What is the Holiday Season without "Cookies n Chismis Holiday Soiree"?!

This is the third year I've hosted the Cookies n Chismis (healthy gossip) party. One of the few occasions I invite good peoples I have met from different chapters of my life.

I also take pride in my semi professional baking skills and this time around cranked out 60- some sugar cookies that were decorated with the icing with my special food coloring. Ok, that is a slight exaggeration! I had to hold myself back from eating spoons full of the confectioner concoction and crisco. Oh my word!

Here are my essential Christmas songs:

Boys to Men Let it snow

Feliz Navidad (reggae style) Bob Marley

Do You Hear What I hear Destiny's Child

Blue Christmas Elvis Prestley

Pasko Naman Apo Hiking Society

Jingle Bell Rocks Disney

Please come home for Christmas Luther Vandross

Sleigh Ride TLC

Deck the Halls Temptations

We are the world Michael Jackson

Last Christmas Glee cast

Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas Frank Sinatra

Pinay Power Brunch


I hosted the December Holiday PPB at my apartment after a long hiatus of attending the brunches. The purpose of the brunch is to gather on a monthly basis and offer a comforting and supportive environment for young Filipina women in the NYC area. Most brunches have themes, ice breakers and other fun activities for the ladies to learn more about each other, discuss relevant newsworthy events, or talk about life.
For me it has been the outlet I have been seeking since becoming a mom and wanting to keep my connections with the Filipina community.

As the hostess of the holiday brunch my suggestion was to decorate cookies. The wanna-be chef side of me that wanted to exploring the art of cooking. What better project than to bake sugar cookies and decorate with icing, and sprinkles. Baking or cooking anything from scratch still is new to me so I researched recipies, stocked up on ingredients and made sure I had all the traditional cookie cutters.

I was in a baking frenzy before the guests arrived but I enjoyed the rush of having to methodically roll the dough, use the cookie cutters and keep a mental timer of the cookie readiness.

Of course, a couple batches of the cookies did not make it but over all I was very satisfied with the end products. Noah also took part desperately wanting to shake the sprinkles and dots all over people. His sneaky quickness did allow him to try the icing which instantly transformed him into a crazed sugar hyper kid.

Aside from the cookie making, we also had a wrapped book exchange. I was particularly entertained by my gift because it was a trashy novella that I got from the 7-11 while I was in the Philippines a few years back. I did use a bandana from the Philippines to cover the book since the book itself was not the most desirable to most.

We had a sharing of the significance of the holidays and our fondest memories. I talked about my first winter as a new arrival in the U.S. when I was five. I spent hours of delight in the snow, making my own fortress by the garage, eating snow dripped with maple syrup and the fascination that white stuff was falling from the sky!

Everyone went home with a handful of cookies. I hope if not at PPB I can host another cookie decorating party. Who says it only has to be during the Winter Holidays?! Maybe I will have a Valentine's Day cookie decorating party!

You're not "LOST", I found you!

Ok, a little corny but I admit I am 'that' person who gets overly giddy when I see an actor, one of the highlights of participating at the 69th Coalition for Asian Pacific Americans
in the city.

CAPA has always been one of my favorite events because it showcases over 200 Asian/Asian American organizations in New York City. You can educate yourself in one afternoon by visiting the numerous booths that often offers hand outs and freebees. Other attractions are the line up of cultural performances, entertainers and cuisine.

I tabled at CAPA with an entrepreneur friend James who runs Arkane, a clothing distribution company that is specifically Filipino inspired. He is also launching his own Prince Giolo designs in the very near future. I always had an attraction to the fashion industry, how trends start, the marketing angle, and creating a distinct personal look.

In any case, a Filipina approached the table with Miles (Ken Leung) from Lost, Inside Man, Law and Order and other notable roles. As a follower of Lost and Inside Man I could not contain my excitement. He walked off shortly afterwards but during my free time I skimmed through the festival and saw him sitting on a bench. I could not help but approach him. I tried to keep my cool, told him I was a fan and asked if I could take a picture with him. Of course I could not pass the opportunity for Noah to miss out as well as Kevin and Tiano (the dog.) Oh happy day!

Maligayang bati Kevin! Pacific Grill at Pier 17, NYC

DIRTY THIRT(IES) -

My friends I've met in my 20's and a few who have withstood the test of our prepubescent years are slowly entering their third decade of life with positivity and realization that 'it ain't that bad!" As each birthday passes for me I don't 'feel' old and attribute it to my youthfulness and high energy.

I definitely spent a couple weeks in a depression about leaving my twenties, reviewing my accomplishments and wondering what I had to look forward to in my thirties. I came to the conclusion that I referred to second decade as the terrible twenties; a time of soul searching, making many bad judgments, feeling unsure of my career path and wondering if I would find meaningful relationships with people. All of which have defined me.

Reaching my thirties has been a time for me to reflect and also reinvent myself. Now as a mom, a far more drastic role than my earlier years; I do not have as much freedom to be carefree, to travel on a whim or be involved with the various volunteer organizations I was once affiliated with. Now it is a matter of balancing being a stay at home momma, integrating my other interests/hobbies and maintaining my sanity.

So, I am happy to celebrate the day my friends turn a new corner in their lives and look back at our yesteryears without regets!

(from left - Mathilda, Ree, Maria, Kevin, Me and honorary member Cece)

Filipinos Gone Wild Class of 2004 Reunion

2004 was undeniably a memorable year for us. Without revealing too much about our wild nights of debauchery I will say those nights have been the glue to our friendships. I may not be close to all of them but we have a supportive and loving comradeship. Four years later who would have thought that three of the four ladies (minus CeCe who is kneeling in the picture) would be mamas.

Mathilda flew in from Chicago, which was the main reason we all found ourselves in the same space and damn it - it was worth an entire day away from Noah. Though I might add a long overdue 'me' day.

As a matter of facts earlier the same marathon day I met up with Kevin at our regular spot, Jing Fong in Chinatown for dim sum. I did not tell him that I had a special guest joining us. Minutes later a set of unfamiliar hands rested over his closed eyes. His reaction was priceless as he squealed and yelled out, 'oh my gawd - oh my gawd!' I have always enjoyed bringing an element of surprise, what can I say?! Kevin had not seen Math in 2 years give or take.

After spending a good hour and half feasting on dim sum and blabbing about our lives we continued wandering through Little Italy in the hypothermic air. We found a cafe that served cheap wine and and mouth watering deserts so we could have another sit down session.

It was a relief that I did not need to fret about being away from Noah knowing he was in good hands. Mathilda's daughter was with her Gamma so we both shared a couple, 'I wonder how my baby is doing...'

To cap off an already stupendous day we met up with the remaining members of FGW 04' - Maria and Ree. We grubbed, reminisced and were silly like it was 04'. We're gully, fierce and
hell ya we know how to roll.

Hapa Baby Palooza ---



(picture left - Maria, Noah, Corinne, Amalia, Malcolm - it aint easy photoging three rambunctious babies!)

I hosted a "mommas and toddlers" afternoon at my apartment(embarrassingly my first). The gal that babysits Noah is a film student and is of mixed race. One of her film projects has been focusing on the mixed race experience - post Vietnam War.

Now that I have Noah in my life I feel like there is so much more to consider when it comes to looking at his racial makeup. I cannot offer the cultural link of the Filipino language, perhaps some words I have picked up and hopefully what Ninong RJ will teach him. I spent my "terrible twenties" investing a lot of my time exposing myself to the Fil-Am experience, which included 3 visits to the Philippines, attending numerous conferences, becoming a youth organizer and Co-founding a website for adult Filipino adoptees.

In some respects I can relate to the hapa experience because my family is white and I struggled for many years to create a positive self identity, embrace my adoption and pride for my Filipina heritage.

One of the many things, I would like to instill in my son is pride of being Filipino, German and Italian. We do not know as much about the European American side of him but this may be an opportunity to research both his maternal and paternal grandparents lineage.

Car equals freedom


When you live in a city it does
not make sense to own a car unless you have money and can afford to pay the outrageous
monthly garage fees or parking tickets you are likely to get.

Thanks to my cousin, I joined Zipcar because I have been tired of taking Metro North transit. My friend lives in Nyack, which is 45 minutes outside of the city and I wanted to visit her without the hassle and stress of relying on public transportation, especially with a toddler.

Despite having been lost for an hour I still made it to Nyack with enough time to have a sit down lunch and also go to BJ's Warehouse where I indulged in economy sized things you cannot get in the city.

The picture above is of Malcolm (left) and Noah on our adventure in BJ's.


Some great perks with Zipcar:

- You are given a nifty card that only you can use to access the car,
- They cover gas up to 180 miles FREE,
- Every car has an EZ pass and if you go through a toll it is billed to your credit card,
- You can rent cars from $8-$18/hour,
- They offer different levels of membership if you require a car often or once a month,
- There are a variety of cars and if you want to go luxury rent a bmw, mini or suv,

Concerns:

- Make sure you call the garage in advance to ensure your car does not have any problems i.e. flat tire,
- Do a test run of the car you requested,
- Report any issues of the car to Zipcar,
- If you need a car during the weekend reserve a week or two in advance.

BIRTHDAY! A great way to get old and new friends together!

I was never one for wanting to having a 'huge' birthday bash. If people were around I would ring them and figure out something fun to do. Actually, I barely remember what I have done for past birthdays! From 03-05' I was in the Philippines.

Last year, I had the surprise party of my life and have to give a HUGE kudos to John for setting it up with the help of Kebin. Sadly, the Frying Pan restaurant that we ate at at the pier. It was demolished last fall but the feast we had will forever be in our memories.

After looking through the New York magazine, I read about a new Filipino restaurant near Union Square. Pistahan restaurant specializes in dishes called 'Bicol Express', which is best known for using coconut milk or cream in many of their dishes - other wise known as gata in Filipino.

The food turned out to be delicious and thank gosh for family style eating though generally I prefer to have my own dish!. We ate Chicharron Bulaklak (literally "crispy flowers" or fried chicken intestine), Lumpiang Shanghai (very thin and short spring rolls), Lumpiang Sariwa (vegetables in crepe), Pancit Canton (chinese egg noodles with sprouts, chicken, garlic), Ginataang Sari Sari (mixed Filipino vegetables with coconut milk), Daing Na Bangus (boneless deep fried milkfish servced with vinegar and soy sauce), Chicken Adobo (chicken slow cooked in soy sauce, vinegar, garlich and pepper corn), ube (purple yam) and mango ice cream.

Pistahan ($$) 229 1st Ave, New York 10003 Btwn 13th & 14th street Phone: 212-228-9000

Of course, the unexpected gifts were also just as good! I received the most spectacular rainbow obsidian rock I have ever seen by my girl Rudy. Boy Rudy gave me a children's book in Filipino and English while I turned down his offer to give me the movie - The Piano and I am also looking forward to going to a Broadway show thanks to John!!

Here is a toast to finally reaching my 30's!

Gung Hay Fat Choy!


Happy Chinese New Year
Year of the Pig

Jing Fong is the largest Chinese restaurant in Manhattan. It is inexpensive, quick and a great place to congregate with a big group of friends and gorge on very tasty dumplings with all sorts of fillings.

A friend of mine was visiting from DC and figured it would be a great place for us to meet along with other friends we have not seen in a while. Of course I warned everyone that the streets would be overflowing with folks wanting to celebrate with a dim sum feast.

When we got there the wait was one hour long. Thanks to "Filipino time" it worked to the late comers advantage and we were eventually seated. The banquet hall was at maximum occupancy and our guess of the number of people was some where around 1,000 people.


The tubes the kids are hold shoot out confetti and quite honestly a quick rush . They definately can cause harm if misused!!

Chinese New Year is celebrated throughout the next 2 weeks with dragon dances accompanied by drums going through the streets.

I found it amazing to read about the exodus of Chinese making their way home to celebrate with their families in China and over 2 billion people will use every form of transportation to do so. It is the largest migration of people in the world!

i realize that babies cry and it is not always because they are in pain but rather to inform mom that they are hungry or need a diaper change. to be honest we have been spoiled since noah has been such a laid back baby. the minute he cries we tend to panic.

john and i decided to see stranger than fiction, with will farell and dustin hoffman. in short - i loved the storyline but it fell short of my expectations. with little time before the movie we ate at burger 9 --- not as good as johnny rocket's in the milford mall but the fries made up for the burger shortcomings. i am no burger conisseur but i prefer the the thinner patties. sorry to the vegan/vegatarians if i am being too descript about meat.

i can only imagine what it was like for moms before there were cell phones; a lot of agony being seperated from their kids and fear that the babysitter would call. while we were watching the movie i received a picture text of noah wrapped with a comforter on kym's couch. i finally gave a sigh of relief and was able to finish the rest of the movie without any interuptions.

Visiting MaMARIA and Inspecta X (aka Malcolm Bayani)


Kym, Noah and I had our own adventure to Natick, NY to visit newborn Inspecta X. Malcolm Bayani was born January 26th - 7lbs 12oz.
Bayani is a Filipino word, which means hero although there is far more meaning to the word.

http://www.tribo.org/history/bayani.html

Thank gosh Kym is patient because I was ready to turn around and go straight home after spending 15 minutes trying to find each other. We wanted to meet in Port Authority but it was not nearly as easy as we anticipated. I went up and down the escalator stopping at each of the 4 floors at least twice, making rounds through the station. The elevator did not exactly give me access to every section of the station and I ended up carrying the stroller down a few flights of stairs before finding Kym.

We opted to take a bus to Nyack, which drove along the Hudson River but was not necessarily the best decision. Of course our next visit will be much easier now that we know our mistakes but the train would have been easier.
Malcolm's mom coined the nickname Inspecta Kissy Face because he puckers his lips after his feedings. The name caught on and I decided to call him Inspecta X. The visit was exactly what I needed even if it was rather stressful getting there. It was great to be around another mom, to share pointers, experiences and coo over each others babies.

I am looking forward to the coming months when Biggie Smalls (Maria's nickname for Noah) and Inspecta X get bigger and can have play time together.

Thank gosh for our own Noah sitter.

Having Kym over last week was a godsend. I have had some free time of my own to dilly dally around my neighborhood grocery shopping and doing other chores that are not so easy to do with Noah.

Even though I stay in the vicinity, I still find myself frantically calling her every 10 minutes for fear that Noah is crying. It is a relief that he seems to sleep during her visits though that will soon change I am sure. She will be giving him lessons about important African American people and historical events in no time!

This is a call for other folks who would like to take a go at looking after Noah.

77th Street|Lexington Avenue Station

Rudyroooooooh, Rudy, RJ -

One of the many photos I have with this guy. We have a long history starting in 1999 when we met at Trinity College.