Lots to write about today ... where do I start. To begin with, yesterday was a pretty busy day for me. Last night was my brother-in-law (Jay) and soon-to-be sister-in law's (Cha) wedding rehearsal. We also timed their his-and-hers bridal shower for the same night. We were extra busy pretty much all day setting up the backyard of my other sister-in-law's (Marik) place for the event. The theme was a Hawaiian Luau. We set up canopies in the yard, strung paper lanterns across, hung up hawaiian posters and festive streamers, taped tablecloths to the tables (it was so windy), had glass centerpieces filled with fresh lemons and candles, planted torches all around, and draped garlands of flowers on each guest's seat. We also had Hawaiian food - barbecued beef short ribs, chicken barbecue, pork katsu, macaroni salad and steamed rice. And lots of little fruit tarts and cheesecake for dessert.
During the event, my co-planners (Edel, Marik, Tracy and Len) and I had lots of activities planned. I served as the host for the evening which I was happy to do. There was a lot of good-natured fun and of course racy innuendos and games (we had to set up a video for the kids to watch inside so they wouldn't be exposed to the "action" outside!). We also had a presentation of gifts at the end of the night. Each guest had to bring a gift for Jay and Cha ... and it had to be something they could use on their wedding night. Of course, everyone was encouraged to "use their imagination" - well, you can just imagine the things people brought. Some were cute and sweet (like pajamas and chocolates) while others were just outright shocking (like edible underwear and sexual stimulants)! It was so funny though that each guest had to explain what they brought right in front of Cha's mom and Jay's parents!
All in all, it was a really great evening. All the guests (about 50-60 all in all) were actively participating. There was more than enough food and drinks (we were a bit worried for a while). We didn't serve alcohol (it was a weeknight after all) but everyone had a good time. The only downer was it was SOOO COOOLD! It's pretty hard to have an outdoor party when the temps are so low. We were decked out in Hawaiian attire but also wearing sweaters on top of them. =) I don't have any pictures to share since we were so busy that night. But I am sure there will be plenty that will surface on Facebook some time soon =)
Now, we are working on planning that their wedding (which is tomorrow!) goes just as well =)
Friday, April 09, 2010
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
Back in the Saddle!
After a really long wait and 3 days of rollercoaster-like (meaning there were lots of ups and downs) "negotiations", I finally got a job offer today ... which I accepted! I am happy with my new job. It has met most of the criteria I have set and I am confident I can live with those with which I had to compromise. Also I am super excited to get back to work. I've actually gone shopping today in anticipation of my re-entry into the workforce. Oh and I'm already dreaming of things to buy with my first paycheck! I am getting ahead of myself but am just so excited. I am so looking forward to working on projects, interacting with people, wearing corporate clothes, attending meetings, facing deadlines and sitting behind a desk! A little weird, right? Yes, I know that in maybe 3 months time, I'll be wishing I could go on vacation and won't be as excited to go to work every morning. But for now, I am really giddy with the thought of working again. I am going to enjoy this for now and hopefully the feeling lasts as long as it can!
More details on my job tomorrow ... for now, I just wanted to share the good news =)
More details on my job tomorrow ... for now, I just wanted to share the good news =)
Monday, April 05, 2010
Home Work
Now a post about "home work" ... no, not the boring kind that they give you in school, but real work to be done around the home! =) Over the weekend, Jojo and I met with some contractors to discuss our plans to renovate our kitchen. FYI, our kitchen is still in pretty good condition and there are no major problems that need to be addressed. The changes we want to do are purely cosmetic since our kitchen could stand to be updated. Before the contractors came, we discussed that we wanted the cabinets to be either re-surfaced or re-faced, the white tile countertops be changed to something more practical, attractive and durable, the walls repainted, and the flooring to be changed (it is now a bright white and we want a more mellow color). We didn't really have a budget in mind since we weren't really sure how much the renovation would cost but we figured something in between $8-10K was fair.
I had contacted several contractors so we could get different opinions and suggestions. Also, I thought that having a couple of bids would help us get a fair price. Last Saturday we had two contractors come visit. At 11 AM, Maru (an interesting man from Jordan) stopped by and at 2 PM, Alexio (a creative Italian) was here. Both of them agreed right off the bat that our kitchen was in good shape. They both said they have been to homes where the kitchen floors were damaged, cabinets were warped and countertops were scratched or burned. Ours was still well maintained and still looked good. The goals then was to modernize the look of the kitchen.
Both contractor's agreed that refacing the cabinets (rather than ordering brand new ones) would work. This means either re-painting or re-varnishing the existing wood and just changing the hinges and hardware. For the countertops, they both suggested granite or Caesar stone with 6-inch backsplashes. They also recommended re-painting the walls and removing the existing border I have on the walls. Lastly, the floor could be replaced with a stone/slate type material. No major changes. Also, both contractors said it would take 1-2 weeks to complete.
Here's the clincher: THE PRICE. Maru quoted $8,900 for the cabinets and countertops, $1,000 for painting and removing the border, and an additional $5,000 for a new floor. Alexio was not much different. He quoted $10,000 for cabinets and countertops, $800 for painting, and $5-6,000 for the floor. This does not include our buying a new sink which would be around $200-300 and a new light fixture which would be another $200-300. Also, they had suggested getting a new dishwasher (our existing one came with the house and does not match our newer appliances). A new dishwasher would run us another $400-500. We were also warned that costs could still go up depending on what comes up during construction. So all in all we are looking at spending AT LEAST $16-18,000! Whoa! We were told that materials cost only 15-20% and the bulk of the bill is really the labor. And as we all know, labor is not cheap in America!
We were a bit taken aback. Maru and Alexio both said their companies could help us with a financing plan. That means we can pay in installments but with interest. No way! My dad was a firm believer in never paying for anything this way. He has taught us that it is never a good idea to spend money you don't have yet. And that we should just get/buy what we want/need when we can afford to pay for it. So, for now, we have to postpone our plans to renovate. We can still live with our kitchen for another year or two. Who knows, by then maybe Jojo and I will pick up some construction skills and can do some of the work ourselves!?
I had contacted several contractors so we could get different opinions and suggestions. Also, I thought that having a couple of bids would help us get a fair price. Last Saturday we had two contractors come visit. At 11 AM, Maru (an interesting man from Jordan) stopped by and at 2 PM, Alexio (a creative Italian) was here. Both of them agreed right off the bat that our kitchen was in good shape. They both said they have been to homes where the kitchen floors were damaged, cabinets were warped and countertops were scratched or burned. Ours was still well maintained and still looked good. The goals then was to modernize the look of the kitchen.
Both contractor's agreed that refacing the cabinets (rather than ordering brand new ones) would work. This means either re-painting or re-varnishing the existing wood and just changing the hinges and hardware. For the countertops, they both suggested granite or Caesar stone with 6-inch backsplashes. They also recommended re-painting the walls and removing the existing border I have on the walls. Lastly, the floor could be replaced with a stone/slate type material. No major changes. Also, both contractors said it would take 1-2 weeks to complete.
Here's the clincher: THE PRICE. Maru quoted $8,900 for the cabinets and countertops, $1,000 for painting and removing the border, and an additional $5,000 for a new floor. Alexio was not much different. He quoted $10,000 for cabinets and countertops, $800 for painting, and $5-6,000 for the floor. This does not include our buying a new sink which would be around $200-300 and a new light fixture which would be another $200-300. Also, they had suggested getting a new dishwasher (our existing one came with the house and does not match our newer appliances). A new dishwasher would run us another $400-500. We were also warned that costs could still go up depending on what comes up during construction. So all in all we are looking at spending AT LEAST $16-18,000! Whoa! We were told that materials cost only 15-20% and the bulk of the bill is really the labor. And as we all know, labor is not cheap in America!
We were a bit taken aback. Maru and Alexio both said their companies could help us with a financing plan. That means we can pay in installments but with interest. No way! My dad was a firm believer in never paying for anything this way. He has taught us that it is never a good idea to spend money you don't have yet. And that we should just get/buy what we want/need when we can afford to pay for it. So, for now, we have to postpone our plans to renovate. We can still live with our kitchen for another year or two. Who knows, by then maybe Jojo and I will pick up some construction skills and can do some of the work ourselves!?
Sunday, April 04, 2010
Happy Easter!
WHAT: Easter Sunday celebration
WHEN: April 4th (noon to afternoon)
WHERE: Jojo and Tracy's place in Cerritos
WHO: Ordinario family
To celebrate Easter, we had a traditional potluck lunch at my brother & sister-in-law's place. It was a gorgeous day - sunny but very cool. The perfect weather to hold our annual Easter egg hunt. But before that, we had lunch. There was so much food! There were turkey roll-ups.
I brought a pasta dish made with whole wheat noodles, Italian sausage, sundried tomatoes, asparagus and capers.
There were Filipino dishes too like pancit malabon (rice noodles).
Of course, there was chicken and pork adobo (which is probably the Philippine national dish).
Inihaw na bangus (grilled milkfish) with lots of tomatoes and onions.
For dessert, there was this giant danish with strawberry and cheese ...
And turon with banana and langka (jackfruit). Yummy! I've missed having my mom's turon ... this one tasted just as good.
After lunch we had an Easter egg hunt for the kids. Here are the kids are off and running, hunting for eggs hidden all over the backyard and the back patio.
The kids with their loot. This was suppose to be a shot with the kids, the titas and Lola - but as you can see there are some rogue titos in the shot! (Pardon my hair ... it was so windy!)
This time, the kids with Tito Jesse, Lolo. Tito Lee, Tito Roy, Tito Kuy and Tito Jojo.
The whole day was a lot of fun. But what made the day extra memorable actually happened later in the afternoon. While the kids were watching a movie upstairs, all of the adults were in the living room just chatting. I was sitting on the couch with Jojo and felt myself swaying. At first, I thought it was just me, but then we noticed the whole room shaking. The chandelier was swinging side to side and the water in the aquarium was sloshing around. There was an earthquake. It lasted about 30-40 seconds. We all gathered in the living room and waited it out. Turns out it was a pretty strong quake. A 7.3 on the richter scale with Mexicali as the epicenter (about 120+ miles from where we were). It was kinda scary and we were all glad that it was over and no one got hurt. Certainly a memorable Easter!
WHEN: April 4th (noon to afternoon)
WHERE: Jojo and Tracy's place in Cerritos
WHO: Ordinario family
To celebrate Easter, we had a traditional potluck lunch at my brother & sister-in-law's place. It was a gorgeous day - sunny but very cool. The perfect weather to hold our annual Easter egg hunt. But before that, we had lunch. There was so much food! There were turkey roll-ups.
I brought a pasta dish made with whole wheat noodles, Italian sausage, sundried tomatoes, asparagus and capers.
There were Filipino dishes too like pancit malabon (rice noodles).
Of course, there was chicken and pork adobo (which is probably the Philippine national dish).
Inihaw na bangus (grilled milkfish) with lots of tomatoes and onions.
For dessert, there was this giant danish with strawberry and cheese ...
And turon with banana and langka (jackfruit). Yummy! I've missed having my mom's turon ... this one tasted just as good.
After lunch we had an Easter egg hunt for the kids. Here are the kids are off and running, hunting for eggs hidden all over the backyard and the back patio.
The kids with their loot. This was suppose to be a shot with the kids, the titas and Lola - but as you can see there are some rogue titos in the shot! (Pardon my hair ... it was so windy!)
This time, the kids with Tito Jesse, Lolo. Tito Lee, Tito Roy, Tito Kuy and Tito Jojo.
The whole day was a lot of fun. But what made the day extra memorable actually happened later in the afternoon. While the kids were watching a movie upstairs, all of the adults were in the living room just chatting. I was sitting on the couch with Jojo and felt myself swaying. At first, I thought it was just me, but then we noticed the whole room shaking. The chandelier was swinging side to side and the water in the aquarium was sloshing around. There was an earthquake. It lasted about 30-40 seconds. We all gathered in the living room and waited it out. Turns out it was a pretty strong quake. A 7.3 on the richter scale with Mexicali as the epicenter (about 120+ miles from where we were). It was kinda scary and we were all glad that it was over and no one got hurt. Certainly a memorable Easter!
Thursday, April 01, 2010
Afghan Star
Last night I watched, Afghan Star, a documentary featuring the wildly popular tv show with the same title. Afghan Star is an American Idol-like talent show in Afghanistan. The show is similar to its US counterpart wherein young men and women audition to be on the show and then viewers can vote on who they want to eliminate weekly until only the winner is left at the end. The documentary highlights the behind-the-scenes stories of the show's third season, the backgrounds of the last 4 remaining contestants, and many of their fans.
Just as American Idol is so popular in America, Afghan Star has gained so much publicity and support in Afghanistan. On Friday nights, when the show airs, 11 million Afghans (1/3 the country's population) watch the show. But there is also a huge difference from America, in that Afghanistan is suffering from so much poverty. In the documentary it shows that people hook up their television sets to car batteries so they can tune in. Dozens of neighbors and friends excitedly gather round a small tv screen. There are many who live in remote places that have to walk several miles to restaurants and cafes that have televisions that broadcast the show. One man narrated that he drove for 15 hours to watch a live performance. Many Afghans sell their possessions to purchase SIM cards for their cellphones so they can vote for their favorite contestants. Since the show's inception, there have also been many censors watching the show and applying pressure on the producers and the contestants because they think Afghan Star is making the Afghan people too liberal. One female contestant received death threats and her family was treated as outcasts in their hometown because while singing and dancing on the show her headscarf fell off revealing her hair on national television.
More than just a documentary about a show that has become a national obsession, the film also serves as a prism by which we can see the struggles of the country. They have been through so many wars and the oppressive rule of the Taliban, that the people of Afghanistan are taking very cautious and very small baby steps with their new found freedom. Because music, television, singing, dancing and all forms of art have been banned for so long, the popularity of Afghan Star serves as a hope that Afghanistan's new generation is now embracing the return of art and culture in their lives. The documentary shows the struggle to want to modernize coupled with the fear of letting go of things that have been status quo. What is also interesting is that the 4 remaining contestants are from 4 different ethnic groups. These groups used to be at war with each other for so long but are now trying to forge a co-existence that allows them all to be considered as Afghans. In many ways the documentary becomes a way for the world to see what life in Afghanistan has been in the past, how it is today, and where it wants to be in the future.
If you find yourself with an opportunity to watch this film, then, please do. It is by no means a fantastic blockbuster or one that would rake in millions for the movie company that made it. It is an interesting film though and one that won at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival for directing and audience awards in the world documentary competition. But more than that, it is a very poignant eye-opener for the viewers. It makes us see things in a different light and helps us appreciate many of the things we often take for granted.
Just as American Idol is so popular in America, Afghan Star has gained so much publicity and support in Afghanistan. On Friday nights, when the show airs, 11 million Afghans (1/3 the country's population) watch the show. But there is also a huge difference from America, in that Afghanistan is suffering from so much poverty. In the documentary it shows that people hook up their television sets to car batteries so they can tune in. Dozens of neighbors and friends excitedly gather round a small tv screen. There are many who live in remote places that have to walk several miles to restaurants and cafes that have televisions that broadcast the show. One man narrated that he drove for 15 hours to watch a live performance. Many Afghans sell their possessions to purchase SIM cards for their cellphones so they can vote for their favorite contestants. Since the show's inception, there have also been many censors watching the show and applying pressure on the producers and the contestants because they think Afghan Star is making the Afghan people too liberal. One female contestant received death threats and her family was treated as outcasts in their hometown because while singing and dancing on the show her headscarf fell off revealing her hair on national television.
More than just a documentary about a show that has become a national obsession, the film also serves as a prism by which we can see the struggles of the country. They have been through so many wars and the oppressive rule of the Taliban, that the people of Afghanistan are taking very cautious and very small baby steps with their new found freedom. Because music, television, singing, dancing and all forms of art have been banned for so long, the popularity of Afghan Star serves as a hope that Afghanistan's new generation is now embracing the return of art and culture in their lives. The documentary shows the struggle to want to modernize coupled with the fear of letting go of things that have been status quo. What is also interesting is that the 4 remaining contestants are from 4 different ethnic groups. These groups used to be at war with each other for so long but are now trying to forge a co-existence that allows them all to be considered as Afghans. In many ways the documentary becomes a way for the world to see what life in Afghanistan has been in the past, how it is today, and where it wants to be in the future.
If you find yourself with an opportunity to watch this film, then, please do. It is by no means a fantastic blockbuster or one that would rake in millions for the movie company that made it. It is an interesting film though and one that won at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival for directing and audience awards in the world documentary competition. But more than that, it is a very poignant eye-opener for the viewers. It makes us see things in a different light and helps us appreciate many of the things we often take for granted.
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