Communing with God and Nature @ Caleruega

Since it was Sunday, Mom and I had to go hear Mass. We asked the receptionist at Alfonso Hotel about the mass schedules and gave us two churches. But since Caleruega was nearer, we opted to go that very popular retreat place.

After our yummy breakfast and checking out, I drove for about 15 minutes to the place. A minimal entrance fee of P30 each was asked of us, and off we went to the Transfiguration Chapel.


Since it was a family day, the place was packed! Had a hard time taking pictures of the place WITH NO people in it. Here are some shots that I took.




Gotta love those rolling hills, it was so pretty! And the perfect blue hue of the sky complimented the greens. How can you not believe in God when you see perfection?


Ooohh and Mom kept taking photos of these "flowers" that looked like berries. Can anyone please tell me what this is? :)


It was such a lovely, lovely place. Their tagline, Close to nature. Closer to God. is really fitting. Caleruega also offers retreats for huge groups. Plus they also hold weddings here. Totally perfect since the place was beautiful and oozing with God's gifts.

Since Mom fell in love with place, she already expressed that she wanted to come back here and stay for a night. It's nice to sit around and just reflect, and restart a connection with God. I totally recommend Calereuga to those feeling lost, confused and heartbroken. It's a perfect place to talk to God, plus it's close to the city!

Directions on how to get to Caleruega: From Tagaytay City just go straight towards Nasugbu. A few meters away from the arch of Nasugbu, you'll see a gated community to your left called Everest. I think it has a hotel and restaurant. Just turn left and the guards will let you know how to get to Caleruega. FYI, the road going to Caleruega isn't smooth. I told Mom how ironic the drive was to get to Caleruega - the road to God isn't a smooth one. The road's got HUGE potholes, so just drive carefully.

Caleruega
Brgy. Kaylaway, Batulao
Nasugbu, Batangas
Tel. Nos. (043) 706-0348
Mobile Nos. (0921) 270-9890 and (0921) 830-4226
Look for Jackie, Melda or Roseanne
Website: www.caleruega-Philippines.ph

Ethel and Jayson's Wedding: The Reception

After the simple wedding at Mary The Queen Parish, guests were all invited to Ethel and Jayson's wedding reception at the Edsa Shangri-La Hotel.

The newlyweds were showered with confetti from the party popper.

After which they were asked to cut their really CUTE blue and white wedding cake. It was so pretty!


They also did the traditional wine drinking with their arms linked together. Wish I had a taste of that Monet wine, too! :)

And when the guests start tapping their glasses, it's time for that KISS!

Since it was past 12NN, people were already hungry. And when we were fed, we were fed well! I loved the set menu they had prepared for their guests, like for their appetizer we had the Chili Fried Soft Shell Crab with Wild Berry Vinaigrette, Seared Scallop Wrapped in Parma Ham Caviar.

Although I'm not a fan of vinaigrette, I enjoyed the scallops and the soft shell crab! Really good for jumpstarting your appetite for the upcoming meals.

After the appetizer, we were given soup which I forgot to take a picture of. But it was called Lobster Reduction with Basil Prawn Wonton. I did not enjoy this, particularly because the soup was thick and they didn't cook the wonton very well, you could still taste the flour in the tough wrapping.

To cleanse our palette, we were given Lemon Sorbet with Pistachio Nuts.

I only had one small teaspoonful of this thing because it was just TOO SOUR! It was good, but damn! Whoever squeezed the lemons had too much fun pouring it into the mixture! They even forgot there's such a thing as sugar!

The kicker was really this: Thyme Roasted U.S. Tenderloin with Eda Mami Beans, Creamed Leek Garlic Mash and Port Pink Pepper Reduction.

The meat was thick, but it was so tender! We didn't have problems cutting it with the knife and chewing on it. It was also so tasty! Perfect combination with the mashed leek thing. Great meal! :)

For dessert, we were given Glazed Chocolate Pave Layered with Jasmine Tea Infused Ganache and Anis Spiced Wild Berry Reduction.

I really don't know what a REDUCTION is, but whatever they are, it was really good! :)Good meal for a bunch of hungry guests!

During the meal, the newlyweds were asked to go table hopping for the usual picture taking. They had also prepared a really cool AVP/MTV, which we really enjoyed watching. It was here that the real deal on the love story was finally revealed!


Ethel and Jayson met when he was serving his OJT in Ethel's family's company. They were introduced to each other, and obviously sparks flew. Jayson must have reall given it his all, even going all the way to a town in Batangas where Ethel was with officemates just to see her.

It was on Ethel's birthday, August 11, when she finally "answered" Jayson during her birthday dinner with the family. The proposal came several months later, on February 14, 2010, at the Wheel of Fate in Enchanted Kingdom (a popular theme park here in the Philippines).

And like what they say, the rest is history. :D

Earlier during the reception, it was announced that there would be a very special guest who will be singing. Turned out, this mystery guest was ERIK SANTOS. For foreigners who get to read this, he's this big shot crooner here in our country. His ticket to fame was winning this reality singing competition some time ago.

Ethel's mom apparently, is the huge fan of this guy. He sang a couple of songs for the guests, but he also sang a couple more to which the newlyweds danced to.


Ethel and Jayson's wedding also served us a reunion for me and a couple of my blockmates. Here's Kym, me, and Doreen with the newlyweds.

It was really fun to catch up with each other, especially with Doreen whom I haven't seen for a couple of years now! Still pretty as ever! :)

Like their church ceremony, the reception was also simple but it was really fun. I noticed how the guests ranged from family, relatives, and a few friends, really an "intimate" bunch. And I am privileged to have been part of their special day.

To extend their warm thanks for being with them on their big day each guest received this cute keepsake. A butterfly inside a glass. I already have this on display in my room! :)


Wanna have your reception at the Edsa Shangri-la just like Ethel and Jayson? Here are their contact details.
Edsa Shangri-La
1 Garden Way
Ortigas Centre
Mandaluyong City 1650, Philippines
T: (63 2) 633 8888
F: (63 2) 631 1067
W: http://www.shangri-la.com/en/property/manila/edsashangrila

My Good Friend's Ever Ever After

It doesn't matter how long you and your boyfriend have been together. If it is the perfect time to be together and forever bound by marriage, it will come! I've had friends who've been together for about 8 years but still things came up and it ended their relationship. There are some who have been together for 2 years but end up happily married. But this story is somewhat more special, this is the story of how a 1 year and 4 month old courtship ended up in the altar.

Last Saturday, December 11, a really good college friend of mine Ethel got married to her first love, Jayson. She’s my first friend (within my circle of close friends) to get married and I wouldn’t pass it up for the world! And I was surprised she was the first one to get married. Her wedding was also the second I’ve been to this year, after my cousin’s Cebu wedding.

I remember around July or August of this year when she sent me an instant message asking me, “Mai, kung ikakasal ako pupunta ka ba?” (“Mai, if I were to get married, will you go (to the wedding)?”). To which I replied to with a resounding yes! Definitely yes!

Here’s a short story. We went to college in De La Salle University, we were blockmates when I was still majoring in Organizational Communication. I think because we were both only kids, was the reason why we became close. She has always been boyish, a total cowboy! She would be comfortable in jeans and sneakers, and we'd have the time of our lives laughing at her when she wore a skirt or a dress.

Believe it or not she wanted to be a soldier, and not just an ordinary foot soldier, but one who marched down the front lines and even wanted to sign up at the Philippine Military Academy. She was one step closer to her dream of becoming a soldier when she signed up for our Reserved Officers Training Corps (ROTC). I was an officer; she was part of the Shore Patrol. She would’ve become a much better officer than me, she was always with us in the ROTC office, she actively helped in our duties, in short she loved the job – maybe I should’ve given it to her instead.

We also bonded over basketball. We’d trudge on over to Araneta and watch and cheer our lungs out for our school.

We also went out to the beach or to the mall. We were almost inseparable in college. And even after graduation, we tried to remain in constant communication with each other.

Fast forward to today, she’s now Mrs. Ethelynda Tee Aguila, and I couldn’t be happier. When she walked down the aisle, I couldn’t hold back the tears. I was crying tears of joy! She was radiant, like a true blushing bride on her wedding day.

That would be Jayson, the groom, the guy with a lot of heart and guts, story about their love life LATER! By the way, I almost became commentator/reader for the mass. The real commentator was late, and so Ethel “assigned” me to replace her.

Here are photos of her wedding at Mary The Queen Parish, Greenhills, San Juan. It was simple, but you could just feel the LOVE.

The facade of the Church.

About to exchange their vows.

Saying their "I-do's"

Ethel putting the ring on Jayson's finger

Sharing their first kiss as husband and wife

Signing their marriage contract

Here are more pictures







With the groom's parents

With Tita Linda, Ethel's Mom





The traditional showering of the bride and groom with flowers and the blessed aras (coins)

To my dear friend Ethel, and to her now-husband, Jayson I wish you have a blessed and fruitful life together. Believe in the power of marriage and the happiness it will bring to the both of you. It will never be perfect, just like Fr. Mac said in his homily, but it'll be up to the both of you to make it perfect! I just want to say I am so happy for the two of you! :) Best wishes Ethel and Jayson!

CLICK HERE FOR THEIR RECEPTION AT THE EDSA SHANGRI-LA HOTEL! :)

I Believe in Love :)

It's such a cynical world. And I admit to adding up to the cynicism in this world! But despite that, I will always, always believe in love and marriage despite what others say about it. Love or marriage will NEVER be perfect. What is perfect in this world to begin with? But it will always be up to the two of you to make it perfect. :)

It's actually funny to hear stories about the marrying type who aren't married yet. And there are those who aren't the marrying type but are already married or about to get married. It's cool how the world could sometimes play tricks on people. And this is the story of my cousin. My cousin the intelligent one, the cardiologist, the heartthrob/heartbreaker and the NOT-SO marrying type. But in the end, fate finally lead him to his match. :) This was his Cebu wedding through the lens of my camera.

The blushing bride. :)

The bride walked down the aisle by her Mom and Dad.

Saying their "I-do's" :)

My favorite pic. I love the spontaneity of this pic and how I captured their happy moment. :D

Sealing it with a kiss :*

Having their cake and eating it too. Although the eating part not shown hehe. But they did eat the cake! :p


Isn't it nice to see happy endings? I posted this not just to share the happy ending for my heartthrob cousin, but also because it's June and it's supposed to be the "wedding month". I swear when I get married it's going to be as romantic as possible! :)

Congrats Kuya Jay and Ate Maam! Definitely thrilled to have shared that special moment with you guys!! :D

Date: May 20, 2010
Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral
Reception: Clubhouse of Maria Luisa