My Mom bought this orchid way back in November 2010, before S was born. It was in full bloom for months, but eventually each flower faded away...at which point I sort of stopped caring for it.

I could have sworn it was dead, but the last time my Mom was in town, she patiently gave it some TLC...and revived the darn thing!

The first 3 of 12 flowers opened yesterday and I'm sure it will be in all its splendor by the time my Mom arrives in a month.

Isn't it amazing? Seeing this in my living room every day just makes me happy!

Some orchid caring tips (this is what my Mom does):


- place your orchid in a place away from direct sunlight, but preferrably in a sunny room.


- do not overwater your orchid, you don't want it to drown. follow the next tip for watering suggestions.


- every 10 days in the summer (every 15 days in the winter), soak your orchid in the kitchen sink for 20-25 minutes. this means filling up the sink so that the whole pot is submerged in water.


- make sure that the moss, soil, and roots look moist at all times. 


Good Luck! :)

My sister sent this to me the other day...LOL...Who can relate???

{baby proofing} a Dia de los Muertos Ofrenda

I really didn't have the ganas to set up an ofrenda this year. After the continuous baby proofing that is on going in my house, the last thing I needed was another mega attraction for S and his curious hands.

Dia de los Muertos is one of the Mexican traditions I absolutely love, so I decided that I had to figure out a way to baby proof an ofrenda; and so with one mom's advice..."think small and high..." I set out to set up my altar.

After some slight modifications of three shelves I have in my living room: taaa-daaa! This year's ofrenda...definitely out of S' reach.

eleven month milestone

When you talk to people who live in Mexico City, many either absolutely love it or absolutely hate it. The latter due mostly in part to the crazy traffic this city is victim of.

Over the holidays or puentes (long weekends), DF is actually a wonderful place to be in. No cars, No people, No pollution.

But anyway, before I lose track of what this post is about.

Gordo and I haven't really figured out which end of the spectrum we are at when it comes to our relationship with DF, although I have to say, I think we lean more towards the loving part (many reasons why, but I'll save that for another time). Although the main reason I think has to do with the fact that my in-laws live in Cuernavaca; this means we always have a weekend escape as an option.

I remember thinking like this when I used to live in China...it was great to be in Shanghai, as long as you left every 4 months or so - to take a breather and re-collect yourself. Then it was OK to go back. Same thing seems to be happening here in Mexico City...we love it up to a certain point - then we leave when we've had enough - and that allows us to come back feeling re-charged and ready to face the city once again.

I can go on and on about how fabulous Cuernavaca is, but by far the best attraction for me right now is lolo and abi's (S' grandparents) garden.

Because fabulous things like this happen {for the first time!} there:

What about you? What do you do to re-charge, re-collect, re-energize yourself?

A Grand Day

May 30, 2011. Not particularly an important date to me. Actually woke up this morning and thought, "blah. monday."

Oh, but how perspectives change.

One. I stepped on the scale before my shower and I´m back to my pre-pregnancy weight.

Two. I stuck my finger in S' mouth and felt a sharp little tooth protruding.

So now May 30th means something {sigh} It's all about the little things in life.

Peek-A-Boo!

Gordo's new victim ;)

Measuring Time

We all know the sayings..."time just flies by", "where did the time go?", "time goes by so fast"...but why do we really say these things?

I used to say it because it usually meant that what I was supposed to do or awaiting an approaching event was now something I was actually doing or living, and maybe in some way I wasn't expecting to be doing it or living it as soon as I was. Does that make sense?

But really, how do you measure time? Number of experiences? Number of wrinkles? Number of places visited or things done? Number of achievements?

Today I measured time differently than I ever had before. Not just by reliving moments or counting experiences. By looking at it. Looking at my son.

S is 6 months old. Half a year. Wow. Of course my first thought was, "where have these 6 months gone?!?"

And then I looked at him. And those 6 months were there looking back at me.



In his smile and giggle.


In the hair on top of his head.


In his fingers that are always in his mouth.


In his toes that are always in his mouth too.


In him being able to sit up unassisted.


In him trying to crawl already.


In his inflamed lower gum about to sprout a tooth.


In him examining all his toys with utmost attention.


In his curious eyes.


And in every little thing he does every day to remind me of how blessed I am.







So there you go, the concept of time for me has changed completely and from now on will be measured in an entirely different way. Through S.

Can you imagine when I'll be saying, "where have the last 21 years gone?!?"

Thinking of you {across the miles}

Cheesy hallmark card title, I know. Seriously though, SO appropriate for this post. Let me explain.

The reaction I get when people ask me where I'm from and where I've been are that of awe. Born in the Philippines, studied in Spain, lived in the U.S., worked in China, and now settled in Mexico. Granted, while it does sound like I live the life of an international jet setter, their is a dark side to all this. Over the last 10 years of my life, I have left a trail of best friends over various continents, most of whom I miss dearly everyday. I know most of you reading this post will completely understand.

While I think of my friends often, these last couple of weeks have been especially trying. One of my bestest friends in the whole world, H, is marrying N on the island of Boracay in the Philippines. As her wedding festivities are getting started, I'm sitting at my desk in Mexico City. The feeling is bittersweet. I'm here and not there due to a number of factors, the largest being my 3 month old baby boy S. While I am so thrilled at being a new mom, there is no doubt in my mind had the timing been different, I would be on Boracay island white wine in hand right next to H. 

Moments like these are heart wrenching...but I know that H knows how much I miss her, especially now.

There is so much in my head, but somehow I can't get my fingers to type it out. So I decided to talk it out instead. Here's to you H+N! You are both perfect for each other and all the best to you on your special day and forever! I love you!!!

Reality Check {Day One}

We survived. I survived. First day on our own...gordo, S, and I.

My Mom left Tuesday night :( Initially this was going to be a really sad post - mostly on me complaining about how I'm supposed to get through all this being a new mom stuff alone. Well, not alone, alone. Gordo is the best anyone could ask for...but it's just not the same as having your MOM with you, especially when you are becoming a mom for the first time yourself...[no hard feelings ok, amor?]

So I decided instead to write about how amazing my mother is and turn this into somewhat of an Ode to Mom post [without the poetry - sorry].

Most people couldn't (nor wouldn't want to) imagine having their mother (and mother-in-law!) with them for almost 4 months. Come to think of it, it's the longest stretch I've "lived" with my Mom since before I left for college. But in all the time she was here, I never once wished that she would leave already. And gordo said the same thing to me when we left her at the airport...I wonder how many son-in-laws can say that about their suegras?!

If it seems like I am boasting about my mother - I am. And she deserves the praise - all of it.

I've never seen anyone so attentive, caring, accommodating, generous, and so UNselfish. Granted, she did have her first grandson as incentive, but still, I'm in awe at all the cooking, cleaning, scrubbing, buying, listening, helping, washing, etc. she did while here. From my last month of pregnancy to almost 3 months after, she ran my house and kept me sane (and probably alive by making sure I ate when all I wanted to do was to sleep) throughout the beginning of this roller coaster we call motherhood - and didn't complain ONCE. Not once.

She could have been off playing golf, visiting my brother in New York, on a cruise, travelling - whatever - but she chose to be here with us throughout this adventure, and undoubtedly made it a lot easier on gordo and I.

There really aren't many ways to express our gratitude except repeating 'thank you' countless times. Although we did send her to the spa to save what was left of her fingernails after all the hand washing of baby clothes.

Even though we'll miss her terribly, I'm excited to see how gordo and I do as parents on our own. More to come on that.

But just in case, she is back in 2 months to save us :)

Cantinflas the African Grey Update {yes, I know, I am blogging about a parrot...}

I've been able to keep up with my weekly resolutions so far...it's just that this week's task was all about auditing and the accounting of our company, and I highly doubt any of you are interested in reading about that! I wouldn't be...

But I do have other, more exciting news [to me anyway] to share :) Remember Cantinflas? He is our African Grey parrot who was supposed to settle in Mexico with us, but after endless attempts to get him across the Pacific, we failed. Not really because of the quarantine laws of Mexico, they are actually pretty maneuverable. It was because the airlines don't want the responsibility of taking on a parrot as pet cargo. I tried every airline possible and little by little became clear that it would be impossible. 

So then the dilemma was, what in the heck were we going to do with this parrot? Bueno, pues the stars aligned and before I knew it, my older brother J showed up at my Mom's house in Manila and offered to take the bird. Granted, I will say I was little apprehensive at first; I had already designed Cantinflas' cage in Chiconcuac and imagined waking up to him whistling on the weekends. But at this point I really had no choice in the matter, and at the end no one would do a better job of taking care of Cantinflas than J.

Thus we packed the car, bird and all, and trekked our way to Taal Lake, about 2 hours south of Manila to discover Cantinflas' new home - the yacht club J manages. And we were pleasantly surprised as you can see:

Cantinflas admiring his new view from his travelling cage

Different views of Taal Lake Yacht Club

His new friend Gaucho

The good news is that he has adapted super well! Who wouldn't want to live surrounded by lush scenery, fresh air, and an ocean breeze? He is talking, singing, and whistling more than he has in years. And he's looking pretty good too, don't you think?

Thanks to H. for these great photos!

So all ended well with the Cantinflas saga. Gordo and I just miss him dearly!

Wistful Acapulco

Only about 3.5 hours (without traffic!) from Mexico City, Acapulco has long been a favorite destination for many chilangos wanting to escape the stress of city living.


We just spent the last couple of days there basking in the sun and refueling with clamatos con cerveza. Gordo, me, and my in-laws went to celebrate my suegro's birthday, Valentine's Day, Chinese New Year...etc, etc...a lot of excuses to take a few days off, but I don't think anyone needs a pretext or justification for being at the beach. Just 'cause you want to is sufficient.

This was only my second visit to Acapulco, so don't judge (or maybe wholly trust) my judgment please.


First off, I feel like I'm in Manila. Ironically, this was same thing my gordo said when he arrived in Manila - 'I feel like I'm in Acapulco'. There is something about it - the sun, the humidity, the palm trees, the people - it all feels very similar to me. We have also been reading/skimming a book entitled Manila Men in the New World, which shines some light on the migration between Mexico and the Philippines. I don't know how much of the book is actually cold hard fact or wishful thinking, but nonetheless entertaining.


Second, there is an aura of nostalgia that surrounds Acapulco. Made famous as the glorious getaway of Hollywood stars in the 1950's and 60's, this vacation spot was the epitome luxury and exclusivity. But as the years passed, it tried to desperately cling on to the glamour and charm that once defined it, while being thrown into the era of modern consumerism. What was once, I imagine, a quaint fishing town is now a semi-city with monsters like Wal-Mart and Costco lining the coast, and every cliff with a view covered in houses and hotels. And the fact that it is relatively accessible to get to means throngs of people line the beaches on any given holiday.

In recent years, Acapulco has been trying to recover the charm that will turn in back into an international luxury destination, according to the Official Acapulco Travel Site. Multi-million dollar hotels, residences, and restaurants are popping up everywhere and renovations are constantly on going. I question though whether more jaw-dropping amenities will give back Acapulco what it may have lost. It seems to me that a lot of tourists flock to this cove of the Pacific coast in search of that glamour of a privileged life - ending up at such icons like Las Brisas and Baby O - to get a taste of what life was really like back in the day as a star.

The New York Times Travel section has some good tips on where to stay and what to do in Acapulco.

images on the left from www.capama.gob.mx/Capama/historia.php












This trip's photos may not truly show the real Acapulco, but it's because we pretty much kept to ourselves by this pool. We only wandered out one night for dinner at (you guessed it!) Las Brisas. Even we can't escape the idea of a glamorous evening.

But obviously if you Google "Acapulco", there are a million images of infinity pool views overlooking the magnificent Pacific, romantic dinner settings, and chaise longues you just want to live on forever. This is Acapulco, or at least what it wants you to believe it is. Just remember, it can be expensive to be a star.

How time flies...

My Dad would have been 75 today.




Cheers my Pappi.

To New York and Back

Here I am again - back to the blog world! Though my absence was not due to lack of inspiration or sheer laziness; I was out and about living life in New York, New York...sigh...I have never lived in NYC, but I think this is why I appreciate it so much when I am there to visit. After two weeks, I came home exhausted - it was non-stop action - as NYC tends to be. But all of it all kinds of wonderful, exciting fun.

Trip purpose:

spend time with Mom and little brother - (check!)
walk, walk, walk the city - (check!)
enjoy the weather - (check!)
yummy restaurants and superb shows - (check!)
bridal accessories - (check!)
fit and bring home wedding gown - (check!)

Trip distractions:

shopping (check! - unfortunately)
shopping (check! - unfortunately)
more shopping...(check! - unfortunately)

How can you not shop in NY? I think someone should look into this occurrence and deem it an impossibility.

My first day consisted of re-bonding with the temperamental Miss Lola.


Although quite hesitant at first, she slowly accepted the fact that I would be squatting in her realm for the next few weeks...


There was a lot of time spent running errands (read: shopping *blush*) - mostly in the rain. But we were graced with a few of those incredible northeast fall days - and wow. Just walking around is simply enough.

the spectacular views

the fall colors

beautiful central park where we of course had to picnic
bryant park

i think Miss Lola and I became friends because I got the feeling she would not mind coming to Mexico

The grand finale of my little vacation was to figure out how to get my gown to Mexico. The thought of my gorgeous gown (because every bride knows that she has the most gorgeous of all gowns) all squashed inside my suitcase gave me the shivers. And not to mention the after thought that made me sweat cold - that there was the possibility that the suitcase may get L-O-S-T (Oh! The HORROR!).

So I decided to heed the advice of all the ladies at my atelier - just carry it on board. Como?

Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! If you need to travel with your wedding gown, just show up with it on your arm at the check-in counter! No one says NO to a bride. This is probably because they would rather avoid the wrath of bridezilla; but there are some who are simply just excited for you - so for once they are nice (at an airport - imagine!?). In any case, people are understanding of the fact that you are on your way to your wedding - whether they are happy or sympathetic ;)

Most people have not traveled with a thing so huge - so try skip the "wait for your row to be called" business and get on board early enough that you can find space over head. Even if this means that you have to flirt with the guy in charge at the boarding gate. Althought this could be slightly strange considering you are on your way to your wedding.

But it works ;)

Attention future brides looking to marry in Mexico! You will be happy to know that you do not need to pay tax on your (one*) wedding gown OR any thing else considered a bridal accessory. So it's no big deal walking through Mexican Customs with a garment bag big enough for you to sleep in.

*It's one gown, because if you have two or more, then they assume you are trafficking wedding gowns. But if you really are getting married, then I will assume you only have one gown, right? At this point in life, you need to be certain of your decisions.

So here I am back in Mexico and time is ticking away! It seems that my journey through Mexican immigration policies and documents will come to an end this week. Por fin!

More to come as we get closer and closer...

A different look

After my near melt-down yesterday, I awoke with a new perspective. I started thinking about all the previous visits I've made to Mexico, and I really am lucky to have been exposed to it all prior to our big move. Hence the change in the banner of this blog. I started looking through great photos of our trips (courtesy of the fine eye and super camera of my husband-to-be), and I got inspired thinking that I do have a leg up since I'm not starting from scratch.


I've been reading the material of other incredible writers/bloggers out there who mas o menos started out like I am about to do. They all seem well settled and loving la vida Mexicana. You give me hope ;) Gracias. Lots of you just packed up and moved down south, which is really an incredible feat; kudos to you! I guess it is quite similar to how we just packed up and moved across the Pacific to Shanghai 4 years ago. I should be able to do it all over again, right?!


Being as that my love is Mexican, we have an incredible support group of family and friends that will definitely help with acclamitizing; but I do look forward to meeting the other expat souls out there in the big city who are looking for their spot too.

And so it begins...

Uffffffffffff! We finally made it to las tierras mexicanas. We arrived this morning before dawn and I'm already fighting the jetlag in an effort to try to get my clock set in motion. A little diffcult though when my body thinks it's almost midnight and has gone without sleep for nearly 24 hours. Anyway, used to it by now.


Just wanted to post this short note to say we made it across the pacific, a little bumpy, but we are here in one piece. The last 2 weeks have been crazy busy, I need to sit back and think about all that happened so i can make sense of it before writing anything down. But will do so soon :)


Regarding Mexico City: I don't have much to write about right this second, considering we have been here all of 5 hours, but i already had tamales, and i'm glad to hear that the tortilla lady next door is still around screaming tortiiiiiiiiillllllllllaaaaaaaaaaa at the top of her lungs. The neighbors dogs are there as well. And i'm sure the confused rooster will surface at about 4 this afternoon thinking it's dawn (maybe it has permanent jetlag!). Sigh. The welcoming sounds to confirm you are home.


There shall be no "settling down" activities this weekend. That will start monday. I'm off to Cuernavaca for a relaxing weekend with the familia.

Meet Cantinflas

Sigh. I know not everyone is a bird-lover, but isn't he the cutest? This little man has been with my family for almost 15 years and has become my gordo's new obsession. Understandably, of course.

A few facts about African Grey Parrots:

1. They are considered to be the most talented talking parrots.
2. In many cognitive tasks they perform at the level of dolphins, chimpanzees, and even a human toddler.
3. The owner should expect to hear regular renditions of the microwave, telephone, alarm clocks, dripping water, wild birds, video games.
4. They require large cages, a varied diet that includes fresh foods, and plenty of safe and destructible toys.
5. An ability and tendency to produce human speech.

Specifically, Cantinflas:

1. Repeatedly says PANGIT (translation: UGLY). We have yet to figure out who he is referring to.
2. Makes some noise resembling a laser: pew-pew, pew-pew, and whistles, and says hello when the phone rings.
   
3. Loves apples and corn, and apparently cheese - although we don't feed him that too often.
   
4. Rips apart newspapers.
5. ...and for some reason continues to call (in my mom's voice) for FRED - our gardener who passed away nearly 4 years ago.
   

Considering they have a life span of about 50 years, Cantinflas is a mere teenager and has many decades left in him. Thus, we have made the decision to bring him with us to Mexico. Of course, we did not ask him for his opinion, although I do get the impression he won't be very happy to be confined for the duration of the trip. But now that I think about it, it will be his first time flying; naturally or otherwise.

Now we are faced with the slight inconvenience of actually getting him to Mexico from across the Pacific. Who knows if that will happen this trip over, but at least now you know that with all the other things in life that I must worry about, I've added importing a pet parrot to my list.