pinoy brand there!

P.S. How do you like the Instagram-ish feel of these pics? I’m trying out Rollip, a website that lets you apply vintage filters and effects to photos, no iPhone or Instagram required. Check it out and let me know if you like it.