Bleach, the series

Finally, I finished watching the Bleach series. Over the past month, it became my constant companion. I religiously watched it every day whilst riding a roller coaster of emotions—thrill and excitement for the battles and idea of finishing the series, boredom and anxiety with how the flow sometimes feel slow and taking oh-so tediously long (stalled), irritation with how some characters think and act, and of course I also had to deal with my regular life—the stresses and frustrations at work, at home, etcetera.

Bleach, in my opinion, is a great series. It may mainly focus on how Ichigo goes to battles to carry out his substitute shinigami duties and protect his family and all that is dear to him, but it's not just all about force, brute and desire to be stronger. It also shows admirable family bond and relationship, strong and reliable friendship, dedication to one's duties and quests to conquering fears and obtaining greater strengths to protect what needs to be protected.

It is pretty inspiring to see how the characters strive to win and overcome obstacles no matter how hopeless the situation may seem. They stumble and fall, but they get back in their feet.

However, it's not totally "foolproof". 

LILAC FOODTRIP II: Casa Feliz and Spartea

As promised, we returned to Lilac, a street filled with restaurants we just have to try. Though, we did not went eating at other restaurants. We instead came back to Casa Feliz--to sample their pastas--and Spartea--to sample the hotdogs.

CRUMBS

October 2, 2012--I accompanied my mother to the doctor. The clinic's located inside the mall--Robinson's Metro East, so of course, I did not get bored.

There's this newly opened shop(stall?) that sells cupcakes and as it's conveniently in the same floor and area as the clinic, I decided to try some out.

Since I know I'd be staying there for more than fifteen minutes, I bought three: Scarlet Witch, Lemon Burst and Carrot with Walnut. They all taste good! The cream used is very yummy, the cupcakes are soft and fresh and all the ingredients used for each cupcake blends well [in my opinion].

Each cupcake costs P45, and I think it's worth it. I'd try some again when I get the chance. :)

My September

September has been one heck of an eventful month. So stressful and frustrating and draining--work wise. -.-


But of course, it's not all rainstorms and dark clouds.

SM North Edsa チュチュSCAPADE

091412

What was supposed to be a trip to have my beloved Kaoru's OS upgraded and hunt for a nice-looking phone case became another foodscapade... well, at least it was a yummy trip; and come to think of it, the phone case hunt was pretty successful. ^^v

Anyways, my friends and I had lunch at Papa John's. It's not really a newly discovered restaurant [for us] since you see it in malls, but it was our first time trying the food there. Fortunately, we did enjoy the food and got ourselves stuffed--my friends didn't even finished their orders, but meh, they don't really have as big as an appetite as I do. The price range is the normal ones for mall restaurants, P180-P200++.

Cafe Flora

Marikina Hotel
Pio Del Pilar St. cor. Tangerine St., Brgy. Concepcion II, Marikina City
Tel. Nos.: 612-53-27 / 494-08-00

entrance to Cafe Flora

An eat-all-you-can / buffet style of dining. For only P150, you can enjoy a variety of dishes--from pasta to pancit to rice meals and rice cakes to sweetened bananas, etcetera. They also offer bottomless drink--red iced tea or four seasons--for P50. I like how sweet the red iced tea is. v(^^)

I am not really sure with their operating hours, but I do know that they offer breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

I haven't tried the breakfast yet, so I do not know what food they serve. But as far as lunch and dinner is concerned, it's quite satisfying. 

I have gone here with my family for about four times now. We've even seen a batch of OJTs go and have new ones come. And quite frankly, I prefer the first batch, the one with lots of females since they were more accommodating and conscious of the customers' needs. But that doesn't mean the new batch sucks. They are also pretty nice and all, just that the batch before them were better. Maybe they just need a little more practice. 

My mom doesn't really enjoy eating here since she doesn't find some of the food somewhat bland, but my dad does. And for us children, it's also fine. And hey, if you're being treated and given free food, who are you to complain? XD

I think the problem lies with the buffet table being so near the AC. That is why some of the food are already a little hard/tough. But considering the price and the good ambiance, not to mention the free wifi, it's all worth it. 

Casa Feliz

95 Rainbow St., Hacienda Heights, Concepcion II, Marikina City
Tel. No.: (02) 933-6653
Operating hours: 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.


Well, since Angelica already wrote about how we wound up in Casa Feliz, I think it's unnecessary for me to repeat the story. [ Kada Meow @ Lilac Street: Casa Feliz ]

I'll just post the pictures of the pretty and yummy cakes we tried.

SPARTEA spa and bubble tea

In continuation of our “FOOD TRIP ADVENTURE DAY”, we went to Spartea—a bubble tea place [which is walking distance from Crazy Katsu] that offers spa and mani-pedi aside from their variety of drinks.

Their menu:

 

Crazy Katsu

Most of my friends and I are into Japanese Food, and so, when I discovered that there’s a Japanese restaurant around the city, we just had to see and try it.  

We went just this Sunday, September 9. And it’s quite funny how we all do not know where Crazy Katsu is exactly located and the fact that houses around the area have two different numbers is no help at all. But no biggie. After all, that day was declared as “FOOD TRIP ADVENTURE DAY” and so, walking back and forth just to find the place is not something to make fuss about.

Boyong's, the challenging conquering

This past few months, I seem to be more indulgent with food. I don't know if it's due to all the stress coming from work or just my innate gluttonous side climbing up another level; but either way, I'm craving for food and trying out new tastes more than usual. Thus, my new past time is to look up and read food blogs.

As of now I am focused with a particular food blog since it's centered with restaurants and eateries and snack places around Marikina, my hometown. [ Marikina Food Trip ]  

This August, I tried one of the places reviewed by said blog--Boyong's.

We Still Don't Know the Name of the Flower We Saw That Day

 あの日見た花の名前を僕達はまだ知らない。

P L O T

At first I thought it would be all sad and tears and chest pains, but surprisingly—and fortunately—it's not. Ano Hana is more of nostalgia and melancholia. Well, I guess that makes it quite saddening too. But in a sense, or a different angle, it's not. It is a different kind of sadness.

I love how realistic this anime is. [Well, save for the Menma’s ghost part. But I guess, that’s a possibility as well.] The characters seem truly alive to me; and if events like these happened in real life, I guess people would react exactly—or almost like—the same. Others might find some of the characters annoying, but to me no one is. How they turned out and how they act is a product of the past that they just cannot escape from.

コードギアス 反逆のルルーシュR2

I just finished watching Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 this weekend. The ending was very bittersweet that I actually became quite teary. I felt for Lelouch—that in order to make way for peace he had to carry all the hate and lose his comrades’ faith in him. That his raison d’être, his world's centrepiece, had been turned against him at some point. Though good for him that his ever beloved Nunally—and even Kallen plus the other members of the black knights/resistance—came to understand his actions and motives in the end. Well, at least he regained his best friend, Kururugi Suzaku, back and he stayed and helped with putting the plan into action. 

I wonder how it was for Suzaku that Lelouch had to die by his hands and vice versa. 

Truly bittersweet.

SUMMER

i want to be as calm and free as the clouds~
i want to just go with the flow and be wherever the wind takes me~
take me out for an adventure~

Bitter Tea

Everything happens for a reason. And as much as people hate to make mistakes, they still do. One way or another, mistakes are bound to happen. And all of it—as horrible and unfortunate it may seem—also happens for a reason.  Mistakes help and teach us to become better persons. Stronger and wiser. Yes, this stuff may be common knowledge and sounds all cliché-ish, but sometimes, we still need to be reminded of this fact. Especially at times where in we just encountered the problem and/or still in the middle of. -.-

The chain of regrets I’ve just gone through—and is actually still going through—may currently make me feel as one giant heap of fails and stupidity, but I know—well okay, I so honestly pray and hope—that in the very near future [when all is right in my world again], I’d regard everything as some sort of “pre-requisite” in my becoming a more mature and tougher individual. Something I’d see and feel I can be proud of having experienced. A scar that, though ugly-looking, becomes kinda pretty cool because of the amusing story behind it; not to mention a forever reminder and reference of how I should deal with the same/similar situations in the future. An eternal life’s moral.