2016 Birthday Series

My birthday celebration marathon started a few days before my actual birthday. It started with a series of unfortunate events on our supposed eventful trip to Legazpi City. How badly did it go? It began with a cancelled flight a few hours before the trip. The rest of the story will be told on another post though because I want to focus on my getting-a-year-older-day rather than the trip.

My birthday was on a Wednesday, so the weekend before we left for Legazpi, Albay where me and a couple of friends went out on the ATV trail up Mt. Mayon. We left Saturday then went home by Sunday. I remember sleeping practically most hours of Monday, while on Tuesday I went out with college friends for a 3-hour Videoke/Karaoke/KTV/Singalong night at Song Hits in Metrowalk, Ortigas. Prior to our rendezvous I watched the movie Kingslave: Final Fantasy XV because I miss playing the series so much, but I have no choice but to settle for video clips and the movie due to poverty. The movie was far better than the FF: Spirits Within, but seemed more like an extended prologue for the game than a stand alone story. Urrrrghhh! It made me want to play the game and explore the world and get my hands to bringing down those Behemoths. My last FF game was Final Fantasy XII...so...so...long ago.

This year's birthday cake is an 8-inch Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
from Karen's Kitchen at Kapitolyo, Pasig. I heard the struggle my friends had to go
through to get this cake for me.

The story of my birthday cake began when I asked a friend to tell our group chat that I want a zucchini cake from Karen's Kitchen, nothing else. Because I'm that kind of friend who knows how to make demands, but discretely if possible. Turned out, she created another group chat to organize the "surprise" birthday cake. Well...it didn't go so well as none of my friends replied to her messages in that group, and I only saw her message our barkada's group chat saying that I won't be getting my cake because no one was replying to her. I replied with "It's fine...I'm used to being disappointed." But in the end, the request was granted. YEY! The turn about of the events makes us laugh until now because the person who I assigned to organize on my behalf is "that-bullied-friend" of the group. Her stressing out brings joy to our hearts. 

The taste of the zucchini cake, if you're wondering, is like carrot cake, but only denser and more moist than carrot cakes. I barely tasted the zucchini, but I could see grated specks of its green peel speckling in the cake. The cream cheese frosting is something that is sinfully addicting, and it complements the cake pretty well. 

On the day of my birthday, it began with me oversleeping, causing us to miss the morning mass at San Antonio Parish in Forbes Park. They were praying the last part of the novena prayer for the Mother of Perpetual Help by the time we arrived, so my brother and I decided to eat breakfast at Maple instead.

I had their Prime Rib Tapa for breakfast because I was starving, and it was my
birthday. I get to do whatever I want on my birthday, like a boss.

Their prime rib came along with fried rice and two eggs. The marinade was good and the meat succulent, but not as tender as I would have wanted it. The garlic rice lacked the garlic flavor by 80%, and the eggs tasted like eggs...so yeah. I couldn't manage to consume the whole plate because I ate 1/4 of my brother's waffle AND─I was planning to stuff myself full with dessert right after breakfast. I had my coffee with the tapa, so that was good...because coffee is always a good idea.

My brother and I parted ways at Ayala Station, and I was left deciding to eat at some of my favorite restaurants the rest of the day. Second stop was at La Creperie at BGC where I found a conclusion to my breakfast with a classic butter-sugar-lemon crepe and paired it with their thick Angelina hot chocolate to round off my craving for chocolate. There is no picture available because I have deleted it by the time I'm typing this. But it's good though, hits me right on the spot and fills the void of my empty self. I prefer the butter-lemon-sugar crepe of Cafe Breton though because they caramelize the sugar. 

The Todd English Crispy Chicken Sliders is something I crave
for every now and then this year. The thigh chicken fillet is well
seasoned to a crisp and the slaw is well balanced with acid and
a light hint of spiciness to it, perfectly cradled in the toasted bun.

From Burgos Circle I went home and nodded off the rest of the day. I must've been tired then for reasons I could no longer remember, except that my body clock is slightly tilted within my waking hours between 10am-2am...getting up outside of those times often result in my need of a siesta. Aging? Probably not. Just a bum-head's life. 

I managed to leave again to attend the evening mass at the Pedro Calungsod Chapel at SM Aura, this time I arrived way early. A good opportunity to meditate my life and what's happened so far. A bittersweet year for me, being 27. 

I just remember the priest saying in his homily that we should listen to the word of God as it is, because far too many times we only hear what we want to hear. Put down that wall and avoid interpreting it according to how you want it done. Don't insist nor resist, just open your heart and let Him enter it.

I may have said this before, but the Green Tea Mojito of
Single Origin is an absolute favorite of mine. I like it virgin.

The mass ended before 7pm, just enough time for me to walk all the way to Pound at High Street and make a reservation for my friends. It was just two of my high school barkadas and my brother this time. Pound by Todd English is turning out to be my favorite restaurant this 2016 for their T.E. Crispy Chicken Sliders and #Onion Cube. The service is has always been great, and the food spot on. Ambiance is also a key factor...except that I haven't been able to get a good shot of their food because the lighting is a little bit dim. Prices are very agreeable that I ended up paying only P1200 for the four of us, it actually gave me room for some extra cash for drinks at another favorite place of mine: Single Origin. I gotta have that glass of mojito at the end of the day. Thankfully, my brother paid for the drinks...which cost around the same amount for our dinner. 

Another friend managed to arrive for our after dinner drinks at Single Origin. What was the concluding topic of conversation of my birthday? Investing in stocks. Our friend who came in late had been educating herself with the stock market thing, something that I have been wanting to put a few of my savings on for as long as I could remember. I think it's a sign. I think it's high time I actually do this, for my sake. I need to expand my financial literacy beyond knowing how to deposit and withdraw from my savings account─and depending on a piggy bank that has no way of being opened other than destroying it. Because it's sad. Really.

I was forced to open my bunny piggy bank before my birthday because I could no
longer bear to see my ATM account being sucked out of cash. I am horrified with
the cash I have left on my savings account. Help me I'm poor!
I do this every year as savings meant to finance my trips...but well, this time it
went beyond a year because I decided not to go abroad this year.
This time the grand total reached Php28,800.00!
It's a start for being 28.

My mom bought me the new book of Bo Sanchez the other day.
I'll start reading it as soon as I'm done with my other project.
Maybe I could get tips before I start attending seminars for
the stock market 101.

This is where I've been spending my spare time on, making
paper flowers for a wedding that we'll be styling this Oct 1.
I'm pretty sick of this paper craft thing, but I 'm sure it'll turn out beautiful.

And earlier today I looked up from under the jakaranda tree
that my mother had planted in front of the lawn a few years
back. She said it started blooming this year...just five clusters
though. I look forward to seeing the tree bloom in full lavender
someday. I'll stand under it and take the same shot. Some day.