her nth attempt » daily photo

A Dozen Snapshots

Billie — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 04:00:03 +0000

January 1. Lunch with the boys at Manila Golf.

January 2. Accompanying David while he gets a much needed haircut at a Korean salon.

January 3. Snacks at UCC. Dangerous to have so many coffee shops only two blocks from the house.

January 4. Spending Pop’s birthday at the office.

January 5. Watched Avatar for the second time in IMAX 3D at Mall of Asia. So cool.

January 6. In line at the Department of Foreign Affairs to get our passports. Philippine bureaucracy defies explanation.

January 7. An hour and a half of craziness between the entrance to the boarding gate at Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

January 8. Monster cream puffs. Whole Foods, I missed you.

January 9. Lemon sugar cookies baked on a Silpat mat (Christmas gift from brother). Yummy!

January 10. Few things can top the sweet mental satisfaction of picking up a puzzle piece and knowing in an instant exactly where it goes. Strawberry yogurt smoothies for an equally happy tummy.

January 11. Yeah, I went nuts on eBay.

January 12. Despite the perpetually frozen fingers, toes and nose, I love winter.

La Vie Bohème

Billie — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 03:22:19 +0000

RENT! The Musical
Detroit Opera House
February 19, 2009

Donuts, part deux

Billie — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 23:55:44 +0000

Yes, I took the BAKE! We Dig Donuts class again! I brought K along this time and we ended up making around 5 dozen donuts. Num num! I brought most of them to work where I forgot to take pictures before they were scarfed down.

The first batch was deliciously light and fluffy.

The second batch that we made from the take-home dough didn’t turn out the same. Because the dough was refrigerated, the donuts dropped the temperature of the oil when they fried. Precise frying temperature is crucial is making good donuts! In my case, the oil wasn’t hot enough, so the donuts came out greasier.

I couldn’t find my cookie cutters, so the donuts ended up looking like candy onion rings and Christmas trees with sprinkles.

Happy Flowers

Billie — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 22:50:51 +0000

I received a special delivery of pretty gerberas for Valentine’s Day! Thanks, K!

Ink Detroit Launch Party and Fashion Show

Billie — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 03:38:30 +0000

My friend Christine and I did some freelance work developing their e-commerce website. The owners, Al, Steve and Paul, launched it at the Elysium in downtown Detroit last Saturday. I wonder how much it costs to host a party for 500 people at a popular club for a night.

Over 21 and living it up

Billie — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 23:46:54 +0000

I just bought a six-pack of Izze Sparkling Apple. I like it because I can sit around and pretend I’m nursing a beer. Look at me, drinking from the bottle. Hoo yeah.

Feeeeeeed meeee!

Billie — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 04:44:36 +0000

This is how I feel today. Too bad it’s a kids shirt!

At the stroke of midnight

Billie — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 17:41:50 +0000

Every year since I was born, my ama would hold a New Year’s Eve party at her house. There would be food, drinks, a band, dance instructors. This one regular guest and his wife would come decked out matching green sequined suits. The younger generation would hide at a dark table to avoid being asked to dance. Inevitably, we’d be found and miserably dragged to a swing or worse, line dance. As midnight approached, the guests would file outside with noisemakers and drink glasses in hand. Everyone counts down together and there go the fireworks display! A cacophonous celebration brings in the new year. Even after my angkong passed away in 2004, the party scaled down to a casual dinner with the relatives and a few fireworks in the garden.

But earlier this week, in a move that shocked the entire family, my ama announced that there will be no New Year’s gathering at her house. Suddenly, on the biggest party night of the year all over the city, we had nowhere to go. My brothers and I paced restlessly around the couch wondering what to do. My dad asked if we wanted to play poker. He’s been bitten by the poker bug in a big way. As for me, I wasn’t sure if a straight beat two pairs. But it’s not like we had plans.

To our surprise, we actually had fun. I took a picture of my first winning hand. Right at that moment the sky outside exploded with lights and cheer.

Escape to relaxation

Billie — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 21:29:51 +0000

T House, Tagaytay

David, his girlfriend and I drove down to Tagaytay for a day trip. We went to a spa to get massages. Ahhh…

SIN

Billie — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 18:06:15 +0000

Changi Airport Terminal 3, Singapore