Auld lang syne

"May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art—write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself." — Neil Gaiman
Phew! It had been a long year, but one that's filled with so much love, mixed together with travel and music. Faith goals-wise, 2013 was also, surprisingly, good as each item have either been checked or touched on—progress, eitherway! I feel lucky enough to be able to capture some highlights via video and so here is a last-minute compilation I put together (in no chronological order) earlier today with a rundown that follows after:

Little piece of heaven

Visiting Rustic Mornings by Isabelo is like going to a foreign abode, fully-adorned with lovely pieces taken from both various places across the globe and straight from the owner's house...but still feeling right at home.


Serendipity is the perfect word to describe it, although magic would be a close second. I had just bagged my first official job when my dear friend Elisa recommended this restaurant, telling me she had a feeling I'd fall in love with it as much as she did. (Seriously? The name alone sealed the deal.) So, to celebrate such achievement and as a sort of last hurrah before I drown myself in office work and try to beat the impossible write-up deadlines the magazine publishing industry abundantly has, the sisters and I decided to have after-church brunch there one Sunday in the middle of February.

Forever young

Earlier this year, my twin and I decided to throw a little brunch soiree for our friends in Manila in celebration of our twenty-first birthday. Come to think of it, save for the mini-pizza party at our dorm lobby back in college freshman year, we haven't really got the chance to treat our college friends during our special day. As a form of late thank you for the incredible birthday salubongs we've had these past January sixths especially during our time at the dorm (beautiful and delicious cakes, streamers and banners, birthday songs and more serenades included) and simply an excuse to gather our friends together after the busyness of the holidays, this intimate birthday brunch idea came to life.

All fueled up, with gratitude

Still high on life and looking forward to the bigger and better adventures 2013 brings, I found myself saying yes to the freshest of experiences I have been craving for a very long time. In over a month and a half, I saw things in a new light and gathered a tremendous amount of inspiration from the world around me. It's only unfortunate that I left a lot of good moments unspoken here on my blog. As my writing habits gradually turn into a conglomeration of #throwbackthursdays and #flashbackfridays or a memory game wherein I match a photo to a feeling and a feeling to a story and so on, January and February have come and gone without a trace in my little online space. Now as another new year slowly creeps in, I'll try harder to wring my brains out and share those worthwhile tales before it's too late (or before my hair turns so gray and blogging about these tidbits will be the last thing on my mind).

Holidates

We're halfway into the Ber months already and coming from the Philippines, that only means one thing: other than the dreadful monsoon season we've been experiencing (and a few other catastrophes, both manmade and natural, that has left the country at a standstill), of course—Christmas is right around the corner. By now families are almost done with redecorating their living rooms with the Christmas tree once again the center of attention, the dancing Christmas lights officially doubles the electricity bill, the Christmas playlist is on repeat all day (Michael Buble's album is my ultimate fave!), and gift-shopping has become a weekly habit.

For me, however, Christmas is beyond the presents and the decors. It's about reunions and being with loved ones I barely get to see and spend time with either because I've decided to make schoolwork the boss of me and/or the special folks were really just thousands of miles away. To wrap up my amazing 2012, I got to catch up with the happiest people on earth and to be honest, I wouldn't have it any other way. Their happiness is infectious and I hope the joyous celebration carries on in years to come.