the final anniversary giveaway!

hello everyone!
sorry, it took me a while to post this, and i'm blaming it on farmtown for wreaking havoc on my strict (not) schedule. sigh.

~♥~

in connection to my anniversary celebration, the coffee shop that my friends and i have put up last year before i left the philippines, celebrates its first year anniversary on this day, 8 july 2009. we opened Miss Mocca the night before my flight to manila, and we're really thrilled that it has survived, considering our lack of capital and experience. on top of that, we have even opened our first branch at the ground floor of Amigotel, also in general santos city. nothing fancy because we only partnered with Amigotel there, and you may take a look at it here.

anyways, here's our final giveaway! the contest is open to everyone this time, wherever you may be in the globe. US residents who joined on my previous giveaway are still welcome to join again.

our giveaway is sponsored by climbing gear inc., the website for your climbing accesories and clothing needs. personally, i am somewhat acrophobic. somewhat, in the sense that i only feel really really scared when my footing is not sure and secure, or half of myself is dangling in the wind. i can hike and mountain trek, no problem, just don't let me hang for my dear life on ropes and tiny metals. but if you have adventure mixed with your blood, and camping or rock climbing is your thing, this website is for you. products are arranged in categories for easy navigation of the website, and whether it's camping gear you need, or climbing harnesses and carabiners, or rope pulleys or any other outdoor accessories, you'll easily find a match for your specifications.

so how to win the giveaway? simply write a post in your blog about your Dream. what would you like to have or to happen in your life, if you would have one chance to make it come true? don't let anything hold you back, dreams know no limits, no boundaries. whether it is world peace, or to become a lawyer or a doctor or a clown or that your name should have been paris hilton, or whether you should have lived in the stone age, or that you should have been a bird, is up to you. it's open to your own interpretation.

if you don't have a blog, post your entry on the comment box and i'll include you on the draw as well.

when your post is up, leave a comment on this post to submit your link. i'll have a special widget on my sidebar linking to your blog to confirm that i have read your post. i will close the contest next week wednesday, 15 july 2009 at midnight GMT Dublin.

winners will be drawn through random.org. yep, winners. i'll pick the top three from the randomized list, to win the following:

1st - wins the sponsored giveaway from climbing gear, and he/she gets to pick one (1) item of clothing of his choice from the picture i posted above

2nd & 3rd - wins a bookmark calendar for 2010, featuring beautiful scenery from ireland, plus surprise whatnots from me.

*note: my little duckie is not included in the prize

thank you for one year of following my blog, of reading my crap and most of all, for sending me and kj good thoughts and wishes, and for all the wonderful things you've sent in the mail. my blog has been my best companion as i went through the many transitions in my life last year.

so please join, i'm looking forward to hear about your dreams!

happy wednesday!

the winner takes it!

first of all, i would like to thank everyone who was game enough to join in the contest. i really appreciate your taking time to leave a comment. and second, my congratulations to the winner! you're a lucky girl today!

soon as i woke up this morning, all i could think of was who would win the giveaway. before i even had a cup of tea for myself, i was already excited so i asked kj if he can draw the winner for me. everyone who joined are my good friends and the tension was too much for me to handle. crazy i know, but that's just me.

and the winner is, Fortuitous Faery of New Jersey! yay, congratulations, i am so happy for you! email me your complete details with your contact numbers, and Bedroom Furniture will get in touch with you.

and don't forget to mention which prize you'd want to receive, whether the Lite Source - One Light Banker's Lamp in Dark Bronze with Frosted Glass, or the Windsor Vanguard - Jour Du Marche II Canvas.

thank you all for participating, for making this giveaway more exciting! there's more to come though, so stay tuned!

on the homefront news, we were able to mow the grass on our back garden yesterday. i mean my husband did it. i only watched and cheered him on. it was starting to look like a jungle already, and we were just in time because the rain was back again this morning with a vengeance. sigh. that's the reason why water is free here in ireland folks. ^-^

have a great weekend and happy 4th of July to my friends in America!

comfort cooking

what not to love in a simple dinner of fish and stir-fried vegetables? this is my favorite dinner to make because it's quick and easy, healthy and light on the stomach. i make this by stir-frying in olive oil my garlic (cut in slivers; i love the smell of frying garlic!), onions, broccoli, mushrooms, carrots and bell peppers. later, i would sprinkle a bit of sesame oil for an oriental hint, and i would season it with freshly ground black peppers and a pinch of paprika. no salt, but a few drops of kikkoman soy sauce should do the trick. about five minutes before they're ready, i'd dump in my warm, just-cooked rice (leftovers would be perfect too) and stir until they're all mixed together. while busy with my stir fry, my salmon would be frying slowly on olive oil over a low fire. they usually finish at the same time. serve with oyster sauce. i have always been in love with oyster sauce by the way.

last month, we discovered Pinotage, the red wine from South Africa. it has smoky, earthy flavour with notes of bananas and tropical fruits (as the label says) and we love it. half a glass after dinner makes us sleep tightly every night. i don't really know if there's a direct relationship between our wine and our sleeping pattern, however we're stocking two bottles at the moment.

this bread which doesn't look very impressive, tasted good actually. i did nothing special, because i made it straight out from the box! ^-^ baking bread in the oven smells lovely in the kitchen, so i'm definitely making more of it. it's perfect to eat while still warm with a spread of butter and a cup of tea, while watching the rain fall outside the window. it makes rain in the middle of summer don't sound so bad after all.


happy thursday!

going green

kj and i are very passionate about the ways we can help the environment. we proudly support the government for its environmental efforts by carefully segregating our trash, whether it's for the brown (for composting - food/plants/grass), green (paper, plastic, tin) or black bins (anything not fit for the green and brown, except electronics, and glass). in our own little ways, we hope we're making a significant contribution somehow.

here are a few ways on which you can go eco-friendly too:

• buy vintage, used or pre-owned - i do love vintage, i buy 2nd-hand goods, and i patronize the charity shop for which i volunteer for. i am not ashamed to buy 2nd-hand, and would willingly take in hand-me-downs. if that should help de-clutter the world, then i'm all for it.
  
• choose items made from sustainable materials - think anything biodegradable or uses less energy or recyclable materials
• select more energy-efficient models - when we moved in the new house, kj replaced ALL the light bulbs to energy-efficient ones. when you buy appliances, look for the energy star symbol (for the US), or the energy class label (for europe). want to know more? read here.
• replace disposables with reusable items - we only use re-chargeable batteries for our remote controls, and other battery-operated devices.
• buy local, or choose ground shipping if you order online - guilty. i like to support the business of my crafty friends online.
  
• identify how the product was made - guilty again. can't be bothered?
  
• ask yourself if you really need it - ALL THE TIME
• consider borrowing rather than buying - i borrow books from the library
• reuse or recycle packaging waste - i keep paper bags to pack orders from my shop. i wash my tomato sauce jars to hold little things in my craft room. several ferrero rocher boxes hold my calling cards, postage stamps and even pens.
• donate, resell or recycle items you don't need - we have a huge green bin for everything paper, tin and plastic wastes in our house.
• walk, bike or take public transportation - we are located so conveniently and everything important to us is within a 5-mile radius from our home - shops, chemist, our GP, the hospital, kj's workplace, the big shopping centre even - that we have no need of a car. which is weird here in ireland, where everyone hops in the car to the grocery which is like 5 or 10 minutes away.
• turn off lights and monitors and unplug mobile device chargers at night - we're like the switch cops here
• print double-sided, or better yet, go paperless - hmmm. i love paper. so there. i'm guilty!
• bring your own coffee mug and water bottle to work - yep, i pack these for the husband
• choose reusable dishware and flatware - absolutely
• conserve water - yes we do! even when water is for free here in dublin.
• share books, magazines and newspapers - we read the paper online
  
• use fewer paper towels, napkins and tissues - more kitchen towels, less paper towels. i only reserve paper towels for the really nasty stains like tomato/spaghetti sauce, cooking oil or red wine, coffee and tea.
  

feel free to add up in the comments section your own eco tips, i would love to learn from you!

above is a picture of my €4.00 flats from the charity shop. she's gorgeous, unused and she's eco-friendly too. not to mention dirt cheap. i think this is what i like best about going green. ^-^

anniversary countdown giveaway

two sundays ago, 20 june 2009, Mem sent us an sms congratulating us for exactly one year that day, we received news of my approved visa to ireland. i have already forgotten about the date myself, thanks to the sharp memory of my septuagenarian MIL, kj and i were able to celebrate that night with a bottle of wine. we just had a glass each actually, anything more than that sends me off to dream land right away. right away means 10 seconds after my last sip. seriously.

i arrived in dublin on 11 july last year. to celebrate my 1st year anniversary here, i'm holding a countdown giveaway starting now until the few weeks leading to 11 july.

this week's giveaway is generously sponsored by Bedroom Furniture, and is only valid to US residents/addresses. to non-US residents, don't be so disappointed yet, as there's something for you too at the end of the week, so do watch out for that.

i must have said it here many times how home furnishing shops can make my knees go weaker. bedroom furniture just did that to me. they have so many beautiful things to be had, from mattresses, to headboards, to accent furniture, to complete bedroom sets. check these modern beds, they're so worth a peep. searching through the website is very easy too, you can narrow down your search options according to price, design, brand and color among others. it also boasts of carrying eco-friendly furniture, and free shipping within the US. for payment, they accept major credit cards, and even paypal!

Always buy a good pair of shoes and a good bed as if you aren't in one you are in the other. ~Gloria Hunniford

when we moved in the new house, kj's first question to me was, "how was the bed?" my husband's ultimate luxury in life is having a good sleep every night. aside from having a good wife, that is me. of course.

anyways. Platform Beds are a sure winner when it comes to comfort and style and practicality. Bedroom Furniture has so many designs and styles to suit your taste and preferences. whether you like minimalism or modern chic, there are hundreds of choices to pick from. i spent over an hour browsing through the website, and daydreaming all the way. the bedroom sets were all beautifully presented and gave me a big dose of creative inspiration.

so, in celebration of my new home and my 1st year in ireland, i am giving away a little something for your home, hosted by Bedroom Furniture. the winner can pick any of the following:

• Lite Source - One Light Banker's Lamp in Dark Bronze with Frosted Glass

~because i was a banker in my past life

• Windsor Vanguard - Jour Du Marche II Canvas

~because i love bicycles

if you are a US resident, you are qualified to join in the giveaway. leave a comment under this post, answering this question: which part of your home is your favorite and why?

comments will be closed on midnight of Friday, 3 July 2009 GMT Dublin, and winner will be drawn through random.org.

thanks for joining, and don't forget to hop over Bedroom Furniture!

a postcard from miss igorota

i was invited by the fortuitous faery to join the sisterhood of the travelling igorota.

igorot is the name of the people who live in the cordillera region, in the northern part of the philippines and where this doll with a tiny baby came from. how she came to have a blog of her own can be read here. gingmaganda of the sisterhood, sent me the doll last week from manila, and i'm quite excited to take her out soon, and let her experience my simple life in dublin. do watch out for pieces of my life in pictures, as seen through the eyes of miss iggy.

before the miss iggy doll arrived though, and before i was fully accepted to the sisterhood, i won the 1st blogoversary contest of postcards from miss igorota, and conell, founder extraordinaire, sent me my loot, which were all delightful!

the prize was a Life's a Trip journal, but conell sent me a whole lotta goodies collected from her many travels. i was drooling over the j.crew catalogue, and soooo inspired about making my own flowered belts. we'll see about that later on. so thanks conell, sistah, you're tops!

check out postcards of miss igorota for more travelling goodness, i will be contributing there soon with six other fabulous girls!

~♥~

in celebration of my 1st year in ireland, i'm hosting a fab giveaway on my next post, so do watch out for that! ♥

the marathon

the long overdue story of my marathon experience. ^-^

joining a mini marathon doesn't mix well with moving house. even if the marathon only meant walking 10 kilometers in the city centre in the heat of the sun,

• with an extra five kilometer of walking from the bus stop to st. stephen's green,
  
• walking in circles among the largest throng of women i have ever seen in my life in search of my co-volunteers from the charity,
• plus an hour and a half of waiting under the hot sun before the race started,
• and i have my 73-year old dutch mother-in-law in tow.

when i signed up for the race around march, i didn't know we would be moving house on the very same week. circumstances can change very quickly though in a matter of time, and i have surprisingly crammed my hands full with so many things at the same time. a few days before the marathon, i thought of backing out already, as we were extremely busy cleaning the new house and moving our stuffs from the pines. but i couldn't afford to disappoint Mem who has arrived from the Netherlands all geared up for the marathon and i know i would feel like a total wimp later on if i give up before i have even started.

so there we were with days of scrubbing and cleaning and washing, and the next moment, we're running for the bus stop to the city centre for the marathon. while the other women must have been resting, eating well and stretching their muscles before the race, mem and i were scrubbing toilets, wiping windows and hoovering the carpeted floor. we even forgot the time that instead of a decent lunch, all we could manage was our quick cup of coffee and a slice of bread and cheese.

finally, we arrived at stephen's green, met up with the other volunteers, but still it was a long wait before the race started, and we were hot and hungry and jammed in the middle of the road with thousands of other women. i was so worried for Mem, because we've been standing in the sun for more than an hour already and the race hasn't even started yet. truth be told, i wanted to run away that moment, drag Mem with me, get on a bus and go home because i was worried something could happen to her and it would all be my fault. i kept asking how she was feeling, and she kept telling me she was fine. so we stayed and waited and fidgeted. there were so many women that by the time we passed the starting line, it was already 23 minutes past the official start.

it was a very slow start, there were just so many of us on the road. Mem was getting impatient as she wanted to walk faster, and we wanted to finish in an hour and a half. the reason of which was that, we had with us the only key for the house and that meant that my husband would have to wait in the empty old apartment until we're back. but when you have 40,374 women walking at the same time on the same road, you couldn't go any faster than you wished. along the way, some women paused to rest and eat and or buy food from gas stations. Mem and i never stopped or rested except to refill our water bottles from the water stations on the road. i had a granola bar with me which we shared and that was our lunch.

it wasn't all that bad though. every kilometer was marked with a band playing molly malone cockles and mussels, and everyone sang along cheerfully including Mem! many people waited on the sides of the road, clapping and cheering us on. there were kids and fathers with banners saying "you can do it mum". it was all heartwarming. so many charities were represented and supported too during the walk, and women from all ages from 14 and up walked and enjoyed the warmth of the elusive sun. we finished the walk in about an hour and 50 minutes, and mem and i couldn't wait to go home and rest our feet. we stopped by a chocolate shop along the way, got a truffle for each of us and we munched all the way to the bus stop.

all my worries for my MIL by the way were for nothing. she was very strong, and i'm glad i trained myself for a whole month because i was able to keep up with her. that same night, we made dinner together and were back to cleaning again the next day. you see, i couldn't relax and take things easy, otherwise she'd do all the work! she wouldn't listen either to our pleas of stopping, and the best i could do is match her strength if not exceed it.

so that was my marathon story. would i do it again? i don't know. perhaps not. it's too chaotic for me. but i sure want to keep on my strength training. it feels good to be strong, to be able to run and sweat, and feel the wind on the face.