I received my first New Zealand passport in 2005. I can’t believe 5 years has passed just like that.
New Zealand passport - new
It felt like only yesterday when I received my New Zealand citizenship which allowed me to apply for a New Zealand passport.
One of the best things I loved about this trip is the chance to re-connect with my dearest and oldest friends.
The highlight of today is the chance to catch up with Mayen. A friend I’ve known since I was 14.
That’s 23 years of great friendship. The last time I saw Mayen was in 2001. At my wedding.
We had a minor tiff then and lost touch through the years. But you know what? I realised that if a friendship is real, it’s genuine..it survives distance, misunderstandings or lack of constant/regular communication.
As Mayen and I caught up tonight, I felt 9 years (of barely any contact virtual or otherwise) melt away as we updated each other about what happened in our lives during that period.
No awkward moment, no dead air that needed to be filled with empty chit-chat. We fell into companionable silence when mindless chatter would’ve ruined the moment of just enjoying our time together. We resumed the conversation with ease like two people who’ve known each other all their lives.
I loved everything about today. Loved the meal at Max’s Restaurant in Glendale. Thanks for the treat my friend! We could tell Max’s management that their fresh lumpia ubod and sauce leave much to be desired eh?
Watching the sun as it settles down the horizon to signal an end to yet another day must must be one of the most peaceful scenes one can bear witness to (if you are into these sorts of things).
Today, I am fortunate enough to witness a beautiful sunset in Laguna Beach in California. I live in the east coast of New Zealand so watching the sun set is a rare thing for me.
And what do you do when you have a camera in your hand and the sun was about to set? Take photos of it, or course!
I know photos of the sunset leave much to be desired. I’ve yet to learn how to take better sunset photos. I will persevere! 
I love sunsets. So relaxing to watch the sun set. So peaceful. Do you feel the same way as me about sunsets?
While sunsets signal the end of another day, it also paves the way for the hope of a better tomorrow where you can start anew and correct the mistakes of the past day.
Sigh.
I hate to leave New Zealand after the delightful, warm summer season we’ve been experiencing. NOT.
I thought escaping to California was a welcome respite from the cold. But again, I was proven wrong.
Christchurch's so-called "summer"
I left Christchurch on a cold, rainy day. It was kinda frustrating to arrive in Los Angeles only to be greeted by the same, horrid weather I left far, far away from here. The other side of the world, actually.
Los Angeles International Airport - Rain. Hurrah.
Why didn’t the blo*dy rain just stay where it was?
I’m a staunch person though (Believe it, believe it, believet it). I wouldn’t let piddly rain cramp my style. Thank God for my skinny jeans and lovely winter boots. It did made me feel good just a teeny, weensy bit.
Filled with pasalubongs
So here I am again in the Land of the Free. Looking forward to some shopping, work and catching up with friends and family. No, Maricar, hopefully no LV purchase on this trip! LOL
Hasta la vista baby!
When I lived in the Philippines, my regular trips to my favourite salon to get my hair, nails and feet pampered where one of the highlights of my week.
Me at my hairdresser's - BEFORE and AFTER my trim and hair colouring session.
Prior to my emigration to New Zealand, well-meaning friends and relatives warned me to not expect the same lifestyle of weekly pamper sessions. It seemed at the time, that this little luxury that I’ve taken for granted for years would be taken away from me.
And boy, were they right. My first year in NZ, going to salon was the last thing on my mind. All I could think of for every purchase I made was how exorbitant the prices seemed when converted from NZ dollars to my beloved third world, Philippine pesos.
Unfortunately for my husband (LOL), I found a job and started earning my own money and realised that I should stop converting into pesos because I no longer lived in the Philippines.
After that realisation there was no turning back. As my earning power grew, my hesitation in spending X amount of dollars just to pamper myself eventually dissolved (I could just hear MrG moan “uh ohhhhhh” haha).
So now, I go to a “proper” hair salon for all my hair pampering needs. No DIY for me in this department. Not that there’s anything wrong with that but the thought of trimming and dyeing my own hair do not appeal to me. I go once a fortnight to have my hair treatment (ie conditioning) and every 6-8 weeks for a trim and a re-growth “coverage” (if my hair’s dyed at the time).
I work hard so I should play hard too, right? And for all you women who hesitate on going to a salon to have your hair pampered properly, it is now time to start. Remember, your hair is your crowning glory. If you have nice hair, your mood lifts, your disposition becomes more positive.
How’s that for justification?
Are you reading this, MrG, my hunny bunny? *wink*
My laptop and (a reliable) internet connection. THE most important tools of my trade.
My Mac. My Baby. Our awesome wi-fi. My lifeline to work. To beloved family and friends living thousands of miles away from me.
Without it, I’d be lost.
Through this medium, I get to have a voice in the world.
I get to read, listen and watch what’s happening in the world.
Without this medium, MrG and I wouldn’t have been able to maintain a long-distance relationship. You made our wedding preparations easier while living in opposite sides of the hemisphere.
This medium kept me sane through days, months, years of homesickness during my early days in New Zealand.
While the Internet was also the medium by which my regular “follower” (READ: Stalker from Hell) harrassed me, the benefits and advantages it has brought me far outweigh the intermittent interference.
This medium opened doors to new ways of keeping in touch with people that matter the most, of nurturing old friendships, to new opportunities that were just waiting to be discovered, to new relationships that started online and eventually evolved to solid friendships. Some of the nearest and dearest friends to me, I met online.
Day 20 of our Project 365 days of 2010 goes to my laptop and the great world of the Internet. Thank you. You deserve my undying gratitude.
The perk of my job that I really enjoy whenever I’m in Sydney or Melbourne that you can’t quantify or value in $$ when you assess your renumeration package is with my travel, I get to indulge in one of my favourite “hobbies”.
Do you know what it is? It’s trying out new restaurants/cafes.
One of the cafes I look forward to visiting whenever I’m in Australia is a visit to Lindt Chocolat Cafe. I get to enjoy Lindt’s amazing chocolate concoction in its many “forms”. I discovered Lindt Cafe in Sydney in 2007 and since then, I was hooked. A visit to Sydney, and now, Melbourne won’t be complete without a trip to Lindt Cafe.
At Lindt Cafe in Sydney's Darling Harbour (Oct 2009)
Waffle with Lindt vanilla ice cream topped with Lindt dark chocolate sauce. My ultimate favourite.
Lindt ice cream – Praline Mandina (Hazelnut ice cream with almond praline) – heaven!
Lindt Chocolate Flakes -
This one’s a take home. Bea and my favourite chocolate drink. Truth be told, it’s actually hard to go back to Milo, Cadbury hot chocolate after this.
A variety of cakes using Lindt chocolates. Yummmm
Can you blame me if I keep coming back for more? I know it’s bad for my waist line but what the hell. You only live once 
What about you? Are you a foodie too?
