Crossroads

"See you at the crossroads, crossroads.."

     

     It's been years since this song became popular and was played all over the radio. Funny how it seems to make a come back.. Well, not in the music scene but in my life.

      Have you ever wondered why some good memories just sometimes last as memories? Do you get me? Haha! I just feel like there are certain instances in our lives where we experience happiness and then all of a sudden fate comes to place and it all ends on how it's supposed to be. I don't really know if I'm trying to make sense right now but please bear with me. Haha!

      Some unanswered questions, unexplained feelings and unuttered thoughts constitute what life call as complicated. But you know what? There are questions that should be left unanswered, feelings that should be left unexpressed and thoughts that will forever wander. 

                            I don't know why we have to go through this cycle in life but maybe it will teach us something. How do you solve an unanswered question? Ask. How do you explain that feeling? Express. What are you thinking? Say it. If only I could do all that though. 

            In the end, we just have to deal with it and get it over with. Memories, events, laughters, smiles, and time. It'll all come to pass. Besides, our brain doesn't have the capacity to store everything.. that's just if you're trying to forget something. Haha

            This blog post doesn't seem to make sense. Haha! What I'm trying to say is...

Happiness.. it's temporary but you can always reminisce.

Smiles.. it lasts for a minute or two but you can always bring it back again.

Hugs.. one can always let go but at least you felt the warmth.

Memories..

             be thankful for it. 

             be glad that it happened.

             smile when it crosses your mind.

            write it down so that when your heart and brain forgets, 

                          you can always go back to it.

  

I couldn't be more thankful. :)

xoxo, Gennin

PIHA BEACH, New Zealand

       Two weeks ago, my friend's friend invited us to go on a road trip to one of the popular beaches in town. We were all giddy and excited since this will be our first road trip together! The whole flat is finally going somewhere aside from Queen Street! Haha!

      One quick trivia before I get into the details of our trip. Piha beach, based on their website, is New Zealand's famous Surf beach. It is situated on the west coast of the North Island which is 40kms away from the city of Auckland. We travelled using our friend's private car and it took us about 45 minutes (minus the stopover) to get to the actual place.


     




     When we got there, I was in awe of how beautiful the place was. Thanks to the nice weather that day, we got to walk around the beach while wearing dresses! :)

Campervans :) I want to try living here for once in my life. 

My little brother told me that I look like a ghost since I'm so pale, and I was so happy that Mr. Sun was out when we got to Piha because I got to take in some Vitamin D. Haha :)

Since the beach was too dangerous to swim in due to the moody, misty and mysterious current, we just decided to walk barefoot and enjoy the view. :)

Hey there roomie! 

Children's playground. Brings out the kid in me... always. Haha! :)

If you're planning on taking a trip to Piha and didn't have much preparations like we do, don't you worry. There's a nearby cafe (Which I think is the only cafe there) that serves coffee, smoothies, and a lot of other healthy dishes. Their desserts and pastries are yummy too but the thing is they ran out so fast and they do not make much so if you want it, buy it straight away! :)

We got tired from walking so took our time and sat on the not so white sand of Piha. There were families and lovers sitting by the beach and just enjoying the nice view and the heat of the sun. Some families even brought their dogs there and they played with them and walked them around. :)

SPELL HAPPINESS.

This is probably my most favourite photo during our trip. One classmate said that it resembles the "Sisterhood of travelling pants" movie. Haha! The trip itself was one for the books. It got even better with the right company. I hope we'll get to do more of these spontaneous trips in the next couple of months! Flat 1212 :)

Thank you Jesus for blessing us and for giving us a safe journey during this trip. You made us so happy. All glory and honour to YOU! :)

xoxo, Gennin

That's Why.

       Have you ever reached a point in your life where surprisingly everything is finally making sense? Well, 5 months ago, that happened to me.

Rewind.
       A few years back, I had my first (and only haha!) heartbreak and damn was it hard. I didn't know how to pick up the little pieces that got lost along the way. My mom travelled with me in order for me to escape. I questioned God why it had to happen. Why of all people, me. He didn't answer.















Fast forward.
       I was complaining about how hard my job was back home. I had to handle two positions after my partner from work retired from his job. Aside from that, I didn't quite like where I was at that moment in time. Everything seemed pointless. Nothing exciting or worth sharing happened to my life. All I did was complain to my parents on how badly I wanted to quit. But I didn't. Well, not yet.













Fast fast forward.
       One night while scrolling through my Facebook page (Yup, bored.), I came across my friends' page and I wondered if he did push through with his plans on studying abroad. I tried to contact him and he said that he already quit his job and is currently processing his papers. I envied him. Not because he's going abroad. Mainly because he quit his job. I wanted something to happen to me and my oh so boring life so I asked him if he could show me the requirements for studying abroad. The next day, I talked to my mom about it. She talked to my dad about it and I tried completing the papers. I was praying for a breakthrough in my life.


Fast Fast Fast forward.
      3 weeks later, I got to complete all the requirements. I was surprised how easy everything was. I was still working when I was in the process of completing the documents and the only time I had was lunch break. Miraculously enough, by God's grace, I was able to do it.

Now.
      I packed my bags and left the country. I didn't get to finish my masters degree. I left every thing behind. But you know what? That was probably the best decision of my life. I felt.. free. I felt like every thing had to happen because God has greater plans for me. For my life. If I hadn't broken up with you know who, I wouldn't have the courage and determination to leave the country. If I didn't pray for something to happen to my career, then I wouldn't have had the motivation to change and move from where I was at that time.

       I am happy now. Beyond happy actually. I met a lot of new people. I gained a lot of new friends. I'm beginning to understand who I am as a person. I somehow grew on other aspects of life. For one, I learned to clean up after myself, throw the trash and do my laundry. That's not something that I do back home and my parents would usually nag me into doing it but right now, nothing seems like a chore. I'm learning. Hurray! Haha. :)

      All I'm saying is, it takes a whole lot of patience to wait. I can be very impatient. I tend to want to know the results right away. I used to question why certain things won't go my way but it doesn't work that way in real life. But through it all, there we will come to a point and say, "That's why". 

                                          Hope you enjoyed reading! Comments? :)

                                                                              xoxo,Gennin

3 ways to cope up with homesickness

Hi guys! I have been out and about lately and I haven't updated my blog for a while. I am currently here in a new country that involves cows and dairy. Can you guess where I am now? Haha.

I'm gonna tell you about it on my separate blog entry. For now, I 'm gonna write about the 3 ways of coping up with homesickness. Being away from your family is pretty hard. I cried a couple of times during my first week here but I'm getting a hang of it now though :)

1. Find a good flatmate.

I am fortunate enough to be blessed with awesome flatmates and the good thing about it too is that we're all from the same province and we speak the same language and that makes it much easier to communicate. If you happen to hate your flatmates, give it 2-3 months and when you find a good set of friends, transfer immediately! Being around people who speaks the same language as you makes you feel at home and lessens the feeling of being alienated. You know what I mean? Haha.

2. Make the most of your time everyday.

You're in a new place. Explore! Walk. Take a bus. Take a train.. but, be sure to have google maps app. on your phone. You don't want to get lost along the way eh? :P 

3. Always communicate with your family back home.

We're lucky to have technology to help us communicate easier nowadays. Make use of it!

I suggest the usual apps like Viber or WeChat but sometimes the signal can be crappy and the videos don't turn out right. If you're using an iPhone, just use FaceTime or iMessage instead. You get to see clearer faces and much better audios. :)

Hope I helped a bit! Sorry. I'm kinda sleepy and my brain's not working right. I just miss writing and updating my blog. Hihi. :)

Goodnight loves!

River Pearl Seafood Restaurant, Dumangas Iloilo

                  Have you ever wondered what life is about? You can search the world and never figure it out. You don't have to sail the ocean, No oh o. Happiness is no mystery... it's here and now, it's you and me. :)

                  Those who know Lizzie McGuirre knows that song! Haha. I'm having my writer's block moment right now and it's hard to fill my thoughts with inspiring words to say. Might as well take you guys to another food trip moment! Yeahbah! :)

                 Before anything else.. does the pic above look dramatic? Haha. :P (See. told ya. writer's block.)


                  We drove for more than 30 minutes to Dumangas just to have a taste of River Pearl Seafood Restaurant. It's an enjoyable roadtrip since you'll be seeing lots of trees and there aren't much buildings around and I don't know what is it with me and mother nature. Haha. I was a bit hungry on our way there since I only had a banana oatmeal shake for breakfast. I prepared my tummy for heavy eating and after the next pictures that you'll be seeing, your tummy will be as happy as mine when I left that place! :)

        River Pearl is located beside the original "Joy Joy's" restaurant. I didn't get the exact address though :( Just continue driving until you reach this bridge. Hihi

                  I've been trying to avoid pork and anything that involves pig but this one I just can't resist! I got to eat one slice and I loved the marinate! It was also cooked evenly and I'm happy that they didn't over cook it since carcinogen is bad for your health. Haha :)

                    The reason why I love grilled squid is because of the tomatoes found on the center. Haha. This squid was not chewy at all. Again, good grilling skills you got there mate. ;)

 

            Ahhhhhhdobado. Haha! Ever since my aunts introduced me to this dish, I've been wanting it on the table everytime we get to eat at a seafood restaurant. Every place has their own blend of flavors when making this dish but they all taste so good. My aunt said Adobado is catfish in english but I'm not quite sure of that so please look that up in Google and comment below if you think she's right! :)

                   Oysters!!!!!!  I didn't like the cheese that they used on top of these though :( I was looking for other flavors and Baked Oyster really does depend on the cheese that you use in order to make this dish remarkable. Hihi :)


                       Before I say goodbye, Christmas is just 30 days away everyone! Have you started Christmas shopping yet? :) You know where to reach me. Haha. :) Adios!

xoxo, Gennin :)

 

Mauro's Latte Coffee Cafe Iloilo

          My brother and I love trying out new restaurants together. Sadly though, we haven't been able to do that lately since I've been busy with school and work and I don't eat as much as I used to anymore. :( Last friday, our mom had to go to her high school class reunion and dad and ze other brother had other things in mind so I decided to take my little brother on a dinner date! Our aunts and little cousin decided to join us which made that night extra special!


            I usually have mixed emotions when trying out new restaurants for the first time especially when I'm bringing in a lot of people with me. It's exciting to taste new flavors but at the same time you doubt if this restaurant could satisfy your hungry tummies and make each penny worth it! 


             Mauro's Latte Coffee Cafe is originally from Kalibo, Aklan. They have branches at Kalibo International Airport and their first expansion is located at the nearby city which is Roxas City. When I heard about people celebrating their birthday's here , I had high hopes when I was entering the restaurant! Haha.

           Their menu offers a variety of choices for families, students and yuppies. Their prices are affordable considering that each dish is already good to feed about 2-3 persons. :) Not bad eh?

                   So this is what we ordered that night. :)

Bangus Sisig

        I love healthy sisig! This one tastes as good as it looks! It's well seasoned and the bangus was fresh and yummy at the same time! I am salivating as I'm typing this in the wee hours of the night! (That is not good. haha.)

Fish Spring Rolls

          This is by far my most favorite dish! It's very light and crispy on the outside. The cheese combined with the fish and carrots blended perfectly together! They served it with sweet chili sauce which gives you that tiny bit of spice every time you take a bite! I could eat the whole dish if I weren't watching my food intake. Haha! :) P.s. My little cousin loved this too, so for those planning to eat with their kids, this dish is perfect for you!

Roasted Chicken

          You might have noticed that we ordered mostly protein healthy meals. Well, chicken has more protein that any other white meat ( I'm just guessing. haha) so that makes this dish good for those who are trying to lose the pounds while enjoying good food! My aunt loves the sauce and the chicken is very juicy on the inside! Kudos to mr. chef whoever you are! Hihi. :) The serving however, is only good for two and the chicken is a bit small :(

Buttered vegetables

         First and foremost, I hope I got the name right! Haha. This dish may not look like much but the saying "Looks can be deceiving" definitely applies here! I commend the chef because he was able to maintain the flavors of the vegetables. The vegetables were also crunchy and flavorful and I have no other words to say than, amazing. :) It's hard to find a restaurant that can cook vegetables really well since they usually overcook it which makes it lose its nutrients, but this one's an exception! :)

BULALO STEAK

          This is their house specialty and damn was it good! The beef was tender, the sauce was perfectly mixed together and the vegetables were crunchy yet easy to cut! This dish is a two thumps up! It costs 490.00 pesos if I'm not mistaken. :)




           We enjoyed their food so much that my aunts decided to eat there again 2 days after! Haha. I joined them for dessert and wow, just wow. :)

 

We tried out different flavors in order for us to determine which one tastes best! It was a very hard decision and we went home without finding the answer. Haha. ;)

 Their bestseller. I didn't like it that much though because it was a mixture of chocolate and pinipig and that's basically what I could recognize! Haha. Mamita enjoyed it so I guess it really just depends on your tastebuds. Hihi

I love their chocolate ganache! I'm a huge fan of caramel and chocolate so that explains why this cake is my cake of choice. Hihi. This cake has the right amount of sweetness to it and it's moist both on the outside and on the inside! It's so soft that you can just slide your fork to make its way through the bottom of the cake! This is a must-try, must buy flavor!

 Mango-lovin' this cake! I have no further comments your honor. Haha!

        Overall, I loved the place. It's quiet and cozy and cold. The staff was amazing and they cater to your needs without you asking for it! The food was spot on! I would definitely go back and try more of their food. For now, it's time to go back to my diet. Haha! 

          Have a great week ahead! God bless! :) 

 xoxo, Gennin ;)