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#009 / November 5, 2015

I have been waiting for an Intramuros adventure for so long. I pledged to organize the whole trip but it all ended up as a spontaneous adventure with Aaron. We met with his friends Gheslaine and Masaru and walked along the walls of Intramuros with the sun directly above us. We walked to Manila Cathedral, Casa Manila, and Silahis. 

Afterwards, we ate at Cioccolata Churros Cafe for merienda. Apart from their famous churros, I would recommend their Brazo de Mercedes cupcake! Desserts are great and cheap here! 5/5 would recommend! Wish they had more seats though!

Before going home, I figured we had more time and could stay a little longer since Aaron mentioned his favorite part was walking along the walls. The sky was clear and the sun was setting. It was a semi-perfect opportunity for stargazing! I joked about hacking into Manila’s main electricity line so we can shut off the lights that were outshining the stars. Still, after patiently waiting for the sun to set, the first star showed itself behind us. Equipped with the ultimate geeky star map, Aaron let me calibrate my compass so we can read the constellations that were above us. We were able to point out Cassopeia, Cygnus, and stars from Lyra and Aquila even with mosquitoes preying on our legs. I was clever enough to identify Saturn, Antares, and stars from Sagittarius, and Scuturn ahead of Aaron because of my 20/20 vision lol. Time to get the nerd a telescope!

Really, who else would bring out his laptop at the edge of Intramuros’ walls to stargaze? Yup, Aaron. It’s one thing to look at the stars, but it’s another to name them. Soon enough, I was seeing illusions of lines connecting the stars just like the ones in the star map!

While going home, we talked about how it was during the war, whether soldiers would look up at night time, and appreciate the stars completely, without any city lights obstructing the view, thinking whether or not it would the last time they would experience the night, or hoping when the war would be over and won.  What a great way to end the adventure.

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#008 / October 31, 2015

We went as Russell and Mr. Frederickson from Pixar's UP! Aaron went to my place to go trick or treating, a tradition I have been doing yearly with my family. We take costumes seriously, that's why we had to go all in with our costumes. Oddly enough, the oldies giving us candies were slightly confused yet amused with the fact that Aaron was dressed as a senior citizen complete with powder to whiten his hair being assisted by a girl wearing a Boys Scout's uniform.

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#007 / October 20, 2015

My enthusiasm for films was born during the latter part of 2012 when I binge-watched animated films of Miyazaki and Disney classics. Typing and searching for the best lists of animated films followed by a quick search on PirateBay for downloads became a big habit during Christmas break. Come 2013 with a long summer, I have watched quite a lot from the big lists and enjoyed, hated, wasted time on each of the iconic moments that lead them a spot on Roger Ebert’s Best Of’s. It’s 2015 and while I haven’t had as much time as I did previously, I still managed to rack more than 50 films watched this year so far. While I’m working hard on building my movie pecs as an aspiring movie buff, here’s a rundown of some of my most favorite films:

(500) Days Of Summer I can’t even begin a coherent description, let alone a logical review of this movie. There is always an occasion that calls for watching 500DOS. At the same time, there’s always a Summer Finn in all of us; one that is this complete romantic, eccentric, not-so-independent person who suddenly becomes this ignorant, oblivious, deluding lady who we all hate. And then there’s Tom, that side who sulks after a rollercoaster ride of a relationship who he thought as the one until she wasn’t. There is the aspirin after a pathetic late night drinking in an attempt of forgetting, breaking dishes, drowning in bedforts, the big expectations versus reality. I’ve watched this film with my family, close and not-so-close friends, relatives, a then boyfriend, myself. I’ve watched this when I was a guppy, an NBSB almost like McKenzie, entering a relationship like Millie, and eventually and most especially when I was a Tom Hansen at around the latter 400th day. Sometimes, I say I am Summer Finn (hence the pretentious Twitter bio) but I guess I didn’t meet anyone at a deli yet. This is the movie for all seasons and despite my rocky relationship with this film, I think I found myself in one of the characters of this film. Who, I am not so sure yet. (Secretly hoping I’m Autumn ready to have coffee with Tom.)

Moulin Rouge Man. There has got to be a Baz Luhrmann favourite somewhere even if you’re closet fan. Every song, key dialogue, the Luhrmann element, this film is a beautiful love story which speaks for love in a single sentence. The elephant scene is a dream with the cheesy fireworks during the medley’s I’ll Always Love You chorus being my guilty pleasure. I have the soundtrack, an original VCD, and a copy in my hard drive which just proves how I need to watch a scene whenever I need to. This movie demands itself to be watched and it hurts to decline. I mean, you get to see Obi Wan Kenobi writing about love in an old typewriter (fact: filming clashed with Ewan McGregor’s Star Wars filming hence the beard). It’s French, it’s Australian, it’s Bohemian, it’s Baz Luhrmann. It’s everything you’ve ever wanted it to be.

Before Sunrise/Before Sunset This movie will speak for you. This will bring up ideals, beliefs, things you know, things you don’t know, things you didn’t know you have. I guess this has always been the dream made to film for and by romantics. As a huge fan of travel-centric films, Before Sunrise gives us the opposite of the cliché take of spontaneously meeting someone in a train and taking off to wherever their feet take them. The script is well-written, sincere, and realistic coming from passionate characters like Celine. It gets better with its sequel nine years after. You’d think it continues off from the hopeful open ended ending but it’s more than that. The script also matured and personally, I found it more endearing than the first. The car scene was a particular favourite because I find myself always asking and wondering how I will be in the future and if my romantic beliefs come off as something I would regret following because the hard knocks of life will (I’m sure) force you into cynicism. Someday, blah relationships make you doubt yourself, eventually either being bitter or numb or just being as dull. That didn’t make sense but the realness of this all with the simple backdrop of Vienna and Paris makes it more indulging. I secretly scold myself for delaying this movie in my list especially when I was so allured, I had to the two films one immediately after another. Before Midnight took a more serious tone and while it still tugged at the heartstrings, I found it a little less relatable given that Celine and Jesse were a married couple already. Still, what a blessing director Richard Linklater is to cinema.

Some more films and one liners:

1. Amelie – A French film about an eccentric, shy girl who changes the course of her life by doing great deeds for others and eventually finding love herself. One of the most vibrant films I have ever watched and a great slice of life matched with unique cinematography. It’s hilarious, loveable, and definitely inspiring!

2. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo – I’ve only watched this recently but this is the kind of action film I am most attracted to. Rooney Mara portrayed Lisbeth Salander with finesse and fierceness in this nitty-gritty take on the novel, I’m still not over with how impressive everything balances out in the end: sex, violence, love, family scandals. It’s a complex mix but it’s the best mix I’ve had for action. Sophisticated, sexy, and very very smart.

3. Ponyo – My favourite Miyazaki animation along with Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle! It’s youthful, inspiring, classic Hayao Miyazaki, and of course, adorable!

4. Pride and Prejudice – I would consider this as the sweetest period film I’ve watched so far along with Shakespeare in Love [and maybe Kitty and Konstantin’s parts on Anna Karenina (2012)]. Great script complete with memorable scenes! If you want to fall in love and feel you toes curl in historical, olden delight and accents, watch this.

5. Roman Holiday – I picked Roman Holiday as my first Hepburn film and black and white film which I enjoyed more than I could have ever imagined. It’s quirky and consistently entertaining with memorable leads. I regret not watching this before the Italy delegation because the 1950’s backdrop of Rome wraps this clever love story with an authentic romance that only Europe knows. I almost feel like I could have fallen in love more with Rome if I watched the film prior the trip! Also, it makes me wonder if this film spearheaded the cliché storyline of royalty escapes her role, disguises, and embarks on a simplistic travel experience around Rome with a guy who initially is interested with her status but eventually falls in love. But I especially loved Irving’s cigarette-lighter turned camera! It was unique and GENIUS!

6. Gone With The Wind – MUST WATCH. This is an epic film that has exceeded my expectations and eventually shut my bickering over its almost four hour length to a complete halt. After months or persuading, I decided to take a small 5 minute peek over the scenes at 11PM. I ended up watching the whole film until 3AM! I finally understand how much hype this film has been getting on every Best Of lists. It was so good I had to wake my sister up and tell her how much the plot is so well woven and at the same time, so damn tangled to perfection. It’s that type of film that stays with you for a couple of days just because you can’t decide if the ending was okay or not okay while you figure out if you love Scarlett O’Hara or absolutely despise her immaturity, selfishness, and “I’ll think about that tomorrow”-complex or simply reaffirm your love for Rhett Link. If you’re thinking about how lengthy this film is, wait until you get to the ending and ask for more time. Never a dull moment with Scarlett. Never.

7. 3 Idiots - I mean, who doesn’t love this movie? Slice of life, comedy, light, sincere. It might not entirely be the case for me but at some degree to that, this movie is life-changing. The vibrance of this Bollywood film meshes and compliments gracefully with and to the tears that should run down your cheeks every 30 minutes of the film or so. I watched this before graduating high school and cried like a small baby over scenes that revolved around respecting oneself as a person living around others.

I promised one-liners but I got carried away! Check out my movie index here and tell me what you think! Here’s to packed movie abs for every known genre including “Spaghetti Western” films!

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#006 / October 17, 2015

Today marks the 5th anniversary of my trip to Italy. This remains to be one of the most memorable moments in my life because I was able to see the world in a different light. Apart from the indescribable beauty of Italy, what made this trip enjoyable was the sense of independence. I was a 14 year old travelling outside the country with only the company of high school friends, walking across cobbled paths and getting lost in the Colosseum. I owe my sense of adventure and wanderlust to this trip. The Trevi Fountain’s promise ensures my return to this country.

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#005 ; October 15, 2015

Cactus update!

Unfortunately, Pedro, my succulent was finally laid to rest today after painstakingly trying to revive the problematic baby while watching its leaves fall one by one. You were a fighter, Pedro!

As a doting cactus mommy, Aaron and I decided it’s time to transfer the plants in another pot. After consulting online sources, we found that the roots of Pedro might have been getting too much water because the previous pot had no drainage. Upon uprooting the plants, it was confirmed that the roots indeed had no more room to grow and that the soil wasn’t optimal for holding water and growing succulents.

To save our succulents, we bought garden soil and coir and made our own cactus soil mix. The lady-gardening supplier was kind enough to give us the coir for free!

To cap off our afternoon, we went straight to Carpe Diem to eat late lunch. I’ve been doing my thesis in this cafe but I only got to try their dishes today. We enjoyed our teriyaki rice and seafood cream pasta at a very affordable price.

Growing a plant suddenly holds so much significance when you’re growing it with someone else. Problems like the slow death of Pedro and happy problems like which pot should we buy and which soil to mix turned out to be a lovely way of spending time with each other. 

tl;dr: Growing a plant is the real deal.

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#004 ; October 8, 2015

DOJ Food Fair x Museum of A History of Ideas

We had too much time in our hands. We enjoyed stroopfel, a famous dessert in Netherlands made from two thin layers of waffle pressed on a caramel filling. For museum month, we visited the Museum of a History of Ideas. Apart from my fascination with clean, wide, white spaces, I was able to appreciate UP’s history as a health science center with the help of eerie photos of the first graduates of the university, old dentist chairs, and graphic illustrations of genitalia among other things.

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#003 ; August 31, 2015

Aaron and I took 3 hours touring Pinto Art Museum during our first visit last March. Upon realizing how much we’ve missed, I was itching to go back. It took another 3 hours to tour the parts we haven’t been to. This museum is heaven. No place can ever make me feel so light and carefree but this place.

Pinto Art Museum houses contemporary art from various local artists. From installations, to paintings and mixed media, the museum aims to be a gateway for modern and contemporary art, hence its name Pinto meaning door in Filipino.

Hello, Cactus Queen in her cactus haven.

One of my favorite nooks in the whole museum was this rustic dining set overlooking a lush garden. At this point of our tour, I started rambling endlessly on what my future house should look like. Picture below is reference to my future rustic bedroom.

This exhibit dealt with sensual themes which reminded me very much of BenCab’s R18 exhibit up in Baguio. This exhibit was in a small and quiet room, almost intimate just by its setting. This also made me realize how much we’ve missed on our first visit.

To cap our holiday adventure, Aaron and I went to eat dessert at Eggs for Breakfast. Coming to Antipolo felt different the second time around, a good kind of different where the North didn't feel so unfamiliar anymore and going home was the last thing I wanted to do. Maybe it was the lunch I ate or the person I was with or both.

My eyes are very happy. I am very happy.

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#002 ; August 29, 2015

Thought: Saturdays are meant for days out, cactus caring, and card games.

I mentioned earlier that I was raising a cactus and two succulents. Susan was named as such because of the 14 boils growing around her, and if you cannot get the joke, it's a reference to British singer Susan Boyle. Pedro was named after Pedro Gil Street, Manila’s most putrid street which I owe some of the best moments of my life as of yet. Finally, Aloe Vito was named Aloe because of its resemblance with Aloe Vera, and Vito from Vito Cruz, another one of Manila’s busy streets with an inside joke coming into play with why it was chosen to accompany Aloe. These three were given as a gift and I cannot wait to care for it and actually see flowers bloom.

Aaron and I settled on a South trip for Saturday’s adventure. Bucky’s was included in my to-go list and I was finally able to get a taste of it, which they kept insisting as not a brownie. Card games followed with Aaron and my siblings, with Aaron teaching everyone how to play. Bucky’s tasted really delicious and is worth the hype. Interiors of the place remained very rustic despite the small space, providing an unmatched ambiance. The Bucky’s tasted really sweet but I loved how moist and thick it was.

August is ending and just like that, we’re onto the -ber months. August was a pretty solid month for adventures. For September, along with homework, orgwork, and thesis work, I wish that none of the plants die. I might have developed the slightest attachment already.

(Thank you for the wonderful gift, Aaron.)

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#001 ; August 30, 2015 I started using Tumblr back in 2009 but I only began creating my own content in 2011. The second blog ended up as a platform for my football interests but is also home to 148 out of 365 entries of thoughts on everyday life. In an attempt to go back to blogging and hopefully completing 365 entries of adventure and rambles, this is it. I am Andrea and I am a very visual person. I like watching movies and taking pictures. I grow a cactus named Susan and two succulents named Pedro and Aloe Vito. I study Organizational Communication and I take interest in fantasy books and mankind’s triumphs documented in film. If I see anything I like, I will take a photo of it. If I watch something I like, I will talk about it. If my eyes are completely satisfied with color and life, I will write about it. Surprise me, universe. I want to write about you.