mae – Chasing Dreams

Week 22: When I’m with You, I Feel Old

July 18, 2012November 14, 2021 Rhiza1 Comment

So I spent one Tuesday afternoon with my girlfriends, and I’ve had these photographs waiting in my drafts for days, short for words as always. But I was positive that one of my girlfriends would blog about it soon, so I thought I’d wait so I can just link it up. I was right.

Thanks, Mae, for doing the honors.

Now all I have to do is to post more photos. :D

And can I just say, in my best Carrie Bradshaw impersonation, “I died and went to cake heaven?”

My friends did this pregnant woman a favor by choosing to hang out at Conti’s that afternoon. They all ordered a slice of cake each, while I had a slice of cake PLUS a plateful of yummy beef lasagna. Pregnancy has its perks. ;)

To end, I’d like to steal her words, because I couldn’t say it any better. Sometimes, life surprises you and gives you family who are like friends, and friends who are like family. Not everyone gets to be blessed with both, but I’m just so thankful that I am.

With these girls, growing old doesn’t feel too scary after all.

Year 29, bring it on!

June 6, 2012June 13, 2012 Rhiza2 Comments

These photos have been up for a week now, just waiting for words to come with them. The truth is, I’ve ran out of ways to say what a riot this past year has been, so I’ve put this on hold for a while. Birthdays are the best times to count blessings and to look back at how far you’ve come. I’ve blogged about mine each and every year, and this year has so far been the biggest leap for me.

On the contrary.. after so many years of throwing parties/get-togethers on my birthday (and being surprised with one), my 29th birthday has got to be the simplest celebration I ever had—by choice. I didn’t think I needed a big celebration anyway; after all, this year has been full of BIG celebrations already, starting with our wedding. And then I’ve got myself the biggest gifts: Being married to the sweetest husband ever, these two babies growing inside of me, and having my two best friends both in one continent again.

And of course there’s my family, who’s always there to celebrate with me and support me in all of my joys and triumphs, including loving my husband and whole-heartedly accepting him as part of this new life that I have. I’m not sure how I’ll cope with all these changes without the support group that they are.

So that’s exactly what I did on my 29th birthday—spent the day with my greatest gifts.

Continue reading “Year 29, bring it on!” →

Good times at the Kitchen, and thoughts of a frustrated food blogger

March 27, 2012October 13, 2020 Rhiza4 Comments

(..and by “Kitchen” I meant that restaurant in Greenbelt 3, not really that area in the house where you cook food.)

These photographs have been in my drafts for too long, waiting for some text to come along with them, perhaps a review of the place and the food. But I realize now that the food review is not going to happen I might as well just post the photographs.

Here’s a bunch I took from a lunch date at Kitchen in Greenbelt 3, months ago, when Mae was visiting from Singapore. (I still can’t believe she’s relocating to Manila again very soon!)

Not in the photos: David and our friend Hobbes.

I love taking photos, but describing food is just.. beyond me. My friends and I, at one point, even joked about how we’re never going to be food bloggers. We tried.

When I was single, living on my own taught me how to cook for myself. Now, being married has forced me to level-up my cooking. So I’ve been learning to cook some dishes alright, but I guess I’m not one to talk about the.. process. Inasmuch as I want to share my culinary escapades here, I don’t know how to write about food. I tried.

(And haha, NO, I’m not linking it up haha.)

Conversations at home would go,

Husband: What are we having for dinner?
Riz: Chicken shomething.
Husband: Fried chicken?
Riz: No, it’s not fried. It has potatoes, carrots, ham, cream sauce, herbs.
Husband: Ohh. Sounds good!

Few days later I’d find out that what I cooked is called Chicken Ala King pala. Or some hybrid of it.

I really should just take photographs.

Anyway, don’t you just love using the word “photographs” instead of “pictures”? It’s soo Audrey Hepburn. :)

Visit the Kitchen at Greenbelt 3, their Sundried Tomato Pesto is very.. authentic!

Day 16: Candid moment with my girlfriends

October 23, 2011June 19, 2019 Rhiza1 Comment

16/30: Candid. You know how sometimes, you act as if you don’t know that someone’s taking a photo of you so that it would look candid? Well, this photo is not one of those times. This one is an authentic, candid moment taken at Fernbrooks’ holding room just before the ceremony started.

I’m not even sure what Mae and I were staring at, what Ivy was smiling about, and what Jeline was thinking of. If not for this photograph, I never would have remembered this happened, even. But I do love the idleness in this photo, and the oblivion, and how it makes me feel like watching my life through someone else’s eyes.

Saying Goodbye to my Childhood Friends

March 5, 2010June 27, 2010 Rhiza8 Comments

Summer is here, I can hear Donna Summer singing in the background again.

The past weekend was life-changing. I got to unwind and chillax with the bestest best friends in the world, in a foreign country, and we parted knowing that things are never gonna be the same again in a melodramatic but exciting sort of way. What a way to start summer, yeah? :) (And what a way to start another chapter in our lives.)

Gone are my dark and twisted days. I think I’m starting to fall in love with life again.

Photos from Sentosa, Singapore.