Happy Place: Cup Fiction

Edited 7/22/2017 5:00 PM

One of the last times I got to spend with my dad was on a Sunday at one of my favorite places to hang out, Cup Fiction.

I love Cup Fiction not only because it is Saab Magalona's baby, but also for the main thing that they have really good food and coffee! Plus the place in itself is really cozy and a good space to hang out that I've found myself working there for more than a couple of hours during the several times I manage to drop by before getting to the office.

They have added a lot to their menu since opening almost a year ago. Sharing some of my favorite sips and eats from Cup Fiction! :)

Oliver's Grilled Cheese -- "It’s your favorite grilled cheese sandwich. Mozzarella, Monterey jack, and cheddar cheese grilled to perfection on our sourdough bread. Served with our homemade tangy tomato soup" (via cupfiction.ph)

Samwise's Chicken Pesto -- I love how rich the pesto is plus the chicken was very tasty! I didn't know what the crunchy stuff was on top but it tasted good, too! (Feeling food critic, hahaha.) 

Bacon Loco Moco -- Sobrang nakakaloko sa sarap, as in. It's bacon steak and egg on top of garlic brown rice with the special sauce that makes it all come together (nicely in my tummy, hehehe). Thinking about it now is making me crave, waahhh!!

Chicken Steak For The Soul

The BFG Cookie -- big, fat, giant cookie in chocolate chip or dark chocolate. YUM.

Drinks:

Cortado

Single Origin Brewed Coffee (El Salvador or Ethiopia beans)

Off-white Iced Latte

If you want to drop by to try out their coffee and food, Cup Fiction is located at 141 Katipunan Ave. Brgy. St. Ignatius, Quezon City. Who knows, we might see each other there!! :)

Father's Day Letter

I had never been good at talking out my feelings face-to-face. I remember very early on I would write letters to my mom and dad whenever there's something important I needed to tell them. As I'm getting older, I have learned to force myself to learn to talk to them personally. But the thought of writing it all down in a letter -- having the words stare right back at you -- will always seem special to me.

For this year's Father's Day, my dad is not physically able to celebrate with us as he is currently confined in the hospital due to a traumatic brain injury secondary to a fall. I did wish him a Happy Father's Day by his bedside and I know he heard me.

But since he is not conscious to comprehend how much love is ensconced in my greeting, here is a letter I wrote.

One day, Papa, I will be able to read these words to you and you will hear them, feel them. One day soon after, you will then be able to read these words to yourself and know that your one and only daughter loves you very much.

Papa, even though the situation we're in is exhausting, it doesn't measure up to all the hardships and sacrifices that you have made -- you and Mama working together -- for me and my brothers; for our whole family. 

Now we're making it up to you. No matter how hard the situation we're facing, we are willing to work for it, in order for you to heal and recover. There's still much more we will go through with you, most of all, myself. :)

Happy Father's Day! I love you! 

Your one and only bunso, 

May ❤

Turning 26

Hi!!!

It's my birthday today! As a gift to myself, I decided to throw caution to the wind and start blogging again. In the last couple of months, I realized that I have too much to say for it all to be bottled up inside my head. I might just go crazy!!

The days leading up to today hasn't been easy for the world. Tragedy after tragedy seem to have happened within the span of days. Being the kind of person that I am, I was very saddened and my heart felt heavy knowing that the world is suffering, with the thought that I'd be celebrating my birthday in the same week. When I woke up today though, after I said a small prayer with thanks for another morning, another day, another year, something within me settled.

I realized that I am just a small speck in this big wide world. I'm an even tinier bit of dust in the whole universe. But I am here. I exist. I am breathing. And that is surely a lot to be thankful for. I know I am not able to do much to help fix the bad things happening in this world today, but I am sincerely offering my thoughts and prayers towards the world's healing. I pray that that would be enough.

As far as birthdays go, I never really made a big deal out of mine. Like the years before, today was simply a laid back celebration at home with my family ❤

Yay, cake!!!!

Thank you to all my friends, family and relatives who extended their greetings! You definitely helped make me feel that my birthday is worth celebrating despite everything going on. My birthday wish, as cliche as it sounds, is inner peace within all of us, and that our hope in the world never falters. "For where there is hope, there is love, where there is love, there is peace."

P.S. Thanks so much to my cousin who wins best birthday greeting award (aside from my mother, of course!!), who also made my new blog header!!! YAY!!! :)

Sunshine after the rain

So it's been several days since Metro Manila and nearby provinces had been hit by the Southwest Monsoon ("Hanging Habagat") that brought on floods that caused a lot of devastation especially in those hard-hit areas. I myself wasn't able to go to work from Tuesday to Thursday because, coming from Sampaloc and going to Eastwood, the main thoroughfares that I would be passing through were heavily flooded.

Alas, on Friday, the sun was already shining and I was finally able to go back to work. While on my way to Cubao (this was the first time I went out of the house since the floods), I realized that when you see the sun finally shining after having a few gloomy days (which, to be honest, is quite an understatement in our case), you can't help but firmly believe that there's always a silver lining... That God hasn't forsaken us, that the devastation we have survived from was merely a test of true faith.

I just wish I had taken a photo of when the sunlight made me smile that day.

Turning 21

I celebrated my 21st birthday in Singapore with my brother and sister-in-law and a couple friends who came with me on the trip (which I will write about in detail in another entry). It was the first time I didn't celebrate with my parents, or my girlfriends, since for the last 3 years, we had always gotten together for my birthday. It was different but it was fun, mainly because I was still able to enjoy my day with family and friends, even though only a small number of them were there with me.

I had my birthday dinner at Marché Restaurant, a Swiss place, which is probably one of my favorite places I've eaten in Singapore, besides local ones. I had the savory crepe with roasted chicken filling and it was so good! I also got to try the rosti, a Swiss potato dish, among other delicious food on our table. Those are probably what I'll be coming back for! And their sumptuous desserts, too!

After dinner, we already headed home since my friends were to leave for Manila very early the next morning. We stayed up until they had to leave, that was, of course, after I blew my candles out and opened their presents for me.

(1) A keychain with Rihanna's 'R' logo; (2) Shirt printed with a Rihanna quote ("It's tougher to be vulnerable than to actually be tough."); (3) A bottle of Rihanna's fragrance, Reb'l Fleur

It's funny how they know how much appreciative I am of anything Rihanna-related. Hehe.

Looking at these photos, I can't help but get nostalgic and look back at my previous birthdays. Like what my friend, Ina, said, it seems just like yesterday when it was my 18th birthday she was documenting! I am starting to get old, indeed! But with age comes wisdom, as they say. And I'm so glad and thankful that I get to live my life the way I want to (still with certain limitations, but those are a given), that I get to experience such wonderful things at a young age.

I will soon be starting a new chapter in my life -- yes, the part where I officially become a member of the adult world -- and although I am slightly anxious, I simply can't wait! I am looking forward to new experiences, new friends, new mistakes (hopefully not so much of these!), and most importantly, new lessons in life.

The Beauty of Solitude

Being alone and being lonely are two totally different things, I believe. One can choose to be alone, for personal matters, for example, but loneliness is a feeling that slowly creeps up on you, possibly without you even knowing it. Sure, sometimes, being alone can make you feel lonely, but even if you're in a crowd or with friends even, loneliness may keep you company. I myself have been in this position on more than one occasion, and you know, it really sucks.

But when you choose to be alone, it can turn your mood around. I've had my shares of alone times for myself: watching a movie, eating out, going shopping, even going to a concert! Some couple years ago I went by myself to see Katy Perry for the first time because I couldn't find anyone to go with. I never hesitated on going alone because I know I'd still have a great time because I'm seeing an artist that I love. And of course, I was right! I remember having such a huge smile on my face after the show even though my feet hurt so bad from standing for too long and jumping and dancing along to the music. It's still one of the best nights of my life. I always believed what they say, that happiness is a choice. And when you're alone, you can choose to enjoy it by doing things you love doing on your own or you can sulk in a corner feeling sorry for yourself.

Another perk of solitude is having time to think. For me, having a lot of time to think is a bad thing because I tend to overanalyze stuff. But I love having a moment to myself to just think things over, or clear my head, or simply appreciate everything in front of me, you know?

Talking about this reminds of something I read on Tumblr, which I'm sure you'll probably relate to more than all of my blabbering:

"I like being alone, but I hate the feeling of being lonely. When you’re alone, you have time for yourself. Your thoughts finally catch up to you. You set your mind on things and everything is just clearer. Nothing’s bothering you and everything just feels right for once. When you feel lonely, you feel as if no one’s there for you. It feels like no one understands you or is willing to listen. It feels like you’re screaming in a crowded room, yet not one person hears you." (Source)

Taking a breather

Thank God for the 5-day weekend we have this week because if it weren't for this long break from school, I'd have probably gone crazy from all the workload. Yesterday, we were finally able to have our Thesis defense and it went pretty good. Now I'm left with what I hope to be final revisions to be done on our documentation. On top of that, I still have other projects to accomplish for a couple more subjects. I know I have to start working my butt off again as soon as possible, but I also know that I need to take a breather, even for only a short while.

I was able to get a good 9 hours of sleep last night and it felt amazing. I had been sleeping for roughly 5 hours in the past consecutive days that those dark circles under my eyes have gone darker. My father has been continuously telling me to not stay up too late anymore and it takes everything in me not to answer back yelling if I don't stay up late then I won't be able to finish all of my schoolwork on time. (Yes, the crankiness comes with the whole package, and for free, too. I'm sure you all know this.) A 24-hour day is simply never enough!

So, right now, aside from venting out, I am taking a break, merely pausing for a while from doing things on my long to-do list. I'm going to read Georgina Wilson's cover story on this month's issue of Cosmo Ph, I may watch the latest episode of Pretty Little Liars and maybe a couple episodes of Friends as well (I'm already on Season 5!), and later I'm gonna go for a jog in UST because I sure as hell need the exercise since I've been stress-eating lately.

I have a lot of long overdue posts but I'll be getting to that probably after I'm done with my final exams which would be on the first week of March. I can't believe all the hard work is soon going to pay off! As I said to a friend, "Konting tumbling na lang, graduate na!"

Just close your eyes, the sun is going down

So a week has already passed in 2012 and I think I started on the right track. I have been trying out this new mantra ever since I got back to school: "Stay positive and don't mind the negative, never let people get to you." And it seems to be quite working. It's still a struggle sometimes but I eventually block out all the negativity and replace them with positive energy to get me going and working, especially these days when I have so many deadlines to meet regarding schoolworks.

I've already mentioned probably several times before how I overthink things and this is one of my personal characteristics which I want to somehow change. I want to be overthinking important things (e.g. life decisions), not what people around me are saying or doing so I'm learning to pay no mind to stuff that don't specifically concern me. Obviously, it's still an ongoing process... Change doesn't really happen overnight.

Speaking of an ongoing process, I'm starting to gain back my kasipagan in studying for these last 3 months of my student life. It was a wake up call of sorts for me when one of my professors told the class that because we're graduating students, we should be working harder instead of simply waiting away the time and being lenient with ourselves in accomplishing homeworks, projects, etc. because we can't be rest assured that professors like him will be at our mercy to give us a passing grade just because we're graduating. And I agree. This is the last chance for me to pull up my grades, especially because last semester, I had been less serious in my studies that I almost flunked a major subject. I feel like I let my hair down and ended up enjoying too much during the previous semester and forgot to act responsibly regarding important matters. This year, I shall claim to be the responsible person I know I am.

Hopefully I can say goodbye to bad vibes, laziness and drama altogether this year!! But good drama is always, always acceptable! You know how I love shedding happy tears.

And you know what else I want to say goodbye to? This boring layout of mine!! I will try and make this blog a fun one (posts included, of course!) after I'm done with everything I need to do!

May we wake up to a new morning and discover something new within ourselves everyday. :)

"Come morning light, you and I'll be safe and sound... "

Change Is Good

I don't know what has gotten into me but it seems like since an hour ago, I've become somewhat reflective of myself and the things that I'd like to change with the way I live my life. The thing with me is when I encounter something, say a quote or lyrics from a song that I keep on hearing, that resonates with me on a personal level, I agree with it and then simply tuck it in my memory bank where it gets lost forever. So I took the time to look at some things I've saved, words of wisdom, if you may, and really think about how I want them to affect me.

In general, it all comes down to change. It is something I'm really afraid of, if I'm totally honest. And who isn't, really? Some people may not fear change as much but it's still something they think twice about, just like me. But this year, I decide to accept change in my life, whether it be small or big. It may take me quite some time to adjust to things being different but I know I'll get there.

One thing I know for sure is the first step towards change is knowing the need to change and wanting to do it for yourself and not because other people tell you so.

And so I leave you with this:

"About to blame? Stop. About to judge? Stop. About to criticize? Stop. Take a deep breath, and just be willing to see things differently."

The Year That Was

So it's been another year... But 2011 really wasn't just another year for me. This year has brought a lot of new experiences, new friendships, and new discoveries, albeit little, about myself.

I started 2011 thinking I was soon to embark on my last year of college and how I wanted it to be somehow a memorable last year in UST. Looking back, I can say my senior year has been more than I bargained for, and the great thing is, it isn't totally over yet. Before my days as a senior started though, I had to finish my internship for the summer. Having to wake up early to travel to Makati and stay at the office for 8 hours easily became a routine but it wasn't all bad. I made new friends in two of my batchmates who worked with me in the same company. One time we even made plans to meet with some of our other batchmates who were also working in the area and had time to share stories with some of whom we don't normally have a proper conversation with at school.

Then it was back to attending classes at school. I guess we are just really blessed that all of us in class have bonded, and thank God it happened during our last year together. From our retreat in Caleruega to going to Cebu and Bohol with the whole batch (which I'm going to talk about more a little later) and to having an all-nighter Christmas party, it has been one heck of an enjoyable semester with my lovely classmates and friends. One thing I learned this year is that even though it's hard for me to change my mind about people, it helps a lot when it's them who try to show you that other side of them you might like. Like they say, it takes two to tango.

It will always get better

These past couple of days haven't been very good to me. I've been feeling down lately and all these other emotions just keep running though me basically like the weather here in Manila. One minute it's sunny, and the next it starts to get gloomy, so I really am not sure if this is somehow a factor to my mood swings, or if it's only PMS. I don't know.

Anyway, so one unlucky thing to happen to me was yesterday when my phone (Nokia C3) got locked. I think it's a glitch with the unit because when I searched about it I saw that many had experienced the same problem. I turned on the security code because I've been writing a lot of personal stuff on my Notes, so then, I changed it from the default one. At first I was able to unlock it with the new code but when I was trying later on, it always gave me a code error. That might be the glitch because I'm pretty sure I'm entering the correct code. I haven't had time to have it reset so I guess I'll need to borrow my mother's old phone because I can't simply function without one, even though I don't text that much anymore compared when I was in high school.

And let's not even start with today... I won't tell the "story" anymore, I'll just say that I had a moment when I had to talk myself into not giving in to the crappy day that I was having. Thank God I got through today. I guess it was just one of those days...

I'll just start thinking about school stuff tomorrow and try to enjoy the rest of the night with music from Rihanna & Beyonce in the background (they're all I've been listening to this past week). I might watch a couple episodes of Modern Family, since I just started with season 1 last Friday, I still have a lot to catch up on.

Despite having these bad days, I know that it gets better. If not now, then soon. :)