Coffee on summer?

Me and hubby dropped by the mall yesterday to buy something and at the atrium, there were a lot of people who crowd in mini booths of Nescafe. Being nosey, I tried to look at what they do. On one booth, there's a free message, another booth offers free tarot card reading. I would have wanted to try it but the queue is just too long. In another booth, a lot of teenagers had their nails colored and on the other one, a teenager had his hair colored. At the center, they are offering free coffee so I tried to taste it. True enough, it can quench one's thirst under the summer heat because instead of putting coffee with hot water which I am used to when I was younger, it is mixed with cold water. It's yummy but I had to let hubby finish it all because I intentionally avoid coffee since I still breastfeed my baby.

Abundance of Sineguelas

Sineguelas fruit (aka Spanish plum) brings back a lot of childhood memories in me. I was about 5-12 years old, when my twin, me and my cousins would play in our grandparent's ancestral house in the province and we would climb up to fruit bearing trees in the backyard, one of those is the Seneguelas. Summertime is always fun for kids and what better way to spend summer aside from playing under the sun, flying kites , swimming to the beach is also eating fruits from whatever is available in the backyard:).

Nowadays, seneguelas is in abundance in Bankerohan Public Market here in Davao City. I bought half kilo at first and when me and hubby ate it while watching TV, our little girl loves it too so every time I buy seneguelas, it has to be a kilo. We enjoy it while there are plenty because it usually ceases to be available in the market when the summertime ends.

Alfonso Dolls

Take a look at these designs by Mr. Alfonso Guinoo. Beautiful, aren't they?

I've looked into my file photos and saw the pictures of Alfonso dolls which was displayed during the fashion edge exhibit in SM Davao.

Alfonso Guinoo, "Tito Boy", as he is fondly called is dubbed as Mindanao's fashion czar. He is known for interpolating the designs and fabrics of Mindanao's diverse cultural heritage into wearable clothes. His works have been exhibited and viewed in various fashion shows in Manila, Malaysia, Australia, the United States, and South Africa. Here at home, he has been honored with several awards of which are the Lifetime Achievement Award by the City Government of Davao, the Trophy of Achievement by the Davao Tourism Association, and the prestigious Datu Bago Award in 2004. He is now the adviser of the Fashion Designers Guild in Davao.

The Labyrinth

me and some friends at the center of the labyrinth

the whole labyrinth, taken at the third floor of the retreat house

closer look...

When we had a retreat in Cagayan de Oro, we had it at Betania Retreat house in Malasag. The place is serene, sitauted atop a hill. On the other side you see the vast moutains and on the other side you see the sea and the city of Cagayan de Oro. What's I like most about the retreat place is the labyrinth aside from the yummy foodss they serve.

The sacred space (labyrinth) is situated under the trees, open to the energy of the sun. Purple plants at the edges of the pathways speak of life and growth. In the center there is a native pot with the wide open rim, a symbol of one's openness to receive. The stone recalls Jacob encounter with the angel in Gen. 32-23-33. Jacob placed a rock in his place of encounter , designating it as a holy place and keeping a memory of a sacred moment because he said, " I have seen God face to face".

The labyrinth is a form of walking meditation. There is no need to think about the labyrinth or any other thing. It is designated to inhibit our ordinary linear thinking. You might simply want to be open to the energy and spirit of the place and the design. Or you might walk with a particular focus: a question, a problem, having in mind a person or situation.

The labyrinth is a replica of the labyrinth which was laid on the floor of the Chartres Cathedral around 1220. This labyrinth has only one path. There are no tricks to it and no dead ends. the path winds throughout and becomes a mirror for where we are in our lives. Navigating all the twists and turns of the labyrinth invites us to reflect on our own wanderings. It touches our sorrows and releases our joys. So we walk it with an open mind and an open heart for it leads to healing, to blessing, to self-knowledge, to charity, balance and the shedding of guilt.

The labyrinth invites us to consider how intricately we are fashioned by God , how He continues to knit us, to hold us in His loving gaze, to be intricately involved in our ongoing fashioning , we walk the labyrinth one small step at a time, and often the movement may seem much too slow, but if we simply proceed step-by-step, we will reach the center. All that is required is faithfulness to the path that lies before us. What is important is not speed but being awake to the mystery that we are God's prayer - an act of love.

Happy Mother's Day

To all the mothers out there, a very happy mother's day to you all.

Indulge at Rai Rai Ken

Rai Rai Ken at Robinson's

The menu

waiting for our order

Gomuku (mixed seafoods with hard-boiled egg)

yummy strawberry shake

the smiling and beauteous waitress clad in Japanese attire:)

the place, cozy and comfortable

Being a breastfeeding mom, I really love soup. It does not only give warmth to my tummy but also increases my milk production, as what I have observed:). This is a rather late post because this food trip happened a month ago, when me and hubby were looking for Keona's elusive milk, Nan 3 HW. I say elusive because we have already visited a lot of department stores, literally from north to south - SM mall, GS Mall, Gaisano Mall, Victoria Plaza, Robinson's including major drugstores but it's not available (update: it is now available in leading supermarkets and drugstores). When we reached Robinsons Department store, we were already very hungry so we decided to have our snack at Rai Rai Ken, just within Robinson's area because I know they have yummy soup and the restaurant is not crowded with people.

Joining the dancing of the Matigsalug tribe

When we arrived at the gardens of Malasag eco-tourism village in Cagayan de Oro City, we were greeted by the sound of the gongs mixed with the dancing and singing of the Matigsalug tribe clad in their native colorful attire. I was really amused because they formed themselves and paraded themselves from the upper to the lower portion of the eco-tourism village.

Here's a little information about the Matigsalug tribe based on what I've read about the tribe in a poster in the village...

The Matigsalug people are living in a nearby Salug river. They are a sub tribe of the Manobo people. For centuries, the people have been hunters and slash and burn farmers.

In the cold mountain of Sinuda, Kitaotao, Bukidnon, these young tribesmen have continued to pursue their traditional ways and heritage.

Cristino Sabas - maker of indigenous crafts.

Elkim Ombon - player of traditional instruments.

Marion Lay-um - dancer of traditional dances.

Dino Ombon - beadsmaker of the Matigsalug tribe.

Guys, experience and learn the Matigsalug culture in the gardens of Malasag.

Mer's Food and Delicacies

A mother of one of my office mates died due to hypertension and complication of diabetes so we went to their house and had a prayer service. When we returned home, one of my colleagues suggested that we drop by Mer's Food and Delicacies in Digos City to buy something as pasalubong.

Mer's Food and Delicacies is known for their delicious native delicacies like suman, bebingka and a lot of others. It is located along Lapu-Lapu street, Digos City, just near the city hall. Here are photos of my colleagues buying some yummy native goodies.

Mer's restaurant

my officemates, busy selecting some goodies

closer look of suman, bebingka and others...

Momsy Caring, the one who suggested that we drop by at Mer's

They also have a restaurant that serves yummy filipino foods like adobo, chicken and many others.

Mudslinging and those huge billboards

I would have not wanted to talk about politics in this blog but since it's election time and May 10, 2010, the election day is fast approaching, politics is also heating up and talking about it is inevitable.

(photo taken near Apo View Hotel)
The team Nograles wanted for change...as this billboard is saying. You can find this billboard in many streets in Davao city

(photo taken in Lanang)
As an answer to the call for change by team Nograles, the team Duterte has this answer...you can also find this billboard in major thoroughfares in Davao City

I am not endorsing any political candidate here but I can't help myself sharing you guys some of the billboards and tarpaulins from big local politicians here in Davao that I find amusing. It's no secret to the people of Davao that team Nograles and team Duterte have been mudslinging, throwing garbage to each other and some are even already below the belt.

As a resident in Davao, all I can say is that may the best team win. If you ask me guys who am I voting for in the coming elections, I'm sorry guys, that's a secret.LOLz.

Celebrating Labor Day

It's Labor day today. It should have been a holiday but the president moved the holiday to Monday so since I belong to the private sector, I have work today.

As a celebration for the Labor day, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is holding a jobs fair at the Gaisano Mall of Davao along J.P. Laurel Avenue, Davao City. I have working students who are under my supervision who graduated last March so they trooped to the fair and look for a job. Hopefully, they can land a good job fitted for their qualifications since it's hard to find a job nowadays.