Appeal to Kind Hearts: Fund our Annual Christmas Drive

Hi guys! I have been an absentee blogger due to the fact that I had 3 subjects this term and the months leading to the Holidays is the busiest here at work. But anyway, this blog entry is not a blog on a recent food trip or travel, but a sincere appeal to kind and generous hearts this Christmas.

It's been a dream of my Mother to give "gifts" to unfortunate families during Christmas. And last year, this dream saw realization when we got to do our first ever Christmas drive my Mom wittily called PANSSTTT! She called it that because we gave pancit canton (and all ingredients involved in the cooking plus some fruits and powdered iced tea) to unfortunate families near our subdivision in Cainta, Rizal. You can read about my entry last year here (120 Families Served on Christmas Eve)

Through the help of our Parish (San Antonio de Padua Parish) and Dess (the lovely lady from our subdivision who coordinated it all) we were able to distribute these Noche Buena goods to about 120 families. Here are some of the pictures from last year's Christmas Drive. Seeing the smiles on their faces that Christmas Eve was the best! Ang saya na makita sila na masaya to get the goodie bags! :)





By the way, Dess made sure that families we were giving these goodie bags to HAVE ABSOLUTELY ZERO MEANS FOR A NOCHE BUENA! Dess knows the place well since she volunteers for the Church, and knows the people by name. :)

Through the help of our kind donors, we were able to put up enough money to buy all those things for the pancit canton, and we got a little more than we expected so we got buy them fruits and iced tea. Our donors ranged from our relatives (here and abroad), my friends (barkada and work), and other kind-hearted people. We made sure that they SAW where their money went, hence the proper documentation (with accounting pa yan ha!).

So now let me appeal to all of you guys reading this blog entry. It doesn't have to be a huge sum. As of this writing, my Mom has been able to collect funds from our relatives from the States and a friend of hers from work donated juice packs.

For those who want to donate, please leave your name and e-mail address so I could send you details on how you can extend your help.

Thank you very much guys! Let us help those people who will, in no way, have a decent Christmas dinner with their families. Let us be reminded that this is THE TIME of the year to show how blessed we are that we have so much, and it is time to give back.

Please help us spread the word! To my fellow bloggers, I hope you can help me get through some more people. I'm not as big time a blogger as you guys, you guys have a wider reach, so sana you can help me with our Christmas Drive.

THANK YOU SO MUCH! The red poster above, you can use to help promote! :)

For queries on how to donate please e-mail me at: mtc(dot)dumana(at)yahoo(dot)com.

Happy Ha-ha-halloween!!

Best in late haha! :)

How was your Halloween celebrations? Saw a lot of my friends on Facebook and Twitter post pictures of their Halloween costumes and parties. Seriously medyo witchechelles akitch paki sa Halloween. Not a big fan of the costumes and the thought process involved in sprucing up the costume. I just come as myself all the time, keri na ang pagiging natural na bruhilda ko!

Best example is our family's yearly Halloween party. Kabog ang Cream ng Big Fish sa party na itech! Ever since the apos started growing in numbers, my Tita and Tito made it a point to make our Halloween special. Even if my Tita didn't have a household helper (talk about fired about 3 months ago), iba pa rin ang effort niya in decorating their home in BF, Parañaque for this event.


The kids and kids-at-heart pakabugan at pabonggahan sa costume. Hindi talaga nagpatalo ang mga thunders! Pakak si Darth Vader! Achieve!



The pictures are care of my cousin, Ate Anna. While they were having their Halloween party, I escaped and drank with Gladys, John, Miya, and Miguel. Being the youngest among the 1st cousins (what is single and childless?!), medyo hindi na ako makasabay sa groove ng mga muda at puda kong mga pinsan. So I thought it would be better to drink with my friends whom I haven't seen in ages! :)

And ang 2 bagets na itech magkasunod ang birthday! So our Halloween party also turn into their birthday party. Scary lang ang peg ng kanilang party! At least complete pa rin with the costumes! Happy birthday Dustin and Blakey! :)


So ayan! Belated Happy Halloween, All Souls at All Saints from the Dumana family! Wit ako sa fekchoor dahil nakikipag-jinuman ako sa Aguirre niyan hahaha

Lashing Out at the Taksiyapo Wall

BFF Trency and I set out on a roadtrip not too long ago (think last long weekend before the November 1 holidays). Seems like the two of us end up going together on trips since the others are just way too pre-occupied with their lives! Last time we went out on a major trip was in Cebu during the summer, which you can read about here, here, here, and here. Being the only two single girls left in the barkada, we stick together like peas and carrots to somehow cover up that fact hahaha!

We were on our way to San Juan, La Union for a surf trip, when we passed by this restaurant called Isdaan along Gerona, Tarlac. Guys! You'll never miss this restaurant along the main national highway. It's like a major stopover for families. Good thing we decided to stop over the restaurant on the way to La Union, because when we passed by Isdaan on our way back to Manila it was JAMPACKED!

We didn't eat here though, but we stopped here on the way to La Union to try out the famous Taksiyapo Wall. Mariko and I planned a trip to Isdaan to experience this, but never got the chance to, sayang! I really don't know why it's called that, but it has become popular here because you can throw stuff (choose from mugs, saucers, plates, bowls, vase to television sets!) at the Taksiyapo Wall. So if the Jews have their Wailing Wall, we Pinoys have the Taksiyapo Wall to lash out


Here's Trency with her very highly emotional throwing. She doesn't get angry a lot, so I understand her need for releasing the stress/tension. She got so carried away, she hit one of the light bulbs and the broken pieces ricocheted near the cashier. The poor ladies almost got hit! :p



I for one get angry all the time, hence the lack-luster throwing. Sorry! Although I must admit it was fun throwing things just for the heck of it. :)


So if you guys are on a road trip up north, make sure to stop by Isdaan in Gerona, Tarlac. Release your tension and try out the Taksiyapo Wall. Don't forget to shout Taksiyapo before throwing your item into the wall, they say it gives it an emotional twist.

But has anyone of you eaten here? Is the food any good? Worth going on a road trip for? Lemme know! :)

P.S. Also, don't forget to bring Off Lotion or any anti-mosquito lotions. The place is one huge fish pond, so it's also one huge place filled with stagnant water. Better safe than sorry right?! :)

UPDATED: It All Started With A Videoke Machine

Pardon the story telling...pansin niyo mahilig ako umeksena sa mga long narratives in some blog entries. But I have a point naman! Hahaha!

It was in 2009 when I went back to Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte with Steph and Par. The first time I went to Pagudpud was in 2006 marami kami sa barkada non, the summer before our senior year in La Salle. I also came back with officemates early this year! So hindi talaga obvious that I love the place!

We were supposed to be like 4 or 5 on that trip, but some weird stroke of luck happened, and the 3 of us ended up going. Dakilang mga lakwatsera talaga! We took Steph's mom's trusty Ford Everest, and off we went on that 13-hour drive up north. Since it was just the 3 of us medyo slight titigan ang ganap because Pagudpud isn't exactly like Boracay with a wild nightlife. BUT! In Polaris Beach Resort, there's a videoke machine, and being the true Filipinos we are, we (meaning Steph) just wanted to take a whack at it.

BUT (#2)! There were 2 girls who got there before us! Actually, it was Steph who wanted to sing, kating kati ang lola niyong bumirit that's why we egged her to talk to the 2 girls so we can all share the microphone! After a couple of hours of singing, we went upstairs to to our room (which had a veranda) to drink and play cards. Mega bonding ang ganap, that went on to talking about our schools (they were engineering graduates from Mapua (BIGATIN!)), why it was just the 2 of them and the 3 of us there, and at hindi mawawalang LOVE LIFE! :p

Pagudpud circa 2009



Their names were Shera and Mitch....and as they say, the rest is history. Even after we left Pagudpud, we've been in touch through twitter, facebook, and text messages. We've managed to squeeze in one drinking session before, and of course we're planning more if time permits. We've been busy with work and other things, and the other got married and got a kiddo now, but hey, we're still friends! :)

Ondoy Relief Operations, Bulacan, 2009



Post-Christmas/Pre-New Year Inuman Session, 2010



So it was really touching when Shera who gave birth to a cute baby girl 3 months ago, asked all 3 of us to be Ninangs (godmothers) of her panganay. How can we say NO, right? I probably got a good track record because Syb is like my 2nd inaanak this year! Naks!

So October 1, after my Strategic Planning class, I drove to Pandacan to attend Baby Syb's baptism!






Borlogs ang bagets the whole time. Even when the priest was pouring Holy Water on her head, deadma! She was the cutest, and I didn't even see her cry the whole time we were there! She had the plumpest cheeks (which by the way I wanted to bite and pinch).

And after, it was off to their abode for the reception and the drinking session at 3PM. Yes, 3 in the afternoon! It was Tanduay Ice and shots of Emperador Light! Plus, I got to meet the rest of Mitch and Shera's Mapua barkada - Yaw (na super benta na Ogie Alcasid ang peg), Chowkie, Johnny(boy), July, and Ida (forgot the rest...sino na nga ba yung Dume-Derek Ramsay at si jowawers niya? HAHAHA)!

It was super fun! It was really nice meeting you guys! Dance Central na ulit sa bahay nila Johnny! Hahaha oha! May puntahan na sa bahay na naganap, feeling close, etchosera! :p Fierce ang barkadang ito, betchicola ko kasi lahat bakla (literally and figuratively speaking). THE BEST! I'm glad I went to the reception, salamat na rin sa pagpilit Mitch! :D

So see...it all started with a videoke machine in Pagupud! Friendships can be formed in the weirdest sense, but it can go all the way. Thank God for Steph's addiction to videoke, because if she didn't, we wouldn't have met them! :)

So kayo, you guys got the same story as ours? Share kayo! :D

Whatta Friday That Friday!!

When Rebecca Black said in her notorious song, FRIDAY: "Gotta get down on Friday" She sure as hell wasn't joking! :D

Anyway, the 5thirsty gang was at it AGAIN! Just noticed we get WILDER and WILDER every Friday! Remember our Fiamma night-out, that was tame compared to this! This time we didn't get contented with just one place - we went from Gerry's Grill in Insular Life to World Topps in Valero Street to Izumi at The Fort. Hooozzaaahhh!! :D

So I'll let the photos do the talking this time. The first set of photos are from our dinner at Gerry's Grill Insular Life. Since it was payday Friday, it took us almost an hour to get seated. We ordered Baked Scallops, Crispy Adobo Flakes, Inihaw na Pusit, Inihaw na Liempo and Pork Sisig. PLUS 2 buckets of San Mig Light with 2 free pulutans (Lumpiang Shanghai and Fish Fingers). Thanks BOSS (you know who you are!) :D



Then it was off to World Topps Valero. CB, Marvin's pretty girl, wanted to do something different. We didn't have any plans on singing our guts out, but it was just too good to pass. Spend Php500 and you get to sing for 1 hour. So on the table was 2 buckets of Red Horse beer, peanuts and fish crackers, and squid balls. Lahat UBOS! :) Playlist included: 214, Ang Huling El Bimbo, Pyramid (or should we say Triangle *wink wink), Glory of Love, Crazy for You (not the Madonna version but the SPONGECOLA version), and Alone. Can't remember everything!








Hahaha and we also met these 2 folks who sold us condo units afterwards (ayos din kayo salesman na salesman talaga ang peg hahaahahaha).


Since the night was still young no one wanted to go home yet. So we took a sneak peak at Il Ponticello, but it was ghost town that night and too chill for our liking so we left. We also checked out Rue Bourbon along Tordesillas but it was closed (booo!).

Since David already went ahead to Izumi, we decided to follow him there. And this time all we had was a BOTTLE OF JACK DANIELS! And for the first time, we weren't able to finish the bottle. I think we've had way too much alcohol intake that night! BUT IT FELT GOOD TO DANCE IT ALL AWAY!







Thank you so much to Elaine for letting me use her photos. Darn should remember to bring a camera every Friday! :)

P.S. Don't forget to follow my love, Elaine's blog too! It's called A Misselaineous Life!