japanese school girls in osaka

i do love the japanese school girls!!! i ran into some highschool students on a field trip to osaka castle while i was touring the castle :) and i couldn't help but take some stolen (and not so stolen) shots of them. its quite interesting to see that the ultra disciplined culture of the japanese is totally not reflected in their clothing. the attempt to add unique touches to their (very cute!) school uniform is a sight to see :)

pasig cathedral

simbang gabi day four: pasig cathedral or immaculate conception cathedral. its one of only 3 cathedrals in manila. (manila, pasig and st. andrews in paranaque). the original was church built in 1521.

i love the church's exterior, but the interiors were not as impressive. what was really impressive was that there were TONS of people at church today. it looked like there was a rock concert. the church and the plaza outside were packed with young people!

san sebastian

simbang gabi, day three: san sebastian church. the only gothic church in manila; built in 1891, the entire church is uniquely made of steel (from Belgium).

the outside of the church has been repainted but i think i would've preferred if they kept it in its natural tarnished steel state, just like the interiors


ceiling details...




floor...


painted walls...


pulpit...


after mass...




puto bumbong!!

simbang gabi

hi sis! i'm back! i will post about my trip soon :) just wanted to tell you that i've been inspired by your simbang gabi idea. i think it is a good time to try and go back to the whole dawn mass experience. this christmas seems to be a lot more modest than the past years - notice there are less christmas lights everywhere? the malls are not as full, traffic is not as bad :) and i am going back to mass - haha! i think it's a good sign :)

this year, though, i want to go to a different church every morning. day one was at the usual christ the king church. not exactly my "favorite", but within biking distance :) day two was at the manila cathedral.

looks pretty at dawn



forgot what it looked like inside already


nice door details


til tomorrow's mass....

i'm feeling a little froo froo

soon to open:  a small champagne bar in greenbelt 5...

(this photo was taken just outside the boarded up store during a party a few weeks back.)

gaita forres is behind this new bubbly bar, and it's supposed to be very small and cozy (at 40 sqm), and one of the few additions she's adding to an already impressive food-service line-up.  the other additions?  an events space + party platter/food take-away station in pasong tamo.  

exciting!

vint

wow, i want to buy everything in this store.

discovered it in a-venue.  it's called 'vint' and it has lotsa old stuff..

i love the store design...

cool tvs...

cool phones...

SUPER cool clocks (except most don't work!  ugggh!)

etc., etc...

yun lang :)

messy doggy

i've been forcing (the real) flower to get acquainted with her newly purchased home from ikea...  but the longest she sits in here is only around 10 seconds.

she still prefers our little bathroom mat.

yun lang :)

p.s. twinpop-m, do you still want the other tent?  it was supposed to be for (the real) belly... she's even more hopeless... she uses the coffee table legs as her pillow.