My Roots: Revealed

Tweet

 

This week, I'd like to discuss about commitment, passion and my early years...

One thing I really like about myself is my passion and commitment to the arts..I didn't come from a family of artists. I have no idea where I got my talent from..both may parents couldn't paint, though my dad took up architecture.. he wasn't really into it for he excelled as a motivational speaker. He could hardly carry a tune, also suck at dancing (sorry Dad, have to be honest!). My mom on the other hand
doesn't know how to draw. She did study to play the keyboard but couldn't follow proper tempo. She loved music a lot.. but music didn't love her back. hihihihi (i bet they'd kill me if they find out about this) I once asked them of any ancestors or relatives who were into performing arts.. my mom did mention some old story
but was never really confirmed so I therefore somehow conclude that... I didn't inherit my love for the arts to my  family. So how the hell did I become a sucker for the arts??

... you see, I didn't have any talented parents but it was through  their early influence and support which molded me into who I am today.

Let me tell you about my early years...

I'm an only child. The sole survivor after 2 miscarriages my mom had. Since I was the unica hija, I was raised in a typical middle class family as a spoiled brat! I was made to believe that we were filthy rich for we had a Mercedes Benz, a big house and ate corned beef regularly! We didn't have a German Shepherd as our house dog but we did have a mixed breed dog  named Breshneb who attacked me when I was 10months old! During my early years, mom had a hard time in "taming" me. I wasn't a typical brat.. I was a pain in the ass! 

Let me show you some pictures from my early years...

One of my early photos when I was 5 months old in my Lola's (grandma's) room

Here's a photo of me with one of my baby sitters with our family dog Breshneb during the time I was learning on how to walk.

Another photo of me while learning how to walk.

This is quite embarrassing but what the heck! Look at that grin..I look and feel like a fool!!

Definitely a Lolo's (grandfather's) girl!!

My 1st Birthday!! Love the cake!! I have no idea who those kids are! hihihi

During my 2nd birthday!!

I used to have a lot of toys.. Legos and Barbie dolls. I didn't enjoy them for long because of my terrible behavior.. I'd put real lipstick and draw doodles on my doll's faces then attempt to erase them afterwards.. by the time I get frustrated, I behead them and throw them away for I know "lola" would buy me a new one right away.hehehe Also, I'd spend hours and hours singing/acting the mirror while applying my mom's make up. I was quite weird and eccentric. I remember mixing her lotions, perfumes, and cosmetics in small cups like a witch preparing a deadly potion. If I'm not mistaken, I even drank the concoction once (Brute and some lotion).. I almost died of poisoning myself.  I was indeed a "Maldita" the Spawn of Satan!! ahahahah 

Hobby: to roam around the house...

mess with the furniture...... ( don't be fooled by the cuteness)

...stick chewing gums and write doodles on the tables....throw the pillows everywhere....

....then take a nap under the table

Ate chocolates like mad! I was often called a bad girl!

But since I was their favorite... they'd love me no matter what!! aawww!!!

I was a kindergarten drop-out.. yes, really! They had no choice but to let me stop due to my uncontrollable wild behavior. As soon as I enter the classroom, I'd start crying until all the other children started crying as well. I never wanted to be left alone. I wanted my mom to never leave my sight or else.. all hell would break loose! I was a victim of discrimination that time. My other "elite" classmates didn't want me to "belong" to their respective groups for reasons like my skin wasn't fair enough or my dress that day wasn't pink enough for them. hehehe With that I learned to somehow be independent but I did become a loner.
I didn't have a lot of friends that time. I preferred staying at home. I became so fascinated with the tape recorder given to us by my aunt. I'd spend hours and hours singing and recording various sounds.. making my own stories and dramas. I was 4 yrs old that time. It was the time when I outgrown dolls and toys.  

 The young brat doing her thing...

with one of my soon to be destroyed dolls

A silly pose during one of our family reunions.. I was quite an anti-social kid before so I was dead bored during this time.. not to mention I was forced to wear this ugly dress!!!

Taken during my 4th birthday.. I had 3 cakes during that time!!

Here's another photo showing the 2nd cake

Photo around 1984 I guess along with my lovely aunts!!

1986 - After the Edsa revolution, my parents separated. Mom and I had to move. Good thing my aunt who was based in Saudi Arabia that time just bought a house in Fairview so that's where we moved. My health condition became worse. I was asthmatic since birth and during that time, I had Primary Complex (like Tuberculosis) and was on a 1 yr treatment. It was really tough. We received no support from Dad but we did get help from my grandparents for they really loved me a lot. The devilish senyorita became a pauper! No more fancy toys and dresses. No more shopping at Greenhills and Makati. A year after treatment, mom enrolled me at the nearby elementary school which is just 50 steps from the house. Many of our relatives ridiculed us and got angry at mom when they heard I was to study in a public school and not in a Montessori. Though during that time, my grannies can afford to send me to an expensive school, they allowed my mom to decide what's best for me. And during that time, she wanted me to learn about the realities of life at an early age. She wanted to expose me to real people so that I could be humble so she sent me there. I believe this is one of the best decisions she has ever made and I really thank her for doing it because is was during these days when I got exposed to music, arts and cooking.
 

My ever playmate: Mom

Prim and proper with panties exposed!! ahahaha Parental Guidance Needed!

It was during these elementary years when I started exposing myself into arts and music.
Since we hardly had money for toys, I spent my afternoons in our music room listening, singing and even dancing to music tapes of my aunt. She has a huge collection of tapes and a couple of cds which are still existing up to this day. 2 tapes a day I guess. She had hundreds of them ... Tears for Fears, The Police, Dionne Warwick, The Carpenters, The Rolling Stones, Diana Ross, Burt Bacharach, Stevie Wonder, The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Matt Monroe, Astrud Gilberto.. and the list goes on! woahhh so many influences.. no wonder I became a musician!

Our house in Fairview and the Music Room where all the magic took place!!

It was also the time when mom started introducing me to the wonders of cooking. I'd watch her marinade and bake goodies.. the best part was when she would let me handle the whisk and ladles as well. By the time I was in my 2nd grade, I was able to prepare my own breakfast and even cook pastas. Mom is indeed a great teacher! Also, as early as the 2nd grade, I became a Beatle fanatic! I remember waking up very early just to listen to the Beatles hour around 5-5:30am at DWKC before I head to school. They had so many songs, so many albums..but I had limited money so I had to wait for my monthly allowance given by Lolo and Lola so mom and I could visit the record bar in Cubao so I could buy a new Beatles tape. Usually, I'd just record the songs directly from the radio. Growing up being a Beatles fan was a journey for I got to appreciate more of their songs as time went by. I was quite eccentric that time for the other school kids liked the latest pop singers during that era. It was rare to find a grade school girl being into 60's music during the late 80's. I didn't mind.

During the 3rd grade, I started learning how to read notes and play the keyboard and
by the time I was in the 4th grade, I joined the Rondalla group in our school. When I reached the 5th grade, I was chosen to join the Young Writer's Competition and got my 1st lessons on creative writing from Mom. I was very very busy that time.. I joined all school clubs and excelled in all of them. I joined academic contests and received a lot of awards. I enjoyed every single experience. Those were the good old days and I thought it would never end. Graduation day came..a time for goodbyes but I remember not being sentimental at all for I knew my journey has just started. And I made sure it never stopped for in the next chapter of my life was when I discovered more talents.

During my 3rd grade

As you can see.. it all boils down to dedication and commitment plus with solid support from your family of course. I had the best teacher in the form of my Mom! I have dedicated my life to the arts and have learned to stand up for the music which I love and believe in...I believe that the journey goes on. As what my father taught me.. "Seek knowledge from cradle to grave!" I know I still have a lot to discover, more talents to pursue, music to write, wonders to make and people to inspire. And with this I may say, Yes, I do live a perfect happy life...It may not fit the usual standard wherein happiness is measured by material possessions.. I believe I possess things which are more valuable..things  which money can never buy... self fulfillment, pride and great great memories which I dearly treasure.

A girl still overflowing with dreams and ideas...

I hope you liked my story this week. It's actually my 1st ever time to reveal detailed things about my childhood. I hope you liked it!

See yah all next time!!

Love always,
Mae

Whenever I Need My Quiet Times...

Tweet

People know me as a very loud and highly talkative person but believe me... I do also value quiet time. Oftentimes, I find myself
longing for peace and quiet where I just want to focus on my thoughts... these are my finest hours for these are the times where
I can really think and reflect on the things I've been doing. Usually during these times, I highly have the urge to write...songs, random lyrics, notes, things to do, poems etc. Here's a little trivia: I always carry a small notepad and a dependable pen with me wherever I go. You'll never know when inspirations knocks so I better be prepared.

This week, I'm gonna take you to a favorite place of mine. A vegan cafe located at Cubao Expo called the Green Halo. Though I'm not a vegan myself,  find this place quite relaxing due to its small space and ambiance.It's the perfect place to meet up with a friend if you intend to talk for hours. It's a quiet an artsy place where you can also enjoy healthy guilt-free dishes.

During this particular visit, I met up with deary Dad and just chatted the whole time. It's so nice to have such cool parents who treat you like a pal!

They serve fresh delectable vegan dishes that will surely help you relax and chill.

Let me show you around...

For starters.. we ordered fries with pesto sauce (80php)! I love their pesto a lot! yum yum!!!
I'm glad that even Dad appreciated the pesto. He's not really very adventurous when it comes to food like me.

Next we ordered Vegan Pizza (100php) I wasn't really happy with it for it was sooo tiny!!!
And the taste wasn't also very impressive. I do hope they would make the serving bigger and use real pizza dough next time.

Next on the menu, we have their Vegan Burger (95php) which usually comes with either rice or mashed potatoes. However during this visit, I requested them to gimme whole wheat bread and pesto dip instead. I actually enjoyed this a lot! Their burger is made from banana pulp.. hmmm it was ok but very different from real meat ofcourse. My only suggestion is that I hope they could make it less oily.

yum yum!! I really love their pesto dip!! You may ask them for more! Free of charge!

As for our beverage, obviously we had tea... very relaxing!!
















Oh before I forget.. here's the reason why I love hanging out here... let me show you around...

As you see, the place is very small. Very intimate. I think they only have around 4-5 tables.

My favorite seat... It may not be the coziest in the world but I do feel safe whenever I sit on it!

The interiors are quite simple.. quite artsy.

Ahhhh... what a way to kill time. I feel very inspired to write lyrics and stuff here.
You should pay a visit if you feel you wanna be alone.
I still couldn't get over their pesto dip. hehehe goes perfectly with toasted bread.


Catch you here in the coming weekends!!

ciao!!


Love,
Mae

What's up Mae?

Tweet

Ohhh I'm just so busy these days so I hardly have time to finish my next articles.

I just wanted to make a quick post today to inform you all on how I'm doing these days.

I'm not really used to writing a journal-like entry but I what the heck! I'm just having a really good day today and I feel I wanna share to the world!

A few weeks ago, I was back at the doctor's clinic again due to palpitations. I have a condition called Mitral Valve Prolapse (MVP) where one of the 4 valves of my heart is weak or has difficulty in pumping blood. Most women have this condition. I my case, I'm given maintenance tabs daily. I was also prescribed to take anti-depressants once again but I haven't taken any until now for I'm worried about its side effects. I know I can deal with this by myself.

Anyway, enough with the not so good news..

These days I've been very busy helping my friends out in gathering as many "LIKE" votes as possible

for a photo contest. I'm really proud of their shots so I'm really determined to support them! Frank's entry has been on the #2 spot but is now tied at the top! wooohoooooo!!! I need to gain more votes for Badeth and Joewel as well so they can make it to the top 10!






Anyways, aside from that, I'm also one of the main organizers of a big SKA event on Sept 4 at the Cubao Expo called the 2nd MANILA SKA FESTIVAL. Me and my superfriends are working hard to gain more and more support for the success of the gig ofcourse!

Phew! I just felt quite stressed out with all these activities and responsibilities I have! I believe I'm now a SUPERWOMAN for real! hahaha
So today I've decided to treat myself... a sort of reward for being a good good girl... not to mention a happy single woman too! hihihihi

During my office break time, I went to a skin clinic and had a relaxing facial! I believe all people need to have their faces pampered regularly.. to avoid wrinkles and open pores. It's also part of building ones confidence..you know what I mean! The facial was quite cheap.. only 300php mask included! I love it!

After that nice nice facial, I went to Podium and picked-out some snacks! First, I felt like buying a candy bar... this is what I got... it's called HEATH.. an English Toffee bar (45php). I don't really plan to eat it immediately, I'm gonna save it for a teary day! heheheh

After that, I dropped by my favorite cookie house and bought a sampler of their healthy fruity granola cookies (90php) perfect with my afternoon teas. I know it's quite pricey but what the heck? Everyone's entitled to some luxury once in a while!

Before heading back to the office, I passed by this frozen yogurt shop called the Golden Spoon and bought a cup of Belgian Chocolate Yogurt topped with Almond slices (105php)! yum!! super yum!!

 And for my dinner tonight, since I've been going on a diet these days. I've decided to have a simple Tuna Sandwich with lots of vegies!

I'm quite unsatisfied with the resolution of the photos for I didn't bring Maggie today. Makes me think of buying a point and shoot cam just for those ordinary days!

Ahhhhhh today is just sooo great!! It pays to be a good girl!! I believe we do have a choice..we have the power to make or break our day.. in my case, I choose to have a fabulous one!!!
Try it! It's good!! hehehehe


We have soooo many things to be thankful for.. If only we take the time to appreciate them.

Pamper yourself once a while! Love and respect your body!!
See yah all again soon and hope you leave a comment!

MMwuuuaaahh!! AAWWWW!!

My 1st Pro Food Photography Gig....

Tweet

I clearly remember that I promised to refrain from taking pictures of food for a while..but just before the week ended..just after I posted my last entry, I got a text message from one of my mentors (Greg Valerio) inviting me to join him on his next project which was to shoot the menu for this newly opened restaurant inside a hotel located somewhere in Intramuros. Without any 2nd thoughts, I immediately re-scheduled my appointment for that day to give way to this rare invitation.

I remember waking up really excited that day.. the weather was never an issue to me. Rain or shine.. if there's a will, there's a way! We were supposed to start after lunch but the chef had to make some preparations. We didn't really mind for we knew the food had to look perfect! Being a food enthusiast myself, I made an effort to get to know the chef so we could exchange some of our ideas and made suggestions on the design etc. Tay Greg was the lead photographer of course then he would let me do some clicks afterwards.

One by one, the chef presented his finest creations.. a feast for the eyes as well as the tummy!
My idea was to present the food in the most appealing way as possible and to make people crave for more!! So before I clicked the shutter, I wanted to satisfy my eyes first.. I had to feel it!! All my shots I may say were from the eyes of a person who is deeply passionate about food.. someone who shares a romance with the culinary arts.

I noticed I love taking tight shots of food for I think, the closer you are, the more we tend to be attracted to it. The more you see the texture of the meat, the freshness of the produce and the brilliance of the sauce, the more you feel like tasting it!

Here are some of the best shots...

No need for detailed descriptions for the photos speak for themselves..

 For starters we have a plate of cold cuts to tickle your taste buds....

and the chosen beverage.. a tall glass of Watermelon Shake!

A truly refreshing drink!

Let's now begin with the main courses...

A savory Pork dish garnished with red and green peppers!! yum yum!!!

Fish Fillet Szechuan style... now this dish really really made me wanna grab and stuff it in my mouth!! The aroma was just sooooo good! Like a man wearing seductive perfume!! It was irresistible!! FUCK!!!

This next one is also another killer!! Penne Pasta with Shrimps!! Boy oh boy I'm starting to perspire!! Phew!! I believe I need not to tell you on how it tasted (I actually didn't)

Roast Beef Panini.. another tummy filler!!! Love the fries!

Next we have a classic Filipino dish.. Sinigang na Hipon (Sour Shrimp Stew).... Had to decorate the sides to give it a fresh feel!

Pizza has always been on top of my list whenever I eat out!

Here's their version this classic Italian favorite.... topped with fresh zucchinis, mushrooms and a variety of Italian sausages!

The international favorite.. the famous medium rare steak!!!

Most steaks go well with seasoned baked potatoes on the side...

For our sweet ending... A fine delicate serving of  Italian Blueberry Panna Cota...

This shoot was indeed a dream come true for me!

Who would think that this Manila girl who was once exposed to loads of cookbooks during her early years would one day take photos like these? 

I started out as an ordinary food blogger  last year .... eager to show the world her food adventures and culinary secrets.. Never have I imagined that I would one day get serious on taking photos of food!! It's really nice to discover another niche! Makes me feel special!

So far, I get a lot of praises on my food photos.. I know I'm still not an expert so I'm very much willing to learn!

Food Photography is definitely one of my fortes and I aim to show you far better and more tempting shots next time! I only started photography roughly 4 months ago so I'm certain to improve in the days to come..

I just have to stay focused and committed in learning this art.

I am definitely hungry.. not just for food but for more knowledge. Who knows? I may become a  professional food photographer for real!!!! That sounds like a cool 2nd job!!!!!

I hope you liked this entry! Please tell me what you think of the shots!!! I'm dying to hear your comments!