hyper-mom

[hyper-mom]

Fifty years ago, a dream... such powerful, inspiring words 

[hyper-mom]

A woman turns her passion for words into one of the world’s preeminent dictionary collections, filling her West Village home to the bursting point with some 20,000 titles.

Literally in love with words, I would love, love, love to visit her!!! :)

[hyper-mom]

Jenni E

It was fun writing this story for Urban Mom. Jenni Epperson is one of those cool moms who can do just about anything. When I read her blog, I promise myself that I'd pay more attention to how food is served at home, or how stuff is arranged in shelves and closets. But well, such things take time, something that I don't exactly have too much of. Sigh!

Anyway, the best advice that I got from Jenni Epperson: Happiness is in the non-stuff!

Told you she's cool!

[hyper-mom]

Our quick trip to the beach of my childhood days proved to be an enjoyable one. I not only got to walk on the sand with my granddaughter, I was also able to spend time with my parents. 

I am almost often on deadline, and in truth, I brought my notebook so that I can work at night during that trip while all of them were asleep. And so, I was happy to spend a day with my folks, just walking along the beach, eating seafood, and shooting the breeze.

We definitely need more days like those.

[hyper-mom]

The Beach of My Childhood

A short road trip brought me here, the beach where I spent many summer days building sand castles and swimming in the sea: Matabungkay in the hometown of my father, Lian, Batangas. I may have gone sunbathing in more silkier shores or gone snorkeling in clearer waters, but Matabungkay would always call out to me. Perhaps because it is here where I first fell in love with the sea.

And so it was a pleasure to come here once again, this time with my granddaughter. It was the very first time that she felt sand on her feet, and she enjoyed it tremendously. 

Here’s to more sun-kissed days swimming in the sea!

[hyper-mom]

Bulalo!

The lazy bed weather has got me hankering for a bowl of hot bulalo soup; this is marrow bones and beef shank cooked soft and tender for hours and hours until the meat is practically slipping off the bones and the soup is rich and flavorful. The piece de resistance is picking out the marrow off the bone. Yummy! 

Of course, bulalo is the go-to dish in Tagaytay. I remember having one with my family at Rowena’s Café on the way home from Batangas. We actually bought several kilos of beef on the drive home, including cuts of bone marrow. They were absolutely divine!

[hyper-mom]

Spent last Friday night listening to the music of Al Green and his cool buddies at the Eclipse Lounge in Solaire. After a week of non-stop deadlines, sometimes waking up as early as five in the morning, it was just great to sit down, drink some Super Dry, and listen to good music. The band, called Spellbound, features Radha Cuadrado, formerly of the group Kulay, and she is so good!! When she takes on the mike, I am just mesmerized. Thank God for Fridays, indeed!!!  

[hyper-mom]

Churches: Panglao

This is the parish church of San Agustin in Panglao, and it is simply gorgeous. The minute I walked inside, I was mesmerized by the wonderful murals in the ceiling depicting the sacraments.The colors look so vibrantly alive that you wouldn’t have guessed that the church was constructed in the early 1900s.

Inside, the old caretaker was sweet enough to let us take a peek at the images of the suffering Christ and the Virgin Mary, which have been covered with a dark, heavy cloth to protect from mischievous minds.

Outside, the ruins of the old San Agustin Church still stand; it was razed by fire in 1886. There is also a five-storey bell tower that doubles as a watchtower, which was built in 1851. It is a magnificent structure, and is said to be the tallest of its kind. It just needs a sprucing up though.

[hyper-mom]

Pretty moms of the universe, happy muther's day!! 

No cooking, cleaning, or washing dishes today! No looking for things your kids misplaced. No breaking up fights. No shouting. No screaming. No picking up after everybody.

Chill. Relax. Enjoy the day, preferably in bed with some chocolates and ice cream! Yum!

[hyper-mom]

Of course, we all know her from Project Runway. But you all might not know that Nina is a mom of two young boys!

Here, Nina's tip for sleep-deprived mommies: "A great concealer and a touch of bronzer. If all else fails, hide behind a pair of oversized sunglasses." Amen to that! ;)