The past few days have been really hectic so let me take this time to come up for air and make a quick update.

On the wedding front, Tessa and I painted some empty wine bottles to create table number holders for the reception. I washed and scrubbed the bottles clean, while she did the actual spray painting.



I also booked a 2-bedroom suite at Parque Espana for the wedding preps and post-wedding. I don't know why it says park at your own risk though.


Next on the agenda is: (1) create the missallette, (2) meet the new photographer to sign the contract and make the downpayment, (3) meet with the cake and car sponsor to finalize details, (4) create the scrapbook style guest book and (5) buy Gary's outfit.

Of the 5, I'm most looking forward to creating the scrapbook! I already bought the scrapping materials and thinking of what pictures to put. Exciting :)

On the blogging front, Tessa and I have been going to a lot of events these past three weeks. It's been fun hanging out with her, sort of like the old days when we would spend the whole summer vacation together.

There are a few marked changes now though, (1) we now have money to go to malls and actually buy something and (2) we get to go to events and not just watch TV, cross-stitch or imagine inane stuff the whole day (like budbud and sikwate with Prince William and his chums).

The last event we went to was a fashion show sponsored by J&J body lotion. Clothes were from Bayo and we were in the front row! Beat that Ana Wintour! :p



On the family front, I drove to PAIR-PAGS beside Terminal 1 yesterday to accompany the Funeraria Paz guy in fixing the paper work for the release of Tita Helen's remains. Tita Cristy et al were with me but I was the one who could go inside T1 because I had the same last name as Tita Helen, hence a family member.

Tito Sur and their kids and grandkids are flying in today and the funeral is on Thursday.

A wedding and a funeral in the same week, ain't life funny? But for what it's worth I'm glad that Tita Helen is no longer in pain and that my cousins get to attend my wedding.

FYI, Max Factor is the makeup of embalmists.

I'm still waiting for my reimbursement.

At least I know what address to put on the complaint-affidavit.

Grrr...and that's why you should always stick with experts!

Update!! (4/22/10)

Apparently the photog's mom deposited the money in my account yesterday, but since a check was deposited it didn't register in my account balance.

The money has been returned and I'm moving on away from that stress-inducing person.

I wish her well though, I think she's just sick hence this sort of behavior.

Who would have thought that I'd be looking for a wedding photographer two weeks before the actual wedding date?

Normally, I would whine, gnash my teeth and sharpen my claws over something like this, but recent events have put things squarely in perspective and the fact that my wedding photog may or may not be able to cover my wedding seems immaterial now.

At least I'll be getting my downpayment back and there are a thousand and one recommendations coming in for RELIABLE wedding photographers.

Ok, going to sleep now. My hands feel raw from scrubbing the labels off on half a dozen wine bottles and there's still another half dozen to be scrubbed clean tomorrow. We want to make something like this and use it to hold the table number.



We'll be spraying it with a primer and blue paint so that ought to be fun, arts and crafts is always fun. But flaking out on your client isn't! Harumph.

Lily and Julia's modeling debut.





Pwede! Such naturals :)

Thanks to Margot for the photos!

RIP in Tita Helen.

Thank you very much for your generosity and for being such a gracious and classy lady.

Why Ms. Mercedes Jones! So nice of you to drop by :)

This is why we can never be food bloggers.

Tessa and I went to the French Corner yesterday and these were all the photos we took:





Touristy aren't we?:p

So much for shoot first before you eat. For us, it's always eat and eat and then remember about the photos once the plates have been licked clean.

I'm testing out a new template so things will look pretty bare around here for the next few days (or weeks or months) until I get my bearings.

Now I can post bigger pictures.

I had my trial hair and makeup this afternoon and here's Bambi's trademark natural look with matching false eyelashes.



Wacks the hair guy created the illusion of an updo even with my short hair and Tessa sacrificed her neck piece and turned it into my hair accessory.

The two dangling ribbons still have to be snipped away and a hair pin has to be glued at the back, but ain't it pretty? Feathers, flowers and sparkly things, oh my!




With Bambi and Wacks. Thanks guys!

Wheee!!! I'm going to a Glee screening next week!!!!

This blogging thing sure has fantastic perks :)

I spent my birthday eating the most elaborate fries from Sango. It could have used a little more salt, but was otherwise quite yummy.


I also received an origami flower from the very nice Sango cashier :)



And then I reacquainted myself with the chili burger. Yum.



G and I eventually hied off to Perk and I was sad to see that our favorite hangout was no longer as busy as it used to be. They were down to two baristas and the place just didn't feel as happy and vibrant as before, even the internet was painfully slow. Sad.

And I'm ashamed to say that I was a veritable Debbie Downer in Perk, G deserves a medal for putting up with me when I'm PMS-ing:p

After hearing mass with my folks, we brought home this humongous pizza from Niro's.



And the gigantic pizza is no more, as is my birthday.

Until next year!

You know how people graciously say: "Malapit ka ng mawala sa kalendaryo?"

Well, that would be me in a few minutes.

But in spite of the usual trepidation associated with breaching the thirties, I actually welcome growing older. The older I get, the more I accept that I don't really know half of what I'm talking about so that makes me just half responsible for everything I do, leading to full freedom.

So happy 31st birthday to me!!!

Together with Tessa, G and I checked out the 3rd floor space again.

We went there in the dead of noon and I'm happy to say that the heat was practically non-existent :)

Check out the lovely wooden floors.



The bar inside the closet was a teensy bit too high though:p



Maybe it's really intended for those cloth/tarp closet organizer thingies?



Just one more place to look at and this could be it, crossing our fingers!



The stairs going down.



See you soon 3rd floor place!

Check out the leather cuff Tessa gave me for my birthday!



Kayoot!

But it's nothing compared to this kitty ring she also got.



Absolutely adorable!

And we ended up looking at shiny stuff I can use for the wedding. Will post pictures soon. Have to eat breakfast first:p

Update!

Here's the necklace I'll be wearing on May 1.



I also bought a pair of small rhinestone earrings. Now I'm thinking if I should get that pearl headband with the shiny flower thing from Colored Stones as well. Wouldn't it be overkill with all those shimmering, shining accessories? Hmmm...