Purple Day At Ibarra’s Garden

“If I had a flower for every time I thought of you…I could walk through my garden forever.” – Alfred Tennyson

I can’t believe it’s almost a year now since my daughter’s wedding which we called Purple Day . Time flies certainly and in two months we’ll have our own bundle of joy! Nissa just texted and said she’s playing classical music to Nate and when she does, the baby turns  a lot in her womb and seems to say, “I like the music Mommy”. The wonderful world of the unborn, he probably knows that we are all waiting  to see him and we are praying  for his safety too.

Nissa shared and showed us the pictures they have chosen for their wedding album. And I simply love this shot, the two of them in front of  their wedding reception at Ibarra’s Garden.

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Picture Collage Of My Daughter’s Wedding

I’ve just changed my blog theme here at WordPress after using the former one for so long, but I keep coming back to it so probably in a month or two, I’ll go back to the old one. Anyway, I am sharing some photos of my daughter’s wedding. it’s taking them so long to choose what to go in their official wedding album. I love these though which my daughter made herself.

 

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Happy Sunny Sunday

I woke up to the chirps of the maya birds outside our window. “Good morning world”. It’s another day, it’s another month and I suddenly remembered, I forgot to really greet October with a bang! So “happy new month, welcome October”.

Last night, Nissa and Obet brought home several magazines and again I was thrilled to see the latest issues  (October 2011) of Animal Scene, Agriculture, Cruising, Sense and Style and a thick copy of July-Dec. 11 issue of Wedding Essentials. Much as we love books, we also love buying mags, this time though, they came free. One of their ninongs, who is an executive of Manila Bulletin gave them to Nissa.  Had they come earlier, they could have been included in the wedding features of Wedding Essentials.  Next publication would be by January so it’s still okay. This is the first time that I read an issue of Cruising and I love their features on Simple Joys – travel stories  on several hidden treasures in the Philippines. I didn’t even know where Cagbalete Island is until I read this very interesting article about it. Do you know that you could travel to Baguio on a P1,000 peso budget (excluding bus fares) and that covers an overnight accommodation and food plus some pasalubong? The best way to explore Baguio is on foot.

I finally had the chance to sign up at Goodreads. I have this ambitious longing to create another virtual library with all our books bought after typhoon Ondoy. I had one at Shelfari but when we lost most of our collections to the flood, I became so lazy updating my online library there because most of the lovely books I had for years were destroyed. If I’ll have enough time, I’ll make a list of all the books I have at the moment then update Goodreads. The good thing is, you  can make your  own book review and find people who have the same interests like you do.

Books, books and more books, where could you go wrong with books? Read, read and read a lot more because “Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers. ”  That’s a quote from Charles W. Eliot 

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Going Around Old Manila

It was an eventful albeit a bit tiring day for me.  I went with Nissa, Obet and Marisse to get Nissa’s wedding gown and to have Marisse fitted with hers. It’s been years since I stepped foot at Makati Central Business District where we waited for Obet to arrive before proceeding to Manila.  I suddenly missed Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) where I worked for more than twenty years. It’s sprouting a new look, the old  gold logo is gone and was replaced by a bright red color. It’s celebrating 160th year  and is also considered the oldest bank in the country.

We had breakfast at McDo, and it was real nice sharing with Marisse talking about her extended trip in Singapore. It was followed by a long, long chat while we were in the car going to Manila. I also missed seeing the old buildings in Manila where the architectural structures speak of the old times.  There are really such lovely places to visit like the old Sta. Cruz  Church which is now known as the Shrine of San Lorenzo Ruiz, our very own patron saint,  the old Post Office building, Luneta Park,  Intramuros, to name a few.

It was my first time to visit Paco Park Church where Nissa and Obet’s wedding will be held.  I wish I brought my camera with me and had taken some shots of the place.  It looks so cozy  inside and the garden in front is large enough for an outdoor reception. The water fountain is an added attraction too.  It’s a perfect place for an intimate wedding.  It’s also known as St. Pancratius Chapel. Next we visited Ibarra’s  Garden where they will have their wedding reception.  Ibarra’s Garden is a stone’s throw from the church, a convenient distance for their guests and family members.

Marisse and I were teasing each other, are we gonna cry  when Nissa gets married? I said, maybe, but I’m sure they’ll be tears of joy for the event.  It’s actually exciting to be involved in the wedding plans but it’s kind of  intimidating too at the same time. I’ll be gaining a son and she’ll gain another friend.

It’s the first wedding in the family so we are all excited.

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Friday Comes And It’s Ninety Nine Days To Go Before Christmas

For a while there I was looking at the blank screen  with nary a thought in my head. I was thinking earlier of doing a review on Safe Haven, the latest book I’ve read of Nicholas Sparks.  I am not really an addict (for want of a milder word) but I am a fan. I am the kind of reader who won’t seek his latest bestsellers  just for the sake of saying, I have read them all. It’s actually my daughter who started me on collecting his books, she was the one who bought all those paperback editions and gave me as gifts on my birthdays and Christmas. We watched the movie adaptations and enjoyed them all though. Cliche  as it may sound, the book is always better than the movie.

Time flies, too soon and we anticipate another event which has always been  and always will be so important to Filipino families.  Celebrating Christmas here in our country is probably the most joyous season of all.Nowhere else  can you find a place where it is most celebrated the longest, from the early days of September to as late as February of the following year.  Christmas celebration is the only thing  which I always blog the most.  This morning,  Umagang Kay Ganda, a morning show on TV, featured a Santa Claus collection of  someone whose entire third floor is full of different sizes and designs of  it.  There were unusual fork and spoon shaped like Santa, plates, mugs, you name it, he has more than a thousand Santa features.  I wonder how they keep them clean  and all in shape because  they’re displayed all year-long. Christmas is a very meaningful affair because most Filipino families who are apart during the rest of the year gather together during the Christmas season. There’s  nothing more touching than celebrating Jesus’ birth with the whole family. I am doing my Christmas list. It’s not as if I have lots to give gifts to but I just want to make sure that family members, some close relatives and close friends are included in my list.

Will go have a visit at Ibarra’s Garden at Padre Faura St. in Manila. It’s the venue for my daughter’s wedding this coming November.  It will be my first time to visit the place and I am excited since Nissa told me that she likes the ambiance of the place although the food is a little on the expensive side.  Here’s a photo I found at their site. Their brochure says that it is “a classic antique house built in the 1920s inspired with American Art Deco and a quaint garden converted into an ideal place for social and corporate events. The historic ambiance reflects the grandeur of wealth and beauty during the olden period. Now, Ibarra’s Garden is the most sought after venue in the Metropolis having been famed for its mouth-watering approach to International Carte du jour.”

Have a nice weekend everyone!

 

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Saturday On My Mind

It’s one of those quiet days that I treasure.  A little time for reflection,  time to think about things left undone. I spent a few hours making rosaries and I was able to finish five. I made a rosary for Nissa, a gift I want her to have on her wedding day. It would be a nice memento with the Holy Bible which they will have blessed on their big day.  It’s a little more than a month to go before they tie the knot. I am little excited, (a little kind of sad too) that pretty soon she’ll be having a new life and family of her own.    She’s embarking on a new beginning – the start of married life.

A few minutes ago, they arrived home bringing some of the dresses to be used by the flower girls and the bridesmaids.  They are all lovely and the colors (different shades of purple) are quite arresting. This is it, I muttered to myself.  I was laughing at Mom when she said that she won’t wear a long dress.  I love the design of the dress chosen by Nissa for her but she is not into off shoulder dresses and fitting  but slightly flared skirt at the hem.  Hmm, I am wondering how my gown would look when they would get the rest of the  items  in a week.  Which reminds me, I have to get my shoes tomorrow, another trip to Cubao.

Please don’t mind my meanderings, I am just eager to document every aspect of my daughter’s wedding.

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Nissa and Obet’s Official Prenuptial Pics

I am sharing Nissa’s prenuptial pics taken by their official photographer at Pan de Amerikana and at Parks and Wildlife. Would have loved to add more pictures but they are reserving them for their guest album.

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More Sunday News

It’s another busy Sunday today. Son and I left the house at around 5am to do the weekly marketing. Since hubby is not around to drive me to the wet market, I have to wait for my son’s free day to do the weekly marketing.  At around 11am,  we went grocery shopping and had to forego lunch, just snacking on Henlin’s siomai. We were in a hurry to pick up Nissa’s CD on the prenuptial pictorial they did the last week.  When we reached the place, it rained cats and dogs so we had to wait for it to subside a little before going home. Even then, we passed some flooded areas.

Nice pictures if you ask me with some done in infrared shots. Nissa and I were laughing when mom casually remarked and asked why there were so many pictures when the wedding is still almost two months away.  They would use some of the shots for their guest book.  Photography has definitely evolved. I love the sample shots the studio had taken of various  weddings.  Did you ever wonder why all brides are radiant on their wedding day? I love looking at the pictures of couples who are so much in love and anticipating the big day in their lives. It’s a start of a new chapter, right? Pictures really tell stories not just in a thousand words but in a number of ways and  they also create lovely memories. Hmm, just feeling romantic for a change.

We had to attend late mass at 6:30pm.  That ends my busy day. I wish I could share with you the official prenup pictorial of my daughter.

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