HAPPY TUMMY

I love food. I love how food can have a lot of varieties. If only I could, I would taste every single cuisine there is out there.

During our most vacation, I believe I really kept my tummy happy. From the steaks and king crabs, to the In N Out burgers and milkshakes, to the fish and chips and seviche at the beach; I have to tell you, it was one great food trip. I really enjoyed eating those huge American sized meals. But from all those dishes that we ate, only one stood out. It was the SEA URCHIN. I know, it sounds very peculiar to hear a person (or in your case, read about a person) claiming that he/she has already tasted a sea urchin because here in the Philippines, adobong manok, and milkfish are the usual dishes; not sea urchin. This is probably because the local sea urchin here has lots of dangerous spikes. The one we ate did have spikes, but those spikes were blunt and not poisonous. In America, they serve it uncooked and cold. Not to mention they also serve it alive and still moving. I was so excited to taste it. It was still moving when I savored my first spoon. To be honest, I thought it would taste sweet. But it didn’t. It tasted sort of creamy and…otherwise, unexplainable. I think, it tastes…ok.

I am glad that during one of my family's vacations, I was also able to eat a lot of local Thai food and drinks like the Thai Iced Tea (which is one of my favorites), and a snack made of coconut milk and corn that is then fried in the form of tiny balls. We were also able the go to the floating market and eat local spring rolls and local pomelo with some kind of sweet orange powder.

One of my goals in life is to travel to exotic places around the world. Namely: Europe, India, Africa, etc. How I wish I can fulfill this goal. If ever I do, I would make sure that I will try to eat only the local food.

It is one of my dreams to go to India and eat there. Their cuisine is just so delicious and mouth watering. I also want to go to Korea and eat bibimbap and bulgogi. Korean cuisine has really impressed me because their dishes are so well balanced and healthy. But of all the countries with rich cuisines, our very own Philippine cuisine is what really makes my tummy really happy (we have the best lechon). For me, our local cuisine is the best.

MEET MY FEET

My sister and I have started to become avid fans of casual shoes. (namely, Ked’s) They are just so comfortable to wear and are very versatile. You can wear them with almost anything: with jeans on a casual day, or with a cute dress. They have also become very popular. It’s like bringing back the classics.

During our recent vacation, we were able to shop at 3^rd Street Promenade, Sta. Monica, LA. I really liked it there. Not only was almost every brand that I love found there, there were also a lot of entertainers. There were numerous people standing at the center of the closed street showing off their flairs. It was such a fun venue. Anyway, as we continued to look around, my sister and I came across a Steve Madden store. As we entered, we saw these flats that we immediately fell in love with. We just got so excited and tried them on right away. The shoes looked like shoes from the old times, only they came in many bright colors. They were just so adorable we ended up buying 2 pairs, green and red.

I have to admit. I am a shoe lover. I love looking at shoes and wearing them. I like the fact that our shoes can somehow tell people something about us. Shoes just make my feet happy.

My feet aren’t the only body parts that are happy though. I am able to manage to also keep my toes at constant blissfulness by giving them a touch of color. For me, wearing dazzling nail polish is also like wearing a gorgeous pair of shoes. They show some kind of attitude.

Most of my nail polish come in bold colors like aqua blue, hot pink, red, etc. I like bold colors because they really stand out. When on a long vacation, I also like putting nail polish on my finger tips. I know for one that I am not the only teen age girl who likes putting on nail polish. Most of us girls do. But watch out. Too much nail polish can also be bad for the nails. Whenever you buy nail polish, always remember to check if there are any harmful chemicals in it. And also keep in mind to remove nail polish after 2 weeks or else your nails will turn yellow. Using a base coat is also important because they prevent your nails from turning violet. Top coats provide a better shine and prevents your nail polish from chipping.

Nail polish and shoes go very well together; especially when you are wearing open sandals. One tip is to use light nail color when using dark colored sandals like black. When using light colored sandals like white, use bold colors. This highlights your toes.

(This last part may not be connected to my title anymore but I still would like to share with you my thoughts on appearance)

Although nail polish and shoes add a nice touch to your appearance, opting for a simple look always makes a person even more beautiful. Even if it is not about clothing, always choose to be simple. It is nice to enjoy the good things in life but simplicity for me, is one of the best virtues a person can have. It is ok to care about your looks but always remember that looks aren’t that important. It is what is in the inside that matters the most. For me, while all these clothing keep my body happy, simplicity is what keeps my heart and God happy. Always keep in mind: SIMPLICITY IS BEAUTY. =)

I AM A SOPHOMORE

I know, I know. Writing about being a sophomore is probably very cliché by now. But hey, starting a new school year with new classmates is really something worth reflecting about.

I still remember the last day of school year 2009-2010 like it was just yesterday. Classmates hugging there, classmates crying here; it was one pretty emotional day. But I have to admit though; all that hugging ang crying was really worth it. Right now, I really miss my former section. I think it’s mainly because my classmates before are just so different from my classmates right now. I am not used to it. But I’m not saying that my new section is boring. If you come to think of it, having a new set of classmates is quite fun. Besides, it’s not like you won’t ever see your former classmates anymore. The good thing about being separated into different sections is that you get to be reunited with your other former classmates and make new friends at the same time. Having new teachers is also a great experience.

Now that I’m a sophomore, I kind of made a new school year’s resolution list. This time, I promise to wake up when it’s time to wake up and not wait for five more minutes. I would also try to have a healthier diet. And of course, I promise to try to be a better student. I’ll do my assignments as soon as possible and now, I will study harder.

There are really a lot of changes this time. One new thing worth mentioning is the requirement of having a blog. At first I was kind of hesitant because when you post something on your blog, you don’t have that much privacy unlike when you just write on a diary. But I am really starting to like this whole make a blog thing. It enhances my creativity and I feel liberated. It’s really fun.

With all the exciting things happening in just the first two weeks of school, I am really very anxious and eager to see what is in store for me this year, especially because it is now the 100^th year of Assumption-Iloilo. But since I’m not psychic and cannot tell the future, I guess I’ll just wait. It’s good to be anxious about tomorrow, but enjoying every moment day by day is the best way to live life. May SY 2010-2011 turn out to be a very memorable and great school year.